The world of reality television can be quite a confusing one, but that doesn’t keep fans from indulging in their favorite shows, no matter how unrealistic they can come across as. Sometimes reality TV lovers can’t help but wonder how much is true and how much is completely scripted. How far do producers go to make the audience’s favorite series seem either completely fake or absolutely real?
And particularly when it comes to home shows, fans often have to take a step back and ponder. One of the biggest trends in reality TV revolves around home buyers, realtors, and real estate. Are the home buyers actually looking for homes or were they hired to act like possible buyers? As is the case for reality shows like The Hills, some home shows are real while others are fake.
Think It’s Real: Tiny House Nation
Tiny House Nation lasted for five seasons on the FYI and A&E channels. The show focused on home renovators John Weisbarth and Zack Giffin creating tiny homes for clients who wanted smaller spaces. The show ended in 2019 but is now currently streaming on Netflix.
Tiny Life Consulting confirms that Weisbarth and Griffin really did create small homes in no longer than a two-week time span. Both men admitted they slept around two hours a night because they were working so hard to make the homes a success for the show. As for the people buying the homes, they too are 100% real and financially responsible.
Fake: Million Dollar Listing
Million Dollar Listing originally started in Los Angeles in 2017 before branching out to New York, Miami, and San Francisco. However, the two cities that are the most popular with fans are Los Angeles and New York due to the characteristics of the realtors.
As popular as the Bravo show is, TV Over Mind proves the show is fake in a multitude of ways. As a reality show, some of the scenes were reshot or forced in a way to make it look like the realtors were just waking up in the morning when it was really late in the afternoon. Although Ryan Serhant swears the show is real, some of the deals aren’t.
Think It’s Real (And A Little Fake): Good Bones
HGTV’s Good Bones has been on for five seasons and is still going strong with season six premiering in 2021. The show focuses on the mother-daughter duo, Karen and Mina, flipping homes in Indianapolis under their business, Two Chicks and a Hammer, Inc. The duo is known for their green spaces and staying true to local goods and proprietors.
And as it turns out, Good Bones is as real as it gets (with a few things not shown for the sake of reality TV). There are some messes that aren’t shown on TV because it would be too “shocking.” But the reality of it is that the ladies were put in debt while trying to get their business off the ground and that they learned everything they know from YouTube!
Fake: Selling Sunset
Selling Sunset released in 2019 on Netflix and became an instant hit. The show focuses on the brokerage company, the Oppenheim Group, and those that work for the company. Similar to Million Dollar Listing, Selling Sunset doesn’t just focus on the work, it follows the stars home as they balance their personal lives and life at work.
However, Women’s Health showed that the show might not be as real as it portrays. A Tik Toker proved that her house was shown on the show as a possible listing. But the reality is her home wasn’t on sale and she never actually met the agent, Christine.
Fake: House Hunters
Both House Hunters and House Hunters International have been around for quite some time. They became a staple of reality home shows, where audiences can partake in the journey of people who are looking for their dream house, getting to choose between three different houses. It’s exciting, but, turns out, it’s also very fake.
The houses fans see are usually ones those who are looking for their new home have already visited. Plus, very often, when the show is filmed, the house had already been chosen and bought. The emotions and reactions we see are all staged, and the decision-making process is all an act.
Think It’s Real: My First Place
My First Place follows the struggles and adventures of people who are looking to buy real estate for the first time. The show truly resonated with audiences and ran for an impressive 22 seasons. Everything fans can think of when it comes to the perils of buying a house is depicted on the show, including unexpected expenses and auction wars.
Because all of these things are a bit too familiar for anyone who’s ever been in the shoes of first-time home buyers, there’s a very strong possibility the show is real. Unlike many other reality home shows, this one isn’t all fun and games and is a true lesson for anyone who wants to enter the turbulent waters of home-owning.
Fake: Fixer Upper
Fixer Upper originally ran from 2013 to 2018, and it followed married couple Chip and Joanna Gaines in their struggles to turn fixer-upper places into beautiful homes. Their goal is to give the citizens of Waco, Texas the house of their dreams through extreme renovations.
One of the best parts of the show is that they show their clients three houses in need of repair, and the client chooses one. Much like in House Hunters, the client already owns the house they end up choosing. Plus, all the beautiful interior design Joanna chooses only gets to stay if the homeowners are willing to pay. At least the renovation is real.
Think It’s Real: Flip Or Flop
Flip Or Flop does a wonderful job of marrying the exciting world of renovations with the uncertain real estate market economy. The overall premise of the show is that real estate agents Tarek and Christina buy old homes and flip them into houses they end up selling, and making some serious profit in the end.
Even though there are have been some questions on whether or not the profit they make is accurate, there’s no reason to believe the show is fake. Tarek and Christina actually buy houses and put all the work into renovating and selling them. Compared to other reality home shows out there, this one seems pretty real.
Fake: Beachfront Bargain Hunt
Who doesn’t want to own a beach house in a dream location that overlooks the ocean? Beachfront Bargain Hunt was a hit with audiences. Following home-buyers who wanted to find their dream beach house for a decent price—meaning, not a fortune—there was plenty to be excited about.
However, it turns out the show isn’t quite as real as one might think. There was even an instance where a realtor was contacted to be on the show, with a series of demands: the clients had to already have purchased a home, it had to be under a certain price, and, of course, beachfront. She ended up using her own home on the show, and they all pretended it was summer while it was actually freezing cold.
Think It’s Real: Tiny Luxury
Tiny Luxury represented a breath of fresh air when compared to other reality home shows. As opposed to showing or building everyone huge mansions that were always over the top, the show focused on homeowners who wanted to trade their big houses for smaller places, in order to live a more stable lifestyle.
While it’s quite the challenge, it’s a fun and inspiring show to follow. Thanks to an interview with the LA Times, it looks like the show was real. What happens after the show is unclear, but it’s believable many people stay true to their new ways of life.
Fake: Property Brothers
Reality television is a sucker for anything family-related. That’s probably one of the reasons why twin brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott became such a hit in the first place. One is a realtor, the other one is a contractor. Together, they help families choose a fixer-upper that is then renovated.
To be able to be on the show, families need to be in the process of buying or renovating a house, which makes the realtor’s part of the show completely fake. Plus, the timelines on the show are completely unrealistic, although that’s the lesser of two evils. The best part was always seeing a family falling in love with a house and believing they couldn’t have it.
Think It’s Real: Hoarders
Hoarders has been around for 11 seasons and snatched a Primetime Emmy in the process. Following the lives of different people with hoarding issues, the show is a guilty pleasure for many.
Over its entire run, there hasn’t been a single whisper questioning the reality of the show. Television will go to great lengths in order to ensure viewers, but faking hoarding isn’t one of them. For what it’s worth, Hoarders is probably one of the most real reality television shows out there.
Fake: Love It Or List It
Love It Or List It had a pretty interesting premise and was educational. It showcased the sometimes over-the-top competition between an interior designer and a realtor. While the first one focused on decorating the homeowner’s existing house, the latter found a new one. In the end, contestants had to choose between their newly decorated house or the new one found by the realtor.
The show was on the air for a few years, but soon enough plenty of relevant information came up. Including a couple who sued the show for leaving holes and paint in their house, and another contestant who disclosed the show filmed both potential endings and chose the one the producers liked best, whether it was true or not.
Think It’s Real: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Very few reality home shows leave us weeping and holding our chest quite like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition did. There’s a reason why the show aired for nine seasons and won two Primetime Emmy Awards. And a lot of it had to do with the fact that the stories of the families who were featured on the show were simply heartbreaking.
But the show was quick to warm hearts when the team worked day and night to rebuild the houses of these families. Similar to other shows on this list, some parts were real while others were fake, according to The List.
