4 Reality TV Trends That Fall Flat in the Real World

Charlotte Real Estate Podcast with Jay White

In the last 10 years, real estate has become a hot subject for reality TV. These programs can be fun to watch, but they tend to miss the mark as far as accurately portraying the real estate process goes. There are four main trends that appear often in reality TV, but should never transcend the screen and show up in reality: 1. Tacky staging. Making strategic upgrades can greatly boost your home’s value, but scraping the bottom of the barrel to complete these upgrades will have the opposite effect. Buyers love stainless steel appliances, for example, but this doesn’t mean you can go out and buy the cheapest stainless steel refrigerator out there and expect it to help your home sell. 2. Cheap execution. Do-it-yourself projects look great on TV because they’re being done by professionals. If just anyone tried to replicate these projects without professional help, you can be sure the results would be less than stellar. “Do-it-yourself projects look great on tv because they’re being done by professionals.” 3. Distasteful paint jobs. Your home should appeal to as many buyers as possible. So even if you absolutely love your bright orange walls, they may make it difficult for you to bring in offers. It’s best to stick to clean, neutral color palettes. 4. Unfinished projects. It’s common on reality TV to see a totally renovated bathroom in the same home as a kitchen that’s straight from the 70s. This may offer good entertainment value, but having a half-finished home in real life will cost you dearly as a seller. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.