How House Hunters (HGTV Show) really works

[rgf207]

We have some friends that recently moved to Germany for work.. They applied to be on House Hunters International before they moved and they were recently accepted. They received a call the other day on their taping and how it actually works.

First of all, our friends have already bought their house in Germany. HGTV comes to their new place and moves everything out. They then find 2 random other houses to "show" them along with the house they've already bought. They tape them going to all three houses and commenting on them. They then have to "choose" a house (keep in mind they already own it). After they make their choice (again), HGTV flies them back to the states for the "goodbye" (also keep in mind they have moved already). At the end HGTV will move their stuff back into their house.

Also, the parts of the show where the sellers refuse the offers or the bank financing get's hung up for some reason. All scripted. It never happens.

Interesting huh? DW and I really like the show though but it's interesting to see how it really works.

 

[LukenDC]

My brother and his wife were on HGTV's Room Crashers. The part where they are "discovered" and approached by the host in a store is entirely scripted. They already knew that they had been selected before that part of the show taped.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It is interesting - thanks! It makes sense, though. Who buys a house after just looking at three, for probably twenty minutes each? Allowing for editing, of course, but there's also stuff like home inspection and othe things it's too early in the day for me to think about.

But, one thing? I don't recall any financing issues on House Hunters? Property Virgins, sure. My First Place, absolutely! But HH? I just know the "buyers" to discuss the three choices between themselves, pick one, then a few weeks/months later we get to visit them for a moment in the new home?

 

[cornflake]

Reality shows aren't totally real?

House Hunters where they come up with hilariously stupid reasons to "reject" some of their three houses and you see the same furniture when they're "looking" at a house later, in the house they pick, isn't just a wacky coincience (that's the game of HH, looking for their furniture/boxes to tag the house on first glance)? You don't say.

And people aren't just taken off the street to big involved makeovers with all the stuff and permits and permission magically done?

I mean...

PV, the Rinomato one anyway, is more real. The people on that were actually looking for a place, using a local realtor; didn't have to be owner(s) or in escrow like on HH.

 

[Nette]

I was watching Property Brothers the other night when surprise! I saw a house that my DH and I had looked at around thanksgiving last year. Lo and behold, it was the house the couple chose.

I had to laugh when they did the part about going to the sellers and "making an offer" and then the realtor comes back with the news that there are FIVE other offers on the property. I call ******** because that house had been on the market 6 months when we looked at it. And the price hadn't changed that much.

I also had to cringe when they talked about how much they paid for the house (too much) and then how much the reno was (also way more than I think it should have been)... which means that they are now deeply underwater on that house.

But still fascinating because it definitely gave me insight into the show's production... even if it was mostly based on my assumptions. Hehehehe.

 

[Andtototoo]

This info has been out there for years. I think it explains why sometimes it appears as though the house they "choose" on air seems so much less desirable than the houses they reject for flimsy reasons -- it's because they didn't have those houses to choose from originally. So I always wonder if the house hunters -- who must be in escrow before the showi s filmed ever go through a house for the show and think, "Crap! I like this one way better than the one we're actually buying!"

 

[punkin]

"reality" TV.

 

[auntfrannie]

It is interesting - thanks! It makes sense, though. Who buys a house after just looking at three, for probably twenty minutes each? Allowing for editing, of course, but there's also stuff like home inspection and othe things it's too early in the day for me to think about.

But, one thing? I don't recall any financing issues on House Hunters? Property Virgins, sure. My First Place, absolutely! But HH? I just know the "buyers" to discuss the three choices between themselves, pick one, then a few weeks/months later we get to visit them for a moment in the new home?

When HouseHunters first started, they would have the realtor phoning the home buyer back with whether or not their offer was accepted. They haven't done that in a long time; probably because it was so stupid.

 

[fairestoneofall]

This info has been out there for years. I think it explains why sometimes it appears as though the house they "choose" on air seems so much less desirable than the houses they reject for flimsy reasons -- it's because they didn't have those houses to choose from originally. So I always wonder if the house hunters -- who must be in escrow before the showi s filmed ever go through a house for the show and think, "Crap! I like this one way better than the one we're actually buying!"

yes, i've known it was this way for awhile now. it's not really a secret anymore. i still enjoy watching it. i actually saw the same layout as our old house once (but they were in Charlotte and we are in Charleston). it was interesting to hear their opinions on it. (it was not the house chosen.)

i watched one the other day where i wondered if they wished they could change their minds. one of the "rejected" homes was exactly what they'd said they were looking for. i was wondering if they'd wished they'd seen it before they bought. lol!

 

[RitaE]

My husband hates when I watch that show because I always end up screaming at the tv screen about how stupid they are acting.

There was one I saw where the couple was in the market for a close to the beach condo. One guy was a chef and every kitchen he walked into he'd go into a hissy fit about low end cabinetry and a standard stove and refrigerator instead of "chef quality."

Uh dude. Nobody is going to sell you an $80,000 condo that has a $50,000 kitchen updgrade.

 

[Coconut36]

Reality shows aren't totally real?

House Hunters where they come up with hilariously stupid reasons to "reject" some of their three houses and you see the same furniture when they're "looking" at a house later, in the house they pick, isn't just a wacky coincience (that's the game of HH, looking for their furniture/boxes to tag the house on first glance)? You don't say.

And people aren't just taken off the street to big involved makeovers with all the stuff and permits and permission magically done?

I mean...

PV, the Rinomato one anyway, is more real. The people on that were actually looking for a place, using a local realtor; didn't have to be owner(s) or in escrow like on HH.

Hahaha...yep I am just totally shocked that these shows are staged/scriped..OMG my world is just shattered

I have always known they are scripted and set up...you mean the cameras aren't just magically there when the realtor calls or when they get the results of the home inspection and they set that up instead?? Of course they are scripted..it's quite clear they are and have been from the onset. The selling ones I know even stage Open Houses with "potential" buyers..using family/friends of the realtor or neighbors to act like potential buyers.

I still however enjoy them scripted or not as I enjoy seeing different home styles, architecture, prices..etc in different areas.

 

[kimblebee]

I always wondered how it worked on Extreme Makeover home edition. It can't be coincidence that the family is always home when Ty shows up with his bullhorn.

 

[Andtototoo]

I still however enjoy them scripted or not as I enjoy seeing different home styles, architecture, prices..etc in different areas.

That's why I watch. I love International HH best, for that reason -- seeing what's different overseas.

 

[KristaTX]

I still however enjoy them scripted or not as I enjoy seeing different home styles, architecture, prices..etc in different areas.

Me, too. I watch for that, and not for the people "shopping".

 

[BearcatsFan]

I always wondered how it worked on Extreme Makeover home edition. It can't be coincidence that the family is always home when Ty shows up with his bullhorn.

A company my DH used to work for did some work on an Extreme Makeover home. They said they filmed that scene over ... and over ... and over ... The kids don't look excited enough, Paige's hair is in her face and we can't see her, CUT!

 

[Feralpeg]

One night, I was watching Simmons Family Jewels. I always enjoyed that show. In the show, Gene took Shannon to Canada where he had rented a house. However, another family had also rented the house and they ended up sharing it. The funny part is that I recognized the daughter of the other family. I contacted her mom and it was her. That show is also totally scripted. The "other family" didn't really exist. They were all actors...including my friends daughter.

I still enjoy the show, but not as much as I did before I found out it is all scripted. I will continue to watch some reality tv, but I take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Andtototoo]

A company my DH used to work for did some work on an Extreme Makeover home. They said they filmed that scene over ... and over ... and over ... The kids don't look excited enough, Paige's hair is in her face and we can't see her, CUT!

It's just like America's Next Top Model. I always wondered why the "models" would shriek like demented fools whenever it was time for TyraMail. Then one former contestant said that the camera crew would make them do it over and over again until they got the "acceptable" levels of excitement, so it became easier to start out like idiots than have to do it repeatedly.

 

[Ginny Favers]

It is interesting-- I figured there HAD to be something behind it because most people have to look at a lot more than 3 houses before they make a decision, and they don't usually let a realtor make ALL the decisions as far as which houses to be shown.

I always wondered why nobody took option D, which is "none of these."

 

[izzy]

I about died laughing at the HH last night. The guy wanted a house with a foyer, and his girlfriend wanted a house with a laundry room. Everytime the phrase "laundry room" came up he kept saying it was wasted space. But he was intent on getting a house with a foyer. All I kept thinking was that if he was so worried about wasted space that I would have thought a foyer would be at the top of the wasted space list.

 

[Andtototoo]

I about died laughing at the HH last night. The guy wanted a house with a foyer, and his girlfriend wanted a house with a laundry room. Everytime the phrase "laundry room" came up he kept saying it was wasted space. But he was intent on getting a house with a foyer. All I kept thinking was that if he was so worried about wasted space that I would have thought a foyer would be at the top of the wasted space list.

Ha! We saw that ep and thought the same thing! He wants a "big foyer space" in a 1500 sq foot house? But then was kvetching at his girlfriend about wasting space with a laundry room? Oy.