Many fans that tune in to HGTV's House Hunters are mesmerized by the process, the drama, and all the work and time that goes in to finding the perfect home. Some of this televised entertainment is so good that some wonder if it's too good to be true, and in many ways, unfortunately, it is.
Many of the couples who have appeared on the show have given first-hand reports about their experiences during the house hunting process, and based on their stories, it appears that much of what fans are seeing is not entirely true to form. Of course, many reality television shows ramp up the drama and the intrigue that surrounds the home-buying process, for the sake of the show, and House Hunters seems to be one of them.
As far as reality TV goes, some of the stuff that is being viewed when watching this show is in fact real, but much of it is not quite what fans may have envisioned.
10 Much Of 'House Hunters' Is Staged
Sadly, much of House Hunters is staged, and that rings true not only to the couples who are communicating about purchasing their dream home, but also true when it comes to the homes themselves. A few couples have owned up to the fact that they were asked to fabricate at the very least "some" of their interactions on the show for the sake of entertainment value, making this more of an "acting-based" program than the reality TV show that the show's marketing reflects it to be. Fans are likely not surprised to hear that their reality-based TV show isn't always reality-based, but it does change the dynamics of the show.
9 The Houses Shown On 'House Hunters' Aren't Even For Sale
In a shocking revelation, some couples who have appeared on the show have revealed that the houses being shown on the program when it airs weren't even ones that were for sale in the first place. In an effort to bolster ratings and complete filming faster, sometimes the show features homes that are not even on the market at all. In an effort to ensure the homes featured are going to draw in the audience, sometimes homes are shown that are not even listed and are in fact houses that belong to friends of the couples that are appearing on the show.
8 Selected Couples Have Already House Hunted
Sources reveal that some of the couples appearing on the show to embark on shopping for their perfect home, have actually already purchased their home and settled right into it. Sources reveal that some of the couples on House Hunters are absolutely acting from start to finish, as they have already gone through all the steps from the point of house hunting, to securing their home. This means none of the footage of them shopping for a home is even remotely relevant in the real world, and it's all staged and faked in those scenarios.
7 News Outlets Plug Houses Before The Show Airs
Shockingly, many of the homes hat will be featured on House Hunters are actually plugged by the media long before their episodes air. Local citizens are often given an opportunity to tour the homes that are going to be featured on the show, well in advance, which demonstrates the fact that by the time the general public views the program, it's only fresh for their eyes. The people viewing the properties have already done so long before each episode airs.
6 The Drama On 'House Hunters' Is Exaggerated
Elizabeth Newcamp and her husband appeared both House Hunters International and House Hunters, and she had a lot to say about the drama that unfolded during her time on the show. She admits to looking at homes in Florida that were honestly up for sale and had an actual real estate agent accompanying her, however, she indicates that she had to play up the drama between herself and her husband for the sake of the cameras. She says they both were expected to exaggerate their feelings and emotions and were told to shoot and re-shoot specific dramatic moments until they were convincing enough for the supposed "dramatic" footage to be aired.
5 Some Of The House Sales Have Already Closed
Although House Hunters is supposed to demonstrate the process that couples go through when searching for and purchasing their homes, Elizabeth Newcamp states, "One time we'd already closed on the house we 'chose' in the episode; the other time we'd already lived in our house for a year." She went on to say that she faked living in a hotel in Florida and admits that never actually happened. She also indicated that the homes featured on the show had already closed, and the process of the actual shopping and sale were not real whatsoever.
4 The Arguments On 'House Hunters' Are Staged
Many fans of House Hunters tune in for what they perceive to be "real-life drama," when in fact what they are seeing is actually all an act. Newcamp reveals that she immediately learned the show's producers were interested in conflict, so she over dramatized certain issues with her husband to ensure that she was giving them what they were looking for. In reality, she and her husband had no arguments at all and were just "living it up" for the sake of the show.
3 Sometimes There Isn't Even An Actual Realtor Present
Perhaps the most shocking revelation is the fact that the very show that is supposed to be all about finding the perfect home, sometimes takes place without a realtor present at all. It has been said that when HGTV can't locate a relevant and experienced realtor, they seem to be satisfied with improvising. They have reportedly hired people to fill the role of a realtor when in fact they had no actual experience in the field. Newcamp dished the dirt by saying, "When they couldn't find a local real estate agent, the House Hunters International producers needed a Dutch person who was willing to be on camera for $500 as our 'relocation expert.'"
She went on to say, "So any time you watch House Hunters International, just be aware that those people who are acting like realtors might not actually work in real estate. It's all the magic of television — and the lure of $500, of course."
2 Some Of The House Shopping On 'House Hunters' Wasn't Real
Newcamp really spilled the beans when it comes to what happens on the show, and she indicated to viewers that some of the properties shown on the show weren't actually real shopping experiences at all. They were featured as Airbnb properties and were not at all part of a natural shopping experience. She admits that the majority of her air-time captures a lot of acting and faking and features a number of properties that aren't for sale and don't qualify as being a "shopping experience."
1 A Lot Of The 'In Progress' Stuff Has Already Happened
As fans tune in to House Hunters, they assume that they are viewing the process of home purchasing, when in fact, what they are often seeing is the end result of a completed sale. One participant admits that the show featured her "home buying experience" a full year and a half after she had already moved in to her new home.
Based on that information House Hunters doesn't appear to have been capturing the real home buying process at all.
