Things You Didn't Know About Hilary Farr And David Visentin
"We love it." "We're going to list it." Simple statements, but they each mean quite a bit to Hilary Farr and David Visentin. As the hosts of HGTV's show "Love It or List It," they have conflicting goals during each episode. Farr is an interior designer and renovates a homeowner's current house in hopes of making it their dream home, while Visentin is in real estate and wants to find that homeowner a new house that can then become their new, ultimate dream home.
It all comes down to the last few minutes of the episode when the homeowners make their final decision; will they love their current place and stay or list it and find their new home? It's a friendly competition for Farr and Visentin, but they don't try to hide the fact that they're pulling out all the stops to be the winner. These hosts seem like total opposites, but is there a friendship there we have yet to see? Farr and Visentin may have more in common than you think. Let's take a look at a few things you didn't know about these "Love It or List It" hosts.
They met at the Love It or List It audition
When watching an episode of "Love It or List It," it feels like Hilary Farr and David Visentin have known each other forever; however, that is not the case. The two meant-to-be hosts met for the first time at the audition for the show. Farr was chosen first to be one in the duo, but she came close to not even auditioning. She later told Post City Toronto, "Well, first I thought [auditioning] was the dumbest idea ever, but I also had a lot of projects on the go. [My friend] pushed for it, and I ended up getting [the job]." Good thing she did because we can't picture the show without Farr's wit!
Then Visentin followed shortly after. He spoke with PopSugar about the audition process and when he heard back from the show's producers. He said, "They called up and said, 'You're brilliant. We want you. We think you're going to make Hilary look good.'" And the rest is history. With these two hosts' witty banter, it's hard to picture anyone else taking on the roles. Bring on even more Farr and Visentin!
These hosts have some hidden talents
You'd think being on a television show would keep you too busy to do anything else, right? That's not the case for Hilary Farr and David Visentin. These hosts are pros at more than just interior design and real estate. They both have some intense athletic skills to add to the resume.
Farr is both a swimmer and diver. She also played netball in the U.K., which she described in an interview with PopSugar. "It's sort of like basketball, but you're not allowed to bounce, you have to pass, and you wear short shorts." As for Visentin, he has been interested in sports since childhood. Speaking with W Network, he said, "My dad is very athletic and still plays soccer at the age of 79! I grew up knowing the value of taking care of myself physically to do the things I love to do." He swims competitively and does triathlons. Seriously what can't they do?
And as for their bucket list, Farr wants to go skydiving someday. Well, she can go to Visentin for advice, as he already took that plunge in his early 20s.
What they really think of each other
We have always loved the banter between Hilary Farr and David Visentin, but what does this bickering duo really think about each other? Hint: it's a love fest. Speaking with Post City Toronto, Farr had only good things to say about her relationship with cohost Visentin. "There's a genuine deep affection between us and a really good, genuine, healthy competition ... what you see is what you get. We do bicker. We are exact opposites. We adore each other. We make each other laugh a lot." Here is when we cue the aww moment.
And Farr is not alone in these thoughts. Visentin makes similar statements. He shared on "The Real Estate Talk Show," "Hilary and I have a lot of fun together, and I think people enjoy watching us having a lot of fun." And even though these two are just cohosts and nothing more, we love the way they act like a couple. While interviewing Farr, VH1 Celebrity even addressed the couple-like tension between her and Visentin, and Farr's answer was perfect: "You know what, whatever is there is there. It's not thought through. It's not calculated. I'm glad that people enjoy it."
Both have caught the acting bug
While watching Hilary Farr and David Visentin on camera, they seem like naturals and have great presence. That's no coincidence. Both hosts have had a bit of the acting bug in the past and that experience is clear when you see them on "Love It or List It." Visentin did high school theater and was also on a television show called "My Parent's House." The love for acting also was a family trait. He later told The Arizona Republic, "Not only does real estate run in the family, but both my brothers and sister have done theater! It was a dream extension for me to take my real-estate skills and confidence in front of the camera and put them together for the show."
And as for Farr, her experience has been across the map. She had a non-speaking role in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Farr spoke about this with PopSugar, saying, "It is an amazing fun fact ... It came about because we lived — as a family — right below Tim Curry." But Farr didn't stop with the film. She was also in the Broadway production of "Run For Your Wife." And she hasn't been just in front of the camera. She shared with PopSugar that she has worked in production with Ted Danson and producer Arthur Cohn. More Farr on Broadway and in movies please!
They have similar tastes in food
Although this hosting duo may tease each other on screen, they get along more than it seems. Sharing is caring, and since they have similar taste in food, David Visentin and Hilary Farr are happy to share with each other. So that must mean they really care about each other, right?
As Visentin explained to PopSugar, "We start our mornings the exact same way." He shared a favorite smoothie recipe with Farr and she was hooked. They call it "The Morning Smoothie," and shared during the interview that this breakfast staple includes kale, cilantro, lemon juice, banana, almond butter, cacao, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, and black pepper. And when it comes to favorite food? Yep, you guessed it — they share the same fave cuisine, too. Both go straight for Italian. Visentin shared with W Network that the dish he can eat all day is "pasta with every kind of edible seafood known to man."
How they handle those tough homeowners
Both Hilary Farr and David Visentin have had their fair share of homeowners with whom they have butted heads. Although "Love It or List It" is an overall upbeat show, it still covers a stressful topic. Home purchasing and design work are expensive and definitely not easy, and Farr and Visentin have become the target of some of those homeowners' frustrations.
Visentin told "The Real Estate Talk Show," "When you're spending their money, people get honest. People get very honest when you're spending their money, and it's not going the way they want it to." And on Farr's side, she is transforming a space that has been home to a couple for some time.
She spoke more about this with Post City Toronto, saying, "It's very different than a real renovation, and usually you would hold their hand every step of the way. It's a shock for them the next time they see their home. It's ripped apart, and I'm usually giving them bad news. They don't have a lot of time to prepare and they're on-camera. Mostly, I don't take it personally." So how do they handle the emotions coming at them? By remaining calm and keeping things in perspective. Farr told VH1 Celebrity, "I always have this little sort of moment of forgiveness in that they lived in these houses for quite awhile and it seemed perfectly fine to them and you do get used to deficiencies. I think we all do at some point."
They have different ideas of a 'perfect day'
When these busy hosts finally have a minute to sit back and relax, they know just what that perfect day would include. David Visentin shared with PopSugar his go-to: "If it's Summertime, I'm going golfing." His other favorite pastime is going to the movies. And as for Hilary Farr, she also loves some movie-time but you won't find her on the golf course. She said, "I'm definitely a spa day person, that works for me just about anytime of the year." With intense interior design projects and real estate challenges, these two deserve a few of those perfect days.
Both are big fans of HGTV
Of course David Visentin and Hilary Farr are big fans of their own show. When asked what they love most, Farr told W Network, "Laughing with David, Desta, Fergus and Eddy and the rest of the fabulous crew." And Visentin's favorite part has to be "[the] places I get to visit and people I get to meet. Love flying!"
But it also goes beyond their show. Both Farr and Visentin are fans of the network as a whole, and they are fans just like us. Farr described her HGTV experience with PopSugar, saying, "I'm like every other HGTV addict; I just put it on and then there's a show. Then suddenly it's three hours later." Guilty. And Visentin touched on another awesome part about HGTV during the interview. He said, "I think HGTV hosts are more approachable than other types of people on television. ... I think people feel like you're their friend. They kind of feel like they know you." Yes, yes, and yes.
They both became pros on the job
Even though Hilary Farr and David Visentin didn't meet until the audition for "Love It or List It," they both brought their design and real estate experience to the table. Farr told PopSugar that she had previously enrolled in an interior design course at Ryerson University in Toronto. But it wasn't in the classroom where Farr felt she learned the most. "Almost everything I learned, I learned on the job, quite honestly," she shared.
And as for Visentin, real estate was what he was meant to do. During the interview, he shared, "My father is a broker and I work with both my brothers, who are also realtors. My sister, two years ago, got her real estate license." Visentin has been in the business for more than 20 years and doesn't have any doubts about what he is meant to do. When W Network asked him what he would be doing if it wasn't this job, his response was short and sweet. "I'm doing real estate and television. There's nothing else I can imagine doing." And we can't imagine him doing anything else either! Farr and Visentin, please keep doing what you're doing, and we'll always love it.
Sharing their advice
So what advice do these pros have for us? When it comes to house-hunting, David Visentin encourages home-seekers to find a good realtor in the area where they want to buy. Speaking with The Arizona Republic, he said, "That is critical to getting a fair deal, and it will eliminate any hiccups along the way in the purchase process. Save, save, save and put down as much as you can for a down payment. Twenty-five to 30 percent is a good range to shoot for." How stressed should couples be about rushing to find a house? Not very. Visentin continued, "Don't overextend yourself. No matter how much you want a house, there will always be another one."
And as for Hilary Farr's advice when it comes to home renovation, she keeps it simple, telling Post City Toronto, "Try not to think about the potential value of your home and think about what you love and how you need your home to function and that's how you need to decorate it." Along those same lines, she told The Detroit News, "Be formal and comfortable. Don't ever, ever give up comfort. Ever. It's not worth it. It's a room to be used." Great advice from the unstoppable duo!
David Visentin believes they act as 'therapists' to participants
"Love It or List It" has been a reality TV staple since 2008 (per IMDb), but the show remains consistently popular because it's about more than just property. Particularly nowadays, when HGTV has such a stranglehold on the market, the lovable dynamic between Hilary Farr and David Visentin is more important than ever before. However, Visentin argued the duo serves as more than just advisers on the hit show. "We are kind of like therapists," he said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
The accomplished realtor elaborated, "Usually you have two people that don't really agree, and they have to come together as a couple and make a decision. People get very invested in their homes, and not just in what works but mostly what doesn't work." He and Farr might be battling it out for supremacy with each new project, but underneath that competitive spirit, there's a genuine care and consideration for the people involved.
Hilary Farr and David Visentin are both incredibly wealthy
Considering how long they've been TV stars, not to mention their lucrative pursuits elsewhere, it's unsurprising to learn both Hilary Farr and David Visentin are sitting on massive fortunes. Per Celebrity Net Worth, interior designer Farr has amassed an incredible net worth of $8 million thanks to "Love It or List It" and her successful business, Hilary Farr's Designs.
Farr's costar Visentin, meanwhile, is slightly less wealthy — which should drive the super-competitive duo for another 10 seasons of their show! — with Celebrity Net Worth putting him at a cool $6 million. This is likely because, unlike Farr who has a lucrative side hustle, Visentin earns the majority of his money from "Love It or List It."
Their salaries for the show aren't publicly known, but in 2019, CheatSheet estimated the hosts earn around $50,000 each annually. Naturally, the longer "Love It or List It" continues, the more Farr and Visentin stand to make from it.
This is the real Love It or List It victor, according to David Visentin
Even casual "Love It or List It" fans know the central premise sees Hilary Farr and David Visentin duking it out to convince the featured family to either keep or sell their home. The show's been on so long at this stage it's likely difficult to ascertain who's got the most wins out of the two of them, but Visentin told Realtor.com in 2021 that Farr probably has the edge on him. The real estate guru admitted, "I don't know the exact number. I mean, we've done around 225 episodes. I would say probably it's 60 to 40 for her."
Visentin acknowledged his cohost kind of has the easier job, though, since most people don't really want to leave their homes even when they probably should. It doesn't help that Visentin, by his own admission, is incredibly clumsy on set. He revealed, "I knock over stuff; I've knocked Hilary. I've fallen in houses." Thankfully, those scenes don't usually air unless they make sense for the overall story of the episode, so Visentin can retain his dignity.
Here's why Hilary Farr thinks David Visentin is an 'easy target'
The playful banter between Hilary Farr and David Visentin is what sets "Love It or List It" apart from many other similarly themed shows. Even though the real estate agent gives as good as he gets, Farr is arguably the instigator in most of their (good-natured) arguments. Heavy asked the interior designer why she loves picking on Visentin so much, and, in frank Farr fashion, she admitted, "Well, David is just such an easy target. I mean, pick anything and I'm going to tease him about it."
The reality star continued, "One of the things is the Italian hand flap, when his hands and his arms are just flying everywhere, like he's going to take off at any minute," also adding, "He's quite the motor mouth."
In an interview with MEAWW, Farr acknowledged it bums her out every time someone chooses to list rather than love. But she gets her revenge by teasing Visentin, sharing that, actually, it's her "great mission in life."
Would Hilary Farr love or list David Visentin?
The ongoing battle of wits between Hilary Farr and David Visentin keeps millions of viewers tuning into "Love It or List It." But in reality they, obviously, have an enormous amount of respect for each other. The duo is friends as well as colleagues, as evidenced by Farr telling Baltimore Media Blog that one of her favorite parts of working on the show is simply spending time with Visentin. Although it can be upsetting for her to see families choosing to list their home rather than stick with it, Farr acknowledged she'd rather they end up in the right spot in the long run.
As for whether she'd choose to love or list her cohost, the design expert hilariously reasoned, "I'd list him with the right buyer. But I know that's not going to happen. So, I have no choice but to love him!" These two might fight it out to "win" each episode, but underneath that friendly competition, it's nothing but love between them.
David Visentin wouldn't let Hilary Farr redesign his home
David Visentin doesn't think that Hilary Farr would be the right person to ever redesign his home. In a chat with Monsters & Critics, the Canadian realtor opined that, of course, Farr is a terrific designer with a great eye and a strong team working with her to make clients' dreams come true. But even though Visentin would be delighted to hand the reins over to her, he said, "I just can't imagine it going swimmingly."
Fans of "Love It or List It" won't be shocked to learn Visentin was concerned the duo would end up bickering over every little thing, which would likely stop the project in its tracks. "And then [the remodel] would be like half done and she'd be gone. She would say 'I can't work with you,' or 'I can't deal with you' or 'I can't work with you get out of here. I'm leaving,'" he detailed. However, the TV personality pointed out his beloved cohost is probably "too busy" to focus on redoing his home regardless.