Here's What To Know About The Property Brothers' New Show Backed By The Bros
Canadian siblings Drew and Jonathan Scott made their HGTV debut in 2011. Their series, "Property Brothers," combined real estate and home renovation, with real estate expert Drew helping aspiring homeowners find a promising fixer-upper to purchase, with contractor Jonathan then spearheading the reno that ultimately transformed each place into a dream home. That combo proved to be a winning one. "Property Brothers" quickly became one of the network's biggest hits, resulting in the brothers experiencing further success with various other series for the network, ranging from the spinoff, "Property Brothers: Forever Home," to the star-studded "Celebrity IOU."
June 2024 brings fans the brothers' latest show, "Backed By the Bros," which will send the Scotts in a whole new direction. This time, they assist wannabe landlords in the midst of renovation projects on income properties that have taken unfortunate turns. The Scotts, however, cede complete control of the project to those investors; while they offer their advice and vast knowledge gleaned from the hundreds of renovations they've undertaken, it's the entrepreneurs who put up the money and have the final say. "We want to help investors make the best choice possible, and we want to educate them along the way on what we've learned over the years," said Drew in a press release.
The Scotts don't call the shots in Backed by the Bros
In all their various HGTV shows, Drew and Jonathan Scott have been in charge of the process every step along the way. Not so in "Backed By the Bros," though. This time, the Scotts hand the keys to the investors they've chosen to assist. Sure, they'll offer their guidance and share advice, but when it comes to making the final decisions, that responsibility lies solely with the investors themselves. "We are here to support, not take the reins," Drew explained in the aforementioned press release.
"Usually, Jonathan and I are totally in charge and calling the shots," Drew explained in an interview with HGTV. "On 'Backed By the Bros,' we can give suggestions and our best advice, but it's really up to the investors to decide if they're going to take it. For example, we can suggest they use our contractors, but if they want to use their own crew, that's their choice."
Of course, ignoring the Property Brothers' counsel can come with some serious consequences. "These are real investors we're working with," Jonathan added, "and not all of these stories are going to go off without a hitch."
Backed by the Bros sets the Scott brothers in uncharted territory
Not being in charge of the projects documented in "Backed By the Bros" wasn't an easy pill to swallow for the Scott brothers. In fact, the show's whole premise is quite outside the realm of how they've usually operated. "It's hard not to be in the driver's seat!" Drew Scott told HGTV, emphasizing how unique their new show is compared to all their others. "It's completely different from any show we've done before."
During a visit with NBC's "Today," the brothers promised fans of "Property Brothers" and their other shows that they were in for a whole new experience with "Backed By the Bros." "You've never seen a show like this on HGTV!" Jonathan Scott declared. "Because these people are literally at the brink where they're going to lose everything," he added, referring to one couple who'd sunk their entire retirement fund and all the college savings funds for their five kids into their risky venture. "We're coming in to try to rescue them, but still, some of them don't want to listen."
Speaking with HGTV, Jonathan pointed out that "we're used to having everything our way, so it's practice in trusting the process. Are we control freaks?!" Drew contended that they probably were, a shared personality trait that made "Backed By the Bros" all the more nerve-racking for them. "I know I am," Drew admitted, "because it's hard to watch from the sidelines."
It's not just about the properties
Another element of "Backed By the Pros" that sets it apart from the Scotts' other HGTV shows is that the property itself isn't necessarily their primary consideration — which is somewhat ironic for a dynamic duo colloquially known as the Property Brothers. "It's not just about the property," Jonathan Scott told HGTV. "We're looking for the right investors, too. Those are people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get stuff done. We want to put our energy into someone who's going to make it happen and not just expect us to lead the charge and do the dirty work."
That said, the domicile itself still factors heavily into their decision about which project to undertake and which investors they'll hitch their wagon to. As Drew Scott pointed out, if they cannot envision the property's potential and see a sensible, viable target awaiting at the finish line, they will likely take a pass and move on to the next opportunity. "If the house needs a ton of work and we just don't see how the investor's budget is going to make that happen, we're probably not going to back it," he explained.
Backed by the Bros can change lives
The property investors selected by "Property Brothers" stars Drew and Jonathan Scott have been struggling with their respective projects, putting in their own money but experiencing setbacks in bringing their visions to life. For some, this has meant racking up debt or shoveling all their savings into what seems to be a bottomless money pit. For the brothers, the ability to help them reverse the investors' fortunes doesn't just make for great reality TV drama, but it can quite literally change their lives. "Helping families has always been our number one goal and motivator," Jonathan explained to HGTV. "This was a great opportunity to reach out to people who are putting themselves out there and trying to make money for their families."
Drew concurred, noting that getting these projects back on track can have some tangible benefits for the investors when it comes to improving their situations. "If they can turn these projects around, they can be real moneymakers," he said. "Then, these investors can get out of debt, replenish their savings, or create some wealth for their families. The possibilities are pretty amazing."
The Scotts bring a lot to the table for their new show
Clearly, the experience that Property Brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott bring to "Backed By the Bros" should give pause to any of the investors they work with on the show, given the breadth of experience they've amassed over all those HGTV episodes — to say nothing of their untelevised home-renovation efforts. And while that expertise is nothing to sneeze at, that's certainly not the only thing they can offer the lucky folks they've chosen to advise in the series.
"We give them access to a ton of resources they wouldn't have, like covering designers for them or letting them shop our warehouses and getting things like appliances and furniture for free or really cheap," Drew explained in their interview with HGTV, noting how being able to work with the suppliers with whom they've established relationships can save them some serious money.
"Plus, of course, they get our infinite wisdom, which is priceless," Jonathan jokingly added, pointing out that they can help the investors steer around the same mistakes they'd made in the past. "If we can offer our time and mentorship and hopefully help these investors avoid major headaches that are going to cost them, then we've done our jobs," he said.
They're putting their reputations on the line
The investors chosen by Drew and Jonathan Scott for their new show, "Backed By the Bros," have a lot riding on the eventual success of their projects. Many are deeply in debt, have made huge sacrifices — financial and otherwise — and desperately need their renovations to be completed to recoup the money that they've pumped in.
The stakes for the "Property Brothers" stars are understandably lower, given that it's not their money involved. That said, the Scott brothers admit they became deeply invested in the projects they advised. "We have a lot on the line, too, Jonathan Scott explained to HGTV. "Our time, reputation, and resources, which are not unlimited," added Drew. "
That's particularly true in the series' first episode, which finds the Scotts swooping in on a North Hollywood renovation that's significantly over budget — to the tune of $100,000-plus — yet is nowhere near completed. Utilizing the lessons they've learned, they're eager to pass on that hard-earned experience to their protégés. "We want to help investors make the best choice possible, and we want to educate them along the way on what we've learned over the years," said Drew.
Backed by the Bros was hit with backlash before it even premiered
Since becoming public figures, "Property Brothers" stars Jonathan and Drew Scott have rarely encountered controversy during their years on HGTV. However, the siblings unexpectedly stirred some up with "Back to the Bros" — before a single episode even made it to television, strangely enough.
Viewers of their previous shows haven't been entirely convinced of the Scotts' claims that "Backed By the Bros" is vastly different from those shows and unlike anything viewers have seen them do before. Those complaints surfaced on social media. "They basically do the same show just with a different name except for the celebrity one," one HGTV viewer complained on X, formerly Twitter.
Meanwhile, other HGTV viewers criticized the "Property Brothers" stars for launching yet another show on the network, complaining that they've already appeared in more than their fair share of series. "Just wondering do they own HGTV enough already," read one tweet, and another expressed a similar sentiment, adding, "you guys already have more than enough shows, give others people a chance!"
Not every project on Backed by the Bros will be successful
Fans of HGTV's numerous home-renovation series have come to expect that each episode of most of those series will conclude with "the reveal," in which the homeowners see the completed reno for the first time. That end result is inevitably successful and met with an emotional response that has even resulted in tears of joy.
"Backed By the Bros," on the other hand, offers viewers a bit more of a crap shoot. Because the investors are given the latitude to ignore the advice of the "Property Brothers" stars if they choose, there's no guarantee that their projects will actually make it to the finish line. "These are real investors, these are real stories that we're looking at, and they're not all going to be successful," Jonathan Scott explained in a teaser for "Backed By the Bros."
Despite all the experience they've racked up on the frontlines of home renovation, the Scott brothers are also well aware that, as knowledgeable as they are, they're not infallible. "Still, we're not always right, and it's a good reminder that other people have amazing ideas, too," Drew told HGTV. "Sometimes, they're teaching us new ways to approach things."
Backed by the Bros brings the drama
The very element of "Backed By the Bros" that brings such uncertainty is also what makes it so entertaining. Or at least that's the contention of the show's stars, Drew and Jonathan Scott, who've pointed out that putting the investors in charge — and giving them the option to either take or ignore the brothers' mentoring advice — adds an element of surprise not seen in their previous series.
"Oh, there's some drama," Drew teased when the brothers visited veteran TV anchor Hoda Kotb and co-host Jenna Bush Hager on "Today." "Tell me," he asked Kotb and Bush Hager, "if you were doing a renovation project, and you had us come and say, 'We will be there to help you, we will bring resources, contractors, designers, and help you, give you advice,' would you turn around and do the opposite of what we advise?"
Naturally, the "Today" hosts were incredulous at that notion, but Drew insisted that they'd encountered that very issue on the show. "Many people do," he explained.
High interest rates amped up drama even further
Another factor that's increased the potential for drama on "Backed By the Bros" is the current economic situation. In its battle to calm raging inflation, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to sky-high levels, making the cost of purchasing a home — or, indeed, borrowing money in general — prohibitively expensive. "There are some people who just over-leverage, and they don't realize that this is when it becomes a problem when your mortgage is up for real, and your rate is going up," Jonathan Scott said in an interview with Quartz.
As Drew added, that's precisely the dilemma that the investors they assist in "Backed By the Bros" experienced. "It's all about people who have wanted to try and get into real estate a little bit more. They want to invest, they want to try and provide more for their family. And they get in over their heads because they thought real estate investment is pretty straightforward," he said. In fact, he explained, some of these investors believe they have the ability to renovate a house because they've watched it being done in an HGTV show. "And so they jump in, and all of a sudden, they're over-leveraged, and they need help to get out," he added.
Jonathan pointed to one couple they worked with on "Backed By the Bros," who'd charged up $100,000 on credit cards for their renovation and were being hammered by the interest rate. "I'm like ... 'You are gonna lose everything,'" he recalled.
They've stepped into some very troubled projects with Backed By the Bros
Because of the nature of "Backed By the Bros," the "Property Brothers" stars Drew and Jonathan Scott found themselves backing some projects that had already encountered big problems before they arrived. The siblings explained in an interview with Quartz that this was because some of these investors dove into their renovation projects headfirst without first mapping out a plan of attack. "One homeowner bought all of the appliances and cabinets and everything she could use for a project before she even had the house and knew what she was doing with it," Drew explained. "So, in the end, she had stuff that was not ideal, and she just tried to make it work. Well, you're not gonna get your optimal rent if you have a suboptimal place for somebody to rent."
For Jonathan, the biggest red flag he encountered was when an investor opted to undertake the general contracting responsibilities instead of hiring an actual contractor. "Because if you have never GC'd before, you have no clue what you're doing," he observed. "And as soon as one of your [subcontractors] falls out, everything slows down, comes to a crashing halt."
Some of the most important advice he'd given the "Backed By the Bros" investors was to spend the money and hire professionals. "You're gonna pay a little bit more for some of this stuff," he explained, "but it's worth it in the end because you will save money."
They feel Backed By the Bros is a great way to educate the public
Not only are Drew and Jonathan Scott helping real-estate investors rescue troubled projects — while also transforming this process into an entertaining TV show for HGTV viewers, let's not forget — but they also feel that they're providing a public service by educating people about the mishaps that can be encountered and should be avoided at all costs.
They also feel that, in their own small way, they're contributing to help solve the housing crisis. As Jonathan explained to Quartz, he believes that converting a property so it can accommodate a rental unit — be it a basement suite, a converted garage, or an ADU (accessory dwelling unit) — is a win-win, providing affordable housing for those who need it while also contributing income to the homeowner. "All of these things are incredibly helpful when it comes to solving the housing crisis," he said. "And you also, like a lot of people, 'cause real estate is so expensive today, especially in places like New York and Los Angeles, imagine having that additional income coming in for you, how it can offset your costs, your bills, your taxes, everything. It's pretty incredible."