"But Where Will I Watch TV?"

This week I was reminded yet again how people buying and renting homes are more focused on how they will practically live in these homes, possibly more so than the esthetics of the home and even the location, although that is critically important to livability. One question that is asked repeatedly: "where and how will I watch TV?"

According to Nielsen, the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day (or 28 hours/week, or 2 months of nonstop TV-watching per year. If the average American is awake for 16 hours per day, that equates to 25% of their awake life in front of a TV........and if they work 8 hours per day and spend an hour commuting, it's much higher, closer to 50% of their non-working life! This may explain why television placement is so important to so many.

Some of us may be aghast by this reality, but it is what it is, and as real estate professionals we should always clearly identify where and how prospective buyers and tenants can place a television. There are so many options these days - from traditional wall-mounted TV's to projection TV's and those that are housed in cabinetry, ceilings, and under beds with mechanical arms -  but actually showing these options can be invaluable. Most developers show this on floorplans.