That’s a Wrap! What it was like filming for HGTV’s House Hunters

Sep. 29. 2015

So, last week we finished up “Act 4” of HGTV’s House Hunter’s with Pie Town productions. It was such a fun (and not going to lie, an exhausting) experience, here’s a few tid-bits from behind the scenes.

A while back I had wrote a blog about how I got picked for the show before we started filming, however I got in trouble because I did sign a confidentiality agreement and they asked me to take it down-whoops! So, here I am again posting about HGTV experience, post filming.

(Note I do not have House Hunter’s permission to use their logo, but needed a filler and found this on Google image, I am sorry House Hunters-but this is recognizable!)

What I can say in sum, is that it was a pretty cool experience and since I have received plenty of questions, I will now attempt to address them all.

FAQ #1: How did you get picked to be on the show? 

People, it isn’t that hard to apply for a show! Most of the time you go online and then a casting producer calls you if the criteria fits. At the time I had two sets of clients I thought would be a great fit. They reached out to me weeks later. And contrary to popular believe I do not sit around applying for Reality TV shows, promise (I don’t even have cable! However today does mark the exact anniversary of my appearance on Anderson Cooper-still don’t have a dang tape of that either…probably for the best).

Above: (Sad I got no pics of Anderson and I, but here is the producer Jessica and I!)

Anyway, a casting director emailed me. After a few emails back and forth my client discovered the filming time would not work well with his schedule. At that time I had also just won an offer on a home for myself-so I asked if I would be a good fit, despite being an agent AND the buyer and they said it was fine. (Side note, I have only seen a few episodes of this show since I haven’t had cable in a long time).

THEN you have a phone interview. And they want specifics. How boring would a show be if people were only looking at new construction with an open floorplan and granite countertops and hobbies included movies and going out to eat? (Yes we all want that and do that, but it doesn’t make for exciting television). After she (casting producer) liked what I had to say about my house hunt and hobbies THEN I had to submit a video with a friend who would house hunt with me (and could get off work for filming).

The hardest part was choosing what to wear (and getting people to sign releases).

So, I thought of Sarah. Plus Sarah and I do craft projects, talk about housing quite a bit, she was a client of mine, we dream of flipping and staging one day and every time I would look at a fixer house I would send her the video for ideas (she is a great visionary). When I asked Sarah if she would want to be on TV with me her response was: “Oh my God, that’s my lifelong dream to be on HGTV!” so it was a no-brainer.

THEN…Sarah and I created a video for the director to watch. I took it off YouTube so you can no longer watch that monstrosity (#sorrynotsorry). It was a Saturday night at midnight and we answered the questions they sent us in a witty/hilarious fashion (side note: we may have had a few glasses of wine prior). The best part of making a video was the fact we had to do a home tour…on a selfie stick. I came around the corner and hit a wall and the phone went flying, I picked it up and kept rolling because I was not about to start over.

Fast forward a week or so and I was in Mallorca, Spain with my friend on vacation. We had literally just got an invitation for free shots at the bar-and as I was about to take it–I got a call with an Los Angeles area code and had a feeling it was Pie Town Productions. Due to bad service and a 7hr time difference, we kept missing one another, but I had a feeling she was calling to give good news. I emailed her in the morning to discover we were in fact chosen for House Hunters. Yipppeeee!!

FAQ #2: Is the show scripted?

So, fast forward, now about a month from when we got chosen the director (from LA), camera guy and sound guy (who are local and independently contracted, but have worked with the director and show plenty) show up at Sarah’s for day 1 of filming. As we get ready they do exterior shots and set up. Our opening scene is us at Sarah’s on her couch. This is “The Interview” where they discuss our “relationship” and my expectations of home buying etc. Do they tell us line for line what to say? No, the show is not scripted. Did we need help maybe phrasing what we were exactly trying to say and maybe had to repeat certain things-Yes. Sometimes what we wanted to say and what we were actually saying made no sense, I think the camera and lights start to get to you. Because the show looks like it is a “two camera show” we do a lot of takes. So you say everything you would say about a room 5 times because maybe we talked over one another, or maybe the camera was looking at the sink and not a facial expression reacting to what was said, so we do it again. However, please tell Sarah that you heard “she can’t cook but she can make a mean mimosa.” (This was from our crafting session footage and a line Sarah had to say more than 3x as we toasted Andre and OJ)

See this desk above-stay tuned for the After pics on the show!

FAQ #3: I heard some of the houses you tour aren’t even on the market, is this true?

All the houses that are on my show were actually on the market at the time of filming! It was not easy in this fast paced market because I had to have the releases signed about a week before we filmed. Fortunately one popped up on the market a few days prior and owner signed off for filming. The properties were legitimately in the area I was looking and met (for the most part) requirements of what I was looking for. The hardest part, no lie, was getting sellers to sign a release that there home could be on show. It’s a hot market in Austin and for us to take up a whole day filming in a house on a Saturday was rough. I may have even had an altercation with a crabby agent, who showed up before we were done filming. But we took ten and let her show her clients. Fortunately the owners were super nice and grateful regardless.

FAQ #4: Did you just say a whole day to film one house?

Yep, the days are long. And you really can’t go run errands on your lunch break and be taking calls because you literally don’t stop filming. The five-seven minutes spent on the show touring a home is actually 8am-3pm-ish in real time footage, sometimes later. Camera guy arrives early for street shots, exterior shots, then sets up. Then Sarah and I would show up, get mic’d, go over the order of everything and begin shooting room by room. If a car drove by playing a blatant song-CUT! Start over (don’t have rights to play that song). If Sarah or I looked at the camera-CUT! Start over. If I made a weird/awkward/funny face after I said a statement I was unsure about (this happened a lot) CUT! Start over. So you can see how the day just flies by. Lunch with everyone was great and you start to bond with “the crew” which is nice too because as much as it is work, there is a lot of joking around too. The conversation topics are endless as well as our questions for the crew: “How awesome is it to work on food network shows and eat that food?” Or “What’s the grossest thing you saw when you filmed Hoarders?”

Day 2 wrap up above.

Above: Camera guy Chris during mine and Sarah’s least favorite scene: All of us packed in a car with no air conditioning (too loud on microphones) talking about homes, driving around while he is all up in my grill-BUT I have to pretend like I am talking to Sarah next to me AND not look at camera or make fun/laugh at Chris (again that whole two camera show shots).

After the filming of home tours, Sarah and I had said specific things we enjoyed doing together on camera in our interview–therefore, they wanted footage of us doing those actual “activities.” Makes for much better TV to show it rather than just talk about it, amiright?. So, we really regret saying we jogged/ran half marathons once a year together and wished we would have said we just stay in and watch TV or something. haha.

There we were at 4pm on the Lady Bird Lake board walk jogging…sweating…on camera…with angles from our feet, looking up, I can only hope that footage gets edited down.

The other “thing” to note is that for all the other things we were filming I had to have location releases, artist releases (for logos or artwork shown), and camera releases for those who would be on camera with me. I would then say “be here at this time, but we could be late, be flexible.” It was a bit stressful coordinating because I didn’t want to hit any snags, but so glad so many of my friends pulled through! I am forever grateful.

Let’s see, We filmed at CG Arena since I said I enjoyed working out (again, can’t have music, so we had to whip up a workout with no music on-so weird). We did a kickball game with a bunch of Austin SSCers (thanks again to all of you who patiently waited for us and played along! And Austin SSC for letting us wear the logo and use the fields! We also filmed Charlissa and I having a sno-cone and chillin’ (she is my lil with Big Brothers Big Sister) a special thanks to her mom for letting her be apart of it, she was excited. And then, because I like photography, we shot me taking photos of hearts at Tyson’s Tacos off Airport, (who was super nice to sign the release on short notice and if you heard, Vance Joy played there after ACL for free tacos!) as well as my signature “clients in front of the door with the SOLD sign” photo. (Thanks Ana and Andres!) So, the days were long, but worth it (or so I hope when I see it air).

An old school kickball team pic of the ladies-thanks for filming with us!

When the show airs, you may spot this sweet family as well!

We spent a total of 4 days shooting. Then they gave me time to move in, and they came back for one day of filming Sarah and I hanging up things in my house, my “exit interview” regarding the home buying process and a quick shot of me and friends enjoying my new backyard/house! (Special shout out to those of you who could make it over at 5pm on a Monday with less than 24hr notice, you da best!)

FAQ #5 When does it air?!?

It won’t air for another 4-6months. I know they already started editing footage because when they came back they made sure to hit on certain key points that you mention in the beginning to tie it all together. They told me they can’t give me an exact date. However, one co-worker who has been on the show says she did get enough advanced notice to plan a watch party (#goalz) and you also get a copy of the show AFTER it airs. You can also keep checking the website for the episode # to see the air date as well. (Episode #11202 folks)

I am thinking of a watch party/client appreciation party when it airs and open to venue locations, send suggestions to me! (ashleybrinkman@realtyaustin.com)

FAQ #6: Do you get paid?

If I were just the Realtor on the show, no, I would have not gotten paid. The buyer gets paid. I will say it isn’t much. The seller’s who let their house on the show also do not get paid. The friend of the buyer/partner etc does not either. I told Sarah I would split it with her, but she was kind and said I could keep it since I have literally been hemorrhaging money since I closed on my home. haha. {Those home improvement projects add up!} But Sarah and I are going to do a nice dinner to celebrate soon (on me).

FAQ #7: Do they pay for the home renovations?

Maybe if this were House Hunters renovation-yes, but I have no idea. This was regular House Hunters. The things I chose to do with my house after moving in were all my choice on my dime. In fact, I had already decided to do many of those things before even agreeing to be on the show. I will admittedly add that the projects probably would not have gotten done that quickly had it not been for the camera crews coming back to film me “settled in.” I know Sarah can attest to a couch purchase, laundry room renovation completion and an outdoor project due to the taping of the show as well. But hey, sometimes we need deadlines in life!

I spray painted the mailbox (to match my front door) the night before the crew’s arrival!

This house number project was much more complicated than it looks.

Note this photo was taken at 11pm (because that’s when I finished hanging the patio lights.

Had exterior painted a few days prior to arrival as well. The gray is darker than I had wanted, but definitely growing on me and happy overall.

(This is in the midst of the popcorn removal for my home)

FAQ #9: Did you really only look at 3 houses?!

On the show-yes. In real life? Not so much, I probably made offers on about 7 homes for almost a year before I found this one. I know what you are thinking, You are a realtor and you lost out on 7 homes first? And I would argue that I knew what I was willing to pay for the RIGHT house. So when I would get a counter offer at times, (because all the houses I made offers on were multiple offer situations) I wasn’t willing to come up any more because “I just wasn’t feeling it”. So glad I stuck with my gut on that one. I often tell my clients- You will know when you find the right house, it is a feeling you get when you are inside. And then you go for it!

“It will be mine, oh yes it will be mine.”-Wayne

FAQ #8: Would you do it again?

I would totally be on the show again (as a Realtor) not the buyer (plus I don’t think you can be a buyer twice). But I think it really depends what it will look like post editing when it airs. There were a lot of things I look back on and think “As a Realtor I would have never done __xyz__” but for TV sometimes you have to skip the garage, and you don’t pull down the attic ladder or check the HVAC age and hot water heater. I also think my sense of humor can be taken out of context (especially if you don’t know me)…so when I joke about a safe in my closet and “That’s where I will store my gun,” you may not know that’s me being facetious (plus the laughter after I made that comment will probably be edited out to make for good TV and poking fun of Texans) haha.

I also have seen enough episodes to know that sometimes the buyers in the show are focused on “Where the husband’s large TV will go?” or “How the home must have a jet tub in the master” And yes, when I work with buyers there are sometimes these specific requests, but for the most part, people want a home that’s a good investment they can see themselves in and if they found the PERFECT house BUT the nook for the TV wasn’t big enough for their current TV, it usually doesn’t stop them from purchasing a home. So I know, based on some of the little things I stressed in these home tours and put in my wish list, it will be edited to make it seem as if they are a bigger ordeal to me than they actually are. However, I will say these items make me appreciate my house so much more! So I think we all need a far-fetched wish list item achieved to make us reassured about our purchase.

My hang ups on the show will be: must have a mature tree in the front yard (ok this may be an actual deal breaker for me), built in shelving, gas cooking, a laundry room inside, no converted garages, a large master bath  and my hatred for popcorn ceilings.

And no blog would be complete without a picture of my dog #GoodGollyMsMollyMaltipoo:

**You bet your butt you will see her on the show too! They definitely wanted to film me baby-talking Molly and saying “we are going to get you a house!” it was awkward to say the least..because while I do baby talk her (I usually do it in private!) Where are my dog lovers at who can relate?!?!**

Now, who wants to be on House Hunters, I know a great Realtor that’s willing to help get you on the show!? 😉

Thanks for reading as always, sorry for the long detailed posts (as usual, but I am not one to skip out on details!).