Love It Or List It - General Discussion

[MartyQui]

They’re not in Raleigh this season, I think they’re in Canada (Toronto?).  I noticed the Property Brothers are there this season as well.  I hope those prices are in Canadian dollars!

[ECM1231]

1 hour ago, MartyQui said:

They’re not in Raleigh this season, I think they’re in Canada (Toronto?).  I noticed the Property Brothers are there this season as well.  I hope those prices are in Canadian dollars!

I think they are still airing Raleigh this season. Next season they will start airing the Canada episodes, if I'm not mistaken. I wonder if some of the Canadian cast will return ( Eddie, Desta and Fergus)? 

[annzeepark914]

7 minutes ago, ECM1231 said:

I think they are still airing Raleigh this season. Next season they will start airing the Canada episodes, if I'm not mistaken. I wonder if some of the Canadian cast will return ( Eddie, Desta and Fergus)? 

I watched one of the new season shows & was surprised to see houses that looked familiar. Houses in Canada, IMO, have a different style that reminds me of European homes. I'd thought this season the shows would be back in Toronto but I guess they're still in NC. 

[CattyK]

This is what confused me, I thought the prices were so high it must be Canadian $.  But I googled around a bit looking for info on location and I understood they’re in NC this season.

the houses also really didn’t look like what I’d expect in NC.  (Not that I know anything about house styles there.)

I wonder why these shows make such a secret of their location.  Seems like a logical thing viewers would want to know!  

[deirdra]

6 hours ago, MartyQui said:

They’re not in Raleigh this season, I think they’re in Canada (Toronto?).  I noticed the Property Brothers are there this season as well.  I hope those prices are in Canadian dollars!

Property Brothers are in Calgary in the currently airing shows; the little red "cottage" is 2 blocks from me.  Both cities have "space needle" towers. Love it or List it current episodes look like they are in either Raleigh or possibly the bland far suburbs of Toronto. I suspect all prices are in US$ since they don't announce where they are. I look fr names of companies on the trades' vehicles.

Edited November 24, 2021 by deirdra

[ML89]

13 hours ago, CattyK said:

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?  
 

You should see the prices in my part of Florida - and we are like Charlotte or Raleigh, not Miami. I can believe it.

[Dehumidifier]

On 11/23/2021 at 5:58 PM, 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.  

They film both endings and even up which ones they broadcast. I think this particular couple loved it in real life.

[deirdra]

1 hour ago, Dehumidifier said:

They film both endings and even up which ones they broadcast. I think this particular couple loved it in real life.

I was thinking the same thing. Didn't the husband mention that very few people on the show choose List It? So they "gave" the win to David for show.

Edited November 25, 2021 by deirdra

[shapeshifter]

I just started binging a few of these property shows because at 68-years I just bought my first property to be near a daughter, and it was a huge mistake. I am hoping to sell it and buy something else near her and her growing family, and I look at these shows as the crash course I should have taken before purchasing (in the middle of a sellers' market with no equity of my own, just an unexpected inheritance).

This past week I saw an episode in which the house being renovated was not the house the couple were currently living in.
Instead, it was a house they had rented out for 25 years to just 2 renters. (Maybe a rerun?)
The house was in shambles due to lack of upkeep. 
In my mind, as a life-long renter and recent first-time home buyer, the couple were suburban slum lords.

David and Hillary (assuming I'm recalling the correct show on which I saw this) had a brief remark about knowing when a house is a rental that there will be problems related to lack of upkeep. And the first thing they pointed out was the rotting siding--which is never something a renter should be expected take care of. And the camera briefly caught a shot of the owners faces looking a bit embarrassed. But then they went inside and the owners somewhat indignantly declared that they would never have painted a room purple. Sure. Whatever, slumlords.

So I can't help wonder if most viewers were left thinking that the renters were slobs or worse.
Admittedly, I am an obsessive cleaner who always strives to leave a rental better than when I moved in, even if (or maybe especially if) I've been there 5-10 years.
IDK. I wish it had been a teensy bit more obvious that the owners were negligent and *should* feel guilty for renting a "home" to people that they themselves would not want to live in.

After the house was rehabbed and beautiful, I did think maybe the camera caught an expression on the owners' faces of something like: "Wow. If we had taken care of it, we could have lived here" or something like that.

But now I'm thinking that look could have been more of: "Wow. This is what the house would have looked like if those lousy renters had taken care of it." [Not!]

Edited November 26, 2021 by shapeshifter

[chessiegal]

I wouldn't look at any show on HGTV as a primer on how things happen in real life. These shows are for entertainment, and while they may have a grain of truth here or there, they are produced as entertainment shows. I'd look to PBS shows like This Old House for real information. I know Discovery has a DIY channel, but that is going away in January and become yet another pillar in the Chip and Joanna Gaines empire - The Magnolia network.

[deirdra]

11 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

This past week I saw an episode in which the house being renovated was not the house the couple were currently living in.
Instead, it was a house they had rented out for 25 years to just 2 renters. (Maybe a rerun?)
The house was in shambles due to lack of upkeep. 
In my mind, as a life-long renter and recent first-time home buyer, the couple were suburban slum lords. been there 5-10 years.
IDK. I wish it had been a teensy bit more obvious that the owners were negligent and *should* feel guilty for renting a "home" to people that they themselves would not want to live in.

There may have been other shows with the same plot, but that's what I thought of a show with the twin sisters - Unsellable Houses. The renters even put a door in one of the walls and the landlords didn't even know it - it was like they first set foot in it after 25 yrs of neglect as the slumlords. When it first aired we guessed the 2 renters may have been relatives who couldn't afford anything else.

[shapeshifter]

3 hours ago, deirdra said:

There may have been other shows with the same plot, but that's what I thought of a show with the twin sisters - Unsellable Houses. The renters even put a door in one of the walls and the landlords didn't even know it - it was like they first set foot in it after 25 yrs of neglect as the slumlords. When it first aired we guessed the 2 renters may have been relatives who couldn't afford anything else.

Thank you. It *was* from Unsellable Houses! Sorry to have guessed the wrong show forum. And *not* David and Hillary either——at least Hillary has halfway good taste.

[annzeepark914]

On 11/24/2021 at 5:11 PM, ML89 said:

You should see the prices in my part of Florida - and we are like Charlotte or Raleigh, not Miami. I can believe it.

When Amazon only *announced* they were going to build an east coast HQ in Arlington, VA (across the river from DC) housing prices immediately started to rise. We now have realtors calling, wanting to know if we want to sell. I'd love to have Hillary redo our house!

[shapeshifter]

I've now watched quite a few episodes.

2 questions for any long-time viewers or readers of news about the show not included in the Wikipedia article:

1. Having just come up for air after barely surviving the purchase of my first home as an older person, I do not understand how the format of this show can continue in the current market.
   
   Currently, when a home is listed, buyers have a maximum of a week (but often 24-hours to 3 days) to make a cash offer with a large deposit of earnest money and a waiver of inspection.
   And there just aren't that many homes on the market.
   
   And this has been going on for about a year. 
   
   Do they edit the show to hide the current dynamics of time and availability?
    
2. Is it always a heteronormative couple with the husband wanting to stay and the wife wanting to move?
   This👆 doesn't matter for my purposes of seeing what else can go wrong during the implementation of planned renovations, but I am curious about this seemingly static homeowner formula used on the show.

Edited November 28, 2021 by shapeshifter

[jcbrown]

9 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Is it always a heteronormative couple with the husband wanting to stay and the wife wanting to move?

No, it is not. There are several gay and lesbian couples featured through the seasons, plus at least one single mom and one set of sisters. And a couple where the husband used a wheelchair and David showed them at least one house with stairs(!).  And sometimes when it's a straight couple, it's the husband who wants to move.

[MartyQui]

So they’re totally in Toronto this season…the “washroom” and the beach (Lake Ontario) were the giveaway.  And I can’t believe that people pay $1.2 M (even Canadian) for a duplex.  Yikes.  Hilary did do a beautiful job on the house, but I would have gone for the bigger space by the beach.

[LizDC]

On 11/30/2021 at 6:54 PM, MartyQui said:

So they’re totally in Toronto this season…the “washroom” and the beach (Lake Ontario) were the giveaway.  And I can’t believe that people pay $1.2 M (even Canadian) for a duplex.  Yikes.  Hilary did do a beautiful job on the house, but I would have gone for the bigger space by the beach.

I think they started the season in NC.  I noticed the new location when the houses started to have the garages jutting out in front of the house.  That seems to be a Canadian thing.  All I need to confirm it is to get a look at the squirrels. 

If they are back in Toronto, I guess they didn’t bring back Desta, Eddie and Fergus.

[Dehumidifier]

I'll never understand the appeal of a blinding all-white interior like in last night's reveal and the homeowners gushing over it. I'd be "the primer looks good, when do the painters come?"

[annzeepark914]

On 12/9/2021 at 1:55 PM, LizDC said:

I think they started the season in NC.  I noticed the new location when the houses started to have the garages jutting out in front of the house.  That seems to be a Canadian thing.  

Our garage juts out in front and we live in No. VA. I missed last night's show but the key to location for me (USA or Canada) is the window style. Canadian house windows remind me of windows in Europe.

[shapeshifter]

On 11/26/2021 at 11:34 AM, chessiegal said:

I know Discovery has a DIY channel, but that is going away in January and become yet another pillar in the Chip and Joanna Gaines empire - The Magnolia network.

OMG, I'm watching "Lakefront Bargain Hunt" right now on DIY. That's what I covet!

There was an ad about the change to the "Magnolia" network. 
I hope they might continue Lakefront Bargain Hunt. 🙁

[alexa]

I just read a People article on Hilary.  I had no idea she is 70.  I had to reread the sentence 3 times!

[Koalagirl]

13 hours ago, alexa said:

I just read a People article on Hilary.  I had no idea she is 70.  I had to reread the sentence 3 times!

Not only that, but she went through 3 surgeries and radiation while filming the show!

https://people.com/health/love-it-or-list-its-hilary-farr-reveals-breast-cancer/

 

[CruiseDiva]

53 minutes ago, Koalagirl said:

Not only that, but she went through 3 surgeries and radiation while filming the show.

After reading that article about Hilary I have a lot of respect for her strength and determination. Has anyone watched her new show? No "love it" drama and I liked it. ☺️

[alexa]

2 hours ago, Koalagirl said:

Not only that, but she went through 3 surgeries and radiation while filming the show!

https://people.com/health/love-it-or-list-its-hilary-farr-reveals-breast-cancer/

 

Yes amazing!

1 hour ago, CruiseDiva said:

After reading that article about Hilary I have a lot of respect for her strength and determination. Has anyone watched her new show? No "love it" drama and I liked it. ☺️

I saw it too.  I mostly liked it though it felt a little long to me.  But I think that about a lot of the hour long HGTV shows.  Many of them could easily be a half hour.

[deirdra]

5 minutes ago, alexa said:

I mostly liked it though it felt a little long to me.  But I think that about a lot of the hour long HGTV shows.  Many of them could easily be a half hour.

I agree. They repeat everything 2-3 times to fill space or because they assume we aren't paying full attention. But we aren't paying full attention because the shows are so repetitive. Cut them all back to a half hour and we can back up and rewatch something if we miss it.

[shapeshifter]

6 minutes ago, CruiseDiva said:

After reading that article about Hilary I have a lot of respect for her strength and determination. Has anyone watched her new show? No "love it" drama and I liked it. ☺️

I watched it ("Tough Love With Hilary Farr"). I don't see a forum or thread for it, and it seems whenever I start one for a new show it doesn't get any posting traffic.
Even more than with Love It Or List It, I would like to be able to at least read a snippet about where they're at in 5 years.

Is there anything like that available for the Love It Or List It past episode subjects? I would like to know if they wish they had "listed" instead of "loving" and vice versa.

This article: 
   cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-fakest-thing-about-love-it-or-list-it-isnt-what-you-think.html/
--implies that sometimes they don't really list it and just stay but possibly sell it later if they find something else.

But I'd still like to know.
It seems like an interesting hook for a show, but I'm guessing the Love It Or List It  producers wouldn't like it because it might have a negative impact on the still successful OG show. 

[deirdra]

12 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

--implies that sometimes they don't really list it and just stay but possibly sell it later if they find something else.

I can understand why people would "love it" for at least a while; living with the new configuration would help you figure out what you love and hate about it before choosing your next home. They've been out of their home for weeks for the remodel, so disrupting themselves for more weeks of listings, viewings, moving and those associated costs is the last thing I'd want to do unless I knew I was going to move for other reasons with no intention of ever moving into Hilary's creation no matter how great it was.  I'd like to see David include the costs of selling/buying/moving before they decide to "list it". The costs & hassles are not insignificant.

[kirklandia]

I missed the first episode of Tough Love. I see it is available On Demand, but only until December 23.

[Grizzly]

On 12/21/2021 at 9:24 PM, kirklandia said:

I missed the first episode of Tough Love. I see it is available On Demand, but only until December 23.

I just saw it On Demand on 12/24. Hillary really told that couple what to do. Can't believe someone bought his Philly place as is. I wondered if she missed conversing with David.

[MsTree]

4 hours ago, Grizzly said:

I wondered if she missed conversing with David.

Somehow I doubt it, especially since now the spotlight is totally on her, as well as all the money 🤑

[shapeshifter]

9 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Can't believe someone bought his Philly place as is.

Hah! You haven't been home shopping IRL in the past year, have you?
I bet they bought it sight-unseen with no inspection and there was a bidding war that bumped it up above the asking price.

Unless it was filmed in early 2020?

[Grizzly]

Hillary is not too impressed with Francine's taste in furniture. Looks like it was from a garage sale and there's a place for it by the curb. Lol. 

It was so sweet how well the girls got along. To share a single bed is asking a lot of an only child. Their room turned out great.

[ML89]

On 12/25/2021 at 8:29 AM, shapeshifter said:

Hah! You haven't been home shopping IRL in the past year, have you?
I bet they bought it sight-unseen with no inspection and there was a bidding war that bumped it up above the asking price.

Unless it was filmed in early 2020?

Even then - you don't have to tear out anyone else's taste in renovation, just put your own stamp on it, as they say over and over on HGTV!

[shapeshifter]

4 hours ago, ML89 said:

Even then - you don't have to tear out anyone else's taste in renovation, just put your own stamp on it, as they say over and over on HGTV!

Yes, and in everyone of these renovations there are at least a couple of decorating choices that I am sure someone will want to get rid of when they can afford to do so. A lot of those boldly patterned backsplashes are going to look dated in 10 years. And while I would love to have an open floor plan, I'm sure eventually there will be people moving in and at least putting up divider screens.

[ML89]

55 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

Yes, and in everyone of these renovations there are at least a couple of decorating choices that I am sure someone will want to get rid of when they can afford to do so. A lot of those boldly patterned backsplashes are going to look dated in 10 years. And while I would love to have an open floor plan, I'm sure eventually there will be people moving in and at least putting up divider screens.

I just saw somewhere that closed in spaces are coming back...just wait, we'll see people on Love It Or List It asking Hillary to put UP walls!

So agree with you on those backsplashes and I don't think it's going to take 10 years either...

[annzeepark914]

IMNSHO, open concept has gone too far, so I can see some pull-backs from it in the future. We don't have open concept but when I use my grillade, the whole house reeks of grilled burgers. I try to keep the kitchen door closed, but the other end, of our somewhat galley kitchen, is open to the great room (which is a two story room, so kitchen "fragrances" waft up to the second floor). It will be interesting in the next few years to see how people change their needs/desires for open/semi-less-open concepts.

[Grrarrggh]

6 hours ago, ML89 said:

Even then - you don't have to tear out anyone else's taste in renovation, just put your own stamp on it, as they say over and over on HGTV!

Hahahahahaha "own stamp" usually ends up looking exactly like every other HGTV flip. 

[kirklandia]

6 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

 the whole house reeks of grilled burgers ... kitchen "fragrances" waft up to the second floor 

Perhaps the spice kitchen will be the next big trend?

Edited December 29, 2021 by kirklandia

[deirdra]

1 hour ago, ML89 said:

So agree with you on those backsplashes and I don't think it's going to take 10 years either...

Some of them already look dated since they've been on so many HGTV episodes that I am sick of them!

[ByaNose]

I guess you can’t go wrong with simple white subway tile. Either square or rectangle will suffice. I don’t even have a backsplash. I was too lazy to put one in and people said my paint job was done enough. I still think I should put one in for aesthetics alone.

[buttersister]

I dislike and don’t understand open floor plans. Even in a custom-built 40-year-old friends’ home, there’s a separate large family room. Smells, dirty dishes, no privacy, etc., wtf is the attraction? This notion of opening things up for more space? More space doesn’t equal better space.

Looking forward to the episode in which David wins because his house has better defined spaces then Hilary can create—on the budget!😂

[pep4]

On 11/24/2021 at 8:09 AM, MartyQui said:

They’re not in Raleigh this season, I think they’re in Canada (Toronto?).  I noticed the Property Brothers are there this season as well.  I hope those prices are in Canadian dollars!

I doubt Canadian or US $ matter.  When every $150k reno results in a $1.5 million increase in home value, they just might be fudging....

[Shermie]

Quote

When every $150k reno results in a $1.5 million increase in home value, they just might be fudging....

I know the show has a lot of fakery, but they have never increased a home’s value by that much. The value always seems to increase by $15,000-$20,000 more than the reno cost.

[ChelleGame]

Season 18, Episode 3.  A young couple in a gorgeous old house. Husband was obsessed with entertaining. Hilary did a beautiful job. They decided to list it in favor of a really unattractive house (IMHO). Think Hilary and David were both tempted to buy the house they were leaving.

[LizDC]

 

[nb360]

From the NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/27/realestate/home-makeover-renovation-lawsuit.html

They're kinda late with this story, as usual...

[shapeshifter]

19 minutes ago, nb360 said:

From the NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/27/realestate/home-makeover-renovation-lawsuit.html

They're kinda late with this story, as usual...

IDK. Not too late for those who might be vying to get on future seasons.🤷‍♀️

The 808 (so far) comments mostly thought the homeowners who appeared on the shows got what they should have expected.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I don't like the way they claim added value.   The real price of the house is the starting price, plus remodel costs adding up to the new price of the house.      Then, you reappraise and deduct the total price of the house including remodel costs, and the difference is changes in value.   They also are worth more just because of real estate prices rising.   

[CheshireCat]

19 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I don't like the way they claim added value.   The real price of the house is the starting price, plus remodel costs adding up to the new price of the house.      Then, you reappraise and deduct the total price of the house including remodel costs, and the difference is changes in value.  

I'd argue that that's the profit but not the value. The value is for how much it is appraised for.

If it is appraised at 500,000 and after the remodel for 600,000 that's an increase in value of 100,000. If they spent 50,000 on the remodel then their profit of the remodel/increase in value is 50,000.

But it is misleading as it suggests they get 100,000 more for the house even though they had to invest 50,000 so their net gain is less than the increase of value.

[CrazyInAlabama]

You explained it better than I did.