Standard Pacific: Buyer Be... Where?

Incredible article in this weekend's LA Times about Standard Pacific's "Mission: Possible" sale in Southern California:

For days, the Irvine company has been touting its "Mission: Possible" extravaganza in 49 communities throughout Southern California, with bonuses for buyers totaling as much as $20 million. Standard Pacific is aiming to sell 200 homes by offering mortgage loans with rates of less than 6% and other perks, including a free 42-inch plasma-screen television with every home purchase.

But in Victorville on Friday, the blowout looked more like a washout. Only a trickle of potential buyers showed up on the first day of the 10-day event.

Only a handful of prospects, although more than usual for a Friday, stopped by the sales offices of neighboring communities Diamond Ridge and Crystal Spring, which were decorated with colorful banners and posters proclaiming the event.

Meanwhile, Bubble Markets Inventory Tracking checked out the StanPac community "Avaron at Del Sur." StanPac has lowered prices by 10-20% since spring 2007, but evidently even that is failing to sell houses.

By the way, if we are "near the bottom" of the housing market, as people keep saying, then why are builders trying to dump inventory?