Property Brothers - General Discussion

[MsTree]

And what's wrong with a little eye candy? 

[WildPlum]

On the "Home On The Range" show they must have run a bunch of those design changes past the owners - otherwise they were imposing modern tastes on a couple who clearly did NOT have those tastes. Generally people build log houses (now) because they like the wooded look, the don't use log walls and then drywall over the entire interior.

 

Of all the things they did, the one that most annoyed me is that they looked at the bird feeders and hummingbird feeders on the porch and said "oh, all that clutter - has to go!" Hmmm, the heck with you, I love my bird feeders.

[MoreCoffeePlease]

The "new" episode was a clip show, since they are now at 100 episodes.  I enjoy the brothers, so I liked it.  Hairstyles and fashions early on were pretty funny.

 

I will say, I think their end results are usually really good, with at least some design variety.

[MyAimIsTrue]

The "new" episode was a clip show, since they are now at 100 episodes.  I enjoy the brothers, so I liked it.  Hairstyles and fashions early on were pretty funny.

 

I didn't see the entire clip show but enjoyed what I did see including a few scenes with my all time favorite couple, Fred and Edith with their "Oasis East".  Apparently I missed the very early season(s) because I had no idea one of the brothers sported such light colored hair, and I'm glad he's back to his natural color because it looked like crap.

[truther]

I thought that clip show was hilarious.  

[AnnaMayWong]

Wait❗ What❗  Jonathan doesn't like kids⁉

Jonathan is the brother who coos over the adorableness of the li'l cuties. He so desperately wants kids. Now, certainly, I'm not implying that Drew doesn't care for the Cuddle Cuties, but Jonathan definitely adores them.

I have never had a problem differentiating the two. I mean, their appearance is look-ALIKE, yet certainly not identical in aspect to me.

[DownTheShore]

I think that we can tell them apart now because we've seen them so often. I know that when they first appeared, they seemed to me to be a lot more "identical" than they are now, now that they are more familiar and their differences easier to spot.

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Last night's episode featured a nice couple who did NOT want open concept!  Husband has a large family, lots of cousins, and when they entertain he wants to be able to have people in the living room separate from the people in the dining room/kitchen.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but the backyard of the house that they chose was difficult to get to, wasn't it?  They had to carefully walk down stone steps?  I liked the house and the end result, but the house itself was a little small, so if I entertained a lot, I would want an easily accessible backyard for summer entertaining.

[halopub]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the backyard of the house that they chose was difficult to get to, wasn't it?  They had to carefully walk down stone steps?  I liked the house and the end result, but the house itself was a little small, so if I entertained a lot, I would want an easily accessible backyard for summer entertaining.

 

I should rewatch but I think you're right about the steep steps. It's possible though, that's just the way to get to the backyard from the side of the house and that an easier kitchen or den door to the backyard was blocked.

 

Gaby's decision to go over the top with the powder room made me chuckle. While I got her rationale, I think they could have easily just gone with gold paint or a copper ceiling rather than gold leaf. 

 

I used to like this show when it first came on the air. I thought Jonathan was so talented, reconfiguring the spaces, designing the interiors and doing all the general contracting duties. Then I found out these guys are just actors and other unseen people are doing all the heavy lifting. Drew and Jonathan are just glorified hosts that pretend to do the deal and smash the walls. They're just eye candy mugging for the camera. Once I found out they were just for show, I lost interest.

 

I'm coming to this from the other direction. So much of what's on HGTV's schedule is staged or "re-enacted,"  that I'm actually impressed by what accurate details Property Brothers has included this season - like commute times; sales prices; and maybe even renovation costs. Plus to give them some credit, Drew and Jonathan reportedly do have experience and licensing - it's just not realistic for them to personally cover more than a dozen real estate projects at once plus spend long days filming.

 

The twins aren't my cup of tea but I've been watching this season because I was really curious to see what kinds of fixer uppers they'd find in the New York Tri-State area. The counties surrounding NYC notoriously have some of the highest costs of living in the country, especially in housing. I was able to google-fu two of the houses and again, I was pleasantly surprised that the show mentioned actual sales prices. Of course, that doesn't mean that's the case for all episodes or that buyers acquired the houses during the taping; and I'm sure there are plenty of other elements that were created for the desired storyline. 

 

I don't know that I'd go for the neighborhoods they appear to have worked on last year but I think it would be interesting to hear what the designers and contractors behind the scenes thought of the experience. 

[NYGirl]

Boy that Laurel was some piece of work.  I actually felt sorry for Jonathan having to deal with her and her husband.  She was pretty nasty in her criticisms.  I wonder if she was embarrassed when she saw herself on TV but I'll bet she isn't that self-aware.  Her husband was no better.

 

I think when you don't have an unlimited budget and Jonathan is trying to to everything for you don't be so mean to him.

[Lovecat]

I googled "pain in the ass" and the first image that came up was a picture of Laurel. Jesus. What a binnach.

[DownTheShore]

What absolutely drives me crazy is when Drew tells the homebuyers that Jonathan will have the renovations done in 5 to 7 weeks, and then they start dithering about their choice and second-guessing themselves, saying that there's so much work to be done and they don't know how it will all get done. At that point I'm screaming at the TV, "IDIOTS! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE ONES DOING ANY OF THE WORK! WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE IF IT'S GOING TO TAKE AN EXTRA WEEK! YOU'RE GOING TO GET A NEW HOUSE WITHIN TWO MONTHS! YOU CAN'T WAIT THAT LONG? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU???"

[NYGirl]

I loved last nights couple. They were so sweet

[Peanutbuttercup]

I think I'm too old, every time the most recent couple mentioned their baby son, Jetson, all I could hear was The Jetsons' theme song.

[halopub]

What absolutely drives me crazy is when Drew tells the homebuyers that Jonathan will have the renovations done in 5 to 7 weeks, and then they start dithering about their choice and second-guessing themselves, saying that there's so much work to be done and they don't know how it will all get done. At that point I'm screaming at the TV, "IDIOTS! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE ONES DOING ANY OF THE WORK! WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE IF IT'S GOING TO TAKE AN EXTRA WEEK! YOU'RE GOING TO GET A NEW HOUSE WITHIN TWO MONTHS! YOU CAN'T WAIT THAT LONG? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU???"

 

I suspect that the true issue here is with the producers and not the homeowners. The timeline is spelled out on the casting application for the New York Tri-State area, so this is probably a case of a predetermined storyline/scenario being used way too often. Remember, often the homeowners have already purchased the house to be renovated, so the first half hour of the show becomes a "reenactment" that a) features the homeowners needlessly hemming and hawing about buying a fixer upper; and b) probably doesn't even include homes from the original search.

 

The latest casting application is brief but pretty interesting. They've taken out the suburbs in North Jersey; only include 3-4 rooms in the scope of work; and suggest the show will contribute $20K in "value" towards the renovation.

[Missy Vixen]

I was disappointed to learn during the 100th episode clips that one of my favorite couples (the woman with the gorgeous silver hair who wore red lipstick all the time) was awful to work with. I also really enjoyed the episode with the dark-haired woman with really small kids whose husband was utterly obsessed with getting a barbecue; she was so patient while the budget was blown to bits by significant repairs. Jonathan sent her on a "spa day", which was cute. I'm tired of watching homeowners that throw a bitch fit on-camera because structural problems need to be fixed before the renovations happen.

 

One has to wonder if there's ever going to be a homeowner who really doesn't care about stone counters/farm sink/stainless appliances/flowing hardwood featured.

[huahaha]

On 1/2/2016 at 10:26 AM, Miss Chevious said:

I used to like this show when it first came on the air. I thought Jonathan was so talented, reconfiguring the spaces, designing the interiors and doing all the general contracting duties. Then I found out these guys are just actors and other unseen people are doing all the heavy lifting. Drew and Jonathan are just glorified hosts that pretend to do the deal and smash the walls. They're just eye candy mugging for the camera. Once I found out they were just for show, I lost interest.

Whenever I get sick of Property Brothers, I remember that shows like Design on a Dime convinced homeowners to papier-mâché grocery bags on their walls. Other old HGVT shows went full-on theme rooms out of the Victorian age or the old west. Property Brothers and Love It or List It might be fake, but they at least do beautiful contemporary-classic design. 

[Missy Vixen]

On 5/4/2016 at 10:23 AM, huahaha said:

Whenever I get sick of Property Brothers, I remember that shows like Design on a Dime convinced homeowners to papier-mâché grocery bags on their walls. Other old HGVT shows went full-on theme rooms out of the Victorian age or the old west. Property Brothers and Love It or List It might be fake, but they at least do beautiful contemporary-classic design. 

I seem to remember a "designer" destroying a one-of-a-kind antique carved mantel in an authentic Arts and Crafts home in Trading Spaces. That same designer decided hot-gluing straw on the living room walls was a great look.

At least those choosing to participate in a Property Brothers show aren't going to have to pay someone to remodel after the remodeling's done.

[halopub]

On 5/4/2016 at 1:23 PM, huahaha said:

Property Brothers and Love It or List It might be fake, but they at least do beautiful contemporary-classic design. 

 

19 hours ago, Missy Vixen said:

At least those choosing to participate in a Property Brothers show aren't going to have to pay someone to remodel after the remodeling's done.

That's the hope, anyway - that the producers can offer great project management skills in overseeing & hiring local contractors. Plus maybe add a little entertainment value to the homeowners in getting to be on TV. There have been a handful of articles about one of the designers involved in this past season and some hints as to the subcontractors - they all seem reliable.

Love It or List It is being sued by some homeowners who do have to remodel after the fact for what they claims is substandard work. 

[Albino]

22 hours ago, Missy Vixen said:

I seem to remember a "designer" destroying a one-of-a-kind antique carved mantel in an authentic Arts and Crafts home in Trading Spaces. That same designer decided hot-gluing straw on the living room walls was a great look.

At least those choosing to participate in a Property Brothers show aren't going to have to pay someone to remodel after the remodeling's done.

That was the inimitable Hildi Santo-Tomas IIRC.  She also created the bathroom with silk flowers glued all over (including the in shower).

And in the same vein as "destroying one-of-a-kind" stuff, it kills me when the designers remove or paint over all the gorgeous dark wood doors and molding in beautiful old houses.  Once it's painted it looks like every other house.  Jonathan Scott - I'm looking at you!

I know Property Brothers is all fake, but I still enjoy it unless they're painting over gorgeous dark wood doors and molding.  I don't get angry watching it, like I do with House Hunters.  

[ZaldamoWilder]

On 5/7/2016 at 6:08 PM, Albino said:

That was the inimitable Hildi Santo-Tomas IIRC.  She also created the bathroom with silk flowers glued all over (including the in shower).

And in the same vein as "destroying one-of-a-kind" stuff, it kills me when the designers remove or paint over all the gorgeous dark wood doors and molding in beautiful old houses.  Once it's painted it looks like every other house.  Jonathan Scott - I'm looking at you!

I know Property Brothers is all fake, but I still enjoy it unless they're painting over gorgeous dark wood doors and molding.  I don't get angry watching it, like I do with House Hunters.  

fuckin Hildi.  

you made go looking for it.  this seems like something you'd do to somebody for revenge.

https://youtu.be/s0SQIJNSaWc

[huahaha]

Oh, god! It has a pepto pink ceiling as well!!!!

I can't even imagine that level of design ending up on tv these days. Most people could do better out of a Pottery Barn catalog.

[auntlada]

I missed the first of an episode that just aired about a woman who bought a home where there had been squatters. The city owned it and was selling it by sealed bid auction. Anybody know where they were?

[Albino]

3 hours ago, auntlada said:

I missed the first of an episode that just aired about a woman who bought a home where there had been squatters. The city owned it and was selling it by sealed bid auction. Anybody know where they were?

As usual, they never mentioned it.  

Honestly I'd have serious second thoughts about moving into that house...they had to install 2 security systems. What kind of neighborhood is this?  

And why buy a huge Victorian home for $850,000 all-in when you're never there?  And $0 left over to fix what has to be disgusting bathrooms and bedrooms, antiquated plumbing and likely a new roof.

And yes, I know it's all pretend...but still.

[NYGirl]

Did anybody see this?

http://www.wday.com/news/4045456-watch-property-brothers-star-jonathan-scott-gets-dragged-out-fargo-bar-chokehold

[Albino]

1 hour ago, NYGirl said:

Did anybody see this?

http://www.wday.com/news/4045456-watch-property-brothers-star-jonathan-scott-gets-dragged-out-fargo-bar-chokehold

Is that...a ponytail?

[NYGirl]

It looks like a long ponytail doesn't it?

[Henri205]

I don't mind these guys.  They're somewhat amusing and I'm not how sure how they they stage it, but they seem to have an amazing rapport with kids.  Last night j caught a repeat (assume so anyway) for a family that owned a pizzeria.  The daughter was a bit of a selfish cow but I attribute that to age.  The thing that got me how how horribly CROWDED the main living level was on reveal.  Furniture, functional space, all just crammed together.  It was claustrophobic.  I thought it was the worst result yet.  

[magenta]

Okay I'm very superficial where did they get that for $4,000 dining room lamp I am in love with it.    

[Kattzzz]

Property Brothers: Season 3; Episode #4.  Are they still in Canada? I'm starting to hate them now. "Let's SHIFT to here or there....."  They don't seem to want to give the clients what they want, they just want to do whatever they want in the house.  (Like episode 4....why not give them all white??  U can throw in a colored pillow anytime!!) The guy did not want striped chairs Johnathan!!!!  Then all the problems, big problems with the homes. Don't they know how to inspect a home before they buy it??? 4 episodes in and I'm cussing at the tv. And they have more shows starting up?? wtf??  No wonder they do whatever they want, they think they're perfect now or something. I think they spend 95% of their time in front of a mirror or the gym...definitely not doing actual work. Find some new, real people who are experts in their fields, tiling, flooring, electrical...etc. and put them together. I'd actually rather watch that than these 2 anymore.  As far as I'm concerned, they are the Jerk off brothers now. And after 2 seasons these people don't seem to realize, they show them a house they can't afford...every episode!!  "Why did u show me a house I can't afford?"  why? because THEY DO IT EVERY EPISODE BEE-OTCH....HAVEN'T U HEARD OF THE SHOW?????

[auntlada]

6 hours ago, Kattzzz said:

Find some new, real people who are experts in their fields, tiling, flooring, electrical...etc. and put them together.

I think that's called "This Old House."

[JudyObscure]

I've had it with all of HGTV. The Property Bros were just the last straw, last night, making me mad at two in the morning. 

They were re-doing a "granny house,"  I expected flowered Victorian things and doilies everywhere, but the living room was just like mine with heavy leather furniture -- because I have a heavy leathery husband and a messy dog and cat and we didn't want to buy new furniture every three years as some delusional HGTV designer once said we should do.

Can't these two guys,  or the Flip this House couple, do anything different?  You know what?  My house is fairly new and the builder was all set to put a counter in between the living room and kitchen when I asked him to just build the half wall straight up an extra foot, because I wanted that extra wall space in the living room,  we aren't stool sitters,  and I didn't want my company to see my kitchen mess while I was cooking.  Let the finished meal be a surprise, they don't need to know what fell on the floor and got rinsed off.

I'm sick of being told any kitchen without white cabinets and chrome appliances is ugly.

I'm tired of the open concept plan.

I'm completely over gray.

I don't now and wont ever want a rustic gate hanging on my wall.

I will never consent to break my neck watching TV's that are  hung too high, neither will I pretend we don't watch TV, but instead sit gazing at the fire all evening.

Show me something clean, practical and pretty. 

[Albino]

9 minutes ago, JudyObscure said:

I've had it with all of HGTV. The Property Bros were just the last straw, last night, making me mad at two in the morning. 

They were re-doing a "granny house,"  I expected flowered Victorian things and doilies everywhere, but the living room was just like mine with heavy leather furniture -- because I have a heavy leathery husband and a messy dog and cat and we didn't want to buy new furniture every three years as some delusional HGTV designer once said we should do.

I think the fussy, out-of-date window treatments, casino rug and the hundreds of tchotchkes - including the miniature wedding gown - were very granny.  At least there were no antimacassars on the furniture!  I don't get it...these people were young and the house looked like it was owned by a couple in their 70's.  I guess it's just a matter of taste, but I'm 65 and that house seemed "old" to me.  

But I agree - no one with a real life could ever live in the re-designs.  People make messes, people like to be comfortable, people have heavy leather husbands!

Overall, I'm just happy to be able to use the word antimacassar!

[JudyObscure]

Okay, I actually did forget about the miniature wedding gown.  LOL. At least put a head on that thing!

[MsTree]

What everyone fails to understand is that these designs have to appeal to the masses...to make them "sellable".  It doesn't necessarily mean that you MUST have grey, SS appliances, shaker cabinets, etc. etc. It just means that this is what's "in" right now and considered neutral to buyers of all ages.

[doodlebug]

On ‎9‎/‎3‎/‎2016 at 3:23 AM, MsTree said:

What everyone fails to understand is that these designs have to appeal to the masses...to make them "sellable".  It doesn't necessarily mean that you MUST have grey, SS appliances, shaker cabinets, etc. etc. It just means that this is what's "in" right now and considered neutral to buyers of all ages.

But, on this show, they've already bought the house and the design is for a specific family.  They still go generic on the décor for the most part.  Sure, I can see making design choices for the big items that allow for changing styles, etc., but even the details in these homes are so bland.  It'd be nice to see them bring a little of the homeowners' personality to the design.

[MsTree]

6 hours ago, doodlebug said:

But, on this show, they've already bought the house and the design is for a specific family.  They still go generic on the décor for the most part.  Sure, I can see making design choices for the big items that allow for changing styles, etc., but even the details in these homes are so bland.  It'd be nice to see them bring a little of the homeowners' personality to the design.

I agree sometimes designers like to push their own agenda, especially on HH Reno, and of course they want to do trendy designs because in essence they are promoting themselves on these shows. Regardless of whether they've already bought the house, most people will stick with generic tones or what happens to be "in" at moment. I get that not everyone can appreciate that, but apparently many do. Guilty as charged :-)

[JudyObscure]

I don't fail to understand that when you're painting and staging for a sale, generic and trendy is good, or that these designers are promoting themselves, but HGTV is first and foremost a television network not a real estate business or free commercial for designers.  These shows are meant to entertain the viewer.  I guess I just don't find it entertaining to watch slight variations on the same theme every week.   In fact these shows are sponsored by paint companies and tile stores.  You'd think they would want to show us some bright colorful ideas we might want to do in our houses even if we aren't ready to sell.

[MsTree]

Question for Canadian Homeowners:  What do realtors base their listing price on?  Where I live, it's all based on comps & square footage of another house within that location (neighborhood).  Regardless of what features/upgrades I have in my house, it's not going to appraise much more than a similar house sold within the past 6-month period. Even if I added a pool/spa, I might only get 5-10K more. Anything more and a realtor would consider that house "over-improved" for the neighborhood because as we all know, we don't get a dollar for dollar increase in value when we sell.

So, getting back to my original question, how can these home improvements increase their value by 50-80K in the same neighborhood without a comparison of the same square footage?

[Ciarrai]

On 9/23/2016 at 11:32 PM, MsTree said:

Question for Canadian Homeowners:  What do realtors base their listing price on?  Where I live, it's all based on comps & square footage of another house within that location (neighborhood).  Regardless of what features/upgrades I have in my house, it's not going to appraise much more than a similar house sold within the past 6-month period. Even if I added a pool/spa, I might only get 5-10K more. Anything more and a realtor would consider that house "over-improved" for the neighborhood because as we all know, we don't get a dollar for dollar increase in value when we sell.

So, getting back to my original question, how can these home improvements increase their value by 50-80K in the same neighborhood without a comparison of the same square footage?

It depends on which city you're in. I'm in Vancouver (home to some of the most ridiculous home prices in the world), and a lot of the value is in what has been improved. If you have brand-new flooring, appliances, etc., your home will certainly sell for more provided it's sold to someone who is actually going to live in it.

For example, my husband and I sold our apartment a year ago. We sold it for $25,000 over what a comparable apartment in the same building and with the same layout sold for a few weeks before, because ours had new flooring, new cabinetry in the kitchen and bathrooms, and new pot lights in the ceiling.

[MsTree]

8 hours ago, Ciarrai said:

It depends on which city you're in. I'm in Vancouver (home to some of the most ridiculous home prices in the world), and a lot of the value is in what has been improved. If you have brand-new flooring, appliances, etc., your home will certainly sell for more provided it's sold to someone who is actually going to live in it.

For example, my husband and I sold our apartment a year ago. We sold it for $25,000 over what a comparable apartment in the same building and with the same layout sold for a few weeks before, because ours had new flooring, new cabinetry in the kitchen and bathrooms, and new pot lights in the ceiling.

Thanks for the reply, Ciarrai. If I understand correctly, you're saying Canadian real estate is valued more on improvements than comparables?

I certainly can understand how you were able to get 25K more for your improvements.  It just boggles my mind how the PB seem to get much higher (50-80K more) prices for their listings. It probably also helps that many Vancouver properties are not part of a master planned community with homes similar in style and lot size. Perhaps that's the big difference.

[Gladrags]

I want to go on Property Brothers so I can say:

No, I don't want you to tear down that wall.

No, I don't want to see the kitchen from the front door.

No, I don't want you to rip out that pink tile in the bathroom.

No, I don't want an island or a peninsula in the kitchen. 

No, I don't want you to rip out that solid knotty pine paneling.

[Maharincess]

I'll add: No, I don't want a white kitchen. 

[Missy Vixen]

Me, too: I don't want stone counter tops in the kitchen.

[Maharincess]

I hate the all white kitchen trend. I must be an oddball because I prefer dark wood cabinets in my kitchen. Every kitchen on these shows these days are white, white, white and I hate them.  

I would be the homeowner who wanted the exact opposite of what most of them want.  I want individual rooms not one great big room, I don't need a giant sized master bathroom and I don't want a white damn kitchen!  

[MyAimIsTrue]

14 hours ago, Maharincess said:

I want individual rooms not one great big room

Same here, I don't care for "open concept" (and I've grown to even hate the term) and never have.  I want my rooms to be rooms.

[vesperholly]

On 10/20/2016 at 6:43 PM, Maharincess said:

I hate the all white kitchen trend. I must be an oddball because I prefer dark wood cabinets in my kitchen. Every kitchen on these shows these days are white, white, white and I hate them.  

I would be the homeowner who wanted the exact opposite of what most of them want.  I want individual rooms not one great big room, I don't need a giant sized master bathroom and I don't want a white damn kitchen!  

You're not an oddball - I love dark cabinets in kitchens! It needs to be the right kitchen space, though. When I redid my condo I went with light maple because the kitchen doesn't have a window and is 10' from the patio doors, so dark cabinets would've made it look like a cave. I think a lot of these spaces are fairly small so white makes the kitchen look bigger. Or, they are getting a massive quantity discount. Flip or Flop must get white shaker cabinets in bulk.

[buttersister]

Ha, I've got white cabinets because they're in a windowless condo kitchen. But I will say there's no way any granite or ss is getting in here! Some of the recent shows I've seen show Jonathan and Drew fooling around at the end (not really outtakes, more like acting like asses while the camera rolls)---looks like a nutty werewolf competition.

[Missy Vixen]

I wanted to slap the couple on last week's show. Thanks to the magic of DVR'ing, I saw it over the weekend.

They couldn't seem to make up their minds so it took eight offers (!) to find a house they'd accept. Drew told them to go in above market value and they seemed to believe they knew better than he did. Between acting like jerks during the offer process, they were worse during the remodeling. I really wish there was some kind of ratings system for Property Brothers shows: I enjoy the couples who are so happy to get a home that will work for them and seem easy to work with. I am so tired of the couples who make it clear they're settling, act like they don't already know Jonathan's crews will do an excellent job on their home, etcetera.

Owning a $1.2 million house in one's early 30's: Must be nice.

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Quote

I wanted to slap the couple on last week's show.

I would slap just her.  The husband was cute.

Oh, the horrors of choosing between white subway tile in a running bond pattern, vs. a different dimension white tile in herringbone.  Auggh!  It was funny how Jonathan had them look at other tile.  I can see how it would be completely overwhelming, which is probably why so many people do the white (or another color) subway.  I'm sick of seeing it on these shows, though.

I know the house was not that big so Jonathan had to get creative, but that whole living room/family room area was weird. I'm a big TV watcher, so having the TV area right near the front entrance seemed so strange to me.  How often are they having all of these people over?

I did like the wallpapers that they ended up with, just not for me.