19 replies to this topic

[Lola16]

HGTV's The Unsellables with Sofie Allsopp
From cluttered homes to messy bedrooms, from dated decor to filthy interiors, The Unsellables transforms unsightly and unsellable properties into real estate gems.

This relic showed up on HGTV today as a marathon. I forgot how awkward Sofie is with her odd poses and affected speech. In the earlier episodes, Sofie has some weird side buns when she pulls back her hair. In the later episodes, Sofie has iron straight hair which is less distracting.

[Peanutbuttercup]

it's amusing to me that in the follow-ups, the house has rarely sold, and it's clearly because the homeowners have refused to reduce the price. They complain about lazy realtors, buyers with no vision, their own poor decorating and de-cluttering skills, but none of them seem to grasp the concept that if your house isn't selling, 99% of the time it's because it is priced beyond what the market thinks it is worth.

[lu1wml]

While the dark woodwork in these early 20th century homes is not to my taste, I've seen lots of people raving about it on these shows.
And she painted it white in one house, and also painted (or removed?, I was flipping back and forth) some Craftsman-style built-ins.
Surely it would be a lot easier to paint it if you hated it, than to remove the paint.

[Lola16]

I saw some "new to me" episodes where it looks like maybe this had a 3rd season. Similar premise as the other seasons but this one has a fake open house in the beginning which serves to reinforce Sofie's opinions.

I don't know if they don't give enough time to get a better update or if these houses just don't sell. I like how the long suffering realtors always sigh and complain that they told the homeowners to declutter, depersonalize but they just didn't listen.

Wonder what the contribution from the show is besides Sofie's design and perhaps free labor of the handyman?

[lu1wml]

From a watchable TV point of view, I thought the best of these shows was Buy Me.
I'd love to see the Man in Black back on the air, even in repeats.

[Trey]

I saw some "new to me" episodes where it looks like maybe this had a 3rd season.

The 3rd season took place in the US but I only saw a few episodes of it. First season (or maybe more, but I don't know) in UK, then it was set in Canada which I liked the best, mostly because I liked Anthony who was the carpenter.

And I too would love to see more episodes of Buy Me.

[lu1wml]

I saw several of these today, and at least twice, they repainted a tile backsplash. On one, the painted what looked to be a granite countertop, although it may have been something else, but whatever it was, they painted it.
Unless this was all a setup, there were some dumb-as-bricks homeowners.
One couple had to have it pointed out that their front door, which looked dirty and peeling, and front columns which were peeling too, were turning off buyers.
Several houses had dreadful floral wallpaper.
Sophie's staging couldn't help but be better than what was there to start with.

These were in the US; two in NY/NJ area, one in Charleston, and one in Savannah.

Edited by lu1wml, Jan 4, 2013 @ 9:16 PM.

[Lordloveaduck]

I always hate it on any of these shows when they paint over original woodwork from the early 1900's. They would be far better served by cleaning and polishing it to show off the grain and the depth of the color. Splashing on some generic white paint just looks awful. People who really want a Craftsman house will WANT that original woodwork. Don't screw it up, please, "designers."

[ByaNose]

I think I'm one of those horrible people who like it when they paint the wood trim. Somehow, it just looks fresher & brighter. I think when there is so much wood it looks so dark & uninviting. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. The counter looked nice from afar but I'm not sure what it's like up close & personal. I know you are able to do it with the right primer & paint. I've never known anyone to do though. Both houses were an improvement after the staging. I don't buy that people would have an open houses and throw toys and junk in the fireplace. That's got to be for TV drama, right?

[diydude]

I understand many people's love for original, natural or stained woodwork. Unfortunately, statistically (IIRC), more buyers prefer painted woodwork because it makes an older home appear updated and feel newer. So, if someone's not truly interested in selling or doesn't mind selling after an extended selling period and at a discounted price, ...

When Sophie told the couple that many people said they couldn't believe sellers would show a home in that state, the camera was focused on those dirty clothes on top of the washer. I was thinking, no, the "buyers" couldn't believe you followed the producers' instructions and left all your junk out for filming.

[ByaNose]

Saw two new original shows and the transformations were pretty incredible. That being said, I can't believe people show their homes in the condition they do & want their (high) asking price. I think the makeover budget is $5000.00 so it doesn't seem to take too much to get yor house ready for an open house. Of course, it helps to have a whole crew and some direction in getting it done.

[Lola16]

I saw 2 today, one was a man who wanted to sell the family home (he lived with his parents) so he could finance his wedding. WTF??? The house was a cluttered ugly mess. It was a remarkable transformation.

[Lola16]

The second one was called "nightclub". The walls were dark grey and purple and the trim was black. It was very dark. It would seem that painting the walls a light grey and the trim white would have fixed 85% of the issues with that place. The couple 'got it' so I don't know why they didn't do it themselves other than they didn't want to.

Edited by Lola16, Jan 12, 2013 @ 7:58 PM.

[NYGirl]

I saw a couple of these this morning and I was excited to see a new (for me) show on HGTV.

The woman with the cottage that sold for $399,000.00 was amazing. That house was tiny! She wasn't even using the dining room and the kitchen was so tiny. Her son was using the loft and it was pretty disgusting. At the end they said she sold it right after the reno.

[queenofsnark]

I saw 2 today, one was a man who wanted to sell the family home (he lived with his parents) so he could finance his wedding. WTF??? The house was a cluttered ugly mess. It was a remarkable transformation

I caught that too...first of all, that money will evaporate in the blink of an eye for a six hour event...next, has he heard what the chances of "happily ever after" actually are?

I really do hope he's planning to take a few bucks for a downpayment on a new place...Me? I would have bought the rest of the family out and kept the house...a house is something you can have for a lifetime...a wedding and spouse, well...you know...

[lu1wml]

I saw my dresser on the show with the purple and black condo.
Amidst all the funky furniture, they had a French provincial dresser. In the reveal, they'd painted it white and changed the hardware.
This is probably as close as I'll get to 15 minutes of fame--2 seconds of air time for my dresser.

[queenofsnark]

I saw my dresser on the show with the purple and black condo.
Amidst all the funky furniture, they had a French provincial dresser. In the reveal, they'd painted it white and changed the hardware.
This is probably as close as I'll get to 15 minutes of fame--2 seconds of air time for my dresser.

I saw that epi too...congrats on your brush with fame, lu1wml!!!! That was the only thing in the house that exuded any warmth in the property before Sofie got her hands on it...She did an awesome job.

That episode made me laugh as I thought..."this is what happens 5 years after your home is "crashed""...lol

[ByaNose]

Although, I thought they could have bought new doors for the kitchen but instead they just got some wood and made their own. Somehow, that seems really cheap. In the reveal they looked nice but I wonder how they would look up close? I guess it was an improvement from what they had before. Wouldn't just buying new doors be relatively cheap?

Edited by ByaNose, Jan 13, 2013 @ 12:45 AM.

[lu1wml]

That episode made me laugh as I thought..."this is what happens 5 years after your home is "crashed""...lol

So true.
I enjoyed those That's So 80s and 90s shows, and I know what's going to be on That's So Teens.
Matt was giving one of those tips, and it featured glimmer paint and big decals for the walls. They need to tag that film so they can find it in 20 years.

[gazerguy]

Noticed those cupboard doors, too, ByaNose. Wasn't sure if they were standard size so that could have been the issue and explain why they opted to make instead of buy. Otherwise, you're correct. Labor's usually the most expensive renovation cost so buying them would normally be preferable, depending upon the cost. (Not considering either Sophie's budget or that labor's typically provided by the production company - They had plenty of other possible projects to film, anyway.)

Actually liked the other new episode, the Nightclub home. The upgrades (lol) previously installed by the sellers were permanent so it wasn't simply about decluttering whatever junk probably placed on set for the cameras.