By Mallory Mattingly
Since COVID-19 shut the world down in 2020, HGTV has seen a steady decline in viewership, which could mean canceling several shows.
According to Collider, several shows struggle to reach the 1 million viewer mark and gain a younger demographic’s attention.
Shows like Dave and Jenny Marrs’ FIXER TO FABULOUS and Erin and Ben Napier’s HOME TOWN TAKEOVER are two of HGTV’s programs that continue to reach viewers.
But MARRIED TO REAL ESTATE and HOUSE HUNTERS continue to disappoint.
“HOUSE HUNTERS takes viewers behind the scenes as individuals, couples and families learn what to look for and decide whether or not a home is meant for them. Focusing on the emotional experience of finding and purchasing a new home, each episode shows the process as buyers search for a home,” an official summary of the show reads.
Since the start of 2025, HOUSE HUNTERS has struggled to reach 500,000 viewers every week. Likewise, the 18-29 demographic doesn’t seem to be interested in the housing market. HOUSE HUNTERS has yet to reach “higher than 0.12 in the 18-49 demographic,” per Collider.
The numbers for MARRIED TO REAL ESTATE practically mirror HOUSE HUNTERS.
“Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson get clients into the Atlanta, Georgia, dream neighborhoods they never thought they could afford. By using their unparalleled real estate expertise, the couple will make smart purchases and even smarter renovations while managing their busy family,” an official logline for MARRIED TO REAL ESTATE reads.
Season 3 of MARRIED TO REAL ESTATE steadily attracted 750,000 viewers per episode. But as Season 4 kicked off in March, the show has seen a sharp decline with viewership dropping into the 200,000s.
MARRIED TO REAL ESTATE hosts Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson have tried to boost the 18-49 demographic through their use of social media.
Jackson recently posted a video on his Instagram of a snippet of the show.
“This was one of the hottest days in Georgia, but knowing the client was well deserving of what was to come made the process well worth it. Tune into a new episode of MARRIED TO REAL ESTATE, Tomorrow night at 9pm est on HGTV to see this Major overhaul of a renovation,” Jackson wrote as the caption of the post.
However, the show has barely scratched the 0.5 mark for the 18-49 demographic, a statistic that generally determines the survival of a show.
So, why are HOUSE HUNTERS and MARRIED TO REAL ESTATE on the verge of cancellation? The shows have struggled to appeal to a younger demographic, and they haven’t evolved like their competitors have.
For viewers, MARRIED TO REAL ESTATE is the same house-building format, just in a different episode. Unlike other shows like FIXER TO FABULOUS and HOME TOWN TAKEOVER, which appeal to the younger demographic, MARRIED TO REAL ESTATE has struggled to fit in and gain any momentum.
HOUSE HUNTERS, a slow-paced real estate show, struggles to captivate an audience in a world of reality TV focused on high-paced, drama-filled, shorter episodes that keep viewers engaged.
This shift in television is largely because of social media and the instant gratification received through scrolling. HOUSE HUNTERS and MARRIED TO REAL ESTATE require viewers to have a longer attention span, something the 18-49 demographic struggles with due to social media and smartphones.
If HOUSE HUNTERS and MARRIED TO REAL ESTATE don’t find a way to increase viewership, both shows are on the verge of cancelation.
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