Don't Buy This House

Someone's house is for sale due to circumstances beyond their control, but they don't want to sell it, so when prospective buyers come to see it, they make it look like the house is falling apart in an attempt to scare them away.

ALF

Appearances

• My Favorite Martian: Season 1, episode 25, "The Sinkable Mrs. Brown" (1964). A shifty real estate agent talks Mrs. Brown into selling her property, which would leave Tim and Martin homeless, so Martin uses his martian powers to make it seem like the house is falling apart, which scares away the prospective buyers and the agent.
• ALF: Season 2, episode 22, "Movin' Out" (1988). Willie gets a promotion that means the Tanners have to sell their house and move to San Diego, but Willie's miserable in his new job, and no one wants to move. So, when a couple comes to look at the house, Alf sabotages it to scare them away and keep the family from moving.
• King of the Hill: Season 13, episode 17, "Six Characters in Search of a House" (2008). When Peggy accidentally sells their house, the only way out of the deal is to fail inspection, so Hank takes some inspiration from Bill's house to make his house appear to be falling apart. The inspector fails the house but implies to Hank that it would take a "master craftsman" to make such a well-maintained home seems like it's in disrepair.