Is Love It or List It Real or Fake?

Love It or List It‘ is one of the many HGTV shows which makes for comfort television. The premise is simple – homeowners are faced with the conundrum of whether they want to renovate their property or put it on the market and search for a new abode. Enter Hilary Farr and David Visentin. The former is an interior designer, while the latter is a real estate agent. They both try to convince the homeowners of individual points of view – Farr attempts to make splendid renovations while David tries to find their dream home.

Naturally, there is some rivalry between the two, which draws viewers to the show. Despite the ‘Team Hilary’ and ‘Team David’ distinctions, many have raised their voices about ‘Love It or List It’ being scripted. We are here to settle all doubts.

Is Love It or List It Scripted?

There have been several complaints that the series is scripted, so let us examine them one at a time. Viewers have pointed out the predictable pattern in every episode. Renovating and looking for a house cannot be formulaic, yet ‘Love It or List It’ makes it so. We see that every homeowner starts by not trusting Hilary’s plan while the first house David shows is automatically rejected. Farr also runs into a significant problem when it comes to the construction or finances, and has to abandon one major renovation idea. By the time Farr is done, David has found the perfect house, and the couple has to choose. The repetitive structure shows how HGTV relies on what’s entertaining, rather than what’s real.

An even more concerning allegation is that ‘Love It or List It’ films two different endings. A netizen commented that their uncle and aunt were on the show, and though they continue to live in their old house, after renovations, the series has depicted them moving into a new home. On that note, there is some interference from producers – as expected. They tell couples to fight over some decisions, in an attempt to heighten the drama. But, Farr has countered this with the logic that the show condenses a lot into an hour, so we see extremely anxiety-riddled couples in the process. Thus, some drama is to be expected.

Even if we take Farr’s logic into account, the HGTV series still doesn’t redeem itself completely. There have been reports that some of the houses that David shows the couples aren’t even on sale. Perhaps it is not necessary to show places on the market when the series tapes two endings. As far as renovations are concerned, the series pays for part of the process. Moreover, couples do have to move out during this time. But, there is an added caveat – the producers choose the designs for the interiors, and homeowners don’t have any say in the matter. Despite the many charges against the series, it continues to be well-loved, proving that people are willing to look past minor inaccuracies.

Read More: Is Hoarders Real or Scripted?

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