Snooki and Kim Kardashian are going to have new competition in the reality television sweepstakes, as house flippers in search of foreclosed properties will be the subjects of new reality shows.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Spike TV is planning a September premiere of ‘Flip Men,’ which follows the Salt Lake City business team of Doug Clark and Mike Baird as they try to cash in on the foreclosure market. Over on Bravo, the reality show ‘Flipping Out’ is being retooled for its star, house flipper Jeff Lewis, to seek out foreclosed properties for renovation and resale.
Additionally, A&E Television Networks is reportedly planning its own foreclosure flipping program for later this year, while the DIY Network has a foreclosure-themed reality show in development that is being slotted for a 2012 premiere.
While many people might not find a great deal of entertainment value in the foreclosure crisis, one of the creative forces behind this new trend is promoting the new genre as a mixture of surprise and competition.
‘These programs are like the ultimate game show because you don't know what's behind that door before you buy the house,’ says David Broome, executive producer of Spike's ‘Flip Men.’