Love It Or List It - General Discussion

[annzeepark914]

I can't remember how much the last house cost but it had a pool and was on a quiet street so you could entertain outdoors. That big ol' house of theirs was not attractive on the outside and it seemed that a lot of the interior didn't get renovated. It just never said "home" to me before Hilary's efforts, and even after. 

[deirdra]

5 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

It just never said "home" to me before Hilary's efforts, and even after. 

Especially with the constant traffic visible & audible from several windows, including her beloved breakfast nook.  Who spends $250,000 to renovate a home in such a non-ideal location?

Edited October 13, 2021 by deirdra

[Grizzly]

1 hour ago, deirdra said:

Especially with the constant traffic visible & audible from several windows, including her beloved breakfast nook.  Who spends $250,000 to renovate a home in such a non-ideal location?

Its not like they could sell it and recoup their costs. I don't care what the show says, there's no way the value of their house went up that much.

[annzeepark914]

52 minutes ago, Grizzly said:

Its not like they could sell it and recoup their costs. I don't care what the show says, there's no way the value of their house went up that much.

And that they could even get that much with the house almost sitting on a busy road.

[ByaNose]

1 hour ago, Grizzly said:

Its not like they could sell it and recoup their costs. I don't care what the show says, there's no way the value of their house went up that much.

I agree. I always look at the the price, renovation & new value of the house and always think, “This doesn’t add up.” LOL!!!! I thought the same thing with this house and the location, 

[buttersister]

LOL, can't wait until they see the property tax bill after the next appraisal!

[ML89]

Couldn’t stand her, I want to know what they do for a living to get that amount of money, and I think even Hilary couldn’t believe that two part kitchen. I guess it’s set up for catering for serving 22 people… 

I still can’t figure out why they had bedrooms sitting empty and put their offices in the living room. Not one part of that set up made any sense.  

[ML89]

There's a Twitter thread about it:

https://twitter.com/ibogost/status/1448078573542297607?s=20

[Pj3422]

I’m still shaking my head over this couple. Do they have no concept of spatial relations? How much does it cost for heat & a/c in that giant, rambling house? Do they know (or care) how most people live? 

[annzeepark914]

51 minutes ago, ML89 said:

There's a Twitter thread about it:

https://twitter.com/ibogost/status/1448078573542297607?s=20

Someone said it looks like an Ikea showroom, and I thought...*that's* what this building resembles--a home decor store. 

[Dehumidifier]

Does the show still include the cost of the renovation in their calculation of how much the value of the house went up? Take that amount out.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I agree it should be "your house was $400k, plus $100 reno, and the new value is $600k, and they make it sound like the new possible profit is $200k more, when it's really $100k without the reno budget.      They also don't mention the seller pays both commissions, the buyer's and seller's commissions, plus closing costs, and any deductions.   So, even if they sell and get the list price, the seller isn't going to net the amount David cites.    

[Grrarrggh]

Kitchens like that are what happens when people have been thoroughly brainwashed that they NEED open concept and that the kitchen is the "heart of the home". I think one day soon nearly everyone on HGTV will just have a kitchen with a television as the entirety of their public space. A white and grey kitchen with a huge tv, of course. 

[jcbrown]

That house was so odd and I agree with all of you who did not understand why they needed so much space. They had so little furniture in their cavernous rooms. And I am a serious cook but I have no idea why they needed two kitchens. They had no idea what to do with all that space.

I did like that the show seems like they may have dropped the lame faux dramatic presentation of the new value of their house by David but instead just had a (misleading, as several have noted) voiceover and graphic of how much the house is now worth.

[deirdra]

4 hours ago, jcbrown said:

That house was so odd and I agree with all of you who did not understand why they needed so much space. They had so little furniture in their cavernous rooms. And I am a serious cook but I have no idea why they needed two kitchens. They had no idea what to do with all that space.

The two or three kitchens lined up in a row were crazy.  I'm sure while cooking she'll constantly be missing something and have to walk to a different kitchen to get it.  To me a well-laid-out smaller work triangle is ideal as long as you have plenty of cabinets & countertops.

[Grizzly]

They have 2 guest rooms and a dining room they never use and this guy needs an office for his 1 day a week he works from home? And since when is 1985 considered historic? That powder room didn't need updating. When I saw the dog bed at the new house, I knew they were listing it. They've stopped doing the dramatic pause before making their decision known.

[annzeepark914]

1 minute ago, Grizzly said:

They've stopped doing the dramatic pause before making their decision known.

Thank goodness! That was always so corny.

[Grrarrggh]

LIOLI is the only programme that doesn't pause for a commercial before the announcement, so I've always pardoned the cheesy pause. 

[buttersister]

55 minutes ago, Grizzly said:

They have 2 guest rooms and a dining room they never use and this guy needs an office for his 1 day a week he works from home?

That was lame, even for this group.

Sorry, David, who’s often “surprised “ that the homeowners love it when he found them everything they supposedly wanted. Yep, here’s that remodel you signed up for.

[quirkygal]

3 hours ago, Grizzly said:

They have 2 guest rooms and a dining room they never use and this guy needs an office for his 1 day a week he works from home? And since when is 1985 considered historic? That powder room didn't need updating. When I saw the dog bed at the new house, I knew they were listing it. They've stopped doing the dramatic pause before making their decision known.

And he's sooo concerned about their future kids, having an open concept floor plan, and an office to work from home so it all flows... Does he know that kids are noisy? Babies are surprisingly loud given their cute chicken nugget size.  Not to mention noxious gas producing factories.... You're gonna want some walls and excellent ventilation before working or entertaining around tiny humans.

[KLovestoShop]

Can someone please explain Hillary’s British accent?  She was born and raised in Toronto and I’ve never heard of a person who’s born and bred in Toronto speak like she’s from the UK. 

[Grrarrggh]

1 hour ago, KLovestoShop said:

Can someone please explain Hillary’s British accent?  She was born and raised in Toronto and I’ve never heard of a person who’s born and bred in Toronto speak like she’s from the UK. 

She wasn't "bred" in Toronto. She grew up in London, England. 

[MartyQui]

I was really surprised when last night’s couple decided to list it!  I though the remodel solved pretty much every problem (except for the teeny closets).  The loftice was great!

[Grrarrggh]

1 hour ago, MartyQui said:

I was really surprised when last night’s couple decided to list it!  I though the remodel solved pretty much every problem (except for the teeny closets).  The loftice was great!

Ah, but did they list it? Isn't this programme famous for having them film both outcomes?

[ByaNose]

If I want to be on Love it or List it I need $75,000. If I had $75,000 I wouldn’t need $75,000. Also, I’m not from Atlanta area but that’s a whole other issue. LOL!!!

To be eligible you must:

Currently own a home in the GTA or surrounding area

Need expert design and construction help

Have a minimum reno and design budget of at least $75,000

Be willing to move out of your house for the duration of the renovation/shoot

Be outgoing, fun, enthusiastic homeowners and available to be on camera for up to seven weekdays of filming (staggered over 6 to 8 weeks)

[buttersister]

LOL! They forgot to stipulate that you say "Love it!"

[annzeepark914]

Hmmm...they didn't mention that the spouse/partner/whatever, who doesn't want to move, must act like a smarta$$ while touring new houses with David.

[jcbrown]

18 hours ago, ByaNose said:

Be willing to move out of your house for the duration of the renovation/shoot

Be outgoing, fun, enthusiastic homeowners and available to be on camera for up to seven weekdays of filming (staggered over 6 to 8 weeks)

Wow, I never thought about the fact that people would have to move out for so long but of course they do. Yikes.

[Grrarrggh]

I'm surprised there isn't a requirement for wanting open concept, but then again maybe it's just assumed. 

[annzeepark914]

14 minutes ago, Grrarrggh said:

I'm surprised there isn't a requirement for wanting open concept, but then again maybe it's just assumed. 

It's probably now assumed. *Everybody* seems to want it.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I remember reading that after the first few seasons, that they film a 'love it' and a 'list it' for every episode, and if they're running into more of one ending or the other, they run whichever the producers want to.    

[shok]

On 11/3/2021 at 4:11 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

they film a 'love it' and a 'list it' for every episode, and if they're running into more of one ending or the other, they run whichever the producers want to.

I keep reading this in this forum. I'm quite sure the Vancouver series of LIOLI operates under the same rules and I spoke to a family that was on the BC show a couple of years ago and asked him this very question. He said very definitely 'no', that they only filmed their answer which was to list it.

[TattleTeeny]

On 11/2/2021 at 8:30 PM, MartyQui said:

I was really surprised when last night’s couple decided to list it!  I though the remodel solved pretty much every problem (except for the teeny closets).  The loftice was great!

I liked it too, but I kept wondering about getting up there with a cup of coffee, haha! I have something similar in terms of space utilization -- a loftlike spot in our upstairs hallway, but I don't need a special ladder to get up here.

[Boston]

11 hours ago, shok said:

I keep reading this in this forum. I'm quite sure the Vancouver series of LIOLI operates under the same rules and I spoke to a family that was on the BC show a couple of years ago and asked him this very question. He said very definitely 'no', that they only filmed their answer which was to list it.

I wondered about this.  I have watched (off and on) for years.  I knew House Hunters was staged, but I hoped Love It Or List it wasn't.  I really have enjoyed the show. (and David cracks me up)

[Jaded]

I really lost interest in this show and House Hunters after reading about the behind the scenes filming shenanigans' that go on. There was a time when both shows were ones I actually enjoyed watching. I also think they changed for the worse in ways that made them less entertaining too.

[chessiegal]

3 hours ago, Jaded said:

I really lost interest in this show and House Hunters after reading about the behind the scenes filming shenanigans' that go on.

With regards to HH, not sure what you mean by shenanigans. If you go to the HH home page, you can find a link to the production company, Pietown, as what is required to be on the show. They clearly want folks who either have already bought a house, or are in escrow. But only if you are fun, energetic folk. 

[CheshireCat]

I caught a rerun last night and after she heard the list and heard her budget, Hillary asked the couple if they'd ever done a renovation. Made me wonder if Hillary and David sometimes talk about how unrealitic in terms of renovation budget/new house budget the couples are off camera.

[deirdra]

On 11/2/2021 at 10:21 PM, annzeepark914 said:

Hmmm...they didn't mention that the spouse/partner/whatever, who doesn't want to move, must act like a smarta$$ while touring new houses with David.

The ones I really hate are those with whiny voices. And the ones who probably knew that their roof, basement, whatever leaked whenever it rained and never did any home maintenance, but blame Hilary, probably hoping to get some materials or labour comped.

Edited November 9, 2021 by deirdra

[annzeepark914]

I was trying to watch a couple of older episodes last night but both of the wives had vocal fry voices. Had to switch to other shows until the last few minutes to see the results.

[CheshireCat]

3 hours ago, deirdra said:

The ones I really hate are those with whiny voices. And the ones who probably knew that their roof, basement, whatever leaked whenever it rained and never did any home maintenance, but blame Hilary, probably hoping to get some materials or labour comped.

I get annoyed by any couple who gets mad at Hillary whenever she tells them that there's a major structural problem or pipes need to be replaced etc. It's never her fault and it needs to be done. Don't get mad at her; it's their house.

[ECM1231]

Hilary Farr has a new solo show set to air on HGTV next month.

 

https://www.today.com/popculture/love-it-or-list-it-star-hilary-farr-has-new-t239332

[CheshireCat]

10 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

Hilary Farr has a new solo show set to air on HGTV next month.

 

https://www.today.com/popculture/love-it-or-list-it-star-hilary-farr-has-new-t239332

This sounds very much like the show I've been wanting to see. I think many of Hillary's plans are amazing, not the interior design but the floor plans and how she makes use of the space and I've often wished that the home owners would just give her money for a renovation. I guess, she'll still be on a budget but it doesn't sound like the home owners have to divide their resources.

[Grrarrggh]

11 hours ago, CheshireCat said:

This sounds very much like the show I've been wanting to see. I think many of Hillary's plans are amazing, not the interior design but the floor plans and how she makes use of the space and I've often wished that the home owners would just give her money for a renovation. I guess, she'll still be on a budget but it doesn't sound like the home owners have to divide their resources.

You mean floor plan, singular. Open concept, open concept open concept. What else does she do?

[CheshireCat]

16 minutes ago, Grrarrggh said:

You mean floor plan, singular. Open concept, open concept open concept. What else does she do?

Well, it's usually what the owners want and I was mostly thinking about the episodes when the owners need a bit more square footage and she does the 1st floor as well. I've caught quite a few of those episodes lately. In those cases, she often would have done more with a better budget but I think she's doing great things with limited space, too.

[buttersister]

18 hours ago, CheshireCat said:

Hilary Farr has a new solo show set to air on HGTV next month.

Yes, please!

[MartyQui]

This week (11/22) the owners chose to list it, and I have to admit I was shocked.  Hilary did a beautiful job, and I really thought they’d love it.  

[ArtFossil]

On 11/19/2021 at 5:26 PM, Grrarrggh said:

You mean floor plan, singular. Open concept, open concept open concept. What else does she do?

Hillary is very skilled at utilizing the available space to its maximum. Her talents go far beyond "open concept."

[ECM1231]

4 hours ago, MartyQui said:

This week (11/22) the owners chose to list it, and I have to admit I was shocked.  Hilary did a beautiful job, and I really thought they’d love it.  

Was this one the Indian couple whose wife worked near their current home? She seemed hellbent on staying in their neighborhood not only because of proximity to work, but because their family lived nearby and that was very important to both of them. Hilary did a beautiful job and the only reason I could think of was that she was unable to give them access from the garage into the home. Of course that was on the homeowners who didn't want to spend the extra $. 

[deirdra]

2 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

Was this one the Indian couple whose wife worked near their current home? She seemed hellbent on staying in their neighborhood not only because of proximity to work, but because their family lived nearby and that was very important to both of them. Hilary did a beautiful job and the only reason I could think of was that she was unable to give them access from the garage into the home. Of course that was on the homeowners who didn't want to spend the extra $. 

And they could get the door into the garage put in when they save up $7000.  Cheaper than moving.

[CattyK]

This episode (where they chose not to have a door into the garage) really surprised me with the house prices.  I couldn’t believe the current house was initially valued at over 700,000.  I think the one they supposedly wanted to buy was close to a million. I think the first one was a townhouse and the one they wanted to buy was freestanding but it seemed very close to the next houses and not much yard.  The aerial shot looked like a bunch of big houses crammed together.  
Are prices really this high in Raleigh?