HGTV Show Fixer Upper vs Reality

[Neil Henderson]

So, in trying to get my spouse motivated about investing in real estate, (her eyes tended to glass over when I tried to explain BRRRR) I asked her if she wanted to start watching reruns of the show Fixer Upper from HGTV. Worked like a charm, within one episode she was talking about how much she thinks she would enjoy rehabbing properties. Great success!! Now, the caveat is, I know many of these shows can be pretty far from reality. Are there any especially egregious falsehoods that these shows propagate to watch out for?

[Roy Oliphant]

Fixer Upper is a unique show in that they operate in a small community and have been in that community for many years.  They do show what is possible with major rehab dollars and are pretty fair with the actual costs (again market specific).  Still it is probably more relevant to most markets than Flip or Flop where the California market makes everything a win as long you overspend, take too long and have really pretty furniture when you do the open house;)