After watching HGTV’s “House Hunters” for years, McColly Real Estate Broker Mary Swiercz had the unexpected opportunity to appear on an episode of the show filming in Northwest Indiana. A casting director reached out to her via social media extending an invitation to appear on the show. Upon realizing the casting director’s authenticity, excitement replaced her initial caution.
After Swiercz agreed to appear on the episode, the casting director asked if she had any homebuyers approaching their closing date. Swiercz knew the perfect couple for the job, and they were equally thrilled to be featured on “House Hunters.”
“I reached out to them and they were totally on board” Swiercz said. “They were initially shocked but said, ‘Absolutely, that’d be a great story to tell our kids!’”
Over the years of watching real estate and home improvement TV shows, Swiercz noticed many of the homebuyers featured on these shows had large budgets, leaving many viewers struggling to relate. However, she believes viewers will find the episode she recently filmed to be an accurate representation of the average viewer and of the Northwest Indiana housing market.
“It’s great that a nationwide show is exploring Northwest Indiana’s strong real estate market,” Swiercz said. “Our area is very attractive to many homebuyers thanks to our vibrant communities, low taxes, and strong job market. Having a national television show showcase this area in Indiana proves it’s a healthy market out here.”
While Swiercz is used to interacting with clients, doing so on camera was a new challenge for her. She was pleasantly surprised when the filming operated on a smaller scale than she anticipated, making her feel more relaxed around the crew and in front of the camera.
“We had an on-site producer, cameramen, and a sound guy who were all very down to earth. We joked around, had fun, and talked about our lives and our families,” Swiercz said. “It was awesome to experience something like that. They made us feel very comfortable.”
Between the talented HGTV crew and her relatable clients, Swiercz thinks the episode will be a hit and looks forward to its release. The episode will air four to six months from now, and Swiercz, her clients, and the McColly Real Estate team are already planning to have a viewing party to watch the episode.
While taking advantage of the opportunity to appear on screen was intimidating, Swiercz is glad she found the courage to try something new.
“As a real estate agent, don't hesitate to put yourself out there. I didn't even use social media until I entered the real estate world as I'm a more private person. Social media led to me being selected to be on the show,” Swiercz said. “I transitioned from making videos that only a small amount of people would see to filming an entire television episode.”
For more information about McColly Real Estate, visit mccolly.com. To reach out to Mary visit her website at https://maryswiercz.mccolly.com.
