The Tribune

A BAHAMIAN realtor with ERA Dupuch played a starring role on the well-known HGTV channel, helping to find a rental property that satisfied the requirements of a professional expatriate couple. "This couple had just moved from Dubai, and were excited about having jobs that landed them in Nassau, but were apprehensive about what properties they could find to match their high standards and expectations in a rental property, " said Kyla Ralston, who was selected by the casting producer in the UK to work with the popular TV show that attracts some 20 million viewers in the US weekly. "They wanted to take advantage of living on an island surrounded by beautiful waters for diving, fishing, swimming, snorkeling. Direct access to the beach was very important. They do not have children, so issues we usually take into consideration, like proximity to good schools, was not material to the search." The couple were seeking a beachfront home or condo, at a rental rate of between $2,500-$3,500. House Hunters International has filmed in the Bahamas a number of times. Last year, HGTV viewers voted Harbour Island the fifth best place to live in the world. But the episode featuring Ms Ralston was slightly different. The search was not for an exotic getaway, nor on a Family Island, not a purchase, but a rental. The search started two months earlier. The episode with Ms Ralston and the couple was filmed from December 9-11, for airing in spring 2012. "We had to identify three apartments that matched their budget and wish list," said Ms Ralston. "It was my responsibility to find the apartment that best matched their criteria." Ms Ralston went through listings, searching for comparables, and produced the required number -two on Cable Beach and one in Love Beach. For the next three days, the film crew put in 12-hour days, with Ms Ralston along for every step of the journey. In the end, the 'perfect' apartment turned out to be the very one the couple spotted the first time and agreed on then. "I was very proud that I was selected to do the show," said Ms Ralston, who believes her past experience in film provided producers with extra comfort. She said it was great exposure for the Bahamas, for the industry, its professionalism and the variety of properties available.