HGTV is really good at setting us up for ambitious daydreams about buying a house, renovating, and decorating. Their shows are engaging, funny, and inspirational.
While the network has seen a scandal here or there over shows like Fixer Upper, its audience remains broad and supportive. However, real estate professionals are cautious and want people to aim a little bit lower in their expectations when it comes to homes.
Fox News examined the ways HGTV may be deluding some people who rely on what they’ve seen on TV as a guide. Here are just a few of the false perceptions that pros wish the network would stop promoting:
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Walls Tumble Easily
They don’t. You’ve seen it again and again: sledgehammers knocking down walls all over the place. That’s not the norm for many houses as those walls could be load-bearing, house plumbing units, or be a necessity for other reasons. Open floor plans are not a possibility for every home.
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Coffee Shop Negotiations
Wrapping up deals over lattes and scones is not how the home-buying process goes down. Real estate agents want you to know that there are many email and phone call exchanges that take place over weeks, sometimes longer. And if you’ve ever bought a home, then you know at times you felt like pulling your hair out – like when the closing date was pushed back for the fourth time.
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Renovations Equal More Equity
Hold your horses on those dreams of your home value going up automatically. Spending big, big bucks on renovations doesn’t always equate to a huge return on your investment.
Those TV numbers are a bit inflated for your entertainment. Instead, pros recommend that you take your time and start with small projects.
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Negotiate Home Price to Accommodate Renovations
The seller cares about comps in the neighborhood, not how much money you want to save for possible renovations. Therefore, the process of making an offer way under the listing price isn’t as sound as it seems on TV.
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Budgets are Realistic
Yeah, you can’t get everything you want for your kitchen makeover for $5,000 or less. Marble countertops? A stainless steel fridge that talks? Custom cabinets? Someone has to be paid for design work, materials, installation, and more. Much of what you see on TV is loaned, staged, or prearranged work with a vendor.
We have to admit that we love when a home improvement project comes together and HGTV makes house shopping look like so much fun. Million-dollar summer home in Barbados? Count us in! But before you start applying for home loans or try to jump into the house-flipping business, be prudent.
Click on this video to hear more ways we should probably check our expectations according to industry pros. Your contractor, real estate agent, and carpenter will appreciate it, and you could also be saving yourself from some disappointment.
Are you an avid watcher of HGTV’s shows? Do you agree with the concerns of real estate industry folks? Which HGTV shows do you feel are the most authentic?