8 House Hunters episodes set in Virginia to add to your watch list

HGTV’s “House Hunters” has been showing off Virginia properties for years, and these episodes are the best examples of what our state has to offer.

Those of us who live in Virginia know that the state has some amazing properties to witness, from more than a handful of presidential home sites to the beloved Richmond homes that go all out with Christmas lights every year. But those outside of Virginia don’t always get to see how special our state really is. That is, until HGTV’s signature series “House Hunters” debuted in 1999. With thousands of episodes out there, it’s only natural that the home-buying show has broken ground in Virginia on numerous occasions.

What’s perhaps the most humbling about watching Virginians on “House Hunters” is seeing that folks from our neck of the woods can be just as big of dreamers as those in California or Colorado. We’ve all heard an introduction like, “Hi, I’m a teacher, and my partner is a butterfly observer. We’re looking for a home with a budget of $2 million.” We might be down-to-earth in Virginia, but we still like a nice property!

Without further ado, let’s take a closer look at some of the best “House Hunters” episodes set in Virginia. Some couples are relocating to the state, while others are simply moving from within. In either case, these episodes pack good drama, funny expectations, and heartwarming results that make them well-rounded watches.

This couple is on a “Searching for Space in Colonial Williamsburg”

Historic sites always attract a great deal of attention, often from tourists, but also the occasional homebuyer. However, historic areas may suffer from outdated architecture despite their historical value, and that’s precisely the predicament one couple faces in an Apr. 2023 episode of “House Hunters.”

This couple consists of two U.S. Army veterans who were stationed together in Virginia. They met on the military base, and it was seemingly love at first sight. But now they’re buying a house together, and they need to balance their wants and desires. For one, a modern, up-to-date home is a hard line, but for the other, the historical significance of Colonial Williamsburg is important, even if it means settling for an older house. Will they mend the gap and find a forever home together?

“Virginia Is for Mothers,” according to this family

If you asked random folks on the street if Virginia is a fairly family-oriented state, you’d likely get more “yes” responses than “no”s. And that certainly rings true for the couple purchasing a new home in this Aug. 2019 episode of “House Hunters.”

Set in Strasburg, the episode sees a couple searching for a home that will be perfect for their children’s childhood. They want stability and a home that won’t give them too many problems, but that doesn’t mean they agree on the starting point for the property. A home that won’t require too much renovation or upkeep is all the mom wants, but her husband thinks they could score a better deal if they go the fixer-upper route. Does mom win out in the end? Only one way to find out!

This couple is “Spotting Historical Charm in Richmond”

Charting a course for a colonial home isn’t reserved for veterans. No, one couple from California, who met at the University of Florida, plans to relocate to Virginia in a Feb. 2023 episode of “House Hunters.” Being well-seasoned travelers as they are, making the leap to Richmond shouldn’t be a problem—after all, the culture is very diverse here, and there’s room for everyone—but the duo can’t seem to agree on the right property for them.

It’s a tale as old as time: Do you buy the old, endearing house, or do you sign the dotted line for a home that’s newer and may require fewer upgrades and maintenance tasks? This is the pitfall this couple falls into, but the good news is that you get to see stunning options that might make you want to relocate to Richmond, too.

This couple becomes ensnared in “Art and History in Virginia”

Moving for work is common, and so is desiring specific traits in a home if they’ll benefit your career or main hobby. But what happens when partners can’t see eye to eye on this? That’s where this Apr. 2023 episode of “House Hunters” goes, and needless to say, it’s a tricky situation to handle.

Here’s the lowdown: A young teacher is offered a teaching position in Williamsburg, leading to the couple’s move. The catch? She really wants an art studio in the home. Meanwhile, her partner doesn’t care for big spaces like this, instead preferring interesting characteristics that help a home stand out. Whose preference will reign supreme? You know how to find out.

This couple is taking a big leap by “Merging Households in Virginia”

Reconciling money-management differences in any relationship is difficult, but add the pressure of buying a home to it, and you’ve suddenly found yourself with a ticking time bomb hovering over you. That’s how the couple in this Nov. 2021 episode felt, thanks to their differing financial views being put on full display.

Home-buying and blending families are both incredibly fragile missions, and in this episode, viewers get a glimpse into how heads can butt when one person wants to be extravagant while the other tends to be thrifty. With many mouths to feed and a long mortgage waiting in the wings, which path will this couple walk down? It’s an interesting case you won’t want to miss.

In this episode, “Old Holiday Traditions Move to a New Home” for one young woman

Holiday traditions create some of the most powerful forms of nostalgia that we carry on into adulthood, and for one young woman, they become the basis of her home-buying thought process. In a Dec. 2018 episode of “House Hunters,” a single woman embarks on a first-time homebuyer journey alongside her mom and grandma, only to find that her expectations might be a little too high.

The problems? She wants ample space for Christmas decorations, desiring a tree that’s 15 feet tall. She also wants a walk-in closet and all hardwood floors, as she despises carpeting. However, she’s working with a pretty small budget, and her family members are trying to simultaneously lower her expectations and help her achieve everything she’s always wanted in a home. This is one episode with so much cheer and intrigue that yule be sorry if you miss it.

“Newlyweds Seek Home in North Virginia Suburbs” in this tried-and-true episode 

And just like that, we’re back with another captivating tale of fixer-upper vs. fully renovated. In this Nov. 2017 episode of “House Hunters,” a couple looking to be close to Washington, D.C., without actually being in the city, settles on the Virginia suburbs north of the nation’s capital. But that’s where their decisiveness ends.

One partner is looking for a fixer-upper that will cost less up front, while the other wants a home they can move into without any further thought—something that will be perfect for them from the get-go. Is that realistic? That’s not for us to say. But what we can divine is that this is a fascinating episode that showcases some of the best that Virginia has to offer. (And we’re already packing our bags for the next time these homes go on the market.

This couple wants to unite “All the Family in Virginia”

A growing family is often a happy one, but finding enough space for everyone to gleefully coexist is another question entirely. Cue one couple’s dilemma in a Nov. 2023 episode of “House Hunters.” In part, this episode aligns with others on this list: A couple struggles to decide whether to purchase a home that’s flashy or more affordable but still modern and fresh.

However, there’s added pressure in this episode. The couple has a newborn to take care of, and they’re big family people. They have relatives who will be visiting often, so they want extra space for everyone to have privacy and make everyone’s time more enjoyable. Will sensibility prove stronger than the urge to show their extended family as nice of a property as possible? This is one you’ll want to watch, as it’s good at eliciting reactions out of the viewer.