Real Estate Reality Shows Reflective of the Bust

August 27, 2009

Several networks, including HGTV and Bravo created real estate reality shows before the real estate bubble burst, which they have now had either to cancel or postpone until the market turns around. Many stations are running their reruns of old shows, which almost seem to poke fun at the failed economy.

Critics say that the shows paint an unrealistic picture of what the real estate in this country looks like. TV programs such as HGTV’s “House Hunters International” participants sell their homes in the United States to buy homes in foreign countries. However, with many Americans struggling to sell their homes, many critics have complained that the show’s reruns fill viewers with false hopes.

In a recent article in Business Week, reporter Chris Palmeri, praised shows such as HGTV’s “Real Estate Intervention,” where the host convinces homeowners that they cannot sell their house at the high price that they had hoped. He believes that reality programming should reflect the vulnerability of the market.