For those of us who worship at the altar of Chip and Joanna, the Fixer Upper experience looks like a dream come true. But don't mistake everything you see in Magnolia world as 100% real.

Like any reality show, Fixer Upper isn't exactly as it seems on TV, and PopSugar noted a series of truth bombs dropped by blogger and Fixer Upper expert Rachel Teodoro, who got the inside scoop from former show guest Lindy Ermoian. Here's the dirt on your favorite Waco wonders of home renovation:

The reno home was already purchased

This is the worst kept Fixer Upper (and several other home shows, including House Hunters) "secret:" According to Lindy, she had already bought a home that had belonged to her grandmother when she was cast on the show. But since touring possible homes is part of the whole schtick, they had to tour potential reno properties on camera and pretend to be surprised when they came upon the house that previously belonged to Lindy's grandma.

Chip and Joanna won't be on your speed dial

Don't expect to cozy up next to the duo for all that long. With Fixer Upper an international hit, the majority of the work is performed by design assistants, says Lindy. Also, you don't have the ability to contact them directly like back in the day when Fixer Upper was just starting out.

Chip doesn't do the heavy lifting

You may see Chip Gaines swinging a hammer or knocking down drywall on screen, but don't expect to see him doing the physical labor off-camera. Lindy says that since she and her family rented a small home during renovations that was near property being worked on, so she got a firsthand look at construction- and Chip didn't do much demo work.

The financial benefits are major

With all of Joanna Gaines's connections in the design world, she gets amazing deals on renovation expenses. According to Lindy, Joanna gets awesome deals, resulting in construction costs that are seriously below market. Basically, Joanna is the best coupon you can get!

Time isn't always on your side

Don't mistake "Reveal Day" for "Move-in Day." According to Lindy, the family doesn't move right into the home as it appears on TV. It was another couple weeks after Reveal Day before she was able to move into her new digs. Ah, the magic of television...

Head on over to Rachel Teodoro's blog for more BTS Fixer Upper tidbits.