V.W.H. Campbell Jr., Post-Gazette Real estate firms, such as Northwood and Howard Hanna, use television shows as a way to take viewers inside homes for sale. Above is the living room of a home on Capri Court, Plum.

By Gretchen McKay, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Like most top agents, Staci Rullo puts a lot of time and energy into marketing the properties she lists for Northwood Realty Services' Penn Hills office.

In addition to the ubiquitous sign in the front yard and ads in the newspaper, the associate broker makes sure all of the homes she features on the company Web site include a photo gallery, along with mortgage information, driving directions and links to a recorded description.

V.W.H. Campbell Jr., Post-Gazette Above: Viewers of this week's Northwood Realty television show will get an up-close look at this home on Capri Court, Plum. Featured is the home's dining room. Below: The Capri Court house in Plum being featured on Northwood Realty's weekly "Guide to Homes" television show is situated on 1.9 acres and is listed at $492,900. Click photos for larger image. More information For information on 9979 Capri Court, Plum, contact Sandy Nicassio, Northwood Realty Services, at 724-327-5600, ext. 127 or go to www. northwood.com, MLS No. 646681.

It might sound like she has all the bases covered. But no. Most of Ms. Rullo's listings also end up on WPXI at 11:30 a.m. Sundays as part of Northwood's weekly television show "Guide to Homes."

In this Internet age, when buyers can search at their convenience 24/7 for homes on the Web, advertising a property on television might seem hopelessly passe. But competition is so fierce among Northwood agents that there is often a waiting list for one of the 45 or so spots on the half-hour show, which also airs on FYI Cable at 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sundays and 6:30 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays.

Some agents opt to hold back until they have the "perfect" home to showcase -- that is, one that catches the eye. That was the case with Realtor Sandy Nicassio, who on today's program will list a four-bedroom, custom stone contemporary on 1.9 acres in Plum priced at $492,900.

"It's unique, and I thought this would be a way to get it out there," she says. "So I waited for my slot."

The 12-year-old house has 9-foot ceilings, a beamed living room, a first-floor master suite with separate dressing area and a family room with cathedral ceilings and massive stone fireplace. There's also a large patio off the dining room and a private yard with several fountains.

Other companies also see the benefit of TV marketing. The "Home Sweet Home Show" recently began promoting its apartment rental show concept at 10 a.m. Sundays on Comcast Digital Cable channel 190. The only other company to use the small screen to market its properties is Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. Its "Sunday Showcase of Homes" airs at 11 a.m. Sundays on KDKA.

The show, which has been on the air since 1987 and can also be seen on the company's Web site (www.howardhanna.com), uses a professional photographer and script writer to prepare the copy based on highlights provided by the agents. Agents pay about $150 of the $450 production cost for each home featured on the Pittsburgh show (the company also has similar shows in Cleveland, Youngstown and Erie). They pay only if the property sells. Neither company charges the homes' sellers.

At more than $20,000 per episode, it might sound like a lot of money for a real estate company to shell out each week. But Howard "Hoddy" Hanna, chairman and CEO of Howard Hanna, considers it money well spent.

"My philosophy on advertising is that you must present the product in all major media cycles, and that includes TV."

Apparently, it's working: Hanna's show averages about 45,000 viewers on a typical Sunday, more if the Steelers happen to be playing well (it leads off into the Steelers kickoff show on KDKA).

Debbie Kane, a top-selling agent in Hanna's East Suburban office, is one who jockeys for a spot on the show each Sunday. The way she sees it, an agent's goal is to get as many people into a home as possible, and an appearance on the show -- which is typically paired with a same-day open house -- is a "fabulous" vehicle for drumming up interest.

"You wouldn't believe the number of people who tell me they watch it even when they're not buying a home," she says, adding that a few even tape it when they're out of the house.

That exposure is one reason both Realtors and home sellers like the show. But there's another, less obvious benefit. Conventional forms of real estate advertising tend to be geographical or related to cost. You search the classifieds or Internet by specific neighborhood or region or price.

	V.W.H. Campbell Jr., Post-Gazette The kitchen in the Capri Court house (above) and the fountain in its front yard (below). Realty agents say having a property featured on television can cause potential buyers who have not made an offer on properties to proceed, once they know more people will see it. Click photos for larger image.

On TV, you see homes from all over the area and in all price ranges. So instead of location, location, location, says Mr. Hanna, you might get location, house.

"You might not even know the geographical location. Something might just jump out at you," noting that it can even happen to people who weren't looking to move.

Having a home featured on TV can also create a sense of urgency among buyers who have been putting off making an offer. It's one thing to think you're the only one interested in a particular house; it's quite another to be part of a field.

"They don't want the whole world to see it on TV," says Mr. Hanna. "So there's psychological pressure to move a little quicker and make an offer."

Northwood says its program helps set it apart from competitors. Executive Vice President Wendy West says the show, which has been on the air since October 1991 and averages about 20,000 viewers on WPXI, is good corporate advertising. In fact, she says, it's very often a determining factor in choosing which real estate company to go with.

"It relates to the customer that you are a viable player in the market," she says.

Northwood producer Arlene Musico chooses which homes to showcase on a first-come, first-served basis. She has two main guidelines:

Properties can't be at the bottom of the price scale.

Homes can't require a lot of work (they don't "show" properly).

Other than that, there's no criteria regarding style, size or location. A production company writes the script based on points of interest provided by each Realtor, information included on the multi-list and available photos. Bobbie North, a professional actress, does the voice-overs.

"People are thrilled to see something on TV that's affordable," says Ms. Rullo, who typically features three or four houses on the show each week.

The producers of the "Home Sweet Home Show," meanwhile, are hoping for the same success with apartments.

Along with rent and location, each one-minute segment features all the details pertinent to renters: number of bedrooms and baths, which utilities are included and cost of the security deposit. The ads will include between six and eight photos.

Originally, creative director Meghan Von Geis and producer Kirk Hastings considered creating a TV show for the For Sale By Owner market. When properties failed to materialize, however, they switched gears to the rental market, which they concluded was being underserved.

"You know how hard it is when you're looking for an apartment, and you don't have any idea if it's right for you," Ms. Von Geis says. "This way, people know what they will see if they make an appointment. There's no false ideas."

It's just as beneficial for landlords, who when writing the script can play up whatever feature they feel best sells the property.

"It's more efficient," Ms. Von Geis says. "It saves everybody time."

Not to mention money: one airing of an apartment costs just $50, while four apartments cost $150. And as with the other real estate shows, all of the listings can be viewed on the show's Web site (www.hshmedia.com) for one week, through the following Saturday.

While local landlords have yet to take the plunge and book a spot on the show, Ms. Von Geis feels certain it's only a matter of time. For now, it's showing a sample apartment.

"The demand is there," she says, noting how just this week she received five calls from renters looking for apartments.

"We're just waiting for the word to get out."