Where Are The Iconic Fixer Upper Homes Now?
Where are the iconic Fixer Upper homes now? One of the hard and fast rules of adulthood is that the shows that once bored you as a child, like cooking shows or home renovation shows, soon become some of your favorite forms of entertainment. And there's no doubt that one of the best home renovation shows is HGTV's Fixer Upper, starring the charming husband-and-wife duo, Chip and Joanna Gaines. Though Fixer Upper ended after season 5, the Gaines' success has been hard-earned. Chip and Joanna Gaines even launched their own network, The Magnolia Network, to film more shows.
But looking back at the classic Fixer Upper episodes, it becomes clear that the show really did have some amazing transformations, though not all of them turned out to be an ideal situation for the homeowners. In fact, many people who appeared on the series haven't stayed in their homes for long at all — and there's been plenty of drama that happens after the cameras stop rolling. So, where are the iconic Fixer Upper homes now? And what's the real reason Fixer Upper homes are so hard to sell? Read on to find out!
This iconic Mid-Century Modern stunner from Fixer Upper is available for vacation
If there's one thing that just about everyone knows about Joanna Gaines, it's that she loves the modern farmhouse interior design style. In fact, some might even say that Gaines popularized the style that has since taken over both Pinterest and the homes of Instagram influencers everywhere. But despite Gaines' penchant for shiplap and "Gather" signs, in season 2 of Fixer Upper, she and her husband tackled a home that was a far cry from their typical style.
Specifically, the Gaines flipped "The Mid-Century Modern Home" for their friend, Jill and Josh Barrett. The gorgeous home was the couple's first, and it seriously turned out perfect. The house went from unkempt and dated to totally cool, open, and modern in a fresh-yet-retro way.
The home became instantly iconic in the world of Fixer Upper, and for good reasons. In fact, if you ever want to plan a trip to Waco, Texas, the abode is available to stay in for $275 per night, on VRBO. And according to the listing, it's still owned by Jill and Josh — how sweet!
That iconic Shotgun House on Fixer Upper was the talk of the town
Cameron and Jessie Bell own one of the smallest homes in Fixer Upper history. "The Shotgun House" truly presented itself to be a challenge, but like almost every project that Chip and Joanna Gaines tackle, they nailed it. The home, barely over 1,000 square feet, is adorable now, and the Gaines deserve the credit for that, as they took it from shambles to fabulous. The tiny home was one of the last shotgun-style homes left in Waco, Texas, and the Gaines kept that in mind when renovating the loft-style house.
Still, many people can't believe the amount it was listed for — $950,000 — as it was appraised at $132,010, according to the Waco Tribune-Herald. Perhaps that's why the Bells were unable to sell the property, as they are still listed as the hosts of The Shotgun House on Airbnb, which you can stay in for $284 per night. (By the way, here's how you can stay in Chip and Joanna Gaines' other homes.)
It's unclear if the Bells want to continue living in the iconic home, or rent it out for the foreseeable future, but the home remains stunning nonetheless.
The owners of one iconic Fixer Upper home felt betrayed
On season 3 of Fixer Upper, newlyweds Ken and Kelly Downs found their dream home in "The Three Little Pigs House," an adorable, cottage-style home in Waco. And while Chip and Joanna Gaines certainly put in a lot of work to make the iconic home a gorgeous place to live, the Downs and the home itself haven't had the best luck since the family moved in.
In fact, in 2017, a car crashed into the home, causing a ton of damage. "It's like the Wild West here," Kelly told the Waco Tribune-Herald at the time. She then went on to blame the Gaines' team. "We've lived here a year and a half and we feel deceived by the city of Waco and Magnolia Realty," she lamented.
The car crash wasn't the only problem for the Downs, as they weren't pleased with the neighborhood, either. "This is a Fixer Upper gone bad," Kelly added. The home is available on Airbnb, though it's listed under another host, so it appears as if the Downs sold it or listed it with a property manager.
The iconic Barndominium on Fixer Upper caused a controversy
One of the most iconic homes on Fixer Upper was the season 3 "The Barndominium," a huge literal barn that Chip and Joanna Gaines turned into a totally liveable space. The home is unique, stunning, and totally original, but it's also caused some controversy since it was first flipped on television.
According to Realtor, the original owners of the Fixer Upper, Lexia and Todd Meek, had to move out of Texas for a work opportunity; real estate investor, Kristi Bass, then ended up buying The Barndominium — only to list it on VRBO for short-term rentals starting at $1,200 per night. Obviously, that would be a great way to make some money, but due to neighborhood complaints and city council rulings, Bass ended up trying to sell the property, according to the Waco Tribune-Herald.
As of this publishing, the home is listed on Airbnb under Bass' name, though the nightly price has significantly decreased. Perhaps Bass couldn't sell it, or the city council finally allowed her to rent it out. Whatever the case, The Barndominium is available to stay in for just $856 per night.
Fans can stay on this iconic Fixer Upper houseboat
On season 4 of Fixer Upper, Chip and Joanna Gaines took things to a whole new level when they renovated a houseboat for Brett Swartz, who wanted a cool place for himself and his children. The boat dubbed the "The Double Decker House" turned out beautifully, and it appears as though Swartz was truly thrilled at the flip.
Specifically, when asked if he would recommend the Gaines to a friend, Swartz was ecstatic. "Yes! I would tell future clients to let go of expectations because it will far surpass whatever you can imagine," he gushed. "Just let Chip and Jo take the reigns." Makes you want to hire Chip and Joanna Gaines to do your house, doesn't it?
Additionally, it appears as though Swartz is still the owner of the iconic houseboat, as he is listed as the host on Airbnb. The home costs $300 per night to rent, which is a pretty good deal compared to other former Fixer Upper listings. Plus, there's no denying that staying on the houseboat is certainly a unique experience.
You can rent the iconic Fixer Upper home "The Peach House"
Most house hunters who appear on Fixer Upper are couples or families, though there are a few widows or divorcees as well. But in season 3, bachelor Brett Ridley took the show by storm when he found his perfect home. Called "The Peach House," Ridley wanted the sprawling home because of the size, large yard, and proximity to the lake. Obviously, the house needed a lot of work, but naturally, Chip and Joanna Gaines took it from dated and cramped to open and modern.
But Ridley's house wasn't exactly the star of the episode, as Chip quickly dubbed him the "Most Eligible Bachelor" in Waco, causing the episode to get even more attention.
However, in 2017, Ridley's bachelor status disappeared, as he got engaged to girlfriend Rachel Rich. "I never thought I believed people when they said when you know you know, but when I met Rachel, I knew," Ridley said in an interview with KWTX. Ridley also added that the two planned to move into his iconic Fixer Upper home, and according to the home's VRBO listing, he is still the owner, along with Rachel.
This iconic Fixer Upper home didn't get a happily-ever-after
On most episodes of Fixer Upper, Chip and Joanna Gaines help homeowners renovate the house that they can picture themselves living in forever. However, due to the success of the show, sometimes homeowners rent out the space for cash, as opposed to living there themselves. And sometimes, homeowners simply sell the home, and the Gaines' dream of creating a forever home is crushed.
That was the case with season 4's iconic home, "The Pickly Pear House." It belonged to the Severn family, and got a really cool "German smear" update that gave the once-traditional home a modern cottage feel. Mary Severn told Joanna Gaines that she loved the final product in an interview for the Magnolia blog, saying, "it was worth the wait to see the way Clint turned my family's bowling lane wood into our amazing kitchen island." FYI, here's what fans need to know about Clint from Fixer Upper.
However, the family sold the house, according to Realtor, and it's now owned by someone else, per the home's Airbnb listing. While the Severns may not have loved it, you can stay there for just $312 per night.
The Gaines gave Joanna's sister an iconic Fixer Upper home
Aside from the fact that the Gaines have managed to turn their hit HGTV show into an empire with multiple businesses and storefronts — Chip and Joanna Gaines even have a castle — the fact that the couple also flipped a house for a family member is probably the best reassurance that they do great work. On season 5 of Fixer Upper, the Gaines took "The Safe Gamble House" from dull and plain to stunning and fabulous with a mid-century flair, all for Joanna's little sister and her husband, Mary Kay and David McCall.
The iconic home isn't listed on any vacation rental site, nor has it been listed for sale, so it's clear that it's the perfect home for the McCalls. And in an interview for the Magnolia blog, Mary Kay said as much. "I have wanted Jojo and Chip to do a house for us since we first got married 13 years ago, so this was a dream come true," she gushed. "Jojo knows my style more than anyone, so I had complete confidence that she would design the perfect home for us."
This iconic, fan-favorite Fixer Upper home sold quickly
One of the most classic renovations that Chip and Joanna Gaines have done on Fixer Upper was season 3 fan-favorite, "The Brick House." The home already had a ton of character and history behind it, but the Gaines really brought all of those elements out even more, and complemented them with modern touches. However, the Craft family, who bought the home, didn't live there for long, and actually put it on the market.
The season 3 stunner was listed in 2019, and sold in less than a month, according to House Beautiful. It's not exactly surprising, since the home was listed for an actually reasonable price — unlike a certain Shotgun house with a nearly million-dollar price tag.
Still, whoever bought The Brick House apparently bought it as an investment, as it's now listed on Airbnb for the affordable price of $214 per night — a total steal for the three-bedroom, four-bathroom charmer.
An iconic Fixer Upper home from season 1 is available for rent
The second-ever episode of Fixer Upper featured a house that was as big as it was in shambles, and the transformation was totally jaw-dropping. "The Gorman House" as it is dubbed, was literally declared not safe to inhabit by the city of Waco, so it was a huge undertaking for Chip and Joanna Gaines — but of course, they nailed it. When they were done with the renovation, the home was picture-perfect, and featured so many classic and beautiful design elements.
And as it turns out, the original owners still seem to be in possession of the home. Just like many other Fixer Upper houses, "The Gorman House" is available for a short-term vacation rental on VRBO, but it's listed under the original owner, Charmaine Hooper, who bought the house with husband Chuck. Clearly, the home has worked out well for the couple, and while they might not live there full-time, the home still changed their lives.
This iconic Fixer Upper home was hard to sell
Though a season 4 home on Fixer Upper was called "The Plain Gray Ranch," it was anything but dull once Chip and Joanna Gaines finished it. And when Melissa and Matthew Yieldings first moved in, they were totally in love. "I love the kitchen, living, and dining area," Melissa told Joanna for the Magnolia blog. "It feels really peaceful."
According to Realtor, the home was purchased in 2015 by the Yieldings, who then turned around and listed in for $325,000 in 2017, just over two years later. However, after the home languished on the market for a while, the owners eventually had to lower the price all the way down to $260,000 — though it doesn't appear as if it's sold.
However, despite no prospective buyers, the Yieldings have held off on listing the home on any vacation rental sites, so perhaps they fell back in love with the home and are no longer interested in letting it go, even for a weekend.
A widow found new hope in this iconic Fixer Upper home
While Fixer Upper is generally an upbeat show, there are moments that make you pause. One such moment happened during season 5 of the show, when a widow named Patti Baker was looking for a small home she could move into after losing her husband to cancer; she found it in "The Baker House," a charming little bungalow perfect for Baker and her sons.
The episode was certainly emotional, but Baker couldn't have been happier with the results of the flip. "I loved everything about it," she told People. "Who else better could do that for a widow [than Chip and Joanna]? I walked in 12 weeks later to everything not only being done but it being beautiful."
However, that dream home wasn't Barker's forever home, as she soon remarried and moved away to live with her new husband. And while Baker no longer lives in the adorable home, she continued to work with the Gaines by listing the bungalow with Magnolia Realty, proving her loyalty to the Gaines. And though the iconic home was actually listed again in 2020 (via Today), it's not on any vacation rental sites.
This iconic Fixer Upper home got a new lease on life
Season 1 of Fixer Upper – which almost didn't happen — certainly brought a lot of challenges to Chip and Joanna Gaines, but perhaps nothing quite as unique as "The 5th Street Story," an old, tear-down house that the Gaines were able to breathe new life into. The house, which was close to the biking and running routes the client and her husband loved, also had a very unique exterior.
Though the couple reportedly tried to sell the home for $375,000 back in 2017, according to Today, it appears as though they still own the iconic Fixer Upper home. On the dwelling's Airbnb page, the owner is listed simply as "Joshua," and in his bio, he states that he is "happy to meet with our guests if they need something or want to meet us and talk about our experience on the show," presumably meaning Fixer Upper. The home rents out at $263 per night and is truly charming.
One iconic Fixer Upper home was listed for a great price
In season 4 of Fixer Upper, Chip and Joanna Gaines assisted the Wixsom family in the search for their first home in Waco, Texas. The couple, Dean and Brittany Wixsom, settled on a sprawling home that was quite dated, and due to the three doors on the porch, they named the iconic home "The Pick A Door House."
Of course, the Gaines were able to turn the house into a modern and industrial delight, and the end result was as stunning as it was shocking. While the abode was a far cry from the Gaines' typical style, it still was a masterpiece.
However, that doesn't mean the Wixsoms loved living there. For whatever reason, the couple listed the home at $565,000 in 2017, not long after they moved in, according to Realtor. And though it's unclear who lives there now — the home did sell in 2017 – it's not currently listed on any vacation rental sites. That means that whoever bought the iconic home might have bought it for themselves to actually live in, not just to rent out.