House Hunters International…it’s one of those HGTV shows that anyone can easily get swept up in. Seriously, you’ll sit down to watch someone choose an overpriced flat in London and before you know it two hours have gone by and you’ve been introduced to vacation homes in Belize, villas on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, and apartments in Malmo, Sweden. For huge fans, it’s easy to assume you know everything about the show. After all, with more than 1,750 episodes, you’ve probably watched at least 1,000 of them, so what could you possibly not know? Actually, there’s quite a bit. Here are five secrets about the show House Hunters International.
On at least one occasion, the buyers were replaced with a younger couple with more appeal.
In 2012, an insider divulged this shocking tidbit. In one episode, American expats in their late 50s were on the hunt for a gorgeous beach retreat getaway. While they had plenty of money to buy an amazing property, producers were less than enthused about their age and appearance. In an effort to appeal to a wider audience and steer away from the retirees who typically search for second homes on the show, they were replaced with a younger couple. You read that right! A younger couple played the buyers.
Most buyers already own their home.
You’ve probably heard this about House Hunters. In almost all episodes, the “buyers” have already purchased a property or at the very least are very close to picking a property. The show, then, films the buyer in their new property, as well as two “reject” properties.
Realtors really appreciate all the attention.
How many times have you watched an episode filmed somewhere you had never even heard of, much less planned to visit or move to? Realtors in several areas have noticed a significant increase in local real estate after a show airs. In fact, more than one realtor has encouraged sellers to offer up their home as a “reject” property because potential buyers are especially interested in these properties, making them easier to sell.
Producers look for family drama.
According to a past buyer on the show, producers would “find/make family drama.” This makes sense. It’s much more fun to watch an episode where one person wants a fixer- upper, single-family home with tons of outdoor space for $100,000 and the other wants a brand new condo right in the middle of town and is willing to go as high as $200,000.
The show glosses over some of the worst parts.
For a couple looking for a property in Istanbul, Turkey, things weren’t as great as they were seemed to be. On the show, their apartment search was fun and when the show came back to visit 3 months later for the final scenes, everything was great. Apparently, this isn’t always the case. For this couple, at least, navigating an entirely new country was “mundane, difficult, and lacked all the glamour and juicy parts needed for TV.” In addition to fighting between themselves, they struggled to adapt as “fishes-out-of-water” and had no clue what they were agreeing to when they signed a lease in a foreign language neither of them spoke.
Regardless of what you just learned, you know the next time you’re flipping channels and come across House Hunters International you’re going to stop and watch it. And, before long, two or three hours will have gone by.
