"House Hunter" the show vs Reality of House Hunting

If you have even seen the show “House Hunters” it makes the house buying scenario look exciting. You get to view three houses that fit your price range and criteria. It seems almost like a lamp you rub, three houses magically appear and you can choose from one. Seems pretty simple and fun right?

As a personal assistant for a successful real estate agent, I can assure you this is not always the case. The buyer has several choices to make before the final decision is made. “House Hunters” shows the three as only options.

On the television the agent shows the three properties with ease and the final decision is made. From working in the field that would be a great reality. However, many times the agent shows several properties and the buyer still hasn’t found something that satisfies their needs. The show doesn’t tell you about the cost of gas and time spent on viewing all these properties.

Another aspect to keep in mind is financing. House Hunters does not show you the process you must complete before purchasing a home. If the buyers financing is not established before hand or they cannot qualify for a loan the buyers won’t be able to get a house no matter how many properties they view. House Hunters does not bring this point up.

House Hunters always has an easy happy ending. The reality of it is at the end of the day if the buyer has not found the house of their dreams the search continues. Some agents spend time and money showing all these properties and their clients simply walk away and decide not to buy. This is a sad ending because the agent doesn’t get paid by simply showing property. They get paid by actually selling the property.

The concept of the show House Hunters is a wonderful concept. Sure we all want to find our dream home easy and with three great choices to choose from. The buyer goes home at the end of the day with keys in their hand and looking forward to their new life. The agent has done their job of enhancing someone’s new life and even got paid for it. It’s a great show!

However when starting the house hunting process in real life do not base it on the reality show. You may have great luck and find your dream property in one easy try. Keep in mind you may go through trials as a buyer. As an agent the three house hunter rule may not work for your client. Just enjoy the show for what it is… entertainment.