A NEW era in home-buying is dawning. In the war to woo prospective buyers put off by sky-high prices and rising interest rates, two Hampshire property developers have turned to spectacular luxury extras to boost saleability.

And experts are saying the gimmick is good news for buyers.

As from today, anyone agreeing a deal for a Banner Homes property in Dean Place, Chandler's Ford, will be picking up the keys to a brand new £15,000 Peugeot 206 convertible along with their house keys.

The elaborate 30-car give-away is the first of its kind introduced by the national property company.

Nikki Dennis, head of sales and marketing for Banner Homes, said: "We were keen to offer this incentive to entice first-time buyers into the market.

"Buying a property can be an expensive and time-consuming process, so if there is anything we can do to smooth this for our customers then we are happy to help."

Meanwhile, anyone prepared to splash out up to £200,000 on a luxury waterside apartment in Bitterne will be handed an extra £1,000 by developers Infinity Homes to spend on a Thompson's holiday.

The cash would pay for a week in a luxury Barbados resort, two return flights to Australia or seven peak-season days in the Austrian mountains for four people.

The idea is that buyers enjoy a luxury holiday for free after the stress of moving home.

Housing expert Simon Beech, land and new homes manager for Morris Dibben, said the offers marked a shift towards growing buyer power. However, he warned that gimmicks could never override the importance of the top property buzzword: location.

"A lot of developers bought land a couple of years ago and, by the time building happens, they can't achieve prices they were hoping for.

"Developers don't like reducing prices so instead they do deals. It's not quite a buyer's market yet, but it is going that way."

He added: "Will it attract more buyers? Unfortunately, I still think it's down to location, location, location - our three favourite words.

"Buyers might be getting a £15,000 car but they are also gaining a £120,000 mortgage and a property they have to resell. Whether these offers work remains to be seen."