TV Shows For Real Estate Fanatics

Real estate is not just a business--for some, it's a general interest. Today, many magazines and TV shows cater toward people who are interested in homes and real estate, even with no plans to buy or sell in the near future.

Magazines such as House & Home focus on decorating, while Better Homes & Gardens and Good Housekeeping take a more holistic approach on entertaining, cooking, and staying healthy. Others focus on architecture (Architectural Digest) or a specific lifestyle (Southern Living, Romanic Home, Real Simple, and Country Living). Click here to briefly read about each of these magazines, along with a few others.

HGTV also has a magazine that features decorating ideas, articles, and every day home solutions. You can subscribe to the magazine here. However, HGTV is better known for its television shows that deal with varying aspects of home ownership, renovation, and decor. You can read a summary of some of the channel's most popular shows, below:

House Hunters-This show follows home buyers and renters as they tour three different properties. Viewers get a full tour of each home, as well as information on price, size, age, and amenities.  Next, viewers watch the homebuyers as they debate which of the three homes to buy or rent, based on their wish list and budget. Tune in on weekdays at 10p/9c. Variations of the show include House Hunter International, House Hunters Renovation, House Hunters on Vacation, House Hunters: Million Dollar Homes, House Hunters' Guide to House Hunting, and House Hunters: Where are They Now?

Property Brothers-Join brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott as they help couples find, buy, and transform fixer-uppers into their dream homes all within a specified budget and certain amount of time. Tune in on weekdays at 9p/8c.

Love it or List it: These hour long episodes show homeowners' struggles when they must decide to either renovate their home ('love it") or sell their home ("list it"). The show pits Realtor David Visentin and designer Hilary Farr against one another as David tries to convince homeowners to sell their current home and buy one of the three properties he shows them and Hilary tries to convince them to keep their home after she renovates and redecorates it given the family's budget. Tune in on Mondays at 9p/8c

HGTV Design Star-this reality TV show documents the competition for one designer to win his or her own show, similar to The Next Food Network Star. Contestants partake in weekly interior design challenges, sometimes alone and sometimes in teams, with one competitor being eliminated each week until only the winner remains.  Contestants are given both time and budget restraints. Season eight premiered last summer and, unfortunately, new episodes are not yet showing.

For a complete HGTV program guide, click here.

The Importance of Having a Realtor

With mobile apps and Internet sites such as Realtor.com, it's easy for house hunters to form an idea about what type of home they want and how much they want to spend. But that doesn't mean that Realtors are no longer necessary! Following is a list of reasons why it's critical to have a Realtor when buying, selling or leasing a property.

• Realtors have an up-to-date, high level of knowledge about the real estate market. This is important because real estate transactions are often the biggest investments of one's life.

• Realtors can help determine how much you can afford to spend, as well as how much you should spend.

• Realtors can refer to you to the best qualified lenders. They can also find qualified home inspectors to generate written reports. 

• Realtors have access to exclusive resources, such as the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). This may show available homes that are not openly advertised. For example, Realtors know from the MLS  and from fellow Realtors when new homes are listed before the general public knows.

• Realtors can provide information and evaluation when viewing homes, and can also offer objective input. Realtors are especially helpful for local community information, including utilities, zoning, and school districts. 

• Relators are expert negotiators, working to get you the best possible price. 

• Realtors serve as marketing coordinators and distributors to other agents and networks. They can host marketing campaigns such as open houses.

• More then 50% of real estate sales are cooperative sales, meaning a real estate agent other than yours brings in the buyer. This proves how important it is to take advantage of the connections real estate agents have with one another. 

• Finally, Realtors can guide you through the closing process, helping you understand and work through the legalities and paperwork involved.

Looking for a Realtor? I work with buyers, sellers, and renters. I encourage you to read my client testimonials and contact me!