We were watching HGTV's House Hunter's International tonight about an American who quit his job in the US to move to Argentina, where he started a successful real estate business, and now needs a vacation home.
Curious about his business, I did a quick Google search and found his story on his website. Clicking around some more on his site, I found a link to renovations, in which he describes how he spent lots of time and effort on a house in Punte del Este. Turns out, it was the same house he "chose" on the TV show. Only the house they showed him (number 2 on the episode) was the same one he highlights on his website, post renovation! They just took down some pictures that he put up after he moved in. It was a total sham!
How many of the episodes are a big fake? Was the episode before about the wine loving couple moving back to Long Island to a new home right on a vineyard too good to be true? Makes you think, doesn't it? Stupid reality TV.
I'm with you Robby. My girlfriend and I were watching an episode last night about a couple from California who moved to Nicauragua (Season 9 Episode 6: A Couple Look for a Home in Nicaragua, Reminiscent of the Hollywood Hills). After 10 minutes of hearing them say "wow" at everything they saw, I got the strong impression that the whole thing was staged. I'm not even sure that the couple is a "couple." Something was fishy. Check it out.
Some of these are staged, the one show that profiled the couple from CA that bought a place in Boquete, Panama was definitely staged,a retired friend of mine that lives in Boquete said the real estate agent that showed the couple the houses is actually a bartender from town and when they bought the condo in Valle Escondido, it was really from a good friend of the husband that owns Valle Escondido to promote his developement, they trade each other favors from what I was told, total bogus episode!!!!
The couple from Nicauragua is soooo fake its just sad. They were not even a real couple!
The shows are a bit staged. My sister was on House Hunters in California a few years ago. About it being fake yes and no. Yes in that the house is already purchased and some are purchased and then renovated. No in that they usually go around to the same houses they were considering or similar ones.
With House Hunters the producer explained to my sister they can't take a chance with production costs so they definitely need to do the show with properties they have already purchased.
In my sister's case she bought the house 1 year ahead of the show so they are all a bit fake. All these shows are the same. Part reality but with production costs/schedules there is no way they can take a chance on things.