August 2005: Connecticut Real Estate Broker, Steve Schappert will be headed to Manhattan on Monday to Meet with Producer/Director/Editor at BBC Studios New York Mike Wechsler for a new reality TV Show Wechsler is putting together for the The Learning Channel, a division of Discovery Inc. called, “Real Estate Road Trip”. For the first time in America, you can have the opportunity to try out a house before you buy it. You tell us what you’re looking for in a new house, and we will match you up with three different properties. Then you get to choose to spend the night in one of the properties to see if it is a good fit for you and your family – and if you want to purchase the house.Kathleen Chiras of Skyforinc., a national referral service, confirms she has been speaking to the casting director for about a month in an email to Schappert. Chiras says, “Good luck, Steve! Yes, I ‘ve been talking with the casting producer there for about a month. Let’s hope they pick an EBA! KC “. Tom Early President of The Buyer’s Real Estate Brokerage and President of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents had this to say, “Fantastic, keep me informed. I too sent them a bio but have not heard from them. – Tom”
Schappert said, “I had no idea about the show but on Friday I received a phone call from Mike Wechsler at the BBC Production Studio in Manhattan. They are doing a reality TV show about home buying. I was interviewed, over the phone by Mike, he asked for a picture so, I gave him my website, he said he would get back to me. He called back one minute later and asked me to come to Manhattan for a screen call on Monday at 11.”
“I really appreciate the opportunity regardless of whether I am chosen or not. This will be a great PR piece for Exclusive Buyer Agents everywhere! Schappert and Wechsler also talked briefly about Schappert’s new zero energy mixed use building in New Milford.” Schappert made 2 trips to the BBC offices in Manhattan for the initial interview and then for an actual screening. Schappert was interviewed on camera by Erin Cox, and was told that he had the best stories.
The BBC did not finance the show back in 2005 and now that Schappert is reentering the industry with a great deal more experience and stories to tell, he hopes to get another chance. In 2007 Schappert was featured on NBC’s Going Green and was asked by the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents to teach a 3 hour class on Green Building at the national convention at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas.
20 years later Schappert has been interviewed by or featured in ABC, NBC, CNN, The New York Times, Connecticut Magazine, The Washington Post and many more.
