TV Tuesday: Lakefront Bargain Hunt

Life's been stressful here lately, with lots of medical problems between the two of us and caring for my father-in-law as he declines. Last weekend, before we ran out for our Sunday visit to help him, I thought of something I'd meaning to try on TV for awhile: Lakefront Bargain Hunt. It did the trick! Both of us have been enjoying watching an episode or two together when real life feels too stressful.

This HGTV show features a couple/family in each episode who are ready to buy a lakefront home. They have a budget--usually somewhere around $200,000-$350,000--and a real estate agent shows them 3-4 houses that meet their needs/wants. That's really about it! Each episode is in a different part of the country, so it doubles as a travel show. The episodes we've seen so far took place in the Ozarks in Missouri, the Poconos region of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Minnesota (Land of 10,000 Lakes!), south Texas, and the Rockies in Colorado. The show is made more interesting by the fact that each region has its own style and type of lakefront housing. For instance, the Minnesota couple were looking for a rustic cabin-style home and had plenty to choose from, while the Texas couple looked at lakefront retreats that looked to us like houses in the suburbs, and in Colorado, only lakefront condos were available in the region in which the  mother and son were looking. As is typical if you've ever gone house hunting with a real estate agent for any kind of house, they usually have one that "is outside your budget, but I think you'll love it!" Each house has its pluses and minuses, and you listen to the buyers discuss what they like and don't like as they go through each house. Then, at the end, you hear parts of their discussion, and of course, the big reveal: which house did they choose? 

We are not usually HGTV people--I think this it the first show we have watched on the network. One reason why this particular show appeals to us is that they're not looking at $2 million mansions on 10 acres of land, but houses, cabins, and cottages that regular people might afford. We've been surprised to see that all of these areas do have some really nice places located right on the water for a reasonable price. It's peaceful and calming to look at these lovely places on the water with docks or beaches. Most of all, it's fun to just escape into a fantasy world and dream of having a lakefront home! This is our new go-to escape from stress, and we can't wait to see where they take us next. Just be forewarned: when we watched the latest episode, my husband starting looking at real estate websites online!

P.S. I was worn out tonight, so we just watched another episode while eating Chinese take-out! This one took place in Oshkosh, WI.

Lakefront Bargain Hunt airs on HGTV, and you can also watch it on Hulu or purchase episodes on Amazon or YouTube. Uh-oh, I just noticed there are 13 seasons! There is also a Beachfront Bargain Hunt show. This should keep us pleasantly occupied for awhile ...

I couldn't find a trailer for the whole show, but here's a short clip from one episode, in Indiana: