It seems that everyone loves real estate reality shows. They often come up in conversation, with people frequently asking, “Did you know…?” It’s as if everyone is in the loop about what’s been happening, equipped with all this important information about real estate!
I’m a bit of a skeptic and a detective when it comes to real estate, so I always like to double-check the facts whenever I can.
Looking at the Facts
Naturally, it’s more challenging for me to verify the situation in Los Angeles unless I consult with my colleagues there, as I don’t have access to California’s property records. The same goes for London, New York, and Paris.
Those cities may host glamorous shows on homes, but what they present doesn’t compare to the recent influx of reality series produced in Toronto (us being much worse).
One show, which was recently featured on Prime Video, really soured my impression further of these programs. They all follow the same formula and feel remarkably similar. I even know a couple of agents who have participated in reality shows in other areas, and I’ve heard how they are produced and staged. So, there isn’t much truth to them after all!
My approach to real estate, and luxury real estate at that, is to look for lasting quality. Read these blogs to get a better idea of what I mean:
- Lasting Quality in Toronto Homes: Features to Look For
- Sustainability in Real Estate: How to Curate Your Life and Minimize Your Environmental Footprint
- Don’t be Unduly Swayed by Glitzy Condorama
Skewing the Definition of Luxury Even Further
While watching a certain Prime Video show (which I won’t name to avoid encouraging anyone to endure its dreadful content), I noticed how it exaggerated insipid properties in Toronto as if they were exciting and luxurious, when in fact they lacked taste and refinement.
The concept of luxury in Toronto seems to be widely misunderstood, especially over the past decade and a half. Lavish, garish, and gaudy should not be mistaken for true luxury. If the world watches this show, they might think Toronto has no appreciation for beauty, history, or good taste, portraying us as merely a city full of barbarians.
The agents in the show came across as crass and cultureless, behaving in a way that felt uninhibited and forced in front of the camera. There was no magic to be found—just an overwhelming sense of cringe throughout. Were they genuinely speaking like this, or were the scriptwriters trying to make it more appealing? Was it even appealing?
How do you find your own Life of Luxury? Read more about what it means to me right here.
Pretend Scenarios, Homes Not For Sale, Missing Deals
In many of these shows, we often follow a storyline where an agent presents three properties to their clients, with one ultimately being chosen as the final deal. However, I’ve discovered that some of these properties were never actually for sale, or at least not during the time they were being toured. They often serve merely as a contrast to the final selection.
Even weirder, the final deal in the show often never actually happened. There were properties that I recognized immediately from my daily perusing of listings when they were issued on MLS, and I swiftly looked them up.
The show had been produced several months previous to the actual airing of the episode, and these properties had not sold, and were sometimes still on the market! Equipped with all of my real estate agent tools, I could look up who these featured buyers were in the show, what these properties were, and could find out what properties these people actually owned.
In fact, one of the realtor team’s family homes in the show turned out to be a house that was not owned by them, which had been on the market for years, and currently still was!
As a real estate agent and architect, I have a unique perspective when it comes to homes and condos in Toronto. Check out my Condo Chronicles series here to see famous Toronto condo floorplans, and I how I would make them better:
Is There Such Thing as a Good Real Estate Reality Show?
I remember watching a show called “Selling New York” about 10 to 15 years ago. While the scripting was terrible, it offered a glimpse into the real estate business in that city and showcased properties in a way that felt more genuine. There wasn’t the excessive drama we see in today’s shows, nor the behind-the-scenes struggles that often paint agents in a negative light.
Drama Compromises Integrity and Often Doesn’t Result in New Business
How could a successful agent want to be portrayed with such theatrics? While some may find success through this drama, it feels like a compromise of integrity. I certainly wouldn’t want that for myself.
The time required to shoot these episodes consumes a significant amount of the agents’ schedules. From speaking with some who have appeared in snippets on shows like “Cityline,” it doesn’t seem to translate into much extra business for them. However, some people are driven by the desire for fame, and I suppose this is one way to achieve it—albeit a questionable one.
The real estate market is always changing. Find out more about selling your home in today’s market with these posts next:
- The Complete Guide to Selling an Older Home in Toronto
- Selling Your Home in the Digital Age: What Has Changed?
My Two Cents
Anyway, that’s my two cents on these shows. I can’t watch them anymore—except for the Netflix series “The Parisian Agency,” which follows the Kretz family as they grow their real estate company and handle exciting properties in Paris and other parts of France. Honestly, I’ve really enjoyed it for their wholesomeness and the opportunity to listen in French, which helps me practice my second language while appreciating the town where my closest family lives.
However, I haven’t tuned in recently since they began exploring a potential alliance with a British real estate kingpin, Daniel Daggers, whom they are all fawning over like little puppies (so NOT them). His show, also on Netflix, turned me off right away in its first episode—it was absolutely that off-putting. So, maybe that’s it for the Kretz family for me.
Things to Keep in Mind When Watching Real Estate Reality Shows
So, tune in to these shows and wince! The draw-ma of it all… Just remember that much of it is scripted, so don’t consider yourself a know-it-all just because you saw it on TV (and last I checked, there isn’t a Homer Simpson working as a safety inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant)! Better still, spend your time watching something else.
Whether you’re thinking about buying or selling, basing your expectations on what you see on TV is not the way to go about it. For an authentic real estate experience, get in touch with me today. Call 416-824-1242, email robert@lifeofluxury.ca, or fill out the form on this page to get in touch.
Guiding Your Experience
Learn more about how I work with you to create unique strategies that help make your dream lifestyle your actual lifestyle.
