The curmudgeon from Chicago announced today that HGTV is starting a new reality TV series called "Bought and Sold". I'm sure none of you react when you watch the real estate shows on TV, but many times they've left me cringing, especially the ones that show an agent as the "tour guide" of the home. Nothing grates on my nerves anymore than an agent walking into a vacant bedroom and saying, "And this is the bedroom." No, duh! The show depicts the buyers finding their properties through newspaper ads instead of getting e-mails of property listings from the agent as well. It conveys real estate agents as bimbos who only open doors . . . which I jokingly tell clients is the hardest part of my job!
Clients who have been privy to the services provided by their agent constantly wonder at the amount of work an agent puts into the process. Not only does the agent screen properties on the MLS to find the best fit for their clients' criteria, but they also research the market to see how close houses compare to others in that same area. Agents are aware of physical defects and disclose them to their clients. Sometimes agents even talk their clients out of buying a house because of condition or because of price. Hours and hours are spent in examining data; choosing homes to show, scheduling showings; comparing the house to others in the neighborhood; advising on terms and pricing of the offer; presenting the offer in its best position; negotiating inspection repairs; processing paperwork; etc.
The new reality real estate show is supposed to show the life of a REALTOR®. I can't wait to see if their rendition matches my experience! Will they show an agent picking up pet feces before an open house? Or scrubbing the kitchen until it gleams? Or replacing switch plate covers? Or meeting city inspectors because their client is out of town? Or calling the city for information on whether the property can be split in the future? Or acting as mediator between divorcing parties? Or calming a client so they realize $500 in a $500,000 sale is peanuts? Or crawling in a window when one gets locked out? Or passing out tissues when the offer is declined? Or reassuring the client that cold feet is normal and that feeling will pass? I can't wait to see how much this new show will mirror my life, because as Gene Molloy says, "Real estate is my lifestyle, not my job!"
You've crawled in a window, too?
Posted by: Greg Perry | April 23, 2007 at 09:00 AM
Shhhh, don't tell. It was either that or freeze to death at -13 degrees outside. The neighbor wouldn't let us wait inside for my husband and 30 minutes is a long time when you left your purse, keys, lock box, cell phone, and hat and gloves inside the house that automatically locked behind you (lock was broken!)! Thankfully, the window was not locked but painted shut and my client had a leatherman tool that we used to score the paint lines. At some point on the way to freezing to death, I would have broken a window and paid for it to be replaced!
Posted by: Bonnie Erickson | April 23, 2007 at 09:22 AM
You're guna love this show. It shows all the ins and outs of the real estate business in New Jersey. With you having experience in that field, I would hope that you find this show entertaining and interesting. I love watching what some of the realtors would do just to close the deal, I'm sure you have your fair share of stories as well. I've never been through the house hunting process, so that part of the show really intrigues me. If you want to watch a preview you can click on this link http://web.hgtv.com/webhgtv/images/pac/59889/start_at_home.html?section=boughtsold,panel=videos I work with HGTV so I'm bringing you this content exclusively
Posted by: Jordan | May 04, 2007 at 03:15 PM