Caribbean Life on TV Jan 1st

I really enjoyed both shows,too! A great advertisement for the beautiful island. (although the heavy colorization isn't true to what it really looks like--- it reminded me of how I always think of St Croix when I remember my happy days there as a teenager, like remembering the past through rose colored glasses 🙂 AND I enjoyed the vibrant colorization of the corals because that's the way I remember them looking years ago instead of the more greyish colors of now...I don't dive so I haven't seen the really pretty colors in a long time)

Chris did a great job! I noticed my husband was checking air fares not long after the show, lol. The island looked so clean and pretty 🙂

...(although the heavy colorization isn't true to what it really looks like--- it reminded me of how I always think of St Croix when I remember my happy days there as a teenager, like remembering the past through rose colored glasses :)...

If you're referring to the turquoise water color, it really does look like that under the right conditions: The sun needs to be high up, and you need to view it through a polarized lens, which reduces glare on the water surface so you can see what's underneath. I see those colors almost every day by wearing polarized sunglasses. It really enhances the scenery.

I was waiting for someone to point that out. Couples gave Chris a set requirement,and only one of the 3 meet their requirements.

The couple with 3 kids wanted a yard, and he shows them something on a hillside with no yard? Really?

I've used several agents over the years,and run into the same thing, unfortunately...

Aren't these shows a bit of a setup? It's possible southgate was their choice from the start and the carambola properties were picked just to be showcased in the show. I wouldn't be surprised if hgtv was paid to showcase these either by a realtor or carambola?

I was waiting for someone to point that out. Couples gave Chris a set requirement,and only one of the 3 meet their requirements.

The couple with 3 kids wanted a yard, and he shows them something on a hillside with no yard? Really?

I've used several agents over the years,and run into the same thing, unfortunately...

Aren't these shows a bit of a setup? It's possible southgate was their choice from the start and the carambola properties were picked just to be showcased in the show. I wouldn't be surprised if hgtv was paid to showcase these either by a realtor or carambola?

They absolutely are a setup. Mike Ziegler had already bought his house and lived in it for two years when he was asked to do the show, "re-creating" their buying experience. The "competition" houses that were not to be "bought" were chosen simply for contrast and to make the show more interesting.

Fyi, my Mom loves these shows. They do a good job of showcasing not only the VI but homes around the world!

Oh yeah. Even though it's a setup, we love the shows anyway. Now also watching the show on island buyers. Very interesting.

Oh yeah. Even though it's a setup, we love the shows anyway. Now also watching the show on island buyers. Very interesting.

I'm watching "Buying Alaska" right now too. You think houses are expensive in the VI! It's a great show.

"Reality TV" is never reality. House Hunters is filmed after the people have purchased their homes (as Julie stated). The Crashers are not done as shown on TV. They do not follow people home and crash the place. A production team goes to the house takes photos & measurements then the actual "crash" takes place months later. The home owners are instructed to keep the outfits they wore to the store so they can be worn again when they film. I still enjoy watching them even thou they aren't what they project.

"Reality TV" is never reality. House Hunters is filmed after the people have purchased their homes (as Julie stated). The Crashers are not done as shown on TV. They do not follow people home and crash the place. A production team goes to the house takes photos & measurements then the actual "crash" takes place months later. The home owners are instructed to keep the outfits they wore to the store so they can be worn again when they film. I still enjoy watching them even thou they aren't what they project.

Oh yeah, it's always a set-up. Like the Duck Dynasty guys were a bunch of frat boy yuppies before they were approached about creating a show for their family duck call business. Overnight they became long-haired camouflage wearers. It's pretty funny - and it always amazes me when people believe that reality is "real." It's just entertainment value. Remember "The Bachelor's" portrayal of St. Croix last year?

I haven't seen that "crashers" show, I'll have to check it out!

There are several Crashers: House Crashers, Bath Crashers, Yard Crashers, Room Crashers & Kitchen Crashers. My friend was on the Bath Crashers. A few months after they were done she had to have some of the work re-done. Doing that in 3 days is just not good construction! At least she could afford to re-do it.

Like Restaurant Impossible.

"We have ten minutes to open, but the tables and chairs still need to be painted" LOL

Oh yeah. Even though it's a setup, we love the shows anyway. Now also watching the show on island buyers. Very interesting.

I missed the first show, but saw the second. I loved it, because it showcased STX. We all know that it was a bunch of BS. Chris showed them Carambola properties when they wanted to be on the east end. We all knew they would "buy" the Southgate place...duh...( Better location. lower condo fees even if the property was not as good)...Insiders already knew what they had bought some time before....

This is no different than the promotion that we see for other "vacation" places. It is not about the real estate or condo fees, it is about living in a great place. Right?

We just watched both episodes last night. I thought it made STX look great! Lots of the stock footage was from other islands so it was funny to have the announcer talking about STX and show a picture of STT harbor, St. Lucia or St. Maarten. It's clear the editors never set foot on the islands and just piece together "pretty" stuff.
Chris did a great job as did the couples (in the second episode the girl was a bit over the top and forced) and it gave people a good impression of STX.

Really, reality TV is not real???:-o Next you will be trying to tell me that Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth fairy are not real.:-(
American Pickers is just as phony. The one here in AZ where they bought the old Air Stream trailer for only $10K, talking him down from $15K or so. Well they did only give him the $10K but they gave him the rest in "production money".
The show where they were driving down the road and saw the old taxi sitting in the front yard - they had somehow found this guy, had him move it out of the garage into the yard so they could "find it".
Still I like watching 😎

OK now you are spoiling it for me.

These episodes were filmed in July -- they did two in Vieques, two in STX, and two in St. Maarten to start...which is why there were clips from other islands in the beginning of the show. The mid-show mix-ups I can't explain. But with the countless hours of footage the editors were dealing with, I thought it was impressive that they got things as "right" as they did!!

The series is scheduled to start March 30th at 8pm STX time.

There was no compensation involved from the sellers or condos for showcasing their properties. And Chris Hanley is a great agent -- the unchosen houses/condos they showed were purely for the show!

I thought they portrayed St. Croix beautifully. Let's get some people down here buying houses and spending money! Good for all of us!