Kirstie Allsopp hits back as Location, Location, Location viewers call out ‘upsetting and frustrating’ problem with show
LOCATION, Location, Location presenter Kirstie Allsopp hit back at viewers who were outraged about the prices of properties on the show’s latest episode.
Viewers were upset and frustrated about the properties Kirstie Allsopp, 50, and Phil Spencer, 52, were showing off in yesterday’s episode of Channel 4's hit property show.
Wednesday’s Location, Location, Location saw Kirstie and Phil find properties for two couples — both who were looking to buy their first homes.
However, their budgets were both much higher than the average first-time buyers’.
One couple, Poppy and Mike, were looking for a family home on the outskirts of Chester with a budget of £550,000.
Understandably, viewers found it difficult to relate to first-time buyers who were looking at such expensive properties, as it isn’t the norm for most people.
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“How on earth do you have a first-time buyers budget of £550k?? Even more so when you’ve rented for years. Absolutely blows my mind,” one viewer commented.
Another said: “[I] love #locationlocationlocation but as of late it’s become really upsetting and frustrating showing people budgets of £3-600,000 in expensive areas! Whilst here in Stoke people can’t afford that and it dampens 1st time buyers hopes #realityplease.”
Kirstie hit back at the second viewers’ comments, saying “It’s a constant issue for us too, but we have to cover the whole country.”
She explained: “This year so far, for LLL, we have searched in Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Oxfordshire, East London, the Kent Coast and Hertfordshire. Therefore, in some areas the budgets will be as much as £600K.”
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When the same viewer pressed her on wanting to see more budget-friendly properties, she said that they’ll find more variety on Kirstie and Phil’s Love It or List It.
“For Love it or list it we are working in Belfast, Nottingham X 2, Swansea, Stratford on Avon … we really try to go all over and therefore cover all sorts of budgets and family circumstances,” she said.
However, her response didn’t reassure all of Location, Location, Location’s viewers.
“Telephone number prices on #locationlocationlocation £500k for 1st time buyers, how exactly do they afford that? Will they do a follow up show when the interest rates are at 5% and they have been repossessed?” one viewer quipped.
The episodes’ other couple, Hayley and James, were looking for “a vibrant village find” in Southern England. They pair ended up with a roomy four bedroom detached home in a quiet residential cul-de-sac.
But the price they paid as first-time buyers shocked viewers.
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“£725,000 for that?! If I’m paying that much for a house I don’t want to live in a cul-de-sac,” another viewer exclaimed, before adding, “I suppose it’s got a nice view out back, I would worry about the fact anyone could easily hop the fence into your garden.”
Location, Location, Location continues on Wednesday 20 July on Channel 4 at 8pm.