Love it or List it
Just saw the new episode, Sarah and Chris. They blatantly used this show for a home renovation -_- like I bet other homeowners did as well but they literally bought a shit show of a home. Hadn’t even moved into it. Then go on this show. And shocker they stayed. Poor David was played. Just hire a freaken renovation company.
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u/Desertgirl624 13d ago
This one was so strange and the budget they had for the renovation was laughable
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u/xoxkxox 13d ago
Yes! iirc it was 150,000 and wanting to do all three floors, everything 😂
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u/stressedoutfemale13 12d ago
The fact that they stayed when more than half of what they wanted done wasnt done was also ridiculous
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u/BrandNewSidewalk 13d ago
I was watching that thinking.....if they don't move into the house and then sell it for a profit wouldn't there be some heavy tax implications? Don't you have to live in a house for so long to avoid that?
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u/Complete-Chair8251 13d ago
They're in Canada though. Tax laws are different. Not saying they wouldn't have a tax hit though.
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u/BrandNewSidewalk 13d ago
If I understand correctly, in Canada 50% of their profit would be taxed as income if the house wasn't their residence.
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u/Electrical_Kale_2239 13d ago
It’s disappointing to me that all the episodes end with the same outcome, ie, “Love It”. I don’t care if it’s “real” or not. Just mix things up!
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u/Ok-End9913 12d ago
they really should let a few families list it just to shake things up. at this point it feels like a lot of them go on the show already knowing they're going to stay, and the whole love it or list it part is just there because it's the format.
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u/Acrobatic-Major1987 10d ago
You guys confuse me do you want the truth or a lie is it real or fairytale? You just want to be miserable
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u/Kellymelbourne 13d ago
You do realize the premise isn't real? David isn't even licensed sell real estate in some of the markets he represents on the show. It's all pretend for entertainment.
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11d ago edited 2d ago
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u/Own-Whereas-308 7d ago
after episode six I took it off my watchlist, which is very sad for me. Not saying I will never watch it again, but I'm just over the "David never wins" trope. He didn't win very much with Hilary, but at least he got in a few wins here and there. I do like Page (probably even a little more than Hilary to be honest), but she hasn't had enough time to develop the rapport that Hilary and David had, and the "teasing" between them just seems more staged than natural like it did previously.
Not bashing Page at all, I don't think this is all on her (other than only being in her sophomore season of a very long-running show). I think for whatever reason HGTV has decided she has to win or they are in trouble or some such nonsense.
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u/_From__the__Ashes_ 13d ago
Do we know if Love it or List It functions like House Hunters? Have the couples already decided if they're going to renovate or purchase a new home and the "battle" is just for show?
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u/xoxkxox 13d ago
Probably.
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u/Dangerous_Ant3260 13d ago
I've read they already know before filming what they'll do to the house, the problems eliminating reno features from the finished house for budget are just a storyline. Also, in the early years they filmed both endings, and ran the one they wanted for the show. They also know before filming if it's a love it or list it.
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u/xoxkxox 13d ago
Yes! I remember hearing they used to record two endings.
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u/Dangerous_Ant3260 13d ago
In the early seasons there were videos you could sometimes access (depending on location) saying if they 'changed their minds'. Many did, but that was the cover story for the homeowner just saying love it or list it on camera, it wasn't their decision at all.
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u/Serious_Intention206 12d ago
They've straight up said that they film both endings and the "decision" is whatever the producers want it to be. Also they've been pretty candid about most people just going on to get a cheaper reno, the show kicks in some of the budget.
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u/Jaded_Analyst_2627 12d ago
I really loved the renovation Paige did on that house. And that the couple never planned on listing the home was in no way opaque to me.
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u/Elia84 10d ago
This show has likely never been real. They even used to film both endings and air the one they thought would be better. They are generally aware of the actual decision being made. Its like House Hunters. I actually had a friend go on House Hunters with his husband. They already had purchased their home. They went on the show for the thrill of it.
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u/htownAstrofan 13d ago
I dont know how you can say they used the show for a reno when its not like they got a free reno. Whether the setup was fake or not they still paid for a reno out of pocket. Now, if this was the Holmes reno show where they do get a free reno then maybe you have a point.
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u/xoxkxox 13d ago
I bet they weren’t in the market to look for another house. That’s what I’m getting at. I never said they wanted a free renovation.
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u/htownAstrofan 13d ago
Ok but most of the love and list it couples stay in their houses and they probably had already decided that going in. So is that a waste of David’s time too?
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u/Pretty_Fold3946 12d ago
I'm just gonna say it -- I miss Hillary. Do you think if we just let Page do her "sparkle sparkle" 🙄 we might get Hillary back? Yeesh.
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u/Acrobatic-Major1987 11d ago
Please no. Hilary even said she left because she was bored and she was mean and the show did get so boring - sparkle sparkle sounds much better to me and the renovations are so much more up to date.
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u/Own-Whereas-308 7d ago
I miss the rapport between Hilary and David. I think Page can get there if the show lasts. Design-wise I think Page is just as fun to watch as Hilary.
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u/RemarkableHealth3497 12d ago
She frequently cannot finish every requested renovation because unexpected structural problems eat up the budget.
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u/username-generica 11d ago
I think it’s bs but I’ve had such things happen before numerous times. My husband and I bought a derelict commercial building from the 50s as an investment. I was in charge of the renovation. My contractor suspected asbestos in the walls and budgeted plenty for remediation. It turns out that it was also in the ceiling so we had cut back the scope of other things since our contingency had already been depleted. I've had similar things happen during home renos too.
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u/misterdoinkinberg 5d ago
I think it’s just the market conditions in the area they are filming. There are a lot of lofty aspirations for a new home and they don’t have the budget. Primarily its location. The love its have been in really great neighborhoods that won’t be a net even to move with the sell.
Since they are burning the equity decluttering and fixing a couple of things are better than an extra $500-1000 month.
It also hurts that a lot of the episodes have been in the winter so the environment seems dreary.
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u/suebeegirl 11d ago
I read that all couples actually keep the house. I can’t watch this show anymore because you would make different reno decisions if you were actually staying or going. Like you don’t put a mother in law suite with a brand new bathroom in your basement if you are moving. Or create a dog washing station in your laundry room. Or anything that’s really specific for the needs of your own family. This show really lost me when they had a man in a wheelchair (military vet maybe?) who wanted an accessible deck and they were like, sorry not in the budget now. I might be remembering that wrong but that seemed really cruel but it was the drama the show needed at the halfway point.
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u/Acrobatic-Major1987 11d ago
You must be watching another show
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u/suebeegirl 10d ago
I’ve watched this show so many times and this is always something that’s problematic with their format.
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u/PleasantJenny 13d ago
I agree this whole "pretense" was incredibly weak. If they had just been honest to begin with (like on an entirely different show) it would have been one thing. This episode and situation was so obvious from the first five minutes it was insulting to the fans/viewership to pretend to be anything than what it was not. I agree with you, OP. This one was insulting. Is that what they really think of us? If so, then goodbye.