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Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,837
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

I found this by doing a search for "Is Love It Or Listed Staged."

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Anyone who watches HGTV knows that you can’t take everything at face value. (On Fixer Upper, for instance, the homeowners have typically already bought a house before they go “house hunting” with Chip and Joanna.) After all, reality TV isn’t the same thing as reality. Nonetheless, some people think that HGTV does a little more than embellish. In fact, these people think that one of the network’s hit shows, Love It or List It, is totally fake.

So, what’s the verdict? Is Love It or List It fake? That seems like a simple question. Let’s find out exactly what goes on behind the scenes.

The show does follow the same formula, episode after episode

Just like any other HGTV show, Love It or List It follows a pretty predictable pattern. So, is Love It or List It fake? Yes and no. As Julia Sweeten at Hooked on Houses explains, “These kinds of shows are entertainment. They are not documentaries.” Again, reality TV isn’t the same thing as reality. So anytime you watch sometime on HGTV, producers have probably put some thought into how to make it as dramatic or entertaining as possible.

 

Sweeten jokes, “If you really believe that the same basic pattern plays out naturally in every episode (the homeowners don’t trust Hilary’s plan, they hate the first house David shows them, Hilary runs into a major construction/financial problem that requires eliminating one of the projects she promised the homeowners she’d do, and then David finds them their dream house)well, I have a bridge to sell you.”

 

People tune in to Love It or List It to see the drama between interior designer Hilary Farr and real estate agent David Visentin. (Need a refresher? Farr works to renovate the homeowners’ existing house. And Visentin tries to find them a new home.) But Sweeten reports that she’s heard rumors the show always films two different endings. In one, the homeowners say, “We’re going to love it!” In the other, they say, “We’re going to list it!” Then, producers decide which to air when they edit the episode.

 

Country Living reports that on a Reddit chat about reality TV shows, one user shared a surprising anecdote. This anecdote Love It or List It seems to confirm Sweeten’s reporting. “My aunt and uncle were on Love It Or List It,” the user wrote, “and they had them record both endings and the network chose which one they thought was best. They are still in the house and they love it, but the show says they listed it.”

 

Still shocked that Love It or List It doesn’t always show the homeowners’ actual decision? Sweeten at Hooked on House may have discovered the reason why. A reader wrote to her, saying that many people who appear on the show have no intention of moving. Instead, they signed up for the show to get a discounted renovation. (More on that on the next page.)

 

So, Sweeten hypothesizes, “Then it would make sense for the producers to choose how each episode ends. Otherwise most homeowners would end up loving their newly remodeled houses and staying put, and poor David would never get to ‘win.'” As you’re probably starting to realize, the question of whether Love It or List It is “fake” gets pretty complicated.

 

In the Reddit thread, another user offered some interesting insight. The user wrote that according to a friend who appeared on the show, most people don’t participate because they want to sell their homes. Instead, they want a discounted remodel. “Nobody wants to list their house,” the user explains. “They just want a free renovation and to be on TV.” But they do encounter a few caveats. The show only pays for half of the renovation. And the producers typically choose the design they want, instead of asking the homeowners’ opinion.

 

Additionally, they might end up with an incomplete renovation. “They shoot a bunch of episodes in one market at a time,” the user explains. “So they use one set of contractors for all of the homes. If they get behind on the work on a given home, they pretend that the work is done so they can wrap on the episode, then they take the crew with them to the next house.” Then, you have to live in the unfinished house until the crew can return. That can take months, or may never happen.  

 

Ask someone who’s appeared on the show, “Is Love It or List It fake?” and they’ll tell you that one part is very real. You actually have to move out of the house during the renovation. Julia Sweeten at Hooked on Houses interviewed one homeowner who said, “It is a requirement that you move out of the house while work is being done. As depicted on the show, the only time we got to see our house after the work began was for the ‘homeowner visits’ filmed with Hilary.”

 

The homeowner added that the “final reveal” also happened as it did on the show. She characterized the reveal as “a total surprise for us.” She explained, “We didn’t know what the finished project would look like until the time of the reveal.” Additionally, she noted “it was good to learn that when you watch the show, no one is faking their reactions when they see the final product!” At least on that count, Love It or List It doesn’t seem fake at all. 

 

If one aspect of a given Love It or List It episode is fake, it’s likely the arguments between homeowners. One Reddit user whose aunt and uncle appeared on the show wrote that they didn’t run into any major renovation complications. So, to up the ante, “the network wanted my aunt and uncle to fight with each other over decisions.” They said no. But other homeowners might oblige.

 

On the other hand, Hillary Farr herself made a pretty good point about the drama you see on Love It or List It. “The show is not at all scripted, and the reactions of the homeowners to renovation realities and bad news is very real.” When you watch an episode of Love It or List It, you see weeks of activity condensed into a single hour. The homeowners go through a lot. And they likely experience quite a bit of anxiety about the process.

 

How would you like it if a real estate agent showed you houses that you couldn’t actually buy? You probably wouldn’t appreciate it. But that doesn’t stop HGTV from filming the homeowners looking at houses that aren’t on the market. As Hooked on Houses reports, one reader told her, “I live in the area and know a couple who were on the show. What we don’t see is that some of the houses the couple are looking at are not actually for sale.”

Similarly, the same source confirmed that in her friends’ experience, the crew may not finish the renovation before producers film the reveal. Her friends ran into problems that left rooms only half-finished. So the producers just figured out a way to shoot the rooms that made them look finished.  The upshot? Things definitely aren’t all as they seem.

  So, is ‘Love It or List It’ fake?
 

We can’t really say that Love It or List It is totally fake. But we also can’t claim that it’s 100% authentic. But as Hooked on Houses notes, it may not matter how much of the show’s drama is faked for the camera. Viewers still get to live vicariously through the homeowners. And in the space of a single episode, you get to watch the renovation and the house-hunting process.

Millions of people still love Fixer Upper even after learning that not everything happens exactly as it seems. In the same way, HGTV viewers can enjoy Love It or List It while still acknowledging that producers need to make the show as entertaining and engaging as possible. (And that David also needs a win every once in a while.)

 


The Bluebird Carries The Sky On His Back"
-Henry David Thoreau





Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,523
Registered: ‎09-01-2010

David definitely isn't "losing" and his chemistry with Hilary Farr is on point for this heavily scripted show.   

 

For the people who sincerely want or need to move, the show is meant to turn their tired, worn, outdated home to modern and fabulous to improve optimum resale value.   Homeowner benefits as does the home improvement show.   

What I see in many of these shows, is the lack of knowledge by the homeowners on how to maintain and care for their home.   Roof channels and gutters filled with leaves and pine needles.  Inefficient heating and cooling systems; one homeowner complained about one area of their home always being so cold; the switch was turned off, and they never knew that detail about their home even tho they had lived there for years!   Homeowners never check for roof or plumbing leaks, they have mold growing and never realize it.  

 

Some of the young professionals may have good paying jobs to pay the mortgage on those fancy homes, but they don't have a thimble full of knowledge about maintaining that home.   It irks me to no end when the homeowners refuse to give Hilary more money to fix unforeseen issues with electrical, heating, plumbing, the foundation, etc.   They want all the pretty updates, high end appliances, etc., but the solidness of the structure isn't too important.   

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,293
Registered: ‎03-21-2010

I can never understand how people can put ALL that money into "improving" their home for someone else and then move.  

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,764
Registered: ‎07-26-2019

 Likely, when they look at the cost of  buying another home, depending on the current mortgage rate  and if it's a Sellers market vs Buyers market  are likely the real influnces behind a decision . The house priced they real in Canada are very expensive ...

Or as another postet stated it's scripted than this show is really sponsored by companies that sell home improvement .

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,011
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Love It or List It is the #1 show on HGTV. Part of it is the play between Hilary and David. As to the houses not being For Sale, most of the houses have For Sale signs in the yard.  The early episodes are filmed in Canada and the later episodes are filmed in the Raleigh, NC area. Eric, the construction guy had CoVid and had a hard time recuperating, so they had to come up with a new construction guy in the newest ones.

The part of it I like is that the fixed up houses are all decorated differently....unlike the Fixer Uppers where they used Shplap in almost every episode.

I think All the reality shows are scripted as are the Bachlorettes, Big House, Housewives etc.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,401
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

I love this show!!! I love David and Hilary both. I enjoy seeing the homes that David picks out for the couple, and I also enjoy seeing what Hilary does design wise for the couple. I almost always can guess if they will leave or stay, and in most cases they do stay!

 

After all it would certainly be more expensive to leave, but yesterday I was watching some episodes and a couple decided to stay and then ended up renting out their home and moving to a totally different home because they had 3 children back to back.....But they bought a totally differnt home than the one David showed them, which was quite a bit over their budget..

 

I love watching a lot for the designing ideas as well........I also love the chemistry between David and Hilary!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,486
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@FrostyBabe1 wrote:

@Reever wrote:

Has anyone else noticed that on HGTV's Love it or List it that the realtor David Visentin consistently loses to Hillary. It seems 80 to 90 percent of the time the homeowners "Love It". I have to wonder if they will replace him soon? I watched 5 episodes back to back and all the homeowners decided to stay put. I wonder if HGTV will consider replacing David soon if he continues to fail ?  I like most of Hillary's ideas but she seems to be obsessed with the "open concept" trend that young people are looking for.


The show is 100% scripted. What you're seeing is what the producers WANT you to see. He's not "failing". He's doing what he's been told to do. 


@FrostyBabe1 I haven't watched that show in ages, but yesterday was determined not to "work" and turned on HGTV and there were several shows on back-to-back and all the maybe three shows I saw they listed.

 

I had quit watching because Hillary always won, and wondered if a lot of people had, so they are showing "list it's" to get viewers interested again.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 65,680
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

I gave that show a look several times during its first season and haven't looked back. I gave the spin-off with the younger demographic decorator and realtor based, I think, out west, a half episode before I grabbed the remote and never looked back... To me, the concept had promise had the shows not been purely scripted blather made for TV... By now, the concept has become incredibly stale... Would really like to see HGTV move away from the reality-rehab-real estate-repurposing genre


In my pantry with my cupcakes...
Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,173
Registered: ‎02-27-2012

@Reever wrote:

@LindaSal wrote:

I don't care for that show because it's so phony!!!   I can never get through an entire episode of it, surprised it's still on air.


 

Ive enjoyed the program for many years. I feel it is authentic.


 

 

I agree, it can be enjoyable @Reever , However, I know for a fact is is NOT authentic.

 

My sis boss in Ontario Canada did the show. 

 

There is NEVER a List it.  The homeowners pay for the remodel entirely.  He entered into a contract to remodel and a budget was set.

 

All the drama is scripted and they were instructed on exactly WHAT to say.

 

The house is staged for taping and he had the option to purchase some of the pieces.

 

Should he want to sell down the road, that is all on him, but he contracted to remodel with NO options to sell.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,553
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

@RespectLife wrote:

@Reever wrote:

@LindaSal wrote:

I don't care for that show because it's so phony!!!   I can never get through an entire episode of it, surprised it's still on air.


 

Ive enjoyed the program for many years. I feel it is authentic.


 

 

I agree, it can be enjoyable @Reever , However, I know for a fact is is NOT authentic.

 

My sis boss in Ontario Canada did the show. 

 

There is NEVER a List it.  The homeowners pay for the remodel entirely.  He entered into a contract to remodel and a budget was set.

 

All the drama is scripted and they were instructed on exactly WHAT to say.

 

The house is staged for taping and he had the option to purchase some of the pieces.

 

Should he want to sell down the road, that is all on him, but he contracted to remodel with NO options to sell.


 

Thats disheartening if true and will take all the joy I had in watching the program away.