Have you ever watched “Million Dollar Listing?” It makes real estate look easy. The agent shows a house, makes a phone call to the seller and they immediately agree on a deal. Then, they show the commission the agent has earned and, what appears to be this season’s newest gimmick, the agent presents the keys to the buyer after that simple phone call.

There is no reference to a contract, no escrow, no inspections, no loans, no appraisals, no re-negotiations after inspections or cancelled escrows. Wouldn’t life be great if our deals resembled those? People who watch these shows see the agents driving fancy Rolls Royces, Porsches, Maseratis, chauffeur driven vehicles, and hiring personal “lifestyle coaches” and they think being a real estate broker is the simplest job in the world, as well as lucrative. It’s sad that people think this is how the business works. And, by the way, there is no reality depicted in these shows, as they are all carefully scripted from start to finish.

Honest, hard working real estate agents work their butts off. They don’t want to be celebrities; they want to satisfy their clients’ wishes and dreams. Frequently, the deals take not only several months but endure many twists and turns before one actually closes and a pay day follows – one that isn’t always as rosy as the ones depicted on TV.

Don’t be fooled, real estate brokers earn each and every penny from the deals they close, and they don’t get paid to be a real estate actor on a scripted TV show.