GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) -- With the economic downturn, people are looking at all sorts of new, creative ways to make some extra cash, but how about turning your home into a billboard?

The idea is to help homeowners on the cusp of foreclosure. A marketing company called Brainiacs from Mars comes to your home, paints on their logos and, in turn, pays your mortgage.

"As I was taking a corner, there was a two-story home, two windows, one door, completely blank slate, and then a light bulb just went off: If we could pay for this guy's mortgage, would he let us put an ad on his house?” CEO Romeo Mendoza said.

By painting their homes with bright orange and green, and plastering ads all over the outside, the company will pay your mortgage while the ads stay up.

"That can be anywhere from a month all the way up to a year," Mendoza said.

So far, Brainiacs from Mars has more than 44,000 applications nationwide, including 144 right here in Grand Junction.

Mendoza said he thinks Grand Junction could start seeing the ads the first part of the new year because the company is still processing applications, and said it wants to figure out a way to help as many people as possible.

You must own your home to be eligible; it can't be rented or leased. The company doesn't paint in HOA neighborhoods either.