On TV, people buy and sell (sometimes clothed, other times not), renovate and even flip homes. Real estate/home improvement programming has increased in recent years, in terms of volume and total average viewership. The expansion of the genre really seemed to take off with the booming housing market of the early to mid 2000’s. ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover Edition and MTV Cribs were two of the early ones, and the genre has since expanded to include programming across a variety of networks, namely HGTV. This also includes the new FYI network, which named the winner of its reality competition series Rowhouse Showdown this past Wednesday night. San Diego-based duo of Joshua Altman and Geoffrey Taft took home the $50,000 prize. What do the numbers look like for this show and others in the same vein? Are viewers flocking to the content? How do these shows compare with their host network’s averages in primetime? What type of viewer is watching? Let’s look at 10 cable programs that are part of the into the genre:

Comparing Real Estate Reality Program Ratings (L+SD)

Here are the numbers of 10 real estate reality series that have aired in 2014 to-date:

Originator	Program	P 18-49 Rtg %	P 18-49 Proj (000s)	P 25-54 Rtg%	P 25-54 Proj (000s)	P 55+ Rtg%	P 55+ Proj (000s)	P 2+ Proj (000s)
HOME AND GARDEN TV	FLIPPING THE BLOCK	0.45	575	0.58	696	1.00	820	1653
BRAVO	MILLION DOLLAR LISTING LA	0.43	546	0.49	582	0.42	351	1047
BRAVO	MILLION DOLLAR LISTING NY	0.43	544	0.52	624	0.42	348	1051
HOME AND GARDEN TV	PROPERTY BROTHERS (1 HR)	0.42	533	0.53	638	1.06	867	1650
HOME AND GARDEN TV	HOUSE HUNTERS	0.39	498	0.52	625	1.14	938	1670
HOME AND GARDEN TV	FIXER UPPER	0.37	464	0.47	564	0.87	713	1381
HOME AND GARDEN TV	BROTHER VS BROTHER	0.34	435	0.52	621	1.15	941	1699
TLC	BUYING NAKED	0.30	381	0.33	400	0.35	288	831
DIY NETWORK	BUILDING ALASKA	0.07	88	0.10	124	0.19	159	298
FYI	ROWHOUSE SHOWDOWN	0.04	48	0.06	73	0.06	49	129

With 1.7 million per episode, HGTV’s Brother vs. Brother scores more total viewers on-average (P2+) than the others. The show features the stars of sister program Property Brothers, and ironically averages more viewers than the original. In Brother vs. Brother, the brothers lead two teams of experts to add value to two homes in the ultimate renovation showdown.

Over in the P 18-49 world, HGTV’s Flipping The Block takes the lead, averaging 575,000 viewers in a demo (.45 % rtg, L+SD). The program also takes first place P 25-54, averaging 696,000 viewers (.58% rtg, L+SD). In this epic eight-part series hosted by Josh Temple, four teams transform identical run-down condos — then sell them to the highest bidder. The season finale aired earlier this week.

Right behind them is Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing franchise. The programs are really neck-and-neck, with LA averaging a few more thousand viewers P 18-49 and 55+. NY scores more P 25-54 and average total viewers P2+.

HGTV’s House Hunters and Brother Vs. Brother score the most 55+ viewers, which makes some sense considering the network traditionally garners an older audience than its competition in this sphere.

FYI’s Rowhouse Showdown brings up the rear across the board, but in fairness it just wrapped its inaugural season on a freshly-rebranded network. Average total viewers P2+ started off in the five-figure range but moved into the six-figure range as the season wore on. Could be good momentum going forward if the network extends the show.

We know that HGTV’s slate is dominated by real estate / home improvement reality program, but how about the aforementioned programs which air on other networks? Here is how they compare with their home network’s primetime averages (It’s also important to note that Cable Prime: M – Sun, 8-11p).

Real Estate Programming vs. Cable Network Prime Average (L+SD) 

Program / Originator	P 18-49 Rtg%	P 18-49 Proj (000s)	P 25-54 Rtg%	P 25-54 Proj (000s)	P 55+ Rtg%	P 55+ Proj (000s)	P 2+ Proj (000s)
FYI Prime	0.05	69	0.07	81	0.08	68	167
ROWHOUSE SHOWDOWN	0.04	48	0.06	73	0.06	49	129
BRAVO Prime	0.35	447	0.40	474	0.28	231	834
MILLION DOLLAR LISTING LA	0.43	546	0.49	582	0.42	351	1047
MILLION DOLLAR LISTING NY	0.43	544	0.52	624	0.42	348	1051
TLC Prime	0.32	406	0.36	429	0.47	386	1001
BUYING NAKED (10:30)	0.30	379	0.34	410	0.40	328	890
BUYING NAKED (11:30)	0.30	381	0.33	400	0.35	288	831
DIY NETWORK Prime	0.05	69	0.07	84	0.11	91	189
BUILDING ALASKA	0.07	88	0.10	124	0.19	159	298

The results vary. Both episodes of Buying Naked perform slightly under the TLC primetime average, particularly in the P 18-49 demo. The same is the case for the recently-completed Rowhouse Showdown, as it performs under the FYI prime average. It has juggernaut Married At First Sight to blame for that. On the other side, Building Alaska performs above the DIY Network prime average. The same is true for the successful Million Dollar Listing franchise, topping Bravo’s primetime average.

Median Age / Gender Skew Of Real Estate Reality Programming (L+SD)

Originator	Program	P2+ Est. Median Age	P 2+ Proj (000s)	F 2+ Proj (000s)	M 2+ Proj (000s)	Female viewership	Male viewership
TLC	BUYING NAKED	47.7	831	503	328	60.5%	39.5%
BRAVO	MILLION DOLLAR LISTING LA	47.7	1047	709	338	67.7%	32.3%
BRAVO	MILLION DOLLAR LISTING NY	47.7	1051	734	317	69.8%	30.2%
FYI	ROWHOUSE SHOWDOWN	52.0	129	85	44	65.9%	34.1%
HOME AND GARDEN TV	FLIPPING THE BLOCK	54.8	1653	1139	514	68.9%	31.1%
HOME AND GARDEN TV	FIXER UPPER	55.7	1381	1016	366	73.6%	26.5%
HOME AND GARDEN TV	PROPERTY BROTHERS (1 HR)	56.0	1650	1167	483	70.7%	29.3%
DIY NETWORK	BUILDING ALASKA	56.1	298	125	173	41.9%	58.1%
HOME AND GARDEN TV	BROTHER VS BROTHER	57.2	1699	1209	490	71.2%	28.8%
HOME AND GARDEN TV	HOUSE HUNTERS	57.6	1670	1212	458	72.6%	27.4%

Almost all real estate / home improvement shows have a female skew. Two of the genres most popular shows, HGTV’s Brother vs. Brother and House Hunters, have the most extreme female skew and also the highest median age. Building Alaska is the outlier. It primarily airs on DIY but also Great American Country network, skews male. It features personalities who set out to construct three incredible cabins in the obscure Alaskan wilderness. With no roads and no building supply centers, they have to get “creative” in their methods. TLC’s Buying Naked is the other programs which garners a significant male audience, although still less than half. If you want to attract men to your real estate reality project, include nudity or construction/renovation in “abnormal” environments. Perhaps both?

Real Estate Reality Program Ratings Trends (L+SD)

Programs like HGTV’s House Hunters have been around for years (1999 to be exact), while other real estate programs like FYI’s Rowhouse Showdown just wrapped up their inaugural season. Have viewing habits for programs in this genre changed over the years? Older vs. younger? Increase/decrease in male viewer, etc.What could Rowhouse and other newbies potentially see in their futures? One can sort by program, year, demo ratings/impressions:

Measurement Interval	Originator	Program	P 18-49 Rtg%	P 18-49 Proj (000s)	P 55+ Rtg %	P 55+ Proj (000s)	P 2+ Proj (000s)
01/01/2013 – 12/31/2013 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	BROTHER VS BROTHER	0.49	623	1.45	1131	2045
01/01/2014 – 09/10/2014 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	BROTHER VS BROTHER	0.34	435	1.15	941	1699
01/01/2014 – 09/10/2014 (All)	DIY NETWORK	BUILDING ALASKA	0.07	88	0.19	159	298
01/01/2012 – 12/31/2012 (All)	DIY NETWORK	BUILDING ALASKA	0.04	51	0.14	111	208
01/01/2013 – 12/31/2013 (All)	TLC	BUYING NAKED	0.41	517	0.39	322	1061
01/01/2014 – 09/10/2014 (All)	TLC	BUYING NAKED	0.30	381	0.35	288	831
01/01/2014 – 09/10/2014 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	FIXER UPPER	0.37	464	0.87	713	1381
01/01/2013 – 12/31/2013 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	FIXER UPPER	0.20	247	0.87	675	1078
01/01/2014 – 09/10/2014 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	FLIPPING THE BLOCK	0.45	575	1.00	820	1653
01/01/2014 – 09/10/2014 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	HOUSE HUNTERS	0.39	498	1.14	938	1670
01/01/2013 – 12/31/2013 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	HOUSE HUNTERS	0.40	512	1.01	806	1512
01/01/2012 – 12/31/2012 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	HOUSE HUNTERS	0.29	375	0.68	511	1031
01/01/2011 – 12/31/2011 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	HOUSE HUNTERS	0.24	309	0.58	435	876
01/01/2010 – 12/31/2010 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	HOUSE HUNTERS	0.26	346	0.66	486	969
01/01/2009 – 12/31/2009 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	HOUSE HUNTERS	0.26	347	0.63	457	941
01/01/2008 – 12/31/2008 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	HOUSE HUNTERS	0.26	338	0.59	414	882
08/01/2007 – 12/31/2007 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	HOUSE HUNTERS	0.26	336	0.63	436	907
01/01/2013 – 12/31/2013 (All)	BRAVO	MILLION DOLLAR LISTING LA	0.47	591	0.60	484	1273
01/01/2014 – 09/10/2014 (All)	BRAVO	MILLION DOLLAR LISTING LA	0.43	546	0.42	351	1047
01/01/2012 – 12/31/2012 (All)	BRAVO	MILLION DOLLAR LISTING LA	0.43	551	0.38	283	988
01/01/2013 – 12/31/2013 (All)	BRAVO	MILLION DOLLAR LISTING NY	0.46	578	0.42	326	1067
01/01/2014 – 09/10/2014 (All)	BRAVO	MILLION DOLLAR LISTING NY	0.43	544	0.42	348	1051
01/01/2012 – 12/31/2012 (All)	BRAVO	MILLION DOLLAR LISTING NY	0.38	485	0.38	286	917
01/01/2014 – 09/10/2014 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	PROPERTY BROTHERS (1 HR)	0.42	533	1.06	867	1650
01/01/2013 – 12/31/2013 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	PROPERTY BROTHERS (1 HR)	0.42	528	1.05	836	1569
01/01/2012 – 12/31/2012 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	PROPERTY BROTHERS (1 HR)	0.25	323	0.52	393	835
01/01/2011 – 12/31/2011 (All)	HOME AND GARDEN TV	PROPERTY BROTHERS (1 HR)	0.25	323	0.52	389	852
01/01/2014 – 09/10/2014 (All)	FYI	ROWHOUSE SHOWDOWN	0.04	48	0.06	49	129

Brother vs. Brother, the most popular real estate reality program in terms of average total viewers P2+, has actually seen a decrease in numbers from 2013. Other programs to see decreases in 2014 from 2013: TLC’s Buying Naked, Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing LA (currently down from 2013, up compared to 2012), Million Dollar Listing NY (down in P 18-49 and P2+, up among P 55+). That said, the decreases among Buying Naked and Million Dollar Listing aren’t exactly alarming.

Programs which have seen a numbers increase in 2014: DIY’s Building Alaska, HGTV’s Fixer Upper, House Hunters, and Property Brothers.

HGTV’s Property Brothers is in the midst of its most-watched season in series history. Its total viewing numbers have increased every season it has been on the air. Longtime real estate powerhouse series House Hunters is in the midst of its most-watched season (P2+) since 2007, and has seen a consistent annual increase in total viewers (P2+) since 2011.