House Hunters Renovation

A comic and his wife want to find a property full of character and history, but they both have a different type of house in mind.

Mortgage broker John and his wife Audrey, a real esate agent, have been raising their three young kids, Tyler, Callie, and Courtney, in Austin, Texas. But with the kids getting older, they are now on the hunt for a larger home, one with lots of space inside and even more land on the outside. Audrey wants an farmhouse in a bright feminine palette, but John has his heart set on a Texas style ranch with a grand fireplace and lots of rustic wood. But once they find a place they both adore, their problems are far from over as they realize their big ideas for remodeling might be far outside the reach of their modest budget. With patience, compromise, and help from their designer Heather Harkovich and contractor Brian Moore, the struggle will all be worth it, and John and Audrey will finally settle in to a beautiful new family home.

Chicago residents Michael and Leslie are fitness trainers that recently tied the knot. Now they're looking forward to taking another big step and buying a first home together. They're targeting homes in the heart of Chicago with their $650,000 budget. Leslie is dead set on a townhome with a brick exterior and lots of character. For interior style she leans toward transitional elements with soft feminine touches, but that may push Michael out of his manly bachelor pad comfort zone. Michael is hoping to find a modern, sleek condo in a swanky high-rise, with a doorman and tons of amenities.

Erin and Aemon have recently moved from New York City to Austin, TX to work in the area's growing tech sector, and to raise their young son near family. After renting for a few months, they're now ready to find a home. While Erin loves the cozy charm of a bungalow, Aemon prefers the clean lines in midcentury modern homes. Erin would also like to do less reno and move in quickly, while Aemon is happy to wait and put more work into a house to get exactly what they want.

Lawyers Chris and Ashley are newlyweds who are eager to buy their first home. For the last few years they've been living apart while Chris finished up law school, and are now currenlty living with Ashley's parents until they find a place of their own. They're targeting three bedroom homes in the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst, but that's about the only thing they both agree on. Chris is stating his case for a Craftsman house with a modern interior, while Ashley is arguing for a ranch with a cozy cottage style on the inside.

Texas transplants, Casandra and Gerald moved to California ten years ago and have been renting ever since. After having two sons, they're finally ready to make their move more permanent and are looking to purchase their first home. She wants a cottage style home like the ones back in Texas but he wants something more modern. And while she has her heart set on a pool and rustic finishes inside the home, he insists that everything is new; including the plumbing. Their agent Cynthia Imani will have her hands full finding something they can both agree on. So when they get the keys, they'll need to renovate their new house to make it exactly what they want.

Jen and Nick live in a crowded condo in Chicago with their two young children. Desperately needing more space, but facing high home prices in the city, they've secured a mortgage-renovation loan where the costs of renovation are added into the mortgage. So they're looking for a "hot mess" fixer. Helping them find a good bargain is real estate agent Annie Bauer. Because the homes they're looking at haven't been touched in decades, it won't be easy to see past all the flaws and zero in on what has the right potential.