We are moving quickly towards summer with long days and plenty of time to spend outdoors taking strolls at the beach and to walk our dogs. But since we all know there are always a few rainy windy days left in the next couple of months, I thought I would share with you some great real estate flicks. Who better than a Realtor to recommend real estate movies? Most of these you can get from your library.
So first lets talk about a good movie about real estate finances. My favorite is Lost in America, which shows what not to do when you are lucky enough to have some home equity. Absolutely one of the funniest movies about a couple looking to move on to their dream life.
If you want to see the way the Savings & Loan business is suppose to act, watch Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life. There was no Charles Keating’s in Frank Capra’s world and this is a classic to be watched again and again.
Many of the great real estate movies are about land, getting it, working hard to keep it, and then losing it. A few good choices here would be Grapes of Wrath and The River. If you enjoy French films, how about Manon of the Spring, where Jean (Gerard Depardieu) a city boy who is also a hunchback, puts all of his savings in a dry area of Provence, and the evil neighbor, Le Patat (Yves Montand) blocks the spring (water) on his land. Jean eventually dies from the struggle of hauling enough water to the parched land. In the sequel his daughter exacts revenge for her father.
Another one about land is Gone with the Wind. The government vs. the landowner is the story here. You’ve got a war with Sherman marching to sea, and Scarlett torn between caring about her man or her land.
How about a good film on home renovation. Might we learn something from Pacific Heights? Or, if you are planning to rent a home you might want to watch The People Under the Stairs or The Super before you make a decision on a property.
If you have ever had trouble identifying a property line or had a bad appraisal, you should watch The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill And Came Down A Mountain.
How about that real estate agent who seemed alittle on edge? You may identify why in The Stepfather? Here we have a homicidal maniac who also sells real estate.
Of course the one many of us remember most to do with real estate is Glengarry Glen Ross. A bleak disturbing view of the real estate profession. I ‘m glad I don’t work in that office.
Well that about wraps it up. Oh there is the one I am watching tonight, The War of the Roses . I think I was introduced to a couple last week who tried to work out their property settlement the same way as Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas do in this movie. Stay tuned.
