House Hunters (1999– ) User Reviews

Always entertaining...

[Doylenf · 7/10 · 24 November 2010]

Especially when you get to see the interiors of so many differently styled homes, some with breathtaking oceanfront views or distant mountains and valleys providing the terrace with eye candy.

What gets me is the insistence that no kitchen is complete or saleable without granite counter-top, that every home has to have at least three bathrooms, that a master bedroom is too small if it's anything less than 14' x 18', and that any room featuring wallpaper is an absolute no no.

Interesting too, to see couples (interracial, hetero or gay) viewing the properties together, some couples looking about as ill-matched as you could possibly imagine but obviously each couple totally committed to living together indefinitely in homes that range from 200,000 to 1.5 million of U.S. dollars, and often basing their decisions on how big the yard is for their beloved dog or how safe the yard is to accommodate kids and pets when it lacks a proper fence.

Even more fascinating is House Hunters International which shows the vast difference in standards between European and American real estate markets, along with some gorgeous scenery in exotic settings which compensates (sometimes) for a certain lack of craftsmanship in utilities.

Very repetitive and staged

[drewstewartcolumbia · 7/10 · 19 May 2018]

This show is great if you need a nap. It alleges to follow couples and family in the search for a new home every show sticks close to the same exact formula. At the beginning, viewers are introduced to the couple searching for the home telling the audience thei background, jobs, family size and why they're seeking a new home. They always work with a real estate agent who shows the buyers three properties giving them the asking price of each home, which doesn't necessarily reflect the home values in the areas where the buyers are searching. At the end of episode, the buyers are seen talking over coffee. The dialogue is always the same at the end. The buyers start their conversation," We have a huge decision to make." The conversation progeseses to, "Which house meets our needs the best?" One of them states a problem they have with said house along with why they don't like it. Occasionally they'll bicker about the budget and the kitchen and bathroom space before making up and before saying, " I guess we need to call the realtor." Then they wrap the show with an update with the newly minted homeowners showing how much they like their new place. Sounds plausible, right?

But in reality the couples seeking the houses already live in their chosen home and show is entirely staged. Several former producers and home buyers have corroborated this. That said it does give viewers the Nickel version of how the home buying process works, but a reality series it isn't.

Real estate fiends unite

[ajazmine-80893 · 7/10 · 6 September 2020]

If you love real estate like me this is the show for you. It feels like a guilty pleasure when watching because it's so trashy some times 😂

Spoiled Brats

[leaselee · 14 June 2008]

In general, is anyone else sick and tired of all these WHINEY rich kids whose Mommy and Daddy are obviously paying for the houses these spoiled brats are "buying" on this show?

My husband and I are both professionals raising two children, and BARELY getting by, while these snotty twenty-somethings are on the show "buying" houses that they cannot possibly afford. Does House Hunters have something against real, working families, or are these spoiled kids all part of the House Hunters extended family (producers, writers, executives etc):

In closing, please put some real people with real incomes on your show to at least give it a modicum of reality. Enough is enough of couples who are "musicians" or "artists" or "party planners" or other such nonsense.

Join the REAL world!!!

Very good show but bad taste

[freshysequa · 6/10 · 1 March 2024]

So whenever I'm traveling I always end up running into this show as I don't have a normal television set at home. I really like this show I think when I watched it I thought it was the lottery show about building your own house but it wasn't. I really like this show the episode that I originally saw was a good one and then I watched the marathon and one thing I noticed around the 3rd episode a lot of people don't know what they're talking about on this show. I'm not talking about the real estate sales people. I'm talking about the people who think they know what they want. It kind of makes the show a little bit hard to watch or a bit hard to swallow or a bit bitter or sour or whatever you want to call it it kind of sours it a little bit. A lot of the people in there say really nasty things about some of the homes that they walk into. There's really nothing that bad about the home but the way they tear down The house's character I feel is unnecessary. We get it you don't like the house it's your money it's your dream and all of that but sometimes the house just isn't for you I feel like it's really tasteless and distasteful how they speak about some of these properties if you don't like it just don't buy it. Also a lot of these houses are good and they don't seem to see it. They just want something that they can't afford and they just can't accept the fact that they can't afford what they want. A lot of people have really bad taste on this show. But because the real estate sales people are good they're not going to have them walk away with something that bad. Which is refreshing on my end because if I were to buy a house and someone showed me houses and my own budget and a lot of them had that look to it you know I'd be happy about that. These people seem more on the ungrateful side and I think that irritates me. But the show is very good at some things just to see what houses are on the market maybe put yourself in the position that you might get to look at some homes.every once in awhile by the way, someone with a good taste comes along. On the episode I'm watching this one person's mother is really trying to tell their kids right and they're just not listening and a lot of times average people don't know anything about stuff but this mom really knows what she's talking about she's trying to look out for a kid and he's just so ungrateful.

Fun show

[blanche-2 · 9/10 · 26 August 2007]

"House Hunters" is a great show on HGTV with a simple concept - house hunters look at three homes and choose one, discussing the pros and cons in between. Hosted by the lovely Suzanne Wong, there is something very involving about this show and some other HGTV offerings, such as Designed to Sell, Buy Me, and How Much is My House Worth.

I think it's the couch potato aspect combined with fantasy that works well for this show and others on the network. We can pick our own favorite house and then say things like, "I knew they'd pick that one," or "They're idiots" when they choose, and we can also discuss how much money we think they have while asking the age-old question, "What is the big deal with hardwood floors and granite countertops?" (Without them, your house may as well go into foreclosure.) And we can listen to them carp about the color of the rooms - as if they aren't willing to paint. When the home owners are revisited in the new place later, we are able to analyze their taste. This all easily replaces looking out the window while the new neighbors are moving in.

The house hunters themselves are usually delightful people with whom the audience identifies, though not only. Many of them have pets, and if they don't, they usually acquire them once they move. So one can ooh and ah over babies and puppies. HGTV is onto a good thing.

My top 3 favourite show

[janedel-49133 · 9/10 · 23 July 2020]

Love to watch this show! We are absolutely addicted to this in my house. Shows the fun side of real estate!

Full of Endless Complaining

[nicholas-179-871862 · 1/10 · 28 December 2015]

I have now seen a few episodes of this show, and at first I thought, 'I'll watch at least 10 episodes before making a judgment.'

Well, here is the judgment.

Each episode contains a family looking for a house. Sounds like a good idea. But where it falls apart is the people.

They endlessly complain about the most trivial details.

Two of my least favourite quotes from a family on this show are: "I don't like the basement" "I don't like dining rooms. They're a waste of space." In response to the first quote, just don't go to the basement! In response to the second quote, this is a dining room, a deeply rooted convention.

But what makes these complaints even worse is that these houses are incredibly expensive. People, you have the opportunity to buy an expensive house. Be even a tiny bit grateful!

In summary, this show is full of endless complaints.

I wish I could rate this negative with all the being of my soul. 0/10!

EDIT: The exact same can be said for House Hunters International.

Quit Whining Already

[holly-rock · 2/10 · 26 February 2009]

My friend TIVOs this show so I am subjected to it every time I visit. Will somebody please tell these annoying crybabies to shut the flock up already? For God's sake, people are losing their homes every day and all they do on this show is hiss and moan about the counter tops, the paint, the appliances...You have all this money to buy an otherwise really great house and you are worried that the stove isn't pretty enough? Hello, here is a scientific breakthrough--wait for Home Depot to have one of its no interest for 12 months deals and get the one you want. Oh, the family room is too small! You know what is small and uncomfortable? The tent cities that once-proud homeowners are forced to live in now.

Why do the people on the show whinge so much.

[janelliottharvardsec · 19 August 2017]

I have been watching this show for sometime now I am always amazed at why Americans complain so much. Why is it so important to have a granite counter top etc etc. Also, if things don't suit them then they should be prepared to pay more. I have been in Real Estate and realise you can have everything you want if you have the money, if not, just compromise.

hmm...

[dion_pangallo · 5/10 · 12 August 2020]

Sometimes good, sometimes not so much and sometimes its downright dumb.. I have lived in several cities in america and can say from experience, some of these prices are highly inflated.. and yeah we know "its a sellers market".. "its a hot market right now".. "be quick with your offer" etc etc blah blah yawny yawn yawn n please

A trainwreck of American society

[SP-10 · 1/10 · 26 March 2023]

For 20 years, Americans have been led to believe that buying a home is a winning investment. This show is nothing more than amalgamation of propaganda for realtors, mortgage brokers, home depot sales, designers and contractors. Everything is easy. Everything is a great investment, simply sign of the dotted line for your "dream". Our Federal reserve system (from Greenspan, Bernanke, Yellen, Powell) has created artificial low rate environment and mortgage bailout mentality that allows older boomers to cash-in and younger generations to make foolish decisions. Having just watched "Reality Check in Seattle" from 2022, I have to wonder how long until next implosion occurs ala 2008. A young artsy, craftsy wannabe bee-keeper buys home for 10% over ask at $850k that needs tons of work as well as roommate to afford it. Mom was on-board though. Peak crazy. House hunters is a joke.

Get the negative people off the shows..they are ruining it

[nycky-00974 · 19 November 2017]

I agree with a lot of the other reviews. I love seeing all the different homes and places. But I can not stand the people. Complain about everything. I am not using that bathtub cause it has a gold faucet and so on. I am getting to where I turn it a lot. I cant handle all the negativity through the whole show. I understand there are things you may not like but these people just acting ungrateful!

Realistic

[ncgckvms · 4/10 · 30 April 2023]

I've been watching House Hunters for years. It's time to stop watching is because it's not realistic at all. Most of the time they're not shown what they want. Choices are given but it's far reached and the things that they're scripted to say is either dumb or not the way the average person talks when deciding on their home. The show should come across as real as possible and don't show the home that they're going to choose in the beginning. Sometimes I think that the home is already theirs and that they just remove everything and then put it back after the choices are made. We realize that it's tv and people can't say anything, but come on, sometimes they say the silliest things.

LGBT House Hunters

[shilohryder · 1/10 · 22 February 2020]

The number of gay couples appearing on this show is far more than the percentage of gays in the population. Far over represented. Now a throuple? Really?! Done

ALWAYS THE SAME

[svanvlymen · 23 October 2023]

I loved this show, but then I realized it's scripted. EVERY SINGLE COUPLE wants opposite things, dead giveaway that it's scripted. The wife and husband HAVE TO say they want opposite things in a house. I quit watching wh Enjoy I realized this, then I read the reviews that the couples probably have already picked the house they won so the whole show who is built around the house they picked plus two more. Disappointing to say the least.

I really enjoyed house, hunters international, but I suppose it is the same deal with them. They have already selected their house or apartment, and the show is built around that.

Bore hunt

[ThunderKing6 · 1/10 · 30 September 2021]

Who cares?

It's boring. It seems like anything can be a show and the sheep will love it.

This show shows real estate prices from 2016!

[sclouis · 1/10 · 14 August 2023]

It appears that HGTV wants you to believe you can buy a 2bd/2bth in Panama City Beach for under $300k. That's absolutely not true! When was this aired originally? Probably in 2016? Certainly NOT 2023!

A 2bd/2bth in Panama City Beach at any of the resorts mentioned in the show goes for about $550k in today's dollars. Shame on you HGTV!

I purchased a property there in 2016 and wanted something under $180. I could only find a 1/1. 2/2 were about $220-$280 at the time. But NOW a 1/1 is about $400k and a 2/2 is about $500k. So it's really wrong that HGTV is airing this episode now. Prices are not accurate!