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DavidPainter@kw.com
403 Woods Lake Rd, Suite 100
Greenville, SC 29607

HGTV’S HOUSE HUNTERS COMES TO GREENVILLE, SC:

A Behind the Scenes Look

By David Painter of Keller Williams Realty / April 30, 2014

 

Click Here For Part I – Do You Really Want To Help Me?
Click Here For Part II – Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover
Click Here For Part IV – Fifty Shades Of Red

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Part III

“A Trip Down the Rabbit Hole”

Our adventure down the proverbial rabbit hole was about to take a swift detour, embarking on a journey into uncharted waters and a bizzro world like I had never experienced.

I finally met Misty and their daughter Amanda a couple of weeks after meeting Scott. The yin and yang of Scott and Misty’s relationship was immediately apparent. I must admit the dynamic between the two was entertaining to watch, especially when I saw firsthand how they complemented one another.

 

 

By now you have  gotten to know a bit about “Mr. Fuss Bucket” — Misty’s pet name for Scott—but I must introduce you to Misty. UntitledWhile he’s the “no nonsense, doesn’t mince words” type, she’s more laid-back  and willing to compromise— if she believes it makes good sense overall. 

Misty and Scott had previewed other properties in other locations, but they fell in love with Greenville SC. Amanda’s respiratory issues responded well to the climate here.

(Due to confidentiality reasons in regards to the HGTV House Hunters show, I won’t elaborate further on our home search efforts.)

Say what you will about fortuitous happenstance, I was about to learn of the final twist that took us all on the adventure of a lifetime.  

Unbeknownst to me, Scott had written to the producers of HGTV’s House Hunters. He was a fan of the show and believed they’d find his family’s hunt for a home a compelling story.

By the time I was brought into the mix, Scott and Misty had already run the gauntlet of  pitching their story to the associate producer, producer, and then the network.  Then the successful, but daunting, task of creating and submitting an audition video landed them on the next level. What level, you may ask?

One unsuspecting morning I received a call from the Devores that took  me by surprise. In essence, they told me I would be getting a call that day from HGTV about appearing on their #1 hit television show—House Hunters! (Oh, btw, shall I mention it is seen by more than 98 million households?)  Some things just don’t register when you first hear them. There was an awkward moment of silence. “What’s that you say? Come again!” My thought mechanisms careened back and forth like a bobblehead doll on your dash at a demolition derby. How did we get from “Do you really want to help me” to potentially being on HGTV?  

P1090288At the risk of sounding inexplicably shortsighted, at first I was somewhat reticent to jump on board. While I may have a broad and accomplished set of real estate skills, the initial thought of appearing on national television produced the feeling of falling into the deep end of the pool when you don’t know how to swim. Although it’s true that if you aim at nothing you’ll hit it every time, it was undeniable that this target was never remotely in my sights. I mean, who are we kidding here? No matter how much lipstick you put on that pig—well, you know. I soon realized I had an unimaginable, yet enviable, opportunity that one rarely comes across.

Before the sun went down that day, I received a call from the producer who informed me they would need my audition tape within 48 hours. As so often happens, opportunities arrive whether we’re prepared or not. During our conversation, I refrained from mentioning  that I had out-of-town clients scheduled for the upcoming weekend. I knew I could not squander this remarkable chance to stretch myself . As if  she felt my hesitation, the producer said, “Realtors would line up out the door to get this opportunity.”

In addition, this would be HGTV’s first ever visit to Greenville SC.

You can probably imagine, after 20 + years in real estate, that I’ve experienced a myriad of pressure situations; but this had a unique element all its own. Time to get back on the Devore pony and ride—a unique and exciting escapade was about to begin!

In between showings with my out-of-town clients, I began putting together my audition video. This meant setting up a camera on a tripod and addressing a set of specific questions in a specified time period. Four  minutes. No problem, right? Try carrying on a one-way conversation with the corner of a wall for four  minutes. Humbling is the only word that comes to mind.

I was stumblin’, bumblin’, and mumblin’ my way through the process like Herman Munster meets Elmer Fudd! What the heck was I doing? The pressure was mounting. None the less, I am a perfectionist to a fault. A tremendous drive arose within me to get it done and get it done right, even if it took all night.

deb-dave-editI’m guessing part of that mentality stems from my early childhood. Or should I say from my parents. They would teach me a lesson at an early age about about finishing what I started and doing things right the first time. Stay with me for a moment…travel in time back to the early ’70s.

One Saturday afternoon I had yet to complete my weekend chores, which were always required before venturing forth into trouble for the day. That’s right—trouble, with a capital “T.”  The chore I cursed (Yup!) the most was the one that required the most time. If you are a guy, you’ve already guessed it—cutting the lawn (and a huge one at that). Needless to say, this particular afternoon I had alternate plans that included partaking in the neighborhood football game, my favorite activity. The moment an opportunity presented itself I bolted out the side door, but immediately my mother’s voice sailed past me… “David!”

Nothing else needed to be said. Busted!

Suddenly I could feel Beaver Cleaver taking control of my psyche and proclaiming, “Gee, Wally, why does a kid have to walk with the lawnmower anyway? Grown-ups make some dumb rules!” In minutes, I was sprinting through a half acre of lawn in record time. I even drew the attention of the neighbors across the street, who seemed to think it was funny and that only encouraged me more. Problem was my father was also watching me through the kitchen window. Um-m-m, not good and not funny.  Just as I headed down the driveway, I heard his deep, slow yell, “D-a-v-i-d, get back here!”  IMG_0691c

“@#%$!” I was busted again.  

Dad unfolded his lawn chair, took a front row seat, and said, “Now do it again, and this time don’t be in such a hurry.” Needless to say, I missed our game of football that day.

As they say, the only difference between a goal and a dream is a deadline.

Well, mine was up—and this audition was about to turn into a pumpkin. There was no turning away. Everything now rested in the hands of the network.

This is the third of a series of blogs about our House Hunters experience.

Part I can be viewed here

Part II can be viewed here

Part IV can be viewed here

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