It’s wild to think that House Hunters has been airing for 249 seasons. The real estate series, which premiered on HGTV in 1999, pairs prospective buyers with top real estate agents and follows them throughout the entire house-hunting process. For viewers at home, it can be an immersive experience for both aspiring homeowners and those who are in the middle of looking for a new place to call home themselves.
Sometimes it takes stepping into someone else’s shoes to reprioritize your checklist of wants and needs in a new home. For instance, your stance on walk-in showers or kitchen peninsulas may change. You may fall in love with open floor plans or the luxury of a hidden fridge. House Hunters may also inspire you to instate a no-shoe rule in your household.
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While the HGTV series allows viewers to go house hunting from the comfort of their couch, it also provides an inside look into people’s controversial home-touring habits. In a new Reddit thread about house tour etiquette, fans are blasting prospective buyers and agents for having “absolutely disgusting” behavior on House Hunters.
Several fans agreed that their biggest pet peeve is when people don’t remove their shoes before touring homes on House Hunters. They also have a gripe with those who keep their shoes on when testing out the shower or tub.
“I understand wanting to see if a shower fits you height wise but there are people still living in those houses that they are looking at. Can’t they at least take [off] their shoes before they walk into someone’s shower or climb into someone’s tub?” asked one user.
Another chimed in, adding, “And when it’s raining, they go out on the back deck and back in the house with wet shoes on the carpet!”
It’s an easy fix, according to viewers at home. Many said they wouldn’t find the behavior unsettling if the cast wore disposable booties over their regular shoes. “At the very least, provide disposable foot covers for the potential buyers,” pleaded one person.
A Reddit user who recently sold their home shared that their realtor provided “a basket with disposable shoe covers and a sign” to avoid this exact issue.
“I personally hate that people on all HGTV shows wear their shoes in the house,” reads another comment.
“People in the US in general, wearing their shoes on in the house is disgusting,” one person wrote. “Like a bunch of wild animal bringing outside street garbage to your floors lol….Savages.”
Shoes aside, multiple people also took umbrage with prospective buyers testing or “plopping down” on beds.
“The thing I don’t like is when the potential buyers plop down on the beds,” a person shared in the thread.
Users were quick to like and agree with the comment, one of whom explained: “Bedrooms are one of the most private spaces a person can have. The thought of a stranger plopping down or rolling around on my bed makes my skin crawl.”
A fan was so turned off they sent a letter to House Hunters‘ network.
“Absolutely hate this and I actually wrote HGTV about this, absolutely disgusting and I hope HGTV provides cleaning for the people nice enough to allow their houses to be shown,” they said.