Realty Reality TV Shows

That’s the reality of today’s market, let’s talk about the reality of how real estate is portrayed on TV. Remember the movie “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids”? I LOVED that movie as a kid. 10/10 recommend! There’s a scene however that really bothers me as an adult.
Diane is standing in the backyard with her estranged husband Wayne. They’re struggling to make small talk, & she says, “Hey, I sold a house today!” Wayne then kindly congratulates her.
For the 8-year-old Katina who loved that movie as a kid – that line poses no problem. For the 40-year-old Realtor Katina who saw that part recently -BIG problem! If she were a REAL Realtor –she would have said:

“I got an offer on a house today.”
or
“I got the contract fully executed today.”
or
“I closed on a house today.”
or
“I got paid for that closing today.”

Realtors never sell a house in a day! The offer, signing of that offer, closing & getting paid for selling the house are all days or weeks apart from one another.
It’s like saying “Hey, I built a car today!” No… no, you didn’t.
You may have put the wheels on
or
you painted it today
or
you got the engine running
or
you drove it for the first time.
You did not, however, build the car today.

I tell my clients that they’re absolutely not allowed to watch any HGTV while they’re working with me. They laugh… thinking that I’m joking… but I’m not. Here’s why…
On the show “Love It or List It” homeowners complain about their house, & contractors come in & address their biggest complaints. Then, after all the remodeling is done, the sellers decide: Have they fallen back in love with current home… or… do they still want to sell it & find a new house.
Very interesting concept! I deal with that in the real world of real estate all the time. Sellers ask me to price their home, & they decide if they want to put some work in & stick it out at their house or if it would make sense to buy something new that has everything they’d want.
On the show, however, they record both endings – one ending in which the sellers gush over the improvements & decide to stay & another where they still make the decision to move. Whichever one makes a better episode is the one that makes the cut on the show – regardless as to whether or not that was the outcome in real life.

If you’re a fan of “House Hunters” brace yourself. None of the homes on that show are even for sale! The main characters of each episode have already purchased their new home. Yup, it’s bought… paid for… AND they’re already living in it.

The other 2 houses they view “for consideration” in the episode are actually homes of their family or friends who agreed to offer up their houses for the show. Then, the Schnitzel family pretends that they are potential buyers for their Aunt Martha’s house that isn’t even for sale & critiques it for the episode! (That would make the next Thanksgiving a little awkward.)
They have to rerecord things several times. The producers oftentimes don’t like the way the pretend buyers enter a room. So, they have to do it again & again & again to get the best fake reaction. As I was thinking about this, it means that the sales prices of each property are completely made up… fictitious… not real… pretend… they pulled those numbers out of thin air! The writers added the fake listing price because they found that it boosted ratings.
The inventory is made up. The numbers are made up. The outcomes are made up, & even the conversations are downright ridiculous.
I was watching a really bad movie on TV a while back, & the Realtor walks up to the door, knocks & introduces herself to the homeowners saying, “Hi, I’m Janet. I’m the Realtor who will be listing your home.” & then they invite her in saying, “Hi, Janet. It’s nice to meet you.”
Are you kidding?! Wow… yes… that is exactly how easy I would like it to be! Hollywood – I’m officially offering to be your TV/Movie Realtor! In real life, I’m talking to homeowners for weeks or years before I’m invited to see their home. We always have some sort of relationship before I step foot onto their property.
I may try that approach though… I’m going to just walk up to a house with a smile & an outstretched hand, “Hi, I’m Katina… I’m the Realtor who will be listing your home.” Then, they’ll invite me in, & we’ll live happily ever after!

I’m Always Here & Happy to Help!

Katina Hunter
Team Lead for the Katina Hunter Team with Coldwell Banker
724-888-9020
Katina.Hunter@PittsburghMoves.com