Reality TV and Real Estate: How Shows Like ‘Selling Sunset’ Affect Housing Trends

, Mar 2, 2022

A person presenting in front of a TV camera and its operator.

We are exposed to more media now than ever, whether it be social media or television. Social media, in particular, has had an impact on how we perceive wealth. If you are a prospective homebuyer, you may be especially inspired by shows like ‘Selling Sunset’ due to the way it follows housing trends.

There are certainly pros and cons of the increase in reality real estate television shows. Let’s take a look at how these programs have impacted the market and its trends.

Lofty Goals

Many people may not even realize that reality shows based on real estate can create unrealistic expectations. These shows can make the house buying process seem much smoother than it is. Renovations are made to seem like a quick upgrade, and the halts in progress are often skimmed over.

In addition, a survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors shows that 68% of respondents said their buyers were disappointed in the appearance of real homes on the market as opposed to homes on TV.

However, these real estate shows can be motivating for someone who wants to make large property investments. Even if much of the process is simplified and cut out, these shows still highlight the appeal of making profitable property investments.

Desirable Locations

Choosing locations with trendy and aesthetically pleasing properties may be a higher priority than showing more realistic locations when it comes to producing a television show. Every location will have pros and cons, from small-town living to life in a big city.

There’s also a genre of reality real estate that focuses on beach or lake-side properties. Such homes are already popular in the market for a variety of reasons, including their potential health benefits. Being featured in reality real estate programs can only increase the already high value of these homes.

Agent Expectations

Not only can real estate reality TV shows build high expectations among home buyers about houses, but they can also build expectations around real estate agents or companies as well.

Make sure that you set realistic goals for working with and choosing a real estate agent.

Connections

Hiring an agent who has many connections and resources could benefit you in many ways. A general rule of thumb should be “the more connections an agent has, the more experienced they are.”

Being in contact with an agent with many connections and resources can be especially beneficial to you if you are moving to a new area. They may be able to suggest bankers, contractors, appraisers, and even plumbers or electricians based on your needs.

Sales Rates

It’s important to choose an agent that has a long track record of successfully selling homes. While everyone has different needs, you could ask about their success rates with clients who had similar priorities to yours. This could be especially helpful if you don’t personally know any home buyers who have needs similar to yours.

You should also consider their reputation when it comes to saving their clients money and how quickly they can fulfill their clients’ needs. However, you don’t want to hire an agent who is so concerned with selling that they ignore your needs.

While agents are paid in commission per sale, there needs to be a balance between the agent’s desire to make a sale and your happiness with your purchase. Well-versed real estate agents know that referrals who come from previous customers are high-value leads.

At the end of it all, their focus should be on ensuring your satisfaction, even if that means walking away if they cannot provide the value you’re looking for. A solid agent should guide you away from unwise purchases, not encourage them.

Client Relationships

Communicating with your real estate agent should be hassle-free. When researching a potential agent, reading reviews from other clients can be very informative. This will let you know how considerate they were of their clients’ needs and budget.

Before making your final choice on an agent, consider interviewing them to analyze how compatible you are. Not only should you be able to clearly communicate with one another, but you should be on the same page with how you are going to communicate.

While most agents are using technology as an additional communication tool, ensure that you’ll be able to contact your agent whenever you need.

Vetting Agents and Working With More Than One

Some agents are the type to keep in contact with their clients for years after the sale. Is that something you’re looking for? Asking around for people’s experiences with an agent is a good way to determine if that would be possible for you.

It’s important to note that in some cases, you may end up working with more than one agent to find your dream home. Sometimes a realtor isn’t able to show you a property that suits your needs, budget, and other priorities.

Your home-buying process may take longer than you expected, but as long as you get what you need in the end, consider it time that’s been well-spent.

Take Reality Real Estate Shows With a Grain of Salt

Buying a home can be an overwhelming process, and in many ways, reality real estate skips over the more challenging parts. However, it’s not a bad thing to get inspired by the properties pictured on real estate television and use this motivation to drive your goals. Just know that most of the footage you’re seeing is specifically curated for the show’s ratings and may not always reflect what the home-buying process is like.

Certain areas, such as the suburbs, are rarely reflected honestly, if at all, in reality shows. If you are buying a property in the suburbs, you can’t go into it expecting your buying process to be identical to a show that focuses on urban living.

About the Author

Last updated: 03/08/2022

2300+ Client reviews!

Tim Wegesin

Joe’s input regarding preparing the property for sale was spot on and very successful. Great job!

Sarah Byers

My realtor was Tammy and we had a great experience. It felt that she wanted us in the home that is the best fit for us and felt that she was authentic and honest with us. We benefited from her experience and advice in avoiding places that wouldn’t have worked for my family and finding the place that checked off all our boxes. Thank you Tammy!

Caasi Lamb

I cannot speak highly enough about the outstanding service we received from Kasey Gilliam and Kim Jowers with Bramlett Residential Real Estate during the recent sale of our home. They are a fantastic team! From our initial consultation to the successful closing, Kasey proved to be an invaluable asset, guiding us through every step of the process with expertise and professionalism. Kasey demonstrated an in-depth understanding of the local market dynamics and economic headwinds. Throughout the entire process, Kasey was proactive, communicative, and always available to address any questions or concerns we had. She provided regular updates and feedback that kept us informed and reassured, making the selling experience remarkably smooth. I wholeheartedly recommend Kasey to anyone looking for a top-notch real estate agent who truly prioritizes her clients’ needs!

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Tara McGuire recently sold our house in Circle C and did an amazing job. She is so easy to work with, knowledgable, and responsive. I believe she got us top $$. Highly recommend working with Tara and her team at Bramlett! Their service was all inclusive with staging, marketing, etc. No nickel and diming. Just great service.

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It was pleasure working with Tammy Costello from Bramlett Residential Real Estate in finding our home. We could not have imagined the process to be as seamless and easy as it was! As first-time home buyers, Tammy walked us through the process and guided us through each step. She is meticulous, has great communication and negotiation skills. With her help and years of experience, we were able to find our dream home. Thanks for making it so easy, Tammy!

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I had the pleasure of working with Vicki Duran and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. From the very beginning, Vicki demonstrated deep knowledge of the market and a genuine commitment to understanding my needs. Her communication was exceptional – always prompt, clear, and informative. Throughout the process, Vicki went above and beyond, negotiating on my behalf, explaining the process/each step along the way, and ensuring every detail was taken care of. Her professionalism, dedication, and personalized approach was exceptional. She truly cared and I felt like I was working with a close family friend (having never met her before the process began). I can’t emphasis enough how seamless she made the process for me. People have the perception that buying a house is an extremely stressful process. My experience could not have been farther from the truth. I joked with her at times how smooth/easy buying a house was, all because of Vicki!

I could not have asked for a better agent. I’ve already referred a few friends to Vicki and will continue to do so in the future. Thanks again, Vicki!

Brad Henry

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Taylor Constantine

Sally was referred to me via a business network when I first moved to Austin in 2022. She helped me understand the area, evaluate my options, and find the perfect spot in a tough market. Sally has been a joy to work with because she creates partnerships + friendships with her clients!

Scott

I was impressed by Sally’s expertise in selling both my investment property and my primary residence, and in helping us buy our dream home. At our initial meeting, we found Sally knew the real estate market, but found even more impressive her emotional quotient in understanding and navigating the differences between my partner’s and my very different personalities. For my investment property, she timed the showings and sale perfectly and created a helpful Excel spreadsheet comparing the many offers. She was also savvy enough to suggest we pay the tenants a fair amount of money to make the property available for viewing from 9am – 5pm on the first weekend to make it as easy as possible for potential buyers to get through, and we let her deal directly with the tenants because we could tell her people skills would serve us well

We got multiple offers by the deadline on Monday afternoon with one outlier that was $150K higher than what we had unsuccessfully listed the property for (with a different realtor) a year earlier!

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Sally’s rep of us as sellers could not have been more professional, but her work repping us as buyers is the most memorable. We were trying to be our dream home in an overheated market, and Sally gave us advice that at each turn proved invaluable. She recommended offering just the right amount above the offer price for us to make it to the next round of offers. She handled a very difficult appraisal process by advising us on financing sources, even offering to help us put down a higher amount by loaning us money herself! We were able to finance the home without taking her up on that offer, but how many realtors make that kind of offer to their clients? In the end, we closed on the house ontime and ended up with the home of our dreams, thanks to Sally’s world-class advice and service.

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Sally loves real estate. She has a genuine passion for Austin, too, and for her client’s well-being. She took time to understand my needs and was always available to answer any questions and provide me with honest and insightful advice.

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