In a world that now has hundreds of television shows, is there anything worth watching that can be of use when thinking about your own real estate and financial needs? The answer is, on balance, no - with some noticeable exceptions.
With so many of you watching these programs, (and on occasion asking my opinion on those shows), here are my thoughts.
First, understand these are hardly reality shows. This genre, be it sports, entertainment, "lifestyle" or now real estate, are heavily edited, scripted and focused on simple sensationalism. These shows are long on sensationalism, short on reality.
Second, most real estate shows are American-based or set in Eastern Canada. Other than being shocked about how absurdly expensive our local real estate is in comparison, keep what you are watching in context.
Third, view most of these shows (if you do at all) as entertainment first - knowledge or insight a very distant second.
This point is key. You simply have to understand that what is increasingly being passed off as information or news is often not. This is also the case in print and on the radio. Our local major newspapers and radio stations are full of paid "infomercials" and "advertorials." Buyer beware - you are being spinned, and not very cleverly.
There are three specialty TV channels I will focus on: Home and Garden TV (HGTV), Slice and the Food Network.
As a gardener, I enjoyed the HGTV more a few years ago when it had far more (and interesting) garden programs. Now it is largely populated by scripted half-hour reality shows focusing on irritating and obnoxious realtors and their "teams." Shows like Big City Broker (featuring Toronto condo specialist Brad Lamb) and The Property Shop (featuring Montreal realtor Tatiana) are simply irritating and focus on these personalities first, a little real estate a distant second. (Although my vote for the most irritating, almost vulgar show about real estate agents is Bravo Channel's Million Dollar Listing, which focuses on three childish California realtors).
My vote for best shows on HGTV are anything with contractor Mike Holmes and Real Renos, featuring Jim Caruk. Both of these shows educate you about good - and extremely bad - residential design and construction. (Keep this in mind when you inspect your own property.)
Other shows, such as My First Home, Dream House and Love it or List It, follow a set format. Watch these and similar shows for entertainment, not applicable market insight. (I note that a new show is about to make its debut.
Entitled Burn my Mortgage, this show will apparently put families through challenges designed to address their overspending habits - and if they look like horses' asses doing it, well so be it. How Canadian).
(Even wonder why there are not similar real estate reality shows centred in Vancouver and featuring our more prominent agents? Could it be that the brokerage community doesn't want this type of focus on our residential prices and what size and value you actually get compared to the rest of the world?)
I have included the Food Network because I greatly enjoy its programs which focus on the business side of the very competitive restaurant industry. Shows like Restaurant Makeover, The Heat, Kitchen Nightmares, Opening Soon, and my favourite, Diners, Dives and Drive-Ins are excellent viewing. They could (and should) be used to teach business and quality control.
There are reasons some businesses fail - and why some succeed. These shows show this - especially the passion and commitment to detail and quality that separate success from failure.
Finally, what show do I recommend the most? It would be financial planner Gail Vaz-Oxlade's Til Debt Do Us Part, seen on the Slice Network.
This is simply the most relevant, blunt and realistic financial show on TV. Timely, topical and right to the point, I would make it recommended viewing in your own home and our high schools.
This is by far the most realistic of all reality shows.
William P. J. McCarthy is president and CEO of W. P. J. McCarthy & Co. Ltd., a Burnaby firm specializing in property management and development.
First, understand these are hardly reality shows. This genre, be it sports, entertainment, "lifestyle" or now real estate, are heavily edited, scripted and focused on simple sensationalism. These shows are long on sensationalism, short on reality.
Second, most real estate shows are American-based or set in Eastern Canada. Other than being shocked about how absurdly expensive our local real estate is in comparison, keep what you are watching in context.
Third, view most of these shows (if you do at all) as entertainment first - knowledge or insight a very distant second.
This point is key. You simply have to understand that what is increasingly being passed off as information or news is often not. This is also the case in print and on the radio. Our local major newspapers and radio stations are full of paid "infomercials" and "advertorials." Buyer beware - you are being spinned, and not very cleverly.
There are three specialty TV channels I will focus on: Home and Garden TV (HGTV), Slice and the Food Network.
As a gardener, I enjoyed the HGTV more a few years ago when it had far more (and interesting) garden programs. Now it is largely populated by scripted half-hour reality shows focusing on irritating and obnoxious realtors and their "teams." Shows like Big City Broker (featuring Toronto condo specialist Brad Lamb) and The Property Shop (featuring Montreal realtor Tatiana) are simply irritating and focus on these personalities first, a little real estate a distant second. (Although my vote for the most irritating, almost vulgar show about real estate agents is Bravo Channel's Million Dollar Listing, which focuses on three childish California realtors).
My vote for best shows on HGTV are anything with contractor Mike Holmes and Real Renos, featuring Jim Caruk. Both of these shows educate you about good - and extremely bad - residential design and construction. (Keep this in mind when you inspect your own property.)
Other shows, such as My First Home, Dream House and Love it or List It, follow a set format. Watch these and similar shows for entertainment, not applicable market insight. (I note that a new show is about to make its debut.
Entitled Burn my Mortgage, this show will apparently put families through challenges designed to address their overspending habits - and if they look like horses' asses doing it, well so be it. How Canadian).
(Even wonder why there are not similar real estate reality shows centred in Vancouver and featuring our more prominent agents? Could it be that the brokerage community doesn't want this type of focus on our residential prices and what size and value you actually get compared to the rest of the world?)
I have included the Food Network because I greatly enjoy its programs which focus on the business side of the very competitive restaurant industry. Shows like Restaurant Makeover, The Heat, Kitchen Nightmares, Opening Soon, and my favourite, Diners, Dives and Drive-Ins are excellent viewing. They could (and should) be used to teach business and quality control.
There are reasons some businesses fail - and why some succeed. These shows show this - especially the passion and commitment to detail and quality that separate success from failure.
Finally, what show do I recommend the most? It would be financial planner Gail Vaz-Oxlade's Til Debt Do Us Part, seen on the Slice Network.
This is simply the most relevant, blunt and realistic financial show on TV. Timely, topical and right to the point, I would make it recommended viewing in your own home and our high schools.
This is by far the most realistic of all reality shows.
William P. J. McCarthy is president and CEO of W. P. J. McCarthy & Co. Ltd., a Burnaby firm specializing in property management and development.
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