HGTV musings

[LBIJim]

I know all HGTV shows are staged and fake, but I like to watch to snark and make fun of the people appearing on it.

Mostly I like House Hunters and HH International. Use to like Property Virgins with Sandra; this Egypt woman is OK, but it's just not the same. Really enjoyed the departed Selling New York and Selling LA.

Hate hate HATE Love It or List It. And even worse is that crap Flip or Flop. A couple of twits buying homes at auction, sometimes sight unseen. Then there's always a major problem. They spend 150K or more getting it fixed up, and worry about recouping their investment. But of course the first person who walks in offers 100K more than their overly inflated asking price.

Same with Income Property with that Scott dude. He says the owners could rent their renovated space for $1200 a month with they choose Option B for $50K. After it's done, a real estate agent says the value of the property increased by 90K and it would rent for $1400 a month. Then within milliseconds of listing it, multiple offers of $1700 a month start pouring in. Gimme a break.

The scenes of Toronto in some of the shows are cool.

 

[POOHsie]

I do like her but sometimes I wish she'd be even more clear with her clients.

"Ok they're asking $190,000, what would you like your starting offer to be?"

"Well, we talked about it and we're comfortable making an offer of $130,000."

"Okkkk... That's a *little low, are you sure? I'll write it up."

5 minutes later

"They rejected your offer." Shocking!

Actually, you're right. My RE agent wouldn't put up with that nonsense. Guess that's TV scripting.

 

[tvguy]

Actually, you're right. My RE agent wouldn't put up with that nonsense. Guess that's TV scripting.

A good Real Estate agent should offer advice if the offer is out of line, but I don't think legally they can refuse to write it up and not offer it if that is the offer their client insists on making.

I know when I sold my parents house last year, I got 2 strange offers, including one that had a specific person putting up half the offer prices and a "party to be named later" putting up the other half. My agent presented it us saying she was legally required to show us all offers, just like the agent who wrote it up was required to write it up the way the client wanted it written.

 

[POOHsie]

A good Real Estate agent should offer advice if the offer is out of line, but I don't think legally they can refuse to write it up and not offer it if that is the offer their client insists on making.

I know when I sold my parents house last year, I got 2 strange offers, including one that had a specific person putting up half the offer prices and a "party to be named later" putting up the other half. My agent presented it us saying she was legally required to show us all offers, just like the agent who wrote it up was required to write it up the way the client wanted it written.

You're right. One thing I noticed on Property Virgins a few times is the buyers suggested an offer price, and asked their agent if that's a good price. On TV the host responds to that question. My agent wouldn't directly answer a question like that - she insisted it was solely our decision.

 

[sukhakuli]

It always gets me when the home renovation goes over budget. I mean, really? You didn't know that things could pop up? You didn't know to add 20% to your reno budget for all the crazy crap that pops up?

 

[ThisIsJason]

I do like her but sometimes I wish she'd be even more clear with her clients.

"Ok they're asking $190,000, what would you like your starting offer to be?"

"Well, we talked about it and we're comfortable making an offer of $130,000."

"Okkkk... That's a *little low, are you sure? I'll write it up."

5 minutes later

"They rejected your offer." Shocking!

Neighbors of mine had a offer pretty close to that come in within the past week. The reasoning they gave was of course the "no stainless steel appliances, no granite countertops (even though it has amazing concrete ones), plus we would have to pay a condo fee every month." What are you looking at condos for then?! Ugh.

 

[ThisIsJason]

It always gets me when the home renovation goes over budget. I mean, really? You didn't know that things could pop up? You didn't know to add 20% to your reno budget for all the crazy crap that pops up?

Every time my wife watches one of those reno shows and something happens and they need to pull money from something else I want to scream. It is drama for the shows? I would honestly hope so. Who goes into a $50,000 reno with only $50,000?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Flip or Flop? Really. They just happen to see a house auction and it's in an hour, and the other side of the county. They're there! With just the right amount of Cashier's checks because they always seem to win! Oh, it's so easy! Ever notice at the end of show, if the house didn't sell, they don't talk about it. Like it fell off the edge of their planet.

Of course they always win. There are no ratings when some else wins an auction . Sometimes I just can't help watching this show. He's annoying as heck, and she seems so much smarter than he. Still, they do this for a living, and there wouldn't be any attraction in episodes where they win the bid, the house just needs minor adjustments, and it sells the same day it goes on the market.

Morbidly fascinating. I do miss Carol Duvall, and For Rent.

 

[havaneselover]

Fixer Upper is great. I love the wife's style and they seem to have a good relationship.

Flip or Flop annoys me to no end. I just find it hard to believe that in this environment it's that easy to consistently flip for a big profit.

I miss Candace Olson.

I liked Selling NY too. And Selling London. Never got into Selling LA.

 

[sukhakuli]

Fixer Upper is great. I love the wife's style and they seem to have a good relationship.

Flip or Flop annoys me to no end. I just find it hard to believe that in this environment it's that easy to consistently flip for a big profit.

I miss Candace Olson.

I liked Selling NY too. And Selling London. Never got into Selling LA.

I have no comment on your post, just that we have a havanese, too. Sweet little things, aren't they?

 

[havaneselover]

I have no comment on your post, just that we have a havanese, too. Sweet little things, aren't they?

The best! Mine is sitting next to me and we're watching HGTV. She just stopped trying to paw at me because she hates when I'm on my laptop : )

 

[bananasplitkids]

I love HGTV. My favorite is House Hunters especially Where Are They Now and Renovations. I also like Property Brothers and Flip or Flop mainly to see how the house turns out at the end. I can't really stand Love it or List it but I like to see what Hilary designs. She never has a big enough budget, but I did see one couple that gave her about $100,000 and she was able to do everything and it was beautiful. Of course they stayed. I also like Property Virgins with Egypt. I liked Lara's show from GMA Flea Market Flip, its interesting to see what designs people come up with from flea market items. My last show is actually on the DIY channel, its Renovate to Rent. These two guys buy houses renovate them and then rent them out.

 

[disykat]

staged or not, I'm hooked on HGTV.

That said, I really miss "Designing for the Sexes" and "Designers Challenge."

 

[havaneselover]

staged or not, I'm hooked on HGTV.

That said, I really miss "Designing for the Sexes" and "Designers Challenge."

I forgot about those two. They were great : (

 

[disneychrista]

Funny how no one seems to like Love it or List it but it is always on. I know I turn the channel (most of the time) when it comes on.

 

[tvguy]

I don't really think it's realistic for people to decide if they are going to love it or list it a few minutes after seeing the remodel.....althought one couple the man said one thing, and the woman another. That would be a process that would take days if not weeks in my household....we looked at 40 houses ourselves before buying this house, and looked at 50 over 2 months 10 years later when we debated whether to move or add on.....we ended up adding on.
I see no problem with them back tracking the houses a couple has looked at and recreating the process after they have made a decision.

 

[Octoberbride03]

Funny how no one seems to like Love it or List it but it is always on. I know I turn the channel (most of the time) when it comes on.

That's because LOTS of people like it. They just don't DIS

Personally, I love it. I don't really care if its staged or not, I need shows i can yell at. This fits the bill nicely.

As for househunters, I don't see how you can do that WITHOUT staging it. It could take months following a couple to get to their final 3 houses otherwise. There have been a few local realtors who have done it and there's usually a news story around airtime. The producers(when filming here at least) make a genuine effort to film houses couples actually considered in the same state they were in at initial walk through. But every now and again they encounter uncooperative owners who refuse to show the house or move furniture around or out if it had been empty at time of selling.

My DH and I were not too picky in what we would look at, but that didn't mean the realtor had new listings for us everyday either. So going back after the sale keeps costs down and filming quick and fairly painless I would think. But I don't watch it much. I have nobody to yell at.

And I like Property Brother and Buying & Selling too. I like the Scotts and don't find them creepy at all.

 

[havaneselover]

The one I used to watch religiously was Buy Me. I thought that was really interesting but it might be because I've sold several houses (a few in terrible markets) so I empathized with the sellers.

 

[StephMK]

Funny how no one seems to like Love it or List it but it is always on. I know I turn the channel (most of the time) when it comes on.

I know, I feel like that is the only thing playing most weeks. I cannot stand it and won't watch.

I used to love HGTV and really miss the design shows too. I still enjoy House Hunters, I don't care if it's staged. It's still fun to see the insides of different houses around the country. I also love Beach House Bargain and dream of living near the beach.

I like the reno shows but they seem to mostly be on DIY now.

 

[maxiesmom]

I like Property Brothers too, but yeah it starts stupidly.

Other than that I watch House Hunters and Property Virgins. I get very annoyed by the people who want it all (granite, hardwood floors, ss appliances) in their starter houses.

I think that is why PB starts off the way it does. So that people have more of a realistic idea of what their money can buy. I remember one show where the clients insisted they show them ready to move in houses, and were shocked that their money wouldn't buy them what they wanted. Showing clients what their money will really buy in a house that is ready to move in seems pretty smart.

I hate Love it or List it too. Way too much fake drama. They make many of the home owners look stupid or mean.

Has anyone been watching The Property Brothers At Home? I would love to know how much $$$ they are spending on renovating their own place. It has to be a huge sum--water slide, glass folding wall. TV must pay nicely.