Maybe the real estate agent had been watching too many episodes of “Mad Men” when she listed this cool mid-century modern house in Georgia because the staging seems to have been inspired by Don and Betty Draper. Take a look and you’ll see what I mean!
Welcome to our mid-century home, built in 1960. It has 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a $300,000 listing price. One of our favorite things to do is to sit on the sofa and look out our big picture window in the living room.
All that’s missing from these photos is the cigarette smoke…
Is that Sterling Cooper calling? I hope pretend Don Draper doesn’t have to “work late” again (we all know what working late at that ad agency really entails!).
The pretend DD spends a lot of time on the phone…
And the pretend BD is getting a little fed up with it.
This house is really fabulous. I love the ceilings and those huge windows. Also love that she’s vacuuming that small skin rug in a dress, an apron, and heels. Ah, the good old days!
Thankfully, they chose not to stage the bathroom…
Agents have been getting pretty creative with their listings in order to grab our attention lately, and it’s working! We’ve also seen house tours given by a drunk doll, a couple of vases filled with flowers, and even a lime.
1/12 UPDATE: I just got an email from real estate agent Vanessa Reilly saying that she played Betty and that’s her boyfriend playing Don. She writes, “We actually renovate Mid-Century Modern homes here in a wonderful MCM neighborhood called Northcrest and this was one was one of our favorites.” Thanks, Vanessa–love this!
Check the listing for the rest of the photos and more information about the house. (Thanks to David for finding it!)
{ 73 comments… read them below or add one }
As silly as this looks, at least this agent is trying.
This is great! But, seriously… why??? On a side note, in the picture of DD in his office on the phone there’s not a footprint to be seen on that carpet. Maybe they sat him down, then vacuumed, then took the pic?
Very observant of you, Katie. I noticed, also, that the Realtor kept it family friendly by not including any pictures of Bedroom activity.
It kinda bugs me that the phone is backwards.
Are you kidding me???
Well, I give a point for creativity, but.. gee… not my kind of thing. lol
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
I’d say that this realtor is savvy. She’s targeting the market for a mid century modern house perfectly. You’d be surprised how many people are out there living a vintage lifestyle!
Hilarious! Clever! Unique! Fun! Beats the daylights out of the usual drivel! Love it!
This is so funny. Especially that picture in which the man is on the phone! Hilarious
That’s awesome! Looking at those pics, I think about the Unhappy Hipsters site (http://unhappyhipsters.com/) and the Catalog Living site (http://catalogliving.net/), where they are taking such pictures and imagining what is really going on in them. Seriously a creative realtor! I love it!!
Hilarious, but completely unnecessary. If I were the homeowner, I’d be furious. Those photos distract from the purpose of the listing–to sell the house. If I wanted to see Don and Betty Draper, I’d turn on Mad Men…not browse the MLS.
I love these fun features, Julia!!!
What a clever idea! I think it actually makes this listing more memorable. Look at the photos and pretend the “Drapers” aren’t there…some of them just aren’t as exciting. I adore this house though, what a fun redo of a midcentury split. The only complaint I have is that dropped ceiling tile…why on Earth do people do that??
This is one of my favorite posts ever! This is too hilarious. The staging, alone, is ridiculous but your commentary is so funny. I am still giggling.
I kind of liked this. The clothing wasn’t quite right. She needed actual retro clothes. But I loved the concept…except…I looked at the people and not the home. But I’d say it would get your attention and then you could focus on the house. I liked it!
Smart. How many more people are now viewing this listing now because of a little creativity. You never know where the next buyer is coming from.
Well done! The laugh & attention this draws gives it a lot more eyes than many house
descriptions in the MLS in a sluggish market!
Genius! Love the staging! If I were looking to buy a house, they would have hooked me. Someone who is “madd” about mid-century is sure to buy it.
i love it! how helpful when looking for a house, or better yet, narrowing it down…”hmmm, i really like the house with the loads of space and the big kitchen” doesn’t help when you have looked at 53 houses. but “i really liked the vintage staged house” will bring it right back!
Hey…they didn’t have owens corning drop ceilings in the 50′s…
Very clever idea — will probably sell quickly.
I think it’s really clever, I mean, it got the house featured here and I wonder how many more people have now seen the listing as opposed to same old same old type of pictures. Although I’m not sure I’d want it done on my house!?
Now THAT is clever!! I loved this post. I DID notice the house and even liked it more then I would have. It had me really checking it all out. So cool! Thanks so much for sharing
At least the realtor has wit. The ideal buyer for that house would probably appreciate the ironic styling. And “Betty and Don’s” presence in each room doesn’t detract from the beauty of the house.
This is pretty funny. I personally was very distracted by the bodies in the photos though. I kept looking at the details of the “Drapers” (hello sexy red shoes!) and not the details of the house. Maybe it was partly due to your hilarious commentary!?!
Great find.
Wow! Love it…that is so clever!
Looks like it worked, Zillow has it as a pending sale. I know for me, I looked at every picture and because of the mid-century minimalism, I was able to really look at the house.
It is better than being vacant because you can get a feel for spacing of major pieces.
Absolutely better than vacant!
Julia,
That is hysterical! It reminds me of the photos in my ancient Better Homes and Garden decorating book.
Susan
Very clever listing and a beautiful house. Not sure they needed the faux Drapers in every shot, we get the idea. Also as someone else mentioned, Betty’s outfit wasn’t quite right. But overall it’s a very creative and memorable way to attract buyers who appreciate the hipness of mid-century moderne.
Absolutely fabulous! Kuddos to the agent. I must track her/him down and congratulate. Thanks for posting
I love it!!!! Very creative … and why NOT? The house is pretty awesome too. Retro is so cool these days! (The bathroom is to die, don’t you think?)
LOL! I love it! What a creative way to sell a house! I would totally buy it!
What a clever agent! Love the creativity!
Loved it! Betty needed a Dior-inspired full skirt, belted at the waist. Great house, too! Much better than seeing the usual champagne bucket/pair of glasses by the whirlpool bath and artfully arranged throw on the living room sofa…
This is a total crack up! Love it –
Love the modern, clean lines, especially the creativity
Unlike many of my friends in blogland, I’m not a “Mad Men” fan (I saw the first couple of episodes and found the morals to be too dark & depressing). That being said, I do think it’s a fun listing…though I would’ve popped some big fat rollers in “Betty’s” hair.
: )
Julie M.
My thoughts exactly. Poof that hair.
What a nice and unique house! I love the layout and style of the house. This would be a great place to live.
Very clever – I love it! Love the house, too.
it is creative,, funny,, but it gets your attention.. and maybe it was affective,, cause I spent my time wondering what my things would look like in the space…
That is too funny. Seriously creative! Definitely makes you take a second look. Loved that white chair!
I love it! Creativity will get you clients. Very charming, funny and have you ever seen such a clean house!
haha! I have to say I appreciate the effort. It’s entertaining, if cheesy, but I can’t say that I wouldn’t do something similar if I was an agent. That house definitely lends itself to a Mad Men vibe! I’m all for vacuuming in heels, I detest the chore, and heels make it more fun! (Let me explain by saying I’m usually vacuuming in heels because guests are on the way and I left my least favorite task to the last minute).
Very creative but defeats the purpose of staging. Buyers are supposed to be able to see themselves living there.
I love it. It appeals to a very popular trend of people who love that TV show and the era it is set in. People create homes that portray how they want to be viewed, and a lot of people want to be as cool as Don Draper.
This put me into a fit of giggles!
I love this listing! It’s WAY off the beaten path in terms of typical house listings, but it’s not overly kooky. I think the Realtor did a great job with this listing.
I just hope this doesn’t become the “thing” to do with other period homes. Will a Realtor in New England have people dressed up as colonists in a home that was built pre-1776?
OMG that is down right adorable. That would definitely get my attention.
Terrific marketing. What a smart realtor. The house isn’t bad, either.
LOL I LOVE THIS!!!!! Believe it or not, I really like midcentury modern homes. They are my second favorite. My first favorite: Nicole Kidman’s cottage in Bewitched. That’s how I found your blog, by the way…..
Thanks so much for sharing this listing with us. It has made my day~
xoxoxo,
Ricki Jill
Wow! Look at all the people who saw this listing because of the crazy staging! The kitchen breakfast scene actually made me think more of The Dick Van Dyke Show than Mad Men however!
“Oh, Rob!”
LOL!
Well I see it sold, so it must’ve done the trick. As a vintage collector I wanted to fix her clothing plus found Betty and Don distracting, but it was a hoot. Doesn’t hurt the house was in great shape either, though those faux fireplaces with their big hoods to nowhere always leave me with a “what were they thinking” vibe.
I think it’s a kick! Love it.
Could not stop laughing! I want to be an extra in the next staging event!
This is so odd! It is a great house, though.
I want you to know that I have not gotten off of my couch since I have found this site!! I have already sent it to several of my friends, I AM HOOKED! I LOVE looking at the movie homes, so many memories for me in the Christmas Vacation, Father of the Bride, Mr Mom, these were the movies I grew up watching. Thanks for the effort you have put into this site, its very AWESOME!!
Ha! I was just bemoaning the fact that the new season of Mad Men is delayed until next spring when I saw this and laughed out loud. Odd, yes, but I give the realtor an “A” for effort. Cute house, too!
LOVE THIS! The house is already fabulous, and the staging and theatrics just make it so much better. A Lustron house across the street from me was sold when the agent staged a cocktail party with friends in 1950s cocktail dresses, 50s accessories, and pitchers of Cosmopolitans. The funny thing is, the house, which had been for sale for a bit, sold immediately after the party. This was five years ago, and although the house is maintained, no one actually lives there. Which makes me think the cocktail party idea (complete with alcohol) is the way to go — people who don’t even want to live in houses will snatch them up.
So cute….love that!!!! Darling house, too!
I wonder if they’ll serve cocktails and Ambrosia salad at the open house?
I don’t watch MM, but as a former Realtor, I think the listing agent is a genius. This is a house that potential buyers will remember when they think back to the 5000 houses they saw (seriously, it felt sometimes like I showed some buyers that many houses before they made up their minds).
Just think of the possibilities for era staging you could come up with!
I think this is fabulous! The house is gorgeous and the pictures make it unforgettable!
That is nutty fantastic! I think I remember that house, and if I do, the realtor is right to try to give it a boost. It looks like a drab house in a row of drab houses too close to an interstate, but also too close to some expensive areas. Witty staging seems like a smart idea for this one.
This was much weirder than I expected from your intro paragraph. Great find and post!
I’m a little late seeing this, but WOW it’s hilarious. I almost just spit out my coffee! Thank you for the morning laugh.
xoxo,
tanja
I just found this…. and I HAVE to put my two cents in. This realtor has kicked ass staging and selling other peoples homes along with renovating and selling other homes to young creative professionals looking for a fun suburban neighborhood. She can work circles around ANY realtor, stager, or renovation company I’ve ever met! She sells these fun Mid-Century homes in record time! I’ve been in the interior design industry for 10 years and I chose this SAME realtor to sell my “non” Mid-Century Modern home. She was AMAZING! I fell in LOVE with the house that is posted in this blog before our house was on the market, so our timing was off. I suggest anyone looking for a Modern or Mid-Century Modern home in Atlanta, GA to check out http://www.domorealty.com. My husband and I ended up moving to San Francisco…. if we were still in GA we would be living in one of Vanessa’s listings!
That’s great–thanks!
I was sure I knew what neighborhood this house was in as soon as I saw it – and I was correct. I thought I’d seen it recently when I was looking at houses in that school district, even though I was sure there were no people in the listing photos. What I saw, though, was another house she has renovated and listed that has very similar kitchen tiles and cabinets, if not the same, and is decorated in the same color palette. She left the characters out of it this time
We may see them yet though to get it noticed as she’s got the house listed for $120,000 more than what she paid for it 7 months ago. Which is a higher price than that neighborhood was drawing in the middle of the boom. Fun photos I get, over pricing I don’t. http://www.trulia.com/property/photos/3069104502-3664-Eaglerock-Dr-Atlanta-GA-30340
Sarah: The renovated house at 3664 Eaglerock drive is currently priced at $268,500 which is extremely comparable to what other renovated homes are going for in Northcrest!! Have your realtor pull comps
Also just listed a fab MCM on Beachill http://www.vanessareilly.com/2012/02/richly-textured-mid-century-modern/ but we got 2 offers on the table…
If you want a house that needs a little work you should check out: http://vanessareilly.idxre.com/idx/detail.cfm?cid=9006&bid=49&pid=4314057&ff=1
Happy Home Hunting!
Vanessa
Well… cool article but her shoes and hair style are not at all period-specific! Neither are the candles by the fireplace nor the carpet with the vacuum marks! Opppssss!
I think its fabulous! The house is mid-century and it shows what type of layout and size of furniture. Plus not to mention scale. I would rather see furniture that is in scale and people then an over sized sofa and clutter. Its cheezy but I think its clever.
This is great! Any one who is poo pooing it needs to get some fun in their life. If we could just market all houses like this!! If you want a modern house in Charlotte… I’ll hook you up and get you the fab fashions too.
WOW!! Amazing buzz!!
Thanks for all the Kudos and and smily faces!! To all the debby downers and harsh critics: No apologies here, you inspired me to step it up a notch and do it again with my newest listing at 3458 Beachhill Drive: http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3485-Beachhill-Drive-Atlanta-GA-30340/2121175474_zpid/
and guess what, it went UNDER CONTRACT in 12 days, but then again, that was the whole idea in the first place
For the latest and greatest: on other cool Mid-Century Modern homes Check out my website: http://www.domoRealty.com
Love it! Thanks, Vanessa.
this is a great way to generate buzz & interest about your listings – as a realtor. the house is absolutely stunning to begin with, but then adding in a popular element – like an award winning TV show – brilliant!
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