Each episode of HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” starts off with hosts Chip and Joanna Gaines showing their clients three prospective homes. Once the future homeowners pick a property they seemingly have never seen before, the HGTV stars take over and turn the house into their clients’ dream home.

However, the home-buying process depicted on the series may not be as it seems.

Season 3 participant David Ridley told Fox News he had already purchased his home before he was selected to be on the show. In fact, he claimed that was a prerequisite for his selection for the series.

“You have to be under contract to be on the show. They show you other homes but you already have one,” he said. “After they select you, they send your house to Chip and Joanna and their design team.”

A close look at the show’s application seems to corroborate Ridley’s claim.

Question 19 on the application quizzes, “Where are you in the escrow process?” And No. 20 asks “What is the purchase price of your new home?” The questions that follow focus on whether or not the already-picked-out home has a yard, garage and driveway.

Many HGTV viewers expressed outraged at rumors that began in 2012 that claimed “House Hunters” participants already picked out or purchased their homes prior to being on the show. That outrage has diminished through the years, only to be brought back now with the recent claims by Ridley.

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