Have you ever been flipping through the channels, only to find yourself glued to the couch in an HGTV binge session? We’ve all been there… watching entire seasons of “Love it or List it,” “Fixer Upper,” “House Hunters,” “Property Brothers,” and so many more, just in one sitting. These shows can be addictive!

When you’re in the middle of your real-estate-themed-show marathon, you might start to think that what you see on TV must be how it works in real life. If you are even tempted to believe what you see, you may need a reality check.

Reality TV Show Myths vs. Real Life:

Myth #1: Buyers look at 3 homes and make a decision to purchase one of them.

Truth: There may be buyers who fall in love with and buy the first home they see, or even one of the first three, but according to the National Association of Realtors the average home buyer tours 10 homes as a part of their search. Finding the right home, in the right location, for the right price doesn’t always – or even often – happen easily. Home buying is most often a time-consuming process.

Myth #2: The houses the buyers are touring are still for sale.

Truth: The reality is being staged for TV. Many of the homes being shown are already sold and are off the market. There simply aren’t a sufficient number of desirable homes active on the market to meet the needs of filming a reality TV show.

Myth #3: The buyers haven’t made a purchase decision yet.

Truth: Since there is no way to show the entire buying process in a 30-minute show, TV producers often choose buyers who are further along in the process and have already chosen a home to buy. The buyers are hand-picked to promote an image and processes are streamlined for viewer consumption.

Myth #4: If you list your home for sale, it will ALWAYS sell at the Open House.

Truth: Of course this would be great! Open houses are important to help provide the most exposure to buyers in your area, but open houses are only a PIECE of the overall marketing of your home. Just realize that most homes are sold during regular listing appointments by diligent Brokers working hard on behalf of their buyers.

Myth #5: Homeowners make a decision about selling their home after a 5-minute conversation.

Truth: Similar to the buyers portrayed on the shows, many of the sellers have already spent hours deliberating the decision to list their homes and move on with their lives/goals. In real life, sellers often spend time identifying the right Broker, right price, and right conditions necessary to list and sell their home in a way that best meets their needs.

Bottom Line

There is more to buying and selling a home than TV can portray, and we didn’t even touch on investment properties! Having an experienced professional on your side while navigating the real estate market is the best way to guarantee that you can make the home of your dreams a reality. And as always, if you have questions, please feel free to ask. I am here to help!