By now we're pretty familiar with the usual broker tricks of the trade to make open houses just a little more cozy: baking cookies, brewing coffee, even making bread. But one agent in Santa Clarita has stumbled upon an even more, uh, innovative way of making a home seem lived in, but not too too much - hire a "family" of actors to play house. Luxist fills us in on the details of the faux family:
"Mom," "Dad" and their two "kids" bake scones, celebrate a birthday party and play games, interacting with each other and with any guests who wish to play along or ask questions. It's "reality" real estate and the program has been dubbed "Home Life."
Too many, ahem, cookie-cutter McMansions seems to be underlying the idea - give them the patina of lived in-ness with a mock-Mom and Dad. Of course, if they really want to approximate reality they need to throw in some familial dysfunction, suburban disaffection and let's not forget a little alienation, just for good measure.
Reality Real Estate [Luxist.com]