AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye HGTV shows

Just curious, anyone know how many of the people featured on the shows actually stay for any period of time?
Tonight is Sienna from Canada.

Love Sienna! She uses the place she chose (I won't spoil the ending) primarily as a rental. But when I met her, she was there staying.

Good show!

House Hunters International's program last night (probably a rerun) featured Belize. QUESTION: When a crew like that comes to the island does the Tourism board do any briefing with them?

The woman narrator mispronounced Ambergris time after time. The real estate agent is a fellow I had never heard of; Dennis (maybe last name Key). He just didn't listen to the buyers requirements; reef side with lots of foot traffic and in town.

The first place he showed her was a Reef Village villa. Although it was OK on the inside it sure didn't present the island in a favorable light on the outside.
The second place was Laz Terraza - beautiful resort a boat ride north and very touristy.
Finally showed her an unit at the Oasis which of course she bought. (Oh, maybe that was the plan all along!) Sienna seems like a lovely addition to our island and I look forward to meeting her.
For local color they showed the Guatemalan women selling blackets - twice. I have a real issue with that as tourists are lead to believe that is Belizean art.
They did show Carve'n Marvin and Robbie (of Chuck & Robbies Dive Shop)and a few street scenes. All in all I did not see this as a good promotion for our town/island.

Its not meant to be a promotional video on San Pedro. Its strictly entertainment.

When people apply to be on HGTV International House Hunters they have already bought the property. Then the show comes and does one shoot where they show comperable properties. The owners or devolpers have to approve the property being filmed. 3 -4 months later the crew comes back and does a follow up shoot with the person now living in their property. The narrator is never here only a producer and a film crew. The end result is edited in the states. Hence misspronuciations of the name and other things.
Again this is for entertainment value only. Sorry if I ruined the effect of HGTV but it is all staged.

We crack up every time there is a Belize episode. We pretty much just watch to see if our friends make it on TV.

On a side note, did you guys ever see the episode where the couple was looking at homes about 100 years old on a steep hill in Italy? The agent tells the couple something ridiculous, and then in his Italian accent says "Believe me or not". Good entertainment there!

And is it just me or do some of the people buy some really crappy properties on that show???

And why don't we ever see Amanda on that show selling a house??????

Haha Rich. HGTV has approached us a number of times but - as you have rightly pointed out - the choices of properties are kinda "fixed." I mean really - when somebody says "my budget is around $300K" and then the realtor is showing them a property "a little over their budget" at $450K - what's that about. Of course a property way over your budget has more amenities, more aesthetic beauty etc. etc.

Some of the phrases that the realtors use are wonderful - I shall attempt to incorporate some into my next showing!

Seriously though, two of the main reasons why we haven't been tempted to participate is because 1)it is a very long process, from people deciding to leave their homes, find a spot overseas, pack up and move and then become established in their new place. And 2) have you ever tried to find comparisons in this town? Everything seems to be apples and oranges - or as we say in the biz - unique!

So basically, if you want to see your local friendly realtors you will have to find us on the island (not tv) doing what we love - meeting real people who truly wish to make the big move - and assisting them every step of the way.

Go to the original MLS group on the island - and you can't go wrong.

Now if you really want to see some entertainment why don't we video Rich while he views property on the island from a height of 2 miles while traveling 120 mph vertically - without the use of a parachute. That's what I plan to do this february!

Amanda..What if the property I am interested in isn't listed with your group?

two of our neighbours in Maya Beach were featured on HGTV Int'l. It is completely staged, as was mentioned before. THe shows producers pretty much tell them what to say. They paid less for the house they bought than was quoted on the show. In fact, all the houses were over-quoted. I do not know what the goal of that is.