Here's The Most Expensive House Featured On Fixer Upper

When "Fixer Upper" first came on the scene in 2013, fans ogled over the beautiful designs and renovations created by husband-and-wife duo, Chip and Joanna Gaines. Since the show started, and eventually ended five years later (via IMDb), Gaines has become a household name and the homes the couple designed have become icons in their own right.

According to Insider, the average budget of a client on "Fixer Upper" is $279,903. Within that budget, Chip and Joanna are tasked with transforming their home. Since the show's inception, secrets have been revealed, including the fact that the furniture used to stage the home on reveal day doesn't always stay in the home and that many people featured on the show turn around and put their newly renovated homes up for sale.

While clients may assume that a home touched by the talented Chip and Joanna Gaines would sell quickly, this isn't always the case. According to House Beautiful, as of 2019, there were still four homes on the market struggling to sell, including the most expensive home featured on "Fixer Upper."

Coined on the show as "Paw Paw's House," the 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom, 210-acre home in Marlin, Texas is the most expensive house featured on "Fixer Upper." The home got its' name because it was built by the current owner's grandfather. The budget for renovations was $250,000 and after Chip and Joanna installed hardwood floors, a copper sink, and concrete countertops, the home price skyrocketed to $1,450,000 when it went back on the market after the show (via House Beautiful).

Local realtor Kristin Clements told Insider that the reason these houses have a hard time selling is because of the price tag. While "Fixer Upper" homes often get a lot of traction, Clements said that people are often coming to see the house, not to buy it. "I just think it's going to take the right buyer who wants to be in Waco and also who can afford a higher price point," she told the outlet.

It looks like that buyer never turned up for Paw Paw's House. Per Realtor, the expensive "Fixer Upper" house is currently off the market and hasn't been recently sold.

As of this writing, PawPaw's million-dollar home is still on the market and it joins a few other "Fixer Upper" properties that had trouble selling. Another high-priced home was the Asian Ranch house that was featured on Season 2. According to House Beautiful, the house was sold to The Reeds for just over $262,000. They had a solid budget for renovations and when they went to sell the home a few years later, they didn't hold back, listing it at a whopping $739,900, per Realtor.com. Unfortunately, they set their sights a bit too high and after dropping the price five times, it was eventually taken off the market in 2020. 

According to Southern Living, the median home price in Waco, Texas, where "Fixer Upper" takes place, is around $200,000, so it makes sense that these higher-priced homes aren't selling. "Our honey spot is around that $150,000 to $250,000 range—that's where we'll get people buying right away," Local realtor Kristin Clements told Southern Living about the homes in the area. Adding that many of the people who come to see the "Fixer Upper" homes can't actually afford their high price tag. 

While it may be difficult to sell the homes renovated by Chip and Joanna Gaines on "Fixer Upper," that doesn't mean they don't make the owners money. In fact, many of the people featured on the show have used the show's popularity to make a profit through renting sites like Vrbo and Airbnb, per Insider. During Season 2, fans fell in love with a mid-century modern home bought by the Barrett family. According to Vrbo, Josh and Jill Barrett still own the home, but they rent it out for $299/night. The high price tag may have to do with the fact that home is famous — even their listing is titled "As seen on Fixer Upper — Stay in The Fabulous Waco Mid Century Modern Home!"

Other homes that have taken the renting route include the ever-popular "Shotgun House," which appeared on Season 3 and was one of the smallest homes at just 1,050 square feet, per Realtor.com. Although the original owners attempted to sell the home at $950,000 (yes, you read that right), they are now renting it on Airbnb for $325/night instead. And with 630 reviews, it doesn't seem that they are having any trouble filling it!

With a whole new season of "Fixer Upper" coming in 2022 on Magnolia Network, we will have to wait and see if the show's new designs sell homes.