Obstacle: “The Creepiness Factor” “After a quick scan of his Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pintarest, and Instagram, here’s what I know: “Likes” — Chicago Blackhawks, kickboxing, the movie “Die Hard,” and beer. He meditates, he loves Indian food, and he’s crazy about his dog, Otis.” –Haley Dunphy, reporting the results of her online reconnaissance on prospective home...Read More
What’s the Discount for a Haunted House? In a decade-plus selling real estate, I’ve yet to see an open house — at least in real life — on Halloween. The fictional Halloween open house? On TV sitcom “Modern Family,” where Realtor Phil Dunphy decides to capitalize on all the foot traffic in the neighborhood. It serves...Read More
You knew the Modern Family writers — authors of one of the more inspired sight gags I’ve ever seen — were up to something with the oddly captioned bus bench (below): Sure enough, later in the episode, Phil’s Father-in-Law, Jay, manuevers Phil into this rather compromising shot: Spoiler alert (kind of): one the story’s sub-plots...Read More
I Dig It! As someone who appreciates clever car advertising (my license plate says “MY RLTR” — as in, “there goes my Realtor“), I found myself driving behind a kindred spirit this morning. A landscaper, his bumper sticker read, “I dig gardens.” Nice! P.S.: perhaps the most infamous Realtor car advertising is this one, by (TV) Realtor...Read More
“Commission Impossible” From this week’s episode: “Commission impossible.” –What Realtors say about a particularly trying Buyer. “Commission accomplished.” –When such a Buyer actually buys. At least, that’s what Phil Dunphy, of TV’s “Modern Family” sitcom, claims Realtors say. Must be a Southern California — or Phil Dunphy — thing (personally, I’ve never heard either term). How Many Showings? Unlike...Read More
“So, How’s the Market?” People don’t say “How are you?” to Realtors; they say, “How’s the market?” So, it was fun — kind of — to watch TV’s best-known Realtor, Phil Dunphy of sitcom “Modern Family,” field that question in his doctor’s office on a recent episode: Doctor [making small talk while examining Phil]: ‘So,...Read More
