Hands up if you’ve ever lost a couple of hours sitting on the sofa watching a property show? Whether it’s a 30-minute fix or a full-on binge, programmes about other people’s homes are fascinating.
Entire cable channels are dedicated to home renovations, property sales, flipping houses and so on. We just can’t seem to get enough of them.
In this quick read, we look at some firm favourites and why they’re so good.
- Homes Under the Hammer (BBC 1)
Daytime TV is like a warm, snuggly blanket. It’s easy watching and seemingly endless. Homes Under the Hammer is just that. You see properties transform from crumbling bricks and fluorescent wallpaper into homes you want to live in.
Gracing our screens since 2003, there are well over 1,000 episodes, which just goes to show that the fantasy of turning a dump into a dream home is one we all relate to.
- Location, Location, Location (Channel 4)
While some of us tune in to Kirstie and Phil to enjoy their flirty, no-we’re-not-a-couple banter, the rest of us just can’t imagine buying a home without their wise input.
On our screens since 2000, 36 seasons in, and we’re still watching. The journey of unhappy buyer to elated homeowner has proven irresistible and it doesn’t seem like viewers are ready to switch off.
- A Place in the Sun (Channel 4)
Ever fancied running off to Spain and opening a chip shop in Benidorm? Well, many of the participants in this long-running overseas property show have, and we love to see it. People look for homes all over the world, and they all seem to have sun, sea and dodgy tiling in common. Still going strong after 22 years, it seems that viewers have a never-ending appetite for sun-drenched property hunts.
- Property Brothers (various channels)
A firm favourite over in the USA, twins Jonathan and Drew Scott help families find their forever homes. The show always seems to be on a random cable channel, and you can’t help but get strangely invested in finding out whether Billy-Jo and Emily-Sue find their dream property (which is always gigantic in comparison to our UK homes).
While one brother helps on the hunt, the other gets the current property ready for sale – no one knows which brother is which, but who cares, their passion for property is infectious.
- DIY SOS (BBC 1)
Property renovation with a heart, this show is about well-loved homes begging for a much-needed makeover. While many of the changes are made to cater for a family’s needs, this programme combines heart-wrenching stories with good, old-fashioned demos. Amazingly, it’s been on our screens since 1999 (that’s a whole different century).
At Martin & Co, we live, breathe and watch property all the time. So, what’s your favourite property programme? Comment below.
