REVIEW: It seems unbelievable that anyone would hand over nearly a million dollars to another person to buy them a house, knowing that they won't even get to look at it before they become the new owners.

So unbelievable, one could say it's downright stupid. Even more so when the newly wed couple in the first episode of Nine's new Aussie show Buying Blind, which started on Three on June 13, have already spent 18 months trying to find the house of their dreams – for A$900,000 (NZ$973,000). They have not been able to agree on a single one.

Jess and Fotis are musicians. Perhaps they are after the publicity. Or maybe they just want to be on TV.

Nine

On go the blindfolds. Jess and Fotis, who agreed to hand over their life savings to a complete stranger, are about to get their first look at the house they have bought.

They hand over all their life savings and mortgage, their brief and a signed power of attorney to Rich Harvey, the buyer's agent (not to be confused with a real estate agent) who will find them a house in Woollongong.

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* The blonde leading the blind – would you risk your life savings on TV?

Is this for real? Would you do it? The show narrator describes it as a journey of blind faith. That's one view.

NINE

Builder Marshal Keen, designer Shaynna Blaze and buyer's agent Rich Harvey team up for the new series.

The show seems to assume that the best way to get the house you want is to buy a bit of a dog, then call in the designer and builder and fix it up – all within the agreed budget.

What does buyer's agent Rich Harvey think? He's the one who has to do the looking. We asked him.

He says the design brief is part of the show. It's a way to improve the value of the property before they hand it over. So, theoretically, the buyers are getting a better deal than they could score on their own – for starters, they are getting the services and experience of a buyer's agent, designer and builder for nothing.

GRAEME TAYLOR/NINE

In the first episode of Buying Blind, buyer's agent Rich Harvey shops for a house for first-home buyers Jess and Fotis. He says it's not always easy persuading vendors to let him in with a film crew.

Harvey agrees it seems amazing that someone would hand over such a momentous decision to complete strangers. But clearly, there is a demand.

"The producers say there were overwhelmed with the response (when they put out feelers to do the show). But it's a very trusting and 'out there' exercise."

As to why they would do it, Harvey says some couples, and they are all couples on the show, have differing expectations of what they want and what they need when it comes to buying a house.

"They go really hard out looking for a couple of weeks, then they give up. There is too much competition."

Harvey admits there is always the worry they won't like his choice of house. "That's the huge drama of the show. We all have our fingers crossed."

Meanwhile the search goes on for first-home buyers Jess and Fotis, who want everything – lots of bedrooms, ensuite, garage, music studio, and a top location. The team say their wish list is unrealistic, and they need a reality check. So they show them what they want, and it's way over their budget. Even a vacant block of land in the area they like is over budget.

Interesting how they talk about $900k being a "really small budget".

Do you need MORE than $900k to get on the property ladder in Woollongong? We don't think so.

Why doesn't this couple want to start on the lower rung, like the rest of us? Isn't that what a ladder is? You start at the bottom and eventually get something a bit better. These two want to start at the top. 

But, even though it's hard to take this seriously, it's entertaining TV in the way these homes shows often are. And it beats watching paint dry in one of those renovation shows where the amateurs do the work.

Rich finally finds his clients a house, for $770,000. and they set to work improving it.

Designer Shaynna​ has to turn it into a dream home. She has their money to spend so she decides to install a dumb waiter lift, which must be on every first home owners' wish list. Or not.

They add a French door to a deck, a lot of of paint, an ensuite, walk-in robe, new tiles, flooring and new kitchen cabinets. And Shaynna doesn't like the neutral palette the new owners want, so she changes it, a lot, adding a bold green to the bedroom.

Marshal the builder is the hands-on bloke, and Jess's Dad Frank helps out. They even landscape the garden.

And then we get the grand reveal, complete with red blindfolds over the eyes. And there's only the $1 million question left to ask: Do Jess and Fotis like it?

The cameras are rolling as they are walked down the road and the blindfolds come off. (They come of twice actually, before and after the ad break, which is irritating, because we wonder if we are expected to just tune in for the last five minutes.}

Jess and Fotis like what they see. The house looks impressive; it's  big enough; it has a view of the water. Fotis has no words, and Jess just has one repeated over and over: "Amazing."

Of course it's a great house. They spent $900k in Woollongong. How could it not be? 

Harvey assures us the next episode features some more typical first homeowners – you know, the ones who are really struggling with a budget of $550,000 in Melbourne. Now that will be a story.

Buying Blind 7.30pm, Wednesdays, Three.

 - Homed