Property Agents Turn Haze Into Funny Real Estate Marketing Stunt

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Sometimes, you just have to cari makan — even when the sky outside looks like someone has forgotten to turn on the lights.

Malaysia’s haze attack this year began with deteriorating air quality recorded across several states as dry conditions persisted during the Southwest Monsoon.

Borneo has been particularly badly hit, with Sarawak bearing much of the brunt of the worsening conditions. Several areas recorded unhealthy and hazardous Air Pollutant Index (API) readings, with the situation eventually escalating to the point that a state of emergency was declared in Serian after its API reading surged above 500.

But while residents are understandably concerned about the health effects, some people are still trying to make a living — and a few real estate agents have decided to turn the hazy skies into a rather hilarious marketing opportunity.

Take Iswandy Ismail, for example. In a Facebook post, Iswandy advertised a three-bedroom, one-bathroom terrace house, complete with basic lights and grilles with curtains.

But it was not the house itself, nor the nearby amenities, that caught the attention of netizens.

It was the main picture accompanying the listing.

Iswandy appeared to have edited the image to make the property look as though it was surrounded by thick haze — essentially turning Sarawak’s ongoing air-quality problem into a property marketing stunt.

And judging by the comments, it worked.

Netizens were quick to appreciate the cheeky marketing.

“You should have written ‘views like Genting Highlands’,” Andrew Ting joked in the comments.

“Your marketing worked. I clicked on the comments and saw your property,” Alvin Kwan wrote, referring to the actual photographs of the house that Iswandy later shared.

Apparently, the stunt worked well enough for another property agent to jump on the haze bandwagon.

Ong Tze Kok used AI to create a promotional poster for the sale or rental of a semi-detached factory. His selling point? The haze.

According to Ong, the owner had lowered the price as much as possible because of the current hazy weather.

Again, netizens were not going to let the opportunity pass.

One commenter asked whether the land was freehold or “free haze”.

Another wondered whether the factory was located in Silent Hill, a reference to the thick fog surrounding the setting of the popular horror game of the same name.

It may be a serious haze crisis, but the internet has once again demonstrated that Malaysians can find humour almost anywhere.

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Property Agents Turn Haze Into Funny Real Estate Marketing Stunt
Entertainment Flash Report