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Will Sex Sell? Couple Hope BDSM Basement Will Bring Top Dollar for Family Home

Sex appeal is used to sell cars, beer, and clothes—so why not a home? Arkansas homeowners Shayne and Jennifer McKinney are attempting to coax a buyer out of the shadows and into their dungeon.

The McKinneys live in the sleepy town of Van Buren, AR, and they’re selling their family home with a sexy surprise—a BDSM dungeon they built themselves.

Their fully realized “Fifty Shades” fantasy is the culmination of a project the McKinneys took on to increase the market value of their home.

The 2,837-square-foot residence recently landed on the market for $225,000. For comparison’s sake, the current median list price in this west Arkansas town close to the Oklahoma border is $135,000.

In addition to their interest in often taboo topics, the couple are real estate investors and have other ambitions, too. To capitalize on their passions, the McKinneys shot a scantily clad companion video of themselves renovating the space and submitted it to television producers.

Their pitch? A sultry home renovation show with an emphasis on creating spaces to foster a healthy sex life for couples. The proposed title is “Working In the Kinks.”

“We’ve been together for 18 years,” Shayne says. “It works because we make an effort.”

Shayne is convinced there’s an underserved real estate market for couples who want a spicy space where they can connect. Perhaps his theory has been validated by the interest in their home.

The four-bedroom ranch has been on the market for just a few days, and has already racked up thousands of views.

According to the couple, it has also generated a slew of phone calls from interested buyers. Jennifer is the listing agent and told us that she’s constantly fielding calls for tours.

The McKinneys have owned the house for the past 15 years and raised their two teenage sons there. They’re now looking to head someplace warmer.

Miami is a candidate—it was where the idea for their basement makeover took hold, after they visited a BDSM establishment in the Sunshine State.

“I had this dream the Scott brothers came and renovated our house,” Jennifer says.

She told Shayne about her vision, and that sparked the idea to build an adult play area in their basement. The secret room comes complete with a bar—a critical element, since the home is in a dry county.

A hidden door gives access to the dungeon, leading down a spiral staircase. At the bottom is a full nightclub, outfitted with an entertainer’s pole, along with custom-BDSM furniture Shayne made himself.

The couple says the neighborhood is quiet and an excellent place to raise a family.

Some of their neighbors know about the dungeon, and a few have been invited over. The space isn’t a dirty secret, and the couple is happy to talk about it with anyone who shows interest.

Despite the fact that the surrounding community is largely conservative, Shayne says the couple has had “zero negative feedback ”

He added that they’re willing to keep the house on the market for a while, to fetch the best price. The only deadline he has set is to leave Arkansas before next winter.

If this house attracts a ton of gawkers, it won’t be the first time a BDSM dungeon catapulted a home listing into the stratosphere.

In early 2019, a suburban Philadelphia home was listed with pictures of its own basement dungeon.

Melissa Leonard, the listing agent, made the bold choice to be upfront about the home’s salacious secret, and to include photos of the adult play area with the listing.

The result was a viral sensation. The listing was so popular, in fact, the owner decided to take it off the market and use it as a BDSM party destination rather than selling it.

The listing not only helped unlock the hidden value in the property, it boosted Leonard’s reputation in the community, too.

“It comes up at parties,” Leonard says. “I’m glad I did it, and I don’t regret anything.”

Now the McKinneys are ready to apply the same formula and use a hint of sex appeal to sell their family home … and perhaps realize their television dreams in the process.

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Source: Real Estate News and Advice – realtor.com » Real Estate News