Top 10 Real Estate Reality TV Shows and What We Can Learn From Them

Hi there,

I agree it is always informative to watch the real estate oriented shows on t.v. Some crack me up b/c they make our job look so easy. For instance, Million dollar listing...Please!

Some of the HGTV shows on this list are filmed locally in my market and I myself have been a part of 5 or 6 episodes of one of these top 10 shows.  One benefit of this proliferation of real estate themed shows is that it can make my job easier when I have to explain to a Seller why they need to de-clutter and stage their homes, since many times, Sellers have seen some of these shows and now get it the importance of presenting their home in its best possible light. Only infrequently have I had to convince a seller that a Buyer may not see beyond their clutter.  Sellers seem to understand that they need to help a Buyer to feel good in the space (which doesn't happen with 4 years of stacked newspaper lying about and dust bunnies the size of Volkswagens in every corner) and to envision themselves there. 

I enjoy HGTV and the shows that you have listed.  But sometimes I think that the public get too educated.  I Once had a listing that the owner had gone crazy with decorating themes in each room way over the top.  Like the whole wall of silk flowers hot glued on the wall in the bathroom.  over 500 flowers!

I've had the privilege of appearing frequently on HGTV's "Get It Sold," and yes, some of it is scripted for TV purposes.  They don't, however, tell me how to do my job or what price to place on a property ~ the owners receive honest input from the Realtors on that show.

I think the shows work well in helping us, as Realtors, in that if the sellers have seen the shows, they know that cleaning and decluttering are necessary; that they may need to put furniture and other items in storage.  Because I've been on the shows, many of my clients even think I'm the staging expert.  These shows do work to help us!

What does "twitter" mean?

Pat GorDon, GRI, Associate Broker

Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Washington, D.C. 20015

202-364-1300

www.patgordonrealtor.com

great i need to start watching those I only watched Million Dollar Listing

I like most of those shows. I think Buy Me shows more of a realistic side of a transaction, but most of the episodes are so old, they are not relevant to the market today. I loved Million Dollar Listing and Flipping out just for entertainment factor. I liked Flip this house with Richard on it, I am waiting for a really good Real estate show. I do think all of the staging ones are helpful for ideas.

Most of these FLIP shows are crap and filled with lies and fraud.  [Not extreme Makeover of course.] Lots of good ideas though, just not enough 'reality'.  Many are filmed around Atlanta where I live and I've followed up on some of the stuff Ive seen here. The reality is much different that portrayed.  Check out Flip THis Lawsuit for some reality that will actually stick to the wall. 

Yeah, I do watch some of these when I have the time... there is a big shot Realtor (condos mostly) and he has a show called Big City Broker...   I find it funny.

I am also an avid watcher of many of the do it yourself shows and Realty shows.  I think we need to watch them, because our buyers and sellers are. We need to know what they are thinking and what is influencing there decisions and address the unreality of these some of these shows.

As for million dollar listing show, I think it paints Realtors in a bad way. And I do not enjoy the show at all. I don't think they have put out a new season, but they rerun the old ones in my market all the time. I think it makes it look like we make ton's of money for practically no work and whine while we do it.

I've always thought that these shows were out of touch with the real market.  I will say, however that more and more I'm seeing shows about what a seller needs to do to get their home sold.  They seem to be catching on to the buyers market we're in.

What about the first season of Flip This House? I used to faithfully watch the Trademark Properties team in Charleston, SC and I loved that show!

Million Dollar Listings is hilarious - I can't even believe those kids get those listings. What am I doing wrong???

Great post DJ. I will Twitter it tonight.

@ Pat Gordon 

For more info on Twitter see this post on ActiveRain - http://activerain.com/blogsview/864848/Tips-Tools-and-Tweets-Twitter-Twexplanations

Great post! Thanks for sharing with us!

-Tre Pryor | www.trepryor.com

Hi DJ,

Very cool list/ idea.  All of these are great shows and absolutely provide lessons for buyers, sellers and agents.  All of these shows help us to see the process from other perspectives ... sometimes I think we forget how silly, easy or crazy we're being (all parties included).

Best regards,
Mike

I am often amused by the premise of these shows.  Some of them start out with a young couple (late 20's?)buying a house for more than half a million dollars and then remodeling it to the tune of $250,000 or so.  Where do they find these people? -- certainly not in my area of Ohio.  

I do, however,  enjoy watching shows in which computer work is done on possible changes to a property.  There has to be many hours of work put into this, but it is made to look like it took almost no effort.

And I often feel that the redecorations that get done just set the stage for the next "before and after" project. As Realtor I would not recommend many of the "improvements" that are made, especially when we hear about what those "improvements" cost.

I agree with an earlier poster on that "big city broker" comment. Can anyone imagine tolerating that man's attitude?

I would be interested in more followup on these shows.  After those improvements were made and that first open house was held did the house actually close, and if so, at what price?

The number of real estate related TV shows indicates that real estate is still an important interest to consumers, regardless of the economy.

DJ,

Good post.  I'm a fan of most of these shows because I like to see the expereinces others go through, especially with flipping.  It's funny though, People see some of these shows and think "oh, its easy to make money in real estate.  I'm going to buy a house move some walls around and sell it for a big profit at the open house".  In reality, it just doesn;t work like many of the real estate shows lead people to believe.  But hey, they are still fun to watch and they give you good ideas.

Kenneth

HGTV almost always comes up when I am out with buyer - in particular - but almost everyone - even my parents.  I often watch it to get tips to give clients - and just great viewing all around.  Thanks for the list.

I am going to have to start watching some of these shows.  I never realized that there were so many of them.