Heard the good news?

Although you don't hear many folks blaming the news media for the housing downturn anymore, the marketing department at Beazer Homes is hoping newsies will help turn things around -- by printing articles "written [for Beazer] by seasoned journalists in AP style."

Beazer's "SmartNews Bureau" promises editors, reporters and print publications "copyright-free content to fit their editorial needs."

Today's offering, "'Perfect Storm' Favors Home Buyers," cites a recent consumer poll "conducted on behalf of Beazer" that found 64 percent of respondents believe that it's an "ideal time to buy a home"-- if you've got good credit and a down payment.

A choice quote, attributed to Jackie Alexander, a vice president of sales and marketing:

"As spring approaches, we expect to see buyers who have been sitting on the fence begin to take action. More and more people are waking up to the tremendous buying opportunities that are out there today."

Although those words sound like they came straight from the keyboard of an ad copywriter, rather than the notebook of a "seasoned journalist" engaged in a conversation with Jackie Alexander, that doesn't mean they are not true -- especially in the five markets where the beleaguered developer is shutting down its home-building operations and selling its land holdings. Just don't try to get financing through Beazer Mortgage Corp., they might have added.

The "article" goes on to list reasons you should by a new home -- like all the money you can save on your heating and air conditioning costs (modern building codes have tougher energy efficiency requirements).

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