Did you ever see the movie “The Joneses” starring David Duchovny and Demi Moore? The plot involved a perfect looking family moving into an upper scale neighborhood in the burbs. From the outside they had everything anyone could want. A real perfect life. They drove the fanciest cars, wore fashion designer clothes, had the best golf equipment, home entertainment systems, etc. You get the picture.
What we come to learn early in the movie is that they are in fact a fake family – hired by a company to organically introduce products to their neighbors and friends. Seems like a pretty clever marketing strategy, huh?
Well, what was in the movies has come to real life. As reported on CNN.com/money this week, companies are now setting families up to live in million dollar homes for a fraction of the price. The idea is similar to that of “The Joneses”, in that the homes that are lived in have a certain appeal to prospective buyers. It lets them imagine themselves in the homes. Plus, when someone is living there, there is a built in “manager” of the home. Someone to take care of maintenance and generally upkeep the home.
In the example on CNN, a couple was able to rent a $1.3 million home for just $2,500/month. That is roughly one third of what it would really cost. The downside of becoming a “million dollar mansion manager” is the constant moving. Typically these homes sell in three to six months.
Sounds like a good deal, if you don’t mind the moving. You can live in luxury at a discount, but don’t think that it’s easy to come by. According to the CNN article, “….not everyone can get the gig — Showhomes’ acceptance rate is about 40%. Residents must undergo online background checks, including criminal and rental histories. They’re typically white-collar professionals who are in a city temporarily, newly divorced or, in the Starre’s case, a family of five looking for a quick and easy rental.”
If you’d like to find a full time residence, don’t hesitate to give our office a call. We have a full staff of qualified professionals ready to help you find your “dream” home!