In a billion-dollar Homes.com ad campaign, Dan Levy and Heidi Gardner travel around the country collecting local data for the listing portal, with the catch line “We’ve done your home work.”

It’s the largest real estate ad buy in history, designed to draw would-be homebuyers to the site. But the Emmy-winning Levy and "Saturday Night Live" cast member Gardner are hardly the first celebrities to shill in the real estate sector.

Years ago, John Wayne had a side job as a spokesman for Great Western, one of the country’s largest mortgage lenders at the time. When “Duke” passed away in 1979, the gig was taken over by actor Dennis Weaver of "Gunsmoke" fame.

Both actors are gone now, as is the once-big California savings bank. But many others followed in their wake.

Elizabeth Banks was once the face of Realtor.com, a Homes.com rival. And who can forget the long list of actors representing the reverse mortgage business? Right now, the frontman is Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actor Tom Selleck. But before him came actor-turned-Senator Fred Thompson, Henry "the Fonz" Winkler, Robert Wagner and Jerry Orbach.

A spokesperson doesn’t necessarily need to be super famous, but they should at least be recognizable. Take Peter Koch, who once did ads for buyer-agent matching service HomeLight. He’s a former NFL player who has appeared in numerous movies and TV shows. When you see him, you know him, but you’re not sure where from.

There are reasons companies pay to have someone like Selleck or Wayne endorse them. Celebrities can give a product or brand instant credibility, not to mention increased publicity. In the long run, according to a 2016 Forbes article, these endorsements “encourage more and more customers to find out more about the business their favorite celebrity happens to be supporting.”

Forbes cites Social Media Week to claim that one endorsement by a famous actor or sports star can increase sales by about 4%. But companies must choose the right personality. The wrong choice can backfire -- if not now, then perhaps down the road.

For instance, comedian Bill Cosby was once considered a bankable, believable spokesman. He hawked Jell-O, Coca-Cola and numerous other products before being convicted of sex crimes. O.J. Simpson shilled for Hertz and Lance Armstrong pitched for Subaru before they each fell from grace.

Or consider the former PGA golfers who lost sponsorships after joining the Saudi Arabia-sponsored LIV Golf tour. Rocket Mortgage dropped Bryson DeChambeau after he joined LIV. Similarly, RBC, Canada’s largest bank, cut ties with Dustin Johnson and Graeme McDowell.

Rocket, one of the nation’s largest lenders, is often credited with being the first in the mortgage sector to recognize the value of partnering with sports teams. In 2019, the company created the first-ever PGA tour event in its Detroit hometown. And now it is so entwined with the industry that the Rocket name is practically ubiquitous in the sports world.

In addition to hosting the Motor City event, Rocket is an official partner of the PGA; it also has deals with NFL teams, the World Pro Ski Tour, and dozens of college football and basketball programs. Rocket’s founder, Dan Gilbert, owns the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA, as well as other sports franchises.

These connections are undoubtedly part of the reason Rocket topped the USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter two years in a row. But other big-name lenders link their names with sports teams, too. Ruoff Mortgage, which is licensed to originate loans in 45 states, has a multiyear partnership with NASCAR. And Guaranteed Rate is the official mortgage partner of the National Hockey League, as well as a backer of professional rugby teams and bass fishing events.

Firms sometimes support smaller local teams, too. For the same reason that a large, national outfit pays big money for the naming rights to a professional team’s stadium -- think LoanDepot Park and the Miami Marlins, among others -- they might also put their name on a minor league field, or perhaps just a fence surrounding a sandlot.

In Pepperell, Massachusetts, for example, the local Mortgage Network office sponsored the town’s youth baseball and softball programs. It’s an affordable investment that lets people know the company supports the town and its kids. And when the need for a mortgage arises, the hope is that Mortgage Network will be top-of-mind.

Sports marketing is appealing for the housing industry, especially mortgage companies, for the same reasons that advertisers seek celebrity endorsements: A connection to a team brings instant recognition and credibility. We support the team, the thinking goes, so the team's fans will support us.

Of course, most entities don’t have the big bucks to spend that Rocket does. But there are numerous opportunities at sports’ lower levels -- from youth sports to the minor leagues to local marathons to college events.

A few years ago, Nicole Doty of Zion Realty in Gilbert, Arizona, thought she had a client's house rented at full price. The tenant had sent in his deposit, enrolled his kids in the neighborhood school, paid the movers and had his old place in New York halfway packed.

Then the deal went south. Way south.

The tenant was moving to Arizona to start a new business. But when the person who was supposed to take over his business in New York backed out, the tenant had no choice but to back out of his deal, too.

The story, which Doty posted on the ActiveRain real estate site, involved a rental. But last-minute cancellations happen in sales, too. According to the National Association of Realtors, roughly 6% of all signed contracts never make it to the closing table.

Sacramento broker Elizabeth Weintraub can attest to that. So can Praful Thakkar of Andover, Massachusetts. Weintraub once "sold" the same place three times before it closed. And several years ago, Thakkar had buyers flake on six consecutive transactions in one month.

Once in a blue moon, a cancellation works out to the seller's advantage. Years ago, at a time when house prices were marching upward, I received a full-price offer on a townhouse I'd decided to sell. The deal fell through, so I put the house back on the market -- for $30,000 more.

A second full-price contract also died, so I upped the price another $30,000. When the house eventually sold, I pocketed $60,000 more than I had originally asked.

For the most part, though, sellers have no choice but to grin and bear it. The first step is to determine what went wrong. Then you can figure out how to fix it.

In some cases, there's nothing you can do -- for example, if the buyer just has a change of heart. In those cases, the best you can hope for is to keep their earnest money and move on. Likewise, if the buyer's financing falls through, it's their problem, not yours. But when the next offer comes your way, make sure it comes with a preapproval letter from a lender. That's no guarantee, but it's the best you can do, unless the buyer plans to pay cash.

There's also not much you can do if the buyer has been unable to sell their current place. If they won't consider a bridge loan -- financing that bridges the gap between the purchase of your house and the sale of theirs -- they might be a lost cause, so move on.

You can't do much about an appraisal that comes in too low, except perhaps appeal or request a second valuation. This takes time, though. Don't cut your price because of a low valuation, at least not right away. Wait until a second low appraisal comes in. Only then is it time to adjust the price. Maybe you can meet your new buyer halfway.

The ball's in your court, though, if there's a problem with the title to your property. It could be any number of things: Perhaps your home equity lender placed a lien on the house or there's an issue with a previous owner's undisclosed heirs.

If it's a lien, find out why it's there and either pay it off or get it dismissed. Maybe you paid off a second mortgage years ago, but the lender never removed it. If it's a glitch in the title, alert the company from which you purchased title insurance. Ask them to find out what's wrong and correct it.

Title issues pop up now and then, but more frequently, the home inspection identifies problems no one knew were there -- problems the buyer won't want to deal with. That leaves you.

If the buyer is complaining about cosmetic or trivial things, like the dark blue wall in the main bathroom or the leaky kitchen faucet, think twice about acquiescing. After all, they saw those issues before inking the contract, so they shouldn't prevent the deal from moving forward. At the same time, you may decide it's worth paying a few bucks to make some fixes and hold the deal together.

But if the inspection uncovers serious problems -- roofing issues, faulty wiring or other big-ticket items -- you probably have no choice but to make the necessary repairs. For one thing, the buyer will walk if you don't. For another, now that you're aware of these problems, the law requires you to disclose them to all future buyers. So you may as well bite the bullet now and prevent the hassle later.

After you've added the new roof or removed the antiquated plumbing, perhaps you can adjust your price accordingly. And maybe you'll be able to write off the costs as selling expenses.

While you're at all this, it's a good idea to review your listing. Make sure it's up to date and spells out any recent improvements you've made. And you might want to adjust your price, depending on which way the winds are blowing. If prices have been rising, then by all means, go with the flow like I did.

[EDITORS: Lew Sichelman is away this week. This column was first published in 2023.]

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the first house you bought was the last one you ever needed to own?

Imagine if the house lasted your entire lifetime -- that you'd never have to leave, uprooting your family in the process, and that you could even pass the place down to your descendants.

In other words, a forever home: one you could expand as the need for more space arose. One that could accommodate children, when they came along; your parents, when they became too old to live on their own; or an adult child returning to the nest. Maybe it could hold your parents and your kids at the same time.

Few people ever live in such a place. According to Redfin, people move from one house to another every dozen years or so. But that doesn't mean you can't do it. Indeed, anyone can.

With a little forethought and effort, you can build or buy a house for the ages. And it need not be an expensive, architect-designed custom house, either; production houses can fit the bill.

Practically any builder can construct such a house, "as long as they offer the appropriate set of upgrades," says Boyce Thompson, author of "The Forever Home: Designing Houses to Last a Lifetime."

Unfortunately, most production builders tend to build for specific markets -- first-timers, for example, or trade-up buyers or empty nesters. But in doing so, Thompson says, "they give short shrift" to things buyers may require down the road.

Thompson is an excellent source on the subject. For 17 years, he was the editorial director of Builder, an award-winning trade publication serving the new-home business. (I once wrote occasional stories for Builder.) He's also the founding editor of six trade magazines, including Residential Architect, Big Builder and Digital Home.

"The Forever Home" is his fourth book, and features interviews with 20 families who have built their "immortal houses." It covers the topic from numerous perspectives, profiling young families, baby boomers, single parents, recently divorced people and more. It's full of big color photographs and even includes floor plans.

I asked Thompson, who concedes that he and his wife still live in an "obsolete" house in Bethesda, Maryland, about the factors to consider in a forever house. As you might have guessed, longevity is an important one.

"Think about what you may need for the long run," he advised. One-floor living is ideal, as are wider doorways, but most people automatically think of those things. But what about wider halls as well? Not only do you need them to accommodate a wheelchair, Thompson said, but they are also "more elegant."

A cradle-to-grave house should have a low- or no-threshold entry and a room on the first floor that can be turned into a bedroom if needed. A powder room that can be turned into a full bathroom is another must. Thompson suggests a half-wall between the sink and commode that can be removed to make way for a wheelchair. Another option: Make sure the powder room is next to a closet or pantry that can be converted into a roll-in shower -- one equipped with French drains to make it easier to access.

"Clearances around the toilet are big," said Thompson.

Don't forget the outside of the house, too, especially roofing, siding and windows. "These three are worth upgrading because they improve your home's energy and maintenance performance in the long run," he said.

It's probably cost-prohibitive to opt for the longest-lasting natural materials, like real stone and slate roofs. But fiber cement or cedar siding and faux-tile roofing will "last a long time with minimum maintenance," he said.

Speaking of costs, Thompson said a forever house "doesn't have to be more expensive," provided you do your research and plan ahead.

Some of his suggestions: Finish the basement when you need more space. Opt for a decent, functional kitchen instead of one that looks like the set for a cooking show. Hold back on fancy interior touches like crown molding until you have some extra cash. Plan for later additions.

In other words, "Only build what you need in the beginning, but plan for later," Thompson said.

New York architect Nathan Dalesio took that "enlightened path" when designing a house for his family, Thompson said, by first focusing on the basics: an airtight building with a resilient roof and durable windows. But Thompson said Dalesio's "most inspired move was to visualize future expansion."

"We planned the house so that we could add things down the road that were out of reach of our budget right now," said Dalesio.