I guess I'm just completely ignorant when it comes to this topic. I've been watching some of the home improvement type shows on HGTV. How is it that, consistently, these dumpy, 1100-sqft, 80-yr-old, semi-detached homes, in poor repair, can be listed for $400 - $600k? Some of these shows are in Canada, and I guess they film near one of the major cities (they always talk about how they could get more home for their money if they move into the burbs). But, how the hell do these craphole houses list for those prices???

And my second question is, how are these people affording them? I guess when I think of a $600k home, I'm thinking of doctors, lawyers, CEO's, or middle aged dual-high-income couples with no kids. But the other night, this single mother and her four teens lived in this dumpy, tiny, broken-down home, listed at $450k, and her job was making party favors.

What the hell??

They tried to convince her to move, by showing her a $600k house in the burbs, which would be anyone's dream home. Gigantic 5-bedroom house with a walk-out basement and a pool - and it didn't meet her standards, because it was 20 minutes from their current home.

What piece of the puzzle am I missing here?

It's all fake.

Fuckin Canadians

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When was MIB naked in LOST? I didn't think I missed any episodes.

Special DVD extra.

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Don't need it.

Is his nakidness an answer to one of the unresolved mysteries?

Wait, never mind.

you just answered your own question.

naked MIB would've been a good way to end the show. last shot, right after the credits. "Yup, I'm naked! Hi!"

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W_Z yeah I know these shows are all scripted and fake and whatever, but, are they really lying about the home values too? And by a lot? Well, if so it would answer my questions. I thought I could believe everything I saw on TV. It's the interwebs that will lie to you.

Could be a lot of reasons. Inherited the money. Lawsuits are common too.

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Most likely they are lying about the homes values. If they told the truth, the show would be depressing as hell, and no one would watch. Someone on some house-hunting show explained the entire process. You know how they're supposedly looking at 3-4 houses, then making a decision? 100% bull shit. They've already bought the place and/or been living in it before filming.

Also, Parking Wars is real.

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-- source

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I guess people will do anything for their 15 minutes of fame. It just seems odd that people would flat-out lie about every single aspect of the process. So, they lie about the home values, they lie about looking at homes with Realtor David and pretend they're shopping for homes when they aren't, they lie about fighting with Designer Hilary about renovations they don't really care about, they lie about fighting among themselves about those renovations... geez. I guess if you get on TV, why not. Whatever.

Canadian dollars

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

I haven't watched House Hunters lately, but it seemed like a few months ago they were moving in the direction of having more of their home buyers look at short sale and foreclosure properties.

As Dolphin indicated, Property Virgins is mostly filmed in Canada, so prices are listed in Canadian dollars. Plus I think the chick who hosts the show has some kind of interest in overstating the value of the homes she's showing.

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As with all property, the location is the key. If you take Chicago as an example, there were neighborhoods that never experienced the price inflation of the early to mid 2000s. You could take the same 3 bedroom, 1 bath stock bungalow in this city and have huge swings in value depending on where it is located.

I had an in law who had a house with an in ground pool, huge party deck, 10 seat home theater seperate from the rest of a big basement and the house was under 500K because it was located in Aurora. That house would easily be in the 2-3 million range if it were located in my neighborhood. He had it for sale as he was moving out of town. I told my wife I'd be willing to buy that house and build a moat around the property to discourage the local gentry from becoming close neighbors.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

There's a blonde woman who hosts her own show along the same vein as the ones mentioned. She would get it, per Larry Holmes.

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-- source

dolphin and Midget, aren't Canadian dollars on par with US dollars now? But yeah, clearly location is key here, and the lots must be 80% or more of the total price of these homes. I guess what's most remarkable to me (and I know this is quite snooty), is that these homeowners don't exactly strike me as upper-class people, as they sit around in their run-down, over-cluttered, 70s-decor stink hole that is valued at $700k.

every reality show is fake, no need for further explanation

Land value. Land in much of California, for example, will run you several hundreds of thousands of dollars.


It probably cost her much less to purchase it originally, but the value of the location subsequently appreciated.


Location, location, location.

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You can't see me because of internet.

The landowner effectively owns part shares in millions of part-time slaves called, "taxpayers." -Roy L
A Personal Relationship with Jesus?

HUH?

Everything is great! The housing industry is booming! Values are up! The economy has turned around!

Hey, if you missed it....tough shit!

#CHANGE

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

#verdad

Even the Hispanics are on the way up, the only people Obama forgot about are the African Americans.

Or so the NAACP says.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jan/28/naacp-president-black-people-worse-under-obama/

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”