Skip to main content

It may not be as flashy as My Lottery Dream Home or as exotic as Beachfront Bargain Hunt, but there’s something incredibly comforting about watching show hosts David Visentin and Hilary Farr work their magic on Love It or List It. The show is currently in its sixteenth season, proving fans really do want to find out if homeowners plan to stay or go.

The needs of homeowners and the size of their home-buying and renovation budgets vary from episode to episode. But one element is always the same: the show is always filmed in various areas of the same American city.

Do you know where it is?

Hilary Farr and David Visentin
Hilary Farr and David Visentin | Raymond Hall/GC Images

‘Love It or List It’ always follows the same formula

One reason that viewers both love and hate Love It or List It is the absolute predictability of each episode. The premise of the show is that two homeowners disagree on whether to renovate their house or purchase a new one. Designer Hilary Farr does a massive renovation to convince them to stay, while real estate expert David Visentin shows them new properties to make them want to move.

David and Hilary bicker like siblings during each episode, which some fans can’t stand. But the competitive aspect of the show is part of the appeal. Plus, these two show hosts have become friendlier and less over-the-top with their insults in recent seasons.

The show is filmed in North Carolina

Though the hosts and show participants don’t mention it often, the HGTV website confirms that all episodes of Love It or List It are filmed in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. And there’s also a reason why everyone on the show has a massive budget to work with. Here’s what HGTV says in the casting call:

“Applicants must live in Raleigh-Durham or within a 45 minute drive of the Triangle in North Carolina, and have a reasonable renovation budget to be considered.”

It makes perfect sense that producers would choose this affordable yet thriving city to showcase a variety of home types and budgets!

Is ‘Love It or List It’ fake?

Like almost every other show on the network, Love It or List It does have a few elements of creative editing that make it not quite real. For example, it always Hilary always runs into an unexpected problem during the renovation. David always manages to show the couple one more “dream house” just before the big reveal. Oh, and the homeowners might not even wind up doing what they say they’re going to do at the end of the episode.

“My aunt and uncle were on Love It or List It,” one Reddit user revealed, “They had them record both endings and the network chose which one they thought was best. They are still in the house and they love it, but the show says they listed it.”

It feels a little bit like betrayal, but either way, the show is a joy to watch.

Catch new episodes of Love It or List It on Monday nights at 9 p.m. EST.

Best in Entertainment