No, really.... I was in the kitchen baking cookies when my husband came in to let me know that today's episode of King of the Hill was about home staging..... I had to stop what I was doing, take a break and go watch the show he had paused for me. Here is the condensed story line.
Peggy Hill apparently works as a Realtor (she actually said it correctly - yeah!) and only has 2 weeks to sell a new listing or she will get fired. She decides that she needs home staging....
Hank Hill, Peggy's husband after being told of the plan asks what staging is... (I love this answer - not because it was right, but because it was funny)... Staging is where you fix up the place, bring in fresh flowers, clean it up add furniture, etc making it look good so they will forget how bad their stuff will look in the home.
Well, she arrives at the home to check it out for the first open house - inside she finds a very large woman on oxygen, an old man practically dying, and another man who is running around the house like a fool doing push ups, etc. The interior is completely paneled, with awful artwork, dead animal heads, etc... oh yeah, there is also a ferret that the very large woman keeps kissing (apparently on the mouth as it is the banter of later conversation). Needless to say this house is not going to sell like this....
She comes up with a new plan. She hires attractive actors to play homeowners (to distract them from the 'ugly people') and to tell the tale of how wonderful the home is - how it can change someone's life.
After working with the actor's for a week, concocting the most elaborate play regarding this house, she tries a dress rehearsal at her home - with guests, etc - and ends up receiving an offer of $25K over asking... mind you this is HER house and it wasn't for sale. Hank is none too pleased.
The rest of the show is them trying to get out of the contract without having to pay a penalty and without ruining her now shining Realtor repuation. The answer apparently lies with hiring the most thorough home inspector in town... and of course dismanteling half the house to fail the inspection.
So.... is this when you know the industry has taken to a new level?? When we are represented in spoofy cartoons? Also.... what do you think of the actor idea to stage the house.... pretty funny indeed.
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Melissa Marro, a published artist, now turned staging advocate and national speaker speaks her mind about real estate and the home staging industry. In her 'no holds barred' approach, audience members find real answers to the industries pitfalls and learn how to overcome them with tried and true information and guidance. With marketing as her passion, she turned a small home based business into one of the nation's largest home staging and training facilities. Selling her successful home staging company in January 2012, Marro is now a full time speaker and instructor for Staging And Resign and Real Estate Staging Association (RESA)'s trade events.
For more information on having Marro speak at one of your real estate functions, please contact her at 843.619.1593 or email at marro.melissa@gmail.com
Melissa, this is rich, I mean really rich.... Does anyone know if they replay King of the Hill? I just got to see this for myself....
Gary - apparently this was the repeats that they do at 5pm on our networks - not the primetime episode. I imagine if you do a websearch you may be able to find it. I had John look back at the program description and the episode is "six characters in search of a house".... I think you can actually get King of the Hill episodes on Netflix.
Gary - Season 12, episode 230. Good luck finding it on video.
I actually posted a link to this episode months back. I think you can view it at mobi.com - it is hysterical! Thanks for reminding me of it, I think I'll watch it again
Connie - I must have missed that post. I'm so bummed... I definately thought this was hilarious, well worth watching again!
Patricia - Well, you know sometimes you've gotta do what you've gotta do, right?
Oh my we have arrived! I am so impressed. Next Saturday Night Skits...I wonder who they will be mocking? :)
Melissa, Thanks for sharing. Really hysterical. I take this as a very positive sign for our industry!
LOVE this! Gotta find and watch this episode.
Check your DVR for listings....This link says its playing again today (Dec 13th) on FOX.
Melissa:
I found this episode comical. And I agree with your statement: Immitation (or Parody in this instance) is a form of flattery. Once The Simpsons have an episode with Home Staging, then we're part of American Culture!
Merry Christmas,
King of Queens had an episode something like this too. Carie was the "mother" actress of the staged family to help sell a home. She ended up loving the home and family more than her own. She ended up getting replaced by another "mother" and was highly upset.
I have heard in the model home industry that actors were hired to be part of the staging.
I am thrilled we are now main stream!
That's hysterical! I love it. I will try to find it on the web.
Too cute! Wish I watched television more. But have to say my son, Matthew, called Sarah Palin "Peggy Hill" as soon as she was announced as VP candidate and he is living in Spain for the year!
http://mattprattainspain.blogspot.com/2008/11/probably-one-of-best-meals-of-my-life.html
I think this brings more positive light to our industry than some of the drama/bickering on "The Stagers" show! Fun and maybe more guys won't get that glazed over look when we say we are "stagers"!!
Too funny, hey we have arrived!! Hiring actors to replace the old people is funny. I agree it can be better than all the drama on the Stagers
Phyllis Pafumi
This is hilarious - I will have to find it on Mobi as Connie recommended!
That's it..... we have arrived!Yeah!!!!! I missed this but will look for it on the mobi.com site. I agree, once we are spoofed it means we are a current going concern. Once we get spoofed on The Simpsons that will mean we are part of the American cultural fabric. There are many people that never watch a home improvement show/stager show but they will watch one of these two shows and get to know what we do.
Actually I saw a tv thing once where they did that...it was appalling. I can't believe the lengths we go to and the level of mis understanding about what staging is. I'll bet it made a funny show, and I guess it means as an industry you've arrived.
I'm sorry I missed it...sounds cute. Actors are a great idea or....how about Chip n' Dales :)
Yippee! We are in there with hamburgers, apple pie, and the Simpson's... and that is a good thing!