Whether it’s Million Dollar Listing, House Hunters, Designed to Sell, Love It or List It… You name it, I want to watch it! I love the glamour of a Malibu mansion or a Park Avenue penthouse, the silliness of deranged and eccentric decorators or the spectacle (and blessed piece de resistance) of Napoleonic agents engaged in dramatic negotiations. Something about it just keeps me coming back for more. (If, perchance, you are wondering how these agents are exactly Napoleonic, please see my footnote at the bottom… and let me know if you disagree).
But what, if anything, can be gleaned from these larger-than-life deals and remodels? I think there are more than a few scenarios that translate from the flat screen into our everyday property exchanges, so for the sake of justifying guilty pleasures, let’s explore this a bit further.
Common Sense Rules: If your gut tells you that gluing hay to your (or your neighbors’) living room wall is aesthetically displeasing, you may be correct.
Grab Them at Hello: Conversely, if you don’t understand what “wow-factor” is and how to achieve it, consult a professional. (Minus the majority of the cast of Trading Spaces, please).
Seal the Deal: Sometimes you have to play nice with obnoxious agents and their entitled buyers/curmudgeonly sellers to get what you want.
Flipping Is a Joke: Ah, you glutton for punishment, you! They make entire shows based on enormous projects that always go awry. And we’re in a seller’s market, to boot! Are you crazy?
Staging Sells: Don’t renovate unless you absolutely have to (and bear in mind, you might have to). The minimum required work to get the deed done is usually best for your sanity and your pocket book.
Send in the Cavalry: Always use a power-negotiator to get what you want, period. Every great deal requires backup, and so do you.
Is this an exhaustive list? Do you have more to add? Chime in below!
And before I forget…
Urban Dictionary- Napoleonic: A short person who feels inferior because of their size. They tend to take it out on other people and thrive on power trips. Shouting at others, especially when they are in a position of power, is common. Side effects include short temper, power trips/power-hungriness, anger issues, and often a bad sense of humor.
Until next week…Yup. Nailed it.
Paulette