OT: Paceliner HGTV House Hunters Appearance

[MePaleo]

My big show airs tonight (Oct 13th) at 9:00p CT/ 10:00p E/P. I wanted to roll up on my bike for all the showings, but they nixed that brilliant idea. Anyway, I hope to do you proud!

Cheers,
Chuck

http://forums.thepaceline.net/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=46

[holliscx]

I knew someone in college who would get stoned and watch House Hunters marathons, but isn't that show fake?

[Limonade]

I knew someone in college who would get stoned and watch House Hunters marathons, but isn't that show fake?

my understanding is you have to already be in contract on a house to get chosen for the show, so yea, basically fake. Youve got your house picked out then you go and complain about a couple other houses and find some flaws in your own to make it interesting...
Not sure what's in it for the participants...curious to hear though...

[druptight]

I watch this show quite a bit, despite the many reports I've read about the reality (or lack thereof) of the show. I'd love to hear more about your experience, what's in it for you, how realistic it is, etc.

[zap]

My big show airs tonight (Oct 13th) at 9:00p CT/ 10:00p E/P. I wanted to roll up on my bike for all the showings, but they nixed that brilliant idea. Anyway, I hope to do you proud!

Cheers,
Chuck

http://forums.thepaceline.net/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=46

Only if in the last 30 seconds there is a shot of a room or garage full of bikes. :banana:

But heck, congrats on getting on the show.

[alessandro]

I knew someone in college who would get stoned and watch House Hunters marathons, but isn't that show fake?

I watch this show quite a bit, despite the many reports I've read about the reality (or lack thereof) of the show. I'd love to hear more about your experience, what's in it for you, how realistic it is, etc.

So, how do you, um, prepare for watching the show? ;):D:beer:

[Idris Icabod]

Cyclists must be a bunch of photogenic buggers. There is a fellow over at RBR that is currently on Survivor!

I was also told that the house is already under contract on this show. Can I ask what is the appeal of going on a show like this? Do you get paid? I just signed a contract to build a new house last Friday and would happily go on TV, scratch my chin at a couple of different houses and then let my wife tell me which house we are buying for a bit of cash.

[lonoeightysix]

So, how do you, um, prepare for watching the show? ;):D:beer:


you start dark side of the moon three seconds into the opening credits. everything "should" sync up, esp. great gig in the sky.

[Ken Robb]

I retired after 36 years as a real estate broker. I watched the show once. It was the episode where the two gay guys from NYC were buying a second home in rural Hudson Valley. I thought it rang true. There were the usual conflicts of desires and required compromises common to most couples or single buyers. I was a bit surprised that they chose the house with the one drawback that can't be fixed. It is near a noisy highway. The other properties needed some work but we all know the old saw about "location, location, location" being the three most important things in real estate.

But I witnessed many seeming anomalies/disconnects between what people said the "had to have" and what they finally bought. Buying a house isn't totally quantitative and we can never dismiss emotional reactions to certain properties.

[MattTuck]

yes, tell us (if you are not contractually prohibited from doing so) the secrets behind this show. :)

I always figured that something had to be up, or the show took care of the down payment as an inducement for being on the show. No person in their right mind would see only three houses and then pick amongst them.

[bargainguy]

Haven't had cable in awhile, but back when I did, watched HH religiously.

My fave episode was the young couple who were currently renting a row house in some east coast city - Baltimore, Philly maybe - and their current backyard, they called the penalty box. Looked a lot like it, too, with chainlink fence and a truly tiny space. On that episode, anything else was easily better than the penalty box.

[OtayBW]

I'm not impressed. Call me when you get on Naked and Afraid!

[fil]

So, how do you, um, prepare for watching the show? ;):D:beer:

anytime they mention or refer to an "open concept" or "natural light" take a drink

this works for any show on HGTV

[rbtmcardle]

anytime they mention or refer to an "open concept" or "natural light" take a drink



this works for any show on HGTV


This!!

[BumbleBeeDave]

Tough crowd.

:p

BBD

[SlackMan]

Here's the really tough part about how to view these: After every commercial break, they review what happened prior to the commercial break for all those viewers who suffer from short term memory loss. During this review, for every fact that you recall from >3 minutes ago prior to the break, you take a shot of Tequila. If you don't recognize a fact, you take three shots of Tequila. This creates an incentive to remember better in the future.

If you are watching a Tivo-d version, you multiply the prescribed number of shots by two, and/or substitute Everclear for Tequila.

[MattTuck]

Chuck,

Watching it now! I misunderstood, didn't realize you were the realtor. I thought you were buying a place to store all your bikes!


To the aforementioned drinking game, I heard natural light and open concept before the intro of the show!!

[tumbler]

You could also drink every time a buyer walks into an Ohio townhouse and compares it to a french chateau.

[MePaleo]

Well, I had a few drinks during that one! Thanks for watching (and commenting). I actually showed these guys close to 100 places before they found one. Very tough buyers, but really nice people. The first time we viewed the timber loft, the previous owner had a Lemond and a Bike Friday sitting in the back room. The guy is in his mid 70's and still rides. Cool dude. I wanted to write the Lemond into the offer!

[Ken Robb]

I missed the show but as an ex-chicagoan I'm curious:where did they look and ultimately buy? I don't think I ever showed a client 100 properties. 30 would have been a lot and by 50 both of us would probably have called it quits. :)

[MePaleo]

I missed the show but as an ex-chicagoan I'm curious:where did they look and ultimately buy? I don't think I ever showed a client 100 properties. 30 would have been a lot and by 50 both of us would probably have called it quits. :)

We were in West Loop, Old Town and Logan Square. They ended up in West Loop in a cool timber loft space. Google is building offices in West Loop, so the area is super hot right now. I think we saw every unit between Hyde Park and River North, though.

[Idris Icabod]

Since there are 2 estate agents on this thread do you mind me asking a question. We just went to contract with a builder on a new house. Our realtor (used her for our last house buy 10 years ago) said initially that there would be a discount on selling our current house since she would be our agent on our new buy and get commision there as well. Now when I asked her about the discount, she just laughed it off and said that she would pay some fee of $120 or so. I know I should have probably covered the 'discount' earlier on. Would you guys offer a discount on the sale if you also brokered the new buy and what would the discount be? I haven't actually signed a contract with her for the sale as of yet. Also I was kind of a bit put off as when we were going through the build options she seemed more preoccupied with getting her commission from the builder separated from a previous sale with the same builder so she wouldn't have to pay her agency as much. Any insight or ideas would be appreciated.

PS. I recorded the HGTV episode, will watch tonight. My wife wants to apply to be on it.

[MePaleo]

Since there are 2 estate agents on this thread do you mind me asking a question. We just went to contract with a builder on a new house. Our realtor (used her for our last house buy 10 years ago) said initially that there would be a discount on selling our current house since she would be our agent on our new buy and get commision there as well. Now when I asked her about the discount, she just laughed it off and said that she would pay some fee of $120 or so. I know I should have probably covered the 'discount' earlier on. Would you guys offer a discount on the sale if you also brokered the new buy and what would the discount be? I haven't actually signed a contract with her for the sale as of yet. Also I was kind of a bit put off as when we were going through the build options she seemed more preoccupied with getting her commission from the builder separated from a previous sale with the same builder so she wouldn't have to pay her agency as much. Any insight or ideas would be appreciated.

PS. I recorded the HGTV episode, will watch tonight. My wife wants to apply to be on it.

Make sure the discount is in writing on the listing agreement. If she offered a discount to get your business, she should step up. If not, you may want to interview a couple more agents and hire someone you trust. For repeat clients, I will sometimes do a friends & family rate. The rate is always discussed up front and put in writing. Brokerages do have different rates, so it doesn't hurt to shop around a bit. Hope that helps. Enjoy the show!

[Climb01742]

To the OP, did the producers of the show ask you to sign an NDA about the mechanics of the show?

That aside, you were far more patient with the buyers than I ever could have been. I don't know how real estate agents don't end up throttling more of their clients.;)

[Ken Robb]

To the OP, did the producers of the show ask you to sign an NDA about the mechanics of the show?

That aside, you were far more patient with the buyers than I ever could have been. I don't know how real estate agents don't end up throttling more of their clients.;)

I might tell you more but there is no statute of limitations for murder in California. :)

[MePaleo]

To the OP, did the producers of the show ask you to sign an NDA about the mechanics of the show?

That aside, you were far more patient with the buyers than I ever could have been. I don't know how real estate agents don't end up throttling more of their clients.;)

yes... I had to sign a NDA before any filming took place. The buyers were fun to work with and always very appreciative as tough as they were. That makes a big difference. If they were a-holes, I would have dropped them pretty quickly :)

[fogrider]

I don't have cable but watch a few of the shows on Hulu...I think they run them a few years after they have aired. I'm not crazy about the HH, but find the International House Hunters much more interesting...just to see how people around the world live. I also like "Selling New York", pretty cra-cra how they need to market apartments in the 10 to 20 million dollar range.

[fuzzalow]

yes... I had to sign a NDA before any filming took place. The buyers were fun to work with and always very appreciative as tough as they were. That makes a big difference. If they were a-holes, I would have dropped them pretty quickly :)

I am empathetic to the plight of your clients. As a client, one can be perfectly in tune with likes, dislikes, must-haves and meh-livable. All well and good until the trade-offs and compromises that are unavoidable and inevitable come into play.

There is no such thing as a perfect property for anyone not graced with limitless funds. So the mish-mosh of trade-offs makes what seemed like a well defined checklist into what looks like an ill defined mess. But it is really not a mess, more like a feeling of things falling into place. It is more like work the longer we look but it is still exciting. Still at it. In real estate, money's not worth much.

[Ken Robb]

I am empathetic to the plight of your clients. As a client, one can be perfectly in tune with likes, dislikes, must-haves and meh-livable. All well and good until the trade-offs and compromises that are unavoidable and inevitable come into play.

There is no such thing as a perfect property for anyone not graced with limitless funds. So the mish-mosh of trade-offs makes what seemed like a well defined checklist into what looks like an ill defined mess. But it is really not a mess, more like a feeling of things falling into place. It is more like work the longer we look but it is still exciting. Still at it. In real estate, money's not worth much.
In 36 years as a broker I never sold a "perfect" home. Even people buying multi-million dollar homes are making compromises and planning changes. Heck, even folks who build custom homes get 1/2 way through and realize they would like to change something. No kidding. :)

[Louis]

I actually showed these guys close to 100 places before they found one.

This is insane. You get paid based on a % of the sale price, right? So what collect is the same, whether they buy the second house / condo or you bust your butt for 6 months and they buy the 250th one they see. I would have dumped them after 20 - let them waste someone else's time.

I think I saw less than 10 houses before I bought mine. #1 criterion was in an area with access to great cycling, and I got that. (however, imo homeownership is a real pita, with a completely unpredictable expense schedule)

[Ken Robb]

This is insane. You get paid based on a % of the sale price, right? So what collect is the same, whether they buy the second house / condo or you bust your butt for 6 months and they buy the 250th one they see. I would have dumped them after 20 - let them waste someone else's time.

I think I saw less than 10 houses before I bought mine. #1 criterion was in an area with access to great cycling, and I got that. (however, imo homeownership is a real pita, with a completely unpredictable expense schedule)

Sometimes you bust your butt for months and then they buy a place through their sister-in-law who comes to town for the free lunch. Some folks are sincere, realistic, and sympathetic so we keep working with them because we really want them to get into a home where they will be happy. It isn't all about the money. Typically I only "fired" clients who were unappreciative of my time and efforts or who had totally unrealistic expectations of what they could buy within their budgets. Of course after digesting my dose of reality some of them later bought places I had shown them because they realized that really was the best they could afford.

[Ken Robb]

I think I saw less than 10 houses before I bought mine. #1 criterion was in an area with access to great cycling, and I got that. (however, imo homeownership is a real pita, with a completely unpredictable expense schedule)

Well, maybe you should have paid a bit more attention to criteria 2 through 4 to better predict expenses? :) I hope you can see me grinning as I write this.

[Louis]

Well, maybe you should have paid a bit more attention to criteria 2 through 4 to better predict expenses? :) I hope you can see me grinning as I write this.

There are other criteria beyond suitability for cycling? That never even occurred to me. ;)

Actually the only potentially big expense that I didn't recognize up front was the possibility of the water level in the well dropping too low due to an extended drought combined with additional demands on the aquifer.

It's not that easy to know exactly what the actual water level is, and having to dig it significantly deeper could be $$$$. I can afford it, but I don't like the stress not knowing when it might happen. Of course I could do it preemptively, but I'm too cheap to spend that kind of money unless I really have to.

[MePaleo]

Some folks are sincere, realistic, and sympathetic so we keep working with them because we really want them to get into a home where they will be happy. It isn't all about the money.

Well put, Ken. These guys were always so appreciative of my time and I enjoyed working with them, so it didn't seem like we looked at that many places. During the whole time span we were working together, I had two other sets of clients buy a place on the first night out. I suppose that it all balances out in the end!

[velomonkey]

If they were a-holes, I would have dropped them pretty quickly :)

Oddly enough I have this exact same rule for bike riding.

Congrats on the appearance.

[zap]

This is insane. You get paid based on a % of the sale price, right? So what collect is the same, whether they buy the second house / condo or you bust your butt for 6 months and they buy the 250th one they see. I would have dumped them after 20 - let them waste someone else's time.



Successful sales people keep working the deal. Some deals are easy, others take a very long time. Many starting out in sales see $$$$$ but don't realize how hard it can be. Many fail.

[oldpotatoe]

This is insane. You get paid based on a % of the sale price, right? So what collect is the same, whether they buy the second house / condo or you bust your butt for 6 months and they buy the 250th one they see. I would have dumped them after 20 - let them waste someone else's time.

I think I saw less than 10 houses before I bought mine. #1 criterion was in an area with access to great cycling, and I got that. (however, imo homeownership is a real pita, with a completely unpredictable expense schedule)

Pat Brown, local tri guy turned real estate guy. Had a customer who looked at a LOT more than 20 houses..finally bought..for $1.8 million...lessee..1.75% of 1,800,000(buyer and seller agent plus part of an 'office')...yes, $31,500. He could have let him waste somebody else's time', but..nature of real estate, as any agent will tell ya. They don't calculate $ per hour salary..sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes he eats you.

What bugs me is the auto 7% price increase eveytime the place is sold, regardless...a flat market is never really flat.

[jlwdm]

Pat Brown, local tri guy turned real estate guy. Had a customer who looked at a LOT more than 20 houses..finally bought..for $1.8 million...lessee..1.75% of 1,800,000(buyer and seller agent plus part of an 'office')...yes, $31,500. He could have let him waste somebody else's time', but..nature of real estate, as any agent will tell ya. They don't calculate $ per hour salary..sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes he eats you.

...

I am not sure if you are saying that is good or bad? How much time? Commission seems low.

Jeff

[sailorboy]

anytime they mention or refer to an "open concept" or "natural light" take a drink

this works for any show on HGTV

When I was stationed in Japan for 3 years and we only got like 3 channels through AFN, we developed drinking games for shows like Dr. Phil and the Apprentice with Trump.

Of the rules I can remember, a good one that comes to mind is anytime Trump arrived somewhere in a helicopter, you had to finish your entire drink. good times

[MePaleo]

Of the rules I can remember, a good one that comes to mind is anytime Trump arrived somewhere in a helicopter, you had to finish your entire drink. good times

I like the way you drink! :D

[brownhound]

The person who sits next to me at work was on House Hunters. According to her, it wasn't fake -- they did not have a contract on a house when they started. The story I'd heard was similar: you have a house picked out and HGTV finds two others to contrast. Inaccurate, she said.

The participants would have to line up houses on each filming day, and HGTV came back for seven weekends to do filming. There was a lot of trickiness about ensuring that the houses they were looking at could be on the show, as it's a pain to have your house on the show.

In the end, they made $1700 altogether, which she said wasn't worth it for the amount of time they put in.

[oldpotatoe]

I am not sure if you are saying that is good or bad? How much time? Commission seems low.

Jeff

7% total, split with 2 agents(3.5%), buying and selling..split again with the office that you work for(1.75%)..I'd say $31,000 is not bad, do a couple per year..done.

I'm saying that for real estate agents, sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes he eats you.

[Louis]

Yeah, but the vast majority of all home sales out there aren't for $1.8 million.

[jlwdm]

7% total, split with 2 agents(3.5%), buying and selling..split again with the office that you work for(1.75%)..I'd say $31,000 is not bad, do a couple per year..done.

I'm saying that for real estate agents, sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes he eats you.

That would be a pretty bad office split, but If just starting out it is possible.

These last few years have been good real estate years and my expectations are lot higher than that. When the market is good you have to work hard. My goal would be more like making $31,000 every two weeks, not every 6 months. Not attainable every year but exceeded some years.

Jeff

[oldpotatoe]

When I was stationed in Japan for 3 years and we only got like 3 channels through AFN, we developed drinking games for shows like Dr. Phil and the Apprentice with Trump.

Of the rules I can remember, a good one that comes to mind is anytime Trump arrived somewhere in a helicopter, you had to finish your entire drink. good times

We used to guess what some of these commercials were selling on Japanese TV..if ya guessed right, everybody else drank. Sometimes you just couldn't tell.

eema, shin hotsubuy.

ここでは、新製品