Selling The Big Easy - General Discussion

[CrazyInAlabama]

So the 'staging' home this week wasn't even for sale?   (They claimed on the show they were staging it for sale, and the sellers thought it looked so good after staging they decided to take it off the market and keep it).  I hated the lavender color, it might have been pale lavender, but I still didn't like it.     I don't believe for a second that the couple on the first episode bought the over priced new construction, with all of that noise from the industrial businesses around the house.    And there's no way you can put a real pool in that yard.   

The Slidell house is still on the market, $1,439,000, and still has the bizarre kitchen bar seats.   I can't imagine all of those kids playing with the elevator constantly, because you know they would.  It's been on realtor for 535 days, with no sale in sight either.    I couldn't find the first house, but there are a lot of similar new builds, so maybe that was the model for the builder?   

So the first house sold back in May, apparently not to the 'buyers' on the show.  

Edited October 10, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[cameron]

9 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

So the 'staging' home this week wasn't even for sale?    I hated the lavender color, it might have been pale lavender, but I still didn't like it.     I don't believe for a second that the couple on the first episode bought the over priced new construction, with all of that noise from the industrial businesses around the house.    And there's no way you can put a real pool in that yard.   

The Slidell house is still on the market, $1,439,000, and still has the bizarre kitchen bar seats.   I can't imagine all of those kids playing with the elevator constantly, because you know they would.  It's been on realtor for 535 days, with sale in sight either.    I couldn't find the first house, but there are a lot of similar new builds, so maybe that was the model for the builder?   

Just looked up that house on Camp and it closed September 2020.  Don't know who the buyers were.  Thought that couple from Beaumont seemed phony to me.

[cameron]

11 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

So the 'staging' home this week wasn't even for sale?    I hated the lavender color, it might have been pale lavender, but I still didn't like it.     I don't believe for a second that the couple on the first episode bought the over priced new construction, with all of that noise from the industrial businesses around the house.    And there's no way you can put a real pool in that yard.   

The Slidell house is still on the market, $1,439,000, and still has the bizarre kitchen bar seats.   I can't imagine all of those kids playing with the elevator constantly, because you know they would.  It's been on realtor for 535 days, with sale in sight either.    I couldn't find the first house, but there are a lot of similar new builds, so maybe that was the model for the builder?   

1434 Toledano Street was the first house.

Edited October 10, 2020 by cameron

[Grrarrggh]

19 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

 I hated the lavender color, it might have been pale lavender, but I still didn't like it.    

What lavender colour? I watched it and couldn't see anything other than white. The picture frame molding was a really smart move though. 

I was bummed we saw that horrible new build instead of the first house the group talked about. New Orleans charm my ass. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

They said the staged house walls were painted a very pale lavender, it didn't look like it in most light, but it was the color alright. 

I could only see a difference in the wall colors when they showed the before and after with a split screen.  

Edited October 10, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[chessiegal]

The first house they showed the couple with 6 kids was described as being the "Camp St." house in Uptown, It is in Uptown, but not on Camp St. It was not for sale. It last changed ownership on 5/31/17 in a not-at-arms-length sale for $100.

[Gam2]

All I can think when I see this woman is “Take that stupid hat off of the back of your head”.

[Linky Loo]

The close captioning wasn't in sync with what Brittany was saying. 

Captioning: House sold in 2 weeks

Brittany: They kept the house 

[cameron]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

The first house they showed the couple with 6 kids was described as being the "Camp St." house in Uptown, It is in Uptown, but not on Camp St. It was not for sale. It last changed ownership on 5/31/17 in a not-at-arms-length sale for $100.

Toledo Street for the 6 kids family and Camp Street for the Texas family.

[chessiegal]

1 hour ago, cameron said:

Toledo Street for the 6 kids family and Camp Street for the Texas family.

My mistake. They didn't say what street the first house they were showing the couple with six kids was on, just that it was in the Garden District. Bottom line - the house was not for sale. I wonder how she finds the "not for sale" homes? Friends? Craig's List? Do the folks who own the houses that are not for sale get paid for use of their homes? I'm guessing yes, but who knows.

[cameron]

4 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

My mistake. They didn't say what street the first house they were showing the couple with six kids was on, just that it was in the Garden District. Bottom line - the house was not for sale. I wonder how she finds the "not for sale" homes? Friends? Craig's List? Do the folks who own the houses that are not for sale get paid for use of their homes? I'm guessing yes, but who knows.

There's another phony house hunting show featuring paid actors.  Some segments were shot here in  Charleston and I could track houses.  None of the supposedly sold homes actually sold; they are still on the market.  So far the only legit buyers on Brittany show that I could find was the couple from California who bought that house in old Metarie.  Made sense because I couldn't understand why the prospective buyers were driving Brittany around, but then they had been in that house for 2 years.

[Grrarrggh]

I can't bring myself to blame Brittany for HGTV's lies. Other progammes lie about costs and buyers as well. 

[chessiegal]

If I was a real estate agent that co-owned my own brokerage firm, which Brittany does, I would absolutely worry about looking into the camera and telling bald face lies. It shows a lack of integrity. I would never be involved in business with her. Fudging numbers is one thing, I could live with that. Flat out ,lying is another. Ye3ah, shame on HGTV for going along with it or maybe even suggesting it. But Brittany is the one on camera.

[buttersister]

Perhaps Brittany is banking on shooting to reality TV stardom and leaving the real estate business, with its nasty and inconvenient truth/trust requirements behind!

[CrazyInAlabama]

 

Spoiler

 

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1235-Constance-St_New-Orleans_LA_70130_M83008-93956

The first one, I think it's interesting in the property history that they've rented it for a month or two at times.   

 

The first house looks a little different than on TV. 

I couldn't find the second one.    

They could stop showing their staging ideas any time.   I loathe the loft condo.   That place is so cramped, the kitchen looks just like every apartment kitchen I've ever seen.   Closing off that window between the bedroom, and living room will make the room seem even smaller than it is.   

On the second episode, could the house hunters have been less interested?    ON the second one, the second house looked outdated.    The jacuzzi tub didn't look recent at all, but that might just be my view.      

The loft staging wasn't anything that would change my mind that the loft was small, and crowded.    

 

Edited October 17, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[chessiegal]

The show said the second house was in Bywater on Dauphine St. It is indeed, along with the same new build next to it. Both are still on the market for $599.000. It was 1st listed on 8/10/2019 for $650,000, price dropped to $630,000 on 10/02/2019.

So not too much fudging. I did notice Brittany kind of hedged her bet at the end of the show saying if everything went through on the Bywater house, they would have the home of their dreams.

I cracked up at her walking up to the 1st house in Uptown and as she reached around the latch on the gate to open it, noted it gave the home extra security. From what - small dogs? She loves to embellish everything.

[chessiegal]

Brittany did the same hedging at the end of the 2nd show with the couple looking for a home in Northshore - if this deal goes through. Very different from the 1st show with the 2 guys in Uptown, showing them out in the yard of the house they "bought", that they didn't buy.

[chessiegal]

Next week will be the last show for Season 1, Episode 14 airing on the 23rd. Just one show. According to HGTV, there were 14 episodes with Episode 1 supposedly airing August 24. I can't find anywhere to watch that episode, but you can watch the rest that have aired on line, and are scheduled to be shown as repeats at various times. From episode 2 airing September 11 through episode 11, airing October 9, each episode ended with Brittany telling us which house the buyer "bought", and as far as I can tell, mostly lies. Then last night, September 16, we get this change at the end of Brittany saying if this deal goes through. I'm curious as to why the change. That's how it should have been portrayed for every episode if the people didn't already own the home.

There is no word yet if this show will be renewed.

[CrazyInAlabama]

The second episode on next Friday looks like an update of another episode, so maybe it's the pilot.

Edited October 17, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[chessiegal]

58 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

The second episode on next Friday looks like an update of another episode, so maybe it's the pilot recut?  Or they stopped filming. 

It looks like it is the pilot. The title I found for the pilot is Modern Mansion & Historic Charm, which is what my TV guide is showing for next Friday. That should be an interesting contrast - last to first.

[lightninggirl]

On 10/2/2020 at 4:25 PM, readheaded said:

Yes to all of this.  And, the stereotypical music annoys me, too.

What is killing me is the intro/outro music at the commercials that is Latin music. I want to call TLC and remind them that just because it's got trumpets/brass in it, it's NOT AUTOMATICALLY NEW ORLEANS JAZZ. Jesus.

[chessiegal]

13 minutes ago, lightninggirl said:

I want to call TLC

It's on HGTV, not TLC.

[lightninggirl]

26 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

It's on HGTV, not TLC.

Fine. 

I want to call HGTV and remind them that just because it's got trumpets/brass in it, it's NOT AUTOMATICALLY NEW ORLEANS JAZZ.

[Blueberry Snobal]

My friend, whose Lakeview house was shown on an earlier episode, told me that the buyers are actors.  He said he was home during the 3 hours it took to film and he was disappointed in how little they showed of his enormous house.  His house was not selected by the fake buyers.

No one who lives in New Orleans considers any property on the North Shore (Mandeville, Madisonville, Covington, Abita Springs) to be part of the Big Easy.  In fact, many New Orleanians move to the North Shore to escape the big city problems (crime, taxes, poor education system, etc.)

[chessiegal]

8 hours ago, Blueberry Snobal said:

My friend, whose Lakeview house was shown on an earlier episode, told me that the buyers are actors.

Hope they have day jobs because some of them are terrible. Was he paid for them to use his house?

[buttersister]

On 10/16/2020 at 8:57 PM, chessiegal said:

second house was in Bywater

LOL, just caught that one. The model, er, wife couldn't have been more detached from these houses if she were a 2-car garage 50 feet from the back door.  BS-wise, her "husband" may have been an actor, rather than a model. He seemed to grasp the role better.

Hilarious staging of the Project of the Week. When the staging budget includes putting up/filling in a wall? WTF?  And opening the "flow" with a narrow shelf and a couple stools while removing a large dining room table? Form follows function, Brittany.

[cameron]

I actually liked Brittany in the show featuring the brit, wife and 2 year old daughter.  She deftly grabbed that cream pitcher away from the kid before it was going to be all over the table.  Kudos to you Brittany for doing that.

Don't like men who wear jeggings and he is trying to emulate Brittany's wearing of the hat on the back of your head fad.

Edited October 21, 2020 by cameron

[CrazyInAlabama]

In the first episode tonight, "The Garden Home vs. Acadian Manor", what is the wife wearing?     She has a sleeveless dress, with some weird cutout?  That looks a little dated.   

At least the wife seems like she cares, the husband looks like he's going to fall asleep any second.    I really don't cook, but at least I know what a pot filler is.   The first house seems a little blah.

The second house is nice, and I like the pendants over the kitchen island.   I don't even listen to see which one they want to "buy".

Second/pilot episode.  The first house is amazing.   The second was OK, the third blah.     Bet they didn't buy the first house either.  

[chessiegal]

The second show tonight, the pilot, was noticeably different, as would be expected. When they showed Brittany at her home and office, the house and office was a modest rancher rather than the 2 story brick in the rest of the shows.

I looked at the address for her RE agency's office on Google maps. It's not either of the places they show as Brittany's "home and office".

[cameron]

10 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

In the first episode tonight, "The Garden Home vs. Acadian Manor", what is the wife wearing?     She has a sleeveless dress, with some weird cutout?  That looks a little dated.   

At least the wife seems like she cares, the husband looks like he's going to fall asleep any second.    I really don't cook, but at least I know what a pot filler is.   The first house seems a little blah.

The second house is nice, and I like the pendants over the kitchen island.   I don't even listen to see which one they want to "buy".

Second/pilot episode.  The first house is amazing.   The second was OK, the third blah.     Bet they didn't buy the first house either.  

Just read on line that he wanted to open the first marijuana pharmacy in New Orleans area and lost out on his bid.

[chessiegal]

4 hours ago, cameron said:

Just read on line that he wanted to open the first marijuana pharmacy in New Orleans area and lost out on his bid.

Interesting! I'm surprised some part of a show had some reality to it. that he actually does own a pharmacy (it's in in Metairie). He has a doctorate in Pharmacy, and co-founded a company in Cumberland, MD that sells medical marijuana.

I was beginning to think the only thing real on this show is that Brittany is a real estate agent in Louisiana. Her brokerage office is in Metairie. If you look at their listings, I certainly wouldn't say she or her brokerage specializes in big, expensive homes.

Edited October 24, 2020 by chessiegal

[buttersister]

I’ve settled into looking at this as a comedy show. Leaky chateau. Doors that Brit can’t open. Futzing with a fireplace. “48” hour makeovers. Phony HQ. Fake buyers. Sidekicks. I’m ready to plug in a laugh track.

[pasdetrois]

Brittany runs her mouth non-stop with patter. 8 - 10 times per episode she attempts a pithy aside. There seems to be a formula. A client or her staff will say something, and she will respond with "He's like [repeats what client said]" Or "She's all [repeats what was said.]" I mean, did she go to school?

Sometimes she throws in a wobbly twirl. Or Kim Zolciak hand gestures.

[kirklandia]

Please, Brittany, don't say "ya' welcome" unless you hear "thank you".

[chessiegal]

4 minutes ago, kirklandia said:

Please, Brittany, don't say "ya' welcome" unless you hear "thank you".

Yes! That is so pretentious.

[mrsippy]

Entire show is so fake from beginning to end! So very obnoxiously fake that it’s unwatchable without cringing. HGTV must’ve reallllllyyy been desperate to air this crapshow.
Overused words & terms: team, stunning, gorgeous, to die for, ya welcome, im a real estate agent, team, my team, my team is the best, im taking them to the northshore, team, stunning, gorgeous, can you see yourself in that _____, 

Edited October 28, 2020 by mrsippy

[chessiegal]

Good grief, this show is coming back?! Just saw a promo for season premiere October 1. They stopped lying so much by the end of the run. Guess we'll see.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I bet this season will be all lies again too.  I only watched season 1 to have people on here say what the lies were, and to look at the houses.  

Edited September 15, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[Grrarrggh]

I would rather watch this than Christina or the Property Brothers. Though I hope they sell a canoe and life-vests along with every house. 

[pasdetrois]

I'm gonna watch out of morbid curiosity, cause this is one of the worst real estate shows ever. Maybe production fixed some things.

Edited September 19, 2021 by pasdetrois

[chessiegal]

2 hours ago, pasdetrois said:

Maybe production fixed some things.

Like lying out of their asses? IIRC, the last few episodes, the script was "if this deal goes through" rather than outright lying about the end result.

[cameron]

New season started with single Mom and obnoxious daughter.  Seriously think they were trying out for a reality show.  Somebody needs to reign that kid in.

[DanaMB]

15 hours ago, cameron said:

New season started with single Mom and obnoxious daughter.  Seriously think they were trying out for a reality show.  Somebody needs to reign that kid in.

It was so annoying. 

[Grrarrggh]

Jeez, it seems every "get off my lawn" viewer is at this board. I thought the daughter was fine. On the episode with the couple who wanted a place near the lake I liked the fireplace off the island look the house they bought had going. It's rare to see something unique on HGTV but that was a first for me. 

[cameron]

On 10/3/2021 at 5:57 PM, Grrarrggh said:

Jeez, it seems every "get off my lawn" viewer is at this board. I thought the daughter was fine. On the episode with the couple who wanted a place near the lake I liked the fireplace off the island look the house they bought had going. It's rare to see something unique on HGTV but that was a first for me. 

Everyone has their own opinions.

[Gam2]

44 minutes ago, cameron said:

Everyone has their own opinions.

And we all do have our own opinions and so many of us agree. However, there are one or two who have very argumentative opinions on every show. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

What bothers me is that so many of the buyers from season 1 either bought another home, or the one they 'bought' was still on the market when the show aired, or like one set of buyers (the two doctors), they weren't looking at homes, their house was for sale, and the one they 'bought'.    It's normal on the real estate shows to have the person already own the home, but not be the seller and fake that they're buying.    I wonder if the house hunts are still total fiction, or not this season?      I don't like the staging segments either, and don't see what many of the staging scenes do to help sell the house. 

[chessiegal]

I've got the first episode of Season 2 recorded. I haven't watched it yet. Louisiana makes it so easy to find real property records to see if what's on the show is truth or fiction. I'll have to see if I care enough to sleuth.

[CruiseDiva]

I'm from Baton Rouge (no longer live there) and looked forward to this show. I hoped to see interesting houses with character in the city, but it seems the 'buyers' are being shown more properties on the other side of Lake Pontchartrain, such as McMansions in Mandeville, etc. Those are almost as boring as the staging segments. Very disappointing.

[Grrarrggh]

2 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

 I don't like the staging segments either, and don't see what many of the staging scenes do to help sell the house. 

I know it's stupid to still be shocked by anyone else's stupidity but I a large part of me can't believe people pay more for a house because of things like staging. It seems like a pointless, money wasting, middleman.