Can Lightning Strike Twice? "Buying And Selling With The Property Brothers"

Buying And Selling With The Property Brothers (2012)

Reality TV

The Story:

The Property Brothers (Jon and Drew Scott) return in an all-new series. This time they work on renovating a family home so they can sell, while also trying to secure the next forever home.

And it doesn't quite do it for me.

Of the 2 seasons, available to stream now on Netflix, I've watched a total of 2 episodes.

I'm not sure, maybe it's that there is less Jon renovating and making miracles happen, or that the focus is on the family and will they sell and buy the next house in a timely manner.

Either way, something didn't click with me falling in love with this HGTV Real Estate venture.

Taking the focus off the brothers and putting it on the family....ho-hum...

Also, no offense to Drew and the buying and selling of real estate, but it's the renovations by Jonathan that were the coolest part of the show, and one that gets lost in the new series (from what I could see) as he often just made cosmetic fixes to bring up the resale of the current home.

Fine show, but I've seen better.

Final Grade: B

Something Just Doesn't Click With "House Hunters"

House Hunters (1999)

Reality TV

The Story:

Suzanne Whang takes us on  journey behind the scenes as a realtor and buyer begin the arduous journey of finding their next dream house.

Again, as one who doesn't watch too much television until I stumble across it on Netflix, apparently House Hunters has been on for a decade and change.

That still doesn't make it a great show.

:)

Don't get me wrong, it's fine, but unlike Love It or List It or Property Brothers, there is no quirky Canadian duo to entice the viewer to stick around from episode to episode.

;)

While a slight exaggeration, upon further reflection, maybe not.

We've got different realtors, different people, different reasons in every episode, and while that's fine, there is no dynamic duo leading the viewer to care if these people succeed or fail at what they are doing.

I believe that is the hook that makes those shows work while I found this one to pale in comparison.

There is a handful of episodes now streaming on Netflix. I've watched one, while I've finished all episodes available of the other 2 shows, and both are in the running for Best of the Year honors.

House Hunters remains unfinished, and I'm in no hurry to return to see who buys the next house.

Final Grade: C+

I Wish I Had Some "Property Brothers"

Property Brothers (2011)

Reality TV

The Story:

Drew and Johnathan Scott are a realtor and contractor. What they provide to people looking to buy a home or upgrade their current living situation is a dose of reality:

It will cost you an arm and a leg to buy a move-in ready home that has all the bells and whistles that you want.

However, if you're willing to take a chance on a fixer-upper, the brothers can get you the house of your dreams for a significant savings.

Does it work?

Absolutely.

Both as an idea and a show, Property Brothers is a joy to watch.   What they are able to do is many times nothing short of miraculous.

Johnathan does the lion's share of the work as the contractor, making sure to deliver what the couple is expecting on time and under budget. Every once in awhile a problem with the house (or a crazy owner!) crops up and he has to deal with it, but he does so with a sense of humor and professionalism that makes you wish this guy was fixing your house.

Again, I cannot believe the price of houses in Canada.

:)

A great show that is streaming on Netflix as of this writing, and well worth the viewing.

Final Grade: A-

So Are You Going To "Love It, Or List It" ?

Love It Or List It (2008)

The Story:

Homeowners face the dilemma of moving to something bigger and better, or staying put and remodeling. This HGTV series takes it one step further by enlisting the aid of realtor David Visentin and decorator Hilary Farr. Armed with a series of renovations and what it would take to get them to move, each tackles their part of the job in the hopes of luring the reluctant partner to change their mind and either stay, or go.

But is this show really worth watching?

Yes, yet it is.

Hilary and David are both pleasant to watch, and you can get a lot of tips and ideas on how to decorate or what to look for during your next move.

What does it teach you?

1) Prices in Canada are insane, eh?

Seriously, it seems like every couple lives in a dump.

A dump valued at $650,000 or more!

: /

I'm thinking I need to move to Canada and earn some of their money to buy a dump like that!

2) There is almost some problem in the house that destroys Hilary's budget, and makes her unable to provide all the renovations she planned on.

Seriously, the amount of times she doesn't run into a problem can probably be counted on one hand. So yes homeowners, you aren't alone. Apparently anything that can go wrong will go wrong to the homeowner.

3) Everyone wants to move to a bigger house...in the exact same neighborhood they are in... for about the same price.

Seriously.

The hoops David has to jump through to get people to even entertain leaving their neighborhood (my friends are here... my family is here... my kids like it here...) are astronomical.

Live a little people.

Get out of your comfort zone!

Life is an adventure.

Finally,

4) The homeowners are normally annoying as all get out.

Can't lie about this one, it's amazing the whining and mind-changing these guys do in the course of an episode.

I don't recommend binge watching this show, as those 4 things become repetitive quickly, but taken one or two episodes at a time, it's doable.

I suppose one last thing often happens in each episode as well:

5) The owners make the wrong decision.

Normally they are always offered a better house, not much more than they're spending now, in a newer house with less problems.

Then they get sentimental about how much they love their drafty house... and they stay.

Morons.

:)

Some episodes available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B