"Maybe it gives you a little advantage if there's something similar on the market that wasn't once owned by a celebrity," he said.
The problem, some brokers say, is that they're hampered by a confidentiality agreement. They can talk freely about a home's granite countertops, rooftop garden, Viking stove and amazing views, but often they're not supposed to say a word about the resident. "In some cases I think it would be an enormous advantage if I could use the celebrity's name," said Joanna Simon, a vice president for the Fox Residential Group, "but they value their privacy and generally don't want their names used in marketing their property."
In some instances, they can be persuaded to reconsider. "Maybe they won't let their names be used initially," said Tuthill of Coldwell Banker. "But if it's been on the market for a few weeks and nothing happens, they may say, `Go ahead and use my name.'"
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