Hey you! Yes, you! Grab some popcorn and come this way.
I love cinema and as a real estate marketeer, my first reflex was to re-watch classic Hollywood movies on the subject. Somehow, I was convinced they would teach me something about the industry. And by some means, I was right; watching them made me realise quite a few of things about Real Estate.
So, without further ado, here are the 10 Real estate movies that will make you, real estate professionals, smile for how relatable they are. So sit back and enjoy the watch!
For its epic cast and dialogs, Glengarry Glen Ross has been referred to as THE real estate film out there. Based on David Mamet’s 1983 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, the film itself is interesting not for the way it depicts real estate professionals but for the lessons it teaches us on sales in general. Throughout the film, the angry, weak, lying and small-minded characters in Glengarry Glen Ross demonstrate exactly how not to sell a house. Which is precisely why it teaches us so much.
A few lessons I learned:
Yes, “It takes brass balls to sell”. Let's be honest, not everyone can be a broker. It takes confidence and dedication to become a top agent and clearly, from what we see in the film, not everyone has such balls.
“A, B C. Always Be Closing”, but don’t lose ethical focus in doing so. Your main motivation should not be your own interests. Or at least not openly.
99 Homes is one dark film which sheds a light on the terrible housing situation after the housing market crisis in the US. Rather than exploring reasons why the housing crisis started in the first place, it focusses on the effect of the crash. In the film, we discover Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield) who gets evicted from his childhood home by real estate broker Rick Carver (Michael Shannon). Through a succession of events, Nash comes under the control of Carver and is led to evict people from their homes himself. His desire to get his Orlando rancher out of Carver’s slimy hands is directly challenged by his envy for Carver’s success.
What we learned:
Yes, sometimes staying true to your primary goal can be difficult. Especially when ambition and envy come in the way. At the end of the day this is something many characters in this list of films have in common: ambition which surpasses anything else. After all, as I stated it previously; not anyone can be a broker.
I must say that I always tend to forget that Real Estate professionals have to deal with this on a daily basis. 'This' you might ask? Revenue gaps. To deal with different types of budgets and expectations. As shown in 99 Homes, from a person to another, the main drive will differ. Wealthier people will tend to focus more on aesthetics whereas less wealthy individuals simply want a roof over their heads.
Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) has everything. He’s getting married. He has a great job as a realtor. Only problem? He has no friends and needs to find a best man for his wedding. It is while he is relentlessly trying to sell celebrity Lou Farringo's house that he comes across Sydney Fife (Jason Segel) who, clearly, didn’t have any intention of buying a house in the first place. His main interest? Picking up recently divorced woman.
What we learned:
"You have all the skills in the world but you have no confidence": because though Klaven is sweet, he clearly lacks the most important trait of a successful realtor: self-confidence. Showing your prospects you know what you're doing won't harm you business.
The importance of making your listing as a-personal as possible. Celebrity houses such as the one Klaven is trying to sell, for their extravagance and high level of personalisation, can be terribly challenging listings for realtors. This is probably where all the stress for Klaven was coming from in the film. It’s equally as challenging to sell a simple house when it is too strongly personalised. So don't forget to remove objects (such as family photos and clutter) which could prevent your prospects from projecting themselves.
In Hollywood Homicide, two main characters Sergeant Joe Gavilan (Harrison Ford) and K.C. Calden (Josh Harnett) are investigating a series of murders in Hollywood. Throughout the story, we follow Gavilan who turns out to be moonlighted as a real estate broker. But why is this interesting?
What we learned:
Absolute classic of Hollywood, American Beauty’s main plot is both twisted and eye opening for the lessons it teaches us. Centre to this: Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) the self-described looser and his tragic love-affair with teenage girl Angela (Mena Suvari). Dark and funny in many ways, American Beauty becomes somewhat relatable to anyone who watches it. Even for you, real estate professionals. Though your industry does not constitute the primary focus, the character of Carolyn, Burnham’s wife, brings it to the table through her job as an estate agent. What does she teach us? Nothing too good on first impressions.
What we learned:
“I will sell this house today” or her way of keeping herself motivated. Though the character of Carolyn is not a pleasant portrayal of real estate agents, we must give her the fact that she does show the hard reality of the job. For the amount of work she puts into her listings and the pressure she puts on herself, we can’t but empathise with her. It takes sweat and tears to become successful in Real Estate. And in such a reality, motivation is key.
I also feel like the movie accurately shows the fact that people view homes as status symbols. Real estate agents therefore no longer sell their clients a house but a lifestyle and ideals which come along with it.
Adult world depicts precisely what Real Estate professionals are nervous to face today: the unconventionality of millennials. Through the character of Amy (Emma Roberts), we discover the whole new sense of priorities of this generation. And clearly, purchasing their first home doesn’t seem to be one of them. Amy seems trapped by her disillusions: she relies too much on her parents and pursues wholeheartedly a dream she will struggle to reach. Though extreme, the character of Amy teaches us about the functioning and main concerns of the generation many still struggle to grasp.
What we learned:
For all Revolutionary Road-lovers out there, I must warn you: this summary will not focus on the deeper meaning of the movie but rather on a more general conception of what it is about.
Based on Richard Yate’s 1961 classic novel, Revolutionary Road makes us discover the controversial topic of suburban malaise. The story itself follows the lives of Frank and April Wheeler, a couple who just moved from the city to the suburbs back in the mid-1950s. As the scenes pass by, their couple slowly degrades. The main thing to blame? The all-too-unexciting life in the suburbs.
What we learned:
From all the films in the list, this is by far the one my younger-self watched the most. Not that it is the best but more so because I used to find it hilarious. The Money Pit follows the misadventures of Walter Fielding (Tom Hanks) and Anna Crowly (Shelley Long), a young couple which decides to purchase a million-dollar-home for a bargain sum of $200 000. They don’t take long to realise the mistake they just made as their first-home slowly falls to pieces. But enough said! I don’t want to spoil the whole film for you.
What we learned:
In The Big Short, Adam McKay skillfully tackles an otherwise boring subject that is the housing and financial crash of 2007-2008. Through the dramatic tension created, we are given to discover how the global financial system works and the importance of real estate in its functioning. In fact, we discover how the Real Estate market crash happened in the first place. An overall good film to watch and learn from, especially for those who have just started in the Real Estate business.
What we learned:
Closing Escrow follows the story of three couples whom happen to being looking for their dream home. Portraying the sometimes difficult compromise between expectations of both buyers and brokers, Closing Escrow is filmed as a documentary rather than as a film (which, to be fair, just makes the whole thing even more hilarious). Through the extreme personalities of its characters, the film sheds a light on the sometimes tough reality of the real estate industry. Indecisive clients, last-minute pressured buyers and unorthodox realtors come together to make us laugh to tears.
What we learned:
I hope you enjoyed going through this list of real estate movies. I, personally, had great fun going through them again. On a side-note, for the generally bad light in which Real Estate Agents are presented, I think it might be wise of you to keep your clients away from these films. Unless, of course, if you want to get rid of them.