What You Don’t See Behind The Scenes Means Everything
If you have never been behind the scenes of a television production, it is well worth your while to spend a day. I’ve grown up in California my whole life so I have taken for granted a lot of the tourist attractions that are available. This week on my day off, I decided it was time to just goof off and really have fun. I decided to go hang out at a taping of the Price is Right Game Show starring Drew Carey. Along the way, I was inspired about what it takes to really sell a home. Imagine that! I can extrapolate a Real Estate lesson from just about anything!
I left for this trip to CBS studios at 10:00 in the morning. We arrived at around 11:30 and checked in. Then the fun began. They led us to a little waiting area. The food was overpriced and not much of a selection offered. There was a small gift shop that literally only a handful of people could fit in at a time. We sat and waited. Then we waited some more. The staff finally came out and began calling numbers for us to line up. Then they started interviews. Yes! They actually do an interview to determine who they will call as contestants. Then we waited some more. Finally they ushered us into the studio at 4:00 p.m. for the taping to begin. Uh yeah…we waited almost 5 hours to get into the studio. So in we go. The studio was actually pretty small and not quite that glamorous. They then gave the audience instructions on what to do, when to do it, etc. Interestingly enough, we sat down and we taped the show in what appeared to be less than an hour. As everyone stood up to leave in the end, I literally turned to the lady next to me and shouted, “It’s over????”
As disappointed as I was that all that waiting around seemed to flash before my very eyes once the real show began, I thought about how important the behind the scenes activities are even in Real Estate. Think about the preparations that must go into preparing a home for the market. The house may need some tidying up, there are market statistics and analysis that take place, marketing strategies, advertising, open houses, mountains of paperwork, and the list goes on. The “SHOW” can be thought of as a home showing. Think about just how fast a potential buyer moves in and out of a home as they tour it. What took the Real Estate agent or the homeowners months, weeks, or days to prepare for, potential buyers will see and be done with in sometimes mere minutes. But the “show”, however long, must capture the audience’s attention so that they will have a lasting impression. The kind of impression that will make the potential buyer crave more. The behind the scenes participants must keep this in mind at all times. This is an even wiser lesson for Real Estate agents who handle Bank Owned homes. While I realize that there are sometimes limitations on what a Real Estate agent can really fix, I am a firm believer in doing the little things that could make a difference. The things like ensuring the utilities are on so that potential buyers actually have lights to tour the property. Making sure newspapers are not crowding the front door, making sure the home smells fresh and clean. After all, you can’t bank on getting a second chance to put on your “show.” Oh sure, part of selling a home is to make sure that the Price Is Right but you’ve gotta remember that what you don’t see behind the scenes really does mean everything!
Disclaimer-All information contained herein is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. You are advised to consult a reputable attorney for all legal advice or a reputable tax advisor.
The lockbox is convenient because it does a few things. First, it allows potential buyers to schedule appointments with their agents with relative ease. The agent can use their secure lockbox access key to access the home and lock it back up. Second, it allows for the home seller to continue in their regular routine without needing to wait around to accomodate appointments.
