FIVE REAL ESTATE SHOWS THAT DELIVER THE GOODS WITHOUT THE DRAMA

Real estate television has exploded over the past few years, fuelled by viewers' passion and daydreaming for beautiful properties, high-stakes negotiations, behind-the-scenes peeks, and a sprinkle of voyeurism that's sitting in human nature.

Of course, many series lean heavily on the drama, but some watchers crave something else altogether – shows that put the business of real estate front and centre. 

If a little less drama does the trick for you and you’d rather keep your feet on solid ground and focus on the deals themselves, several great shows still offer excitement but with more substance.

Below are some of our top recommendations for real estate shows that manage to entertain and give solid business insight and do's & don'ts in this industry, leaving you both informed and having fun.

1. Selling Sunset

“Selling Sunset" walks a line between drama and real estate, and depending on how you view it, it can lean one way or the other. Released in March 2019 on Netflix, the show follows the glamorous agents of The Oppenheim Group, a high-end Los Angeles real estate brokerage.

The agents take care of luxury properties while having twin brothers Jason and Brett Oppenheim leading the group.

After eight seasons, "Selling Sunset" has perfected the combination of stunning houses with just the right amount of interpersonal tension.

The show started pitting rival realtors Christine Quinn against Chrishell Stause, a former soap opera star with her bubbly personality. A few cast changes later, this show remains as addictive as ever, with millions watching.

Agents, in turn, take a 3-5% commission on every sale, which, given the multi-million-dollar deals being closed on the show, adds up to a pretty penny. According to the U.S. Sun, Chrishell alone banked over $1 million in commissions by the end of 2021 from $15.8 million in sales during the first three seasons alone.

This feat is reportedly topped by another show broker Mary Fitzgerald, who made a commission of $1.8 million that year. 

In addition to real estate, the agents have used celebrity statuses to add brand partnerships with big retailers like T.J. Maxx and DSW, increasing what they bring to the home even more.

2. Stay Here

For a show that's more about the business of home improvement than personal drama, "Stay Here" is a breath of fresh air with its pairing of interior designer Genevieve Gorder and real estate expert Peter Lorimer.

The duo help homeowners reinvent short-term rentals into money-making investments. From houseboats to historic homes, everything about the potential of underutilised properties is shown on this Netflix series that premiered in August 2018.

Every episode of “Stay Here” gives great tips on how to make improvements to a rental but keeps the focus on how to make profits with beautiful and functional homes. Whether you are a property owner wanting to perk up your listing on Airbnb or just someone enjoying a good before-and-after reveal, "Stay Here" delivers value in an entertaining package.

Since each episode is about a different kind of rental, it's actually a really fun and educational watch for property enthusiasts. 

Given the variety of properties featured, each episode likely costs between $500,000 to $1 million to produce, covering the costs of labour, materials, and travel to different locations across the U.S.

The value of the show lies heavily on Genevieve and Peter. With over 20 years of career experience, her designs range from high-profile residential and commercial projects, which lends serious credibility to her advice on the show. Her unique design aesthetics and experience on the small screen is complemented by

Peter’s decades of property market experience and speciality in innovative marketing. 

3. House Hunters

“House Hunters" has been a staple of real estate television for over two decades, and for good reason.

First airing in 1999, it follows an individual or a family searching for a perfect home while balancing budgets, preferences, and needs. To date, over 1,902 episodes have been released across 249 seasons, making the series currently one of the longest-running and most-watched real estate shows on television, with a reported 25 million viewers every month.

The formula behind this show is straightforward – it traces the buyers as they go house hunting, looking at three different homes and weighing the pros and cons before making a choice. 

Though the show markets itself as largely real, there are some behind-the-scenes tweaks to streamline the process.

For example, many participants have already signed contracts on their homes before filming begins, allowing the producers to focus more on the decision-making process.

Despite this, the properties and reactions are genuine, and the show doesn’t rely on manufactured drama to keep viewers engaged.

One of the unique things about "House Hunters" is that the realtors featured on the show are unpaid. While the agents are all licensed professionals, they do it for free publicity in hopes that the national TV exposure and the media credit they get from the show can significantly boost their careers. 

While there are rumours that the show does not provide any direct monetary compensation to the home buyers featured on the program, the couples and families featured on the show are paid a nominal fee of $500 for their time.

Production for each "House Hunters" episode reportedly ranges from $2 million to $4 million.

4. Tiny House Nation

Minimalism is more than a trend; for many people, it's a way of life. "Tiny House Nation" explores how creative one can get with small spaces. The series, co-hosted by John Weisbarth and Zack Giffin, follows families around America wanting to downsize into tiny homes. With most of the houses being less than 500 square feet, this series shows how functional design can take even the tiniest of spaces and make them functional, stylish homes.

What makes "Tiny House Nation" so engaging must be the ingenuity portrayed. The show hosts work together with the homeowners to build homes that not only look great but also serve particular needs.

The show, which first aired on FYI in 2014, immediately ingrained itself into the hearts of viewers and has developed a dedicated following, particularly after its Netflix release, tapping into the growing trend of tiny house living.

Another unique aspect of “Tiny House Nation” is that it's about affordable and sustainable living. Weisbarth, who revealed that the show has built a house of about 170 square feet for a family of three, did say the cheapest house they have ever constructed was about $40,000, and small homes just may become an attractive alternative for people looking to downsize without breaking their budgets.

5. My Lottery Dream Home

If you've ever wondered what it's like to go on a house hunt after winning the lottery, then "My Lottery Dream Home" is your answer.

With 13 seasons and 158 episodes, the show follows host David Bromstad as he helps recent lottery winners find luxury properties that align with their newfound wealth. While the homes are not usually exotic mansions, to the homebuyers, they are luxurious properties they never could have ever thought they'd afford. 

What makes "My Lottery Dream House" particularly interesting is the juxtaposition between the winners' newly gained wealth and often very relatable preferences.

While they could buy fancy estates, many often still search for homes that feel personal to their tastes and practical for the lives they have come to know.

For instance, one such couple on the series had a $2 million budget, but the problem was finding a home where they could get similar ways of life. The husband preferred the countryside, while the wife wanted something with more urban bling.

With the help of David, a talented interior designer who acquired his fame after winning the 2006 HGTV Design Star, they were eventually able to find just that property that ticked all the boxes.

Another guy named Alex from Texas found his wealth on a casino slot machine in Vegas and decided to move to a Texas beach house (we didn't know that was a thing). In that same fifth season, a newlywed couple in Canada won the national lottery and found themselves in a perfect home in Nova Scotia, granted it was only $1 million in question.

Some fans have expressed their wishes to see this show filmed in Australia as they have a very attractive real estate market, together with the fact that their Powerball lottery is really strong (went up to $200 million dollars at a certain point), as well as the numerous Australian online gaming platforms to hit big like Alex did in Vegas, meaning that there's always some fresh millionaires lurking around.

“My Lottery Dream Home” is one of the highest-rated shows on HGTV. Its production cost is middle-of-the-road, given its formulaic structure of home tours. David reportedly earns an estimated $30,000 to $50,000 per episode and has scored a few significant brand deals, including partnerships with Grandin Road and HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams.

Entertainment Without the Noise - It's Possible

As evidenced in the shows listed above, real estate TV shows don't have to be filled with melodrama to be entertaining.

From the high-stakes world of "Million Dollar Listing" to the educational value of "Stay Here", these series offer a healthy combination of entertainment and business, which leaves viewers with more than a taste for theatrics.

So, if you want to kill some time but still enjoy substance, any (or even all) of them will be well worth your time.