This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive commission for purchases made through these links. Price at time of publish date may change.
In Backed By The Bros episode 3, Drew and Jonathan helped one investor out of a burdensome building that sat vacant and unused for some time now, just eating away at their pockets and their well-being. But that’s not all—the Bros also went back to a previous client to help him finish his reno and tie up loose ends so he could finally move forward.
The potential investors this week couldn’t be more different from one another, but they do have one thing in common: They both have a building that’s bleeding them dry. Jason didn’t crunch the numbers quite right before buying, and Heidi’s had a building on her hands that she just can’t let go of, but isn’t working for her situation anymore. Which one do the Bros back? It all comes down to who they think needs their help urgently, and who they think is capable of finishing their project without the Bros’ help.
The Potential Backings
Jason
Jason bought a house just a couple months ago at auction for $4.2M. He thought he’d be able to afford the home, and was excited to see it come together. Unfortunately, he didn’t factor in interest rates and taxes before the purchase, and after crunching some numbers, realized he couldn’t manage it, after all. He wants to make lemonade out of some lemons and flip this unicorn Hollywood Hills home with stunning skyline views and an infinity pool.
He wants the interior to reflect its status in the Hills, and turn the dated contemporary 90s interior into a modern dream home for buyers. The inverted layout (meaning the kitchen and living space is downstairs below the main floor) is going to be a difficult sell for some, and he’s never flipped a home before. Jason needs the Bros’ input on the smartest ways to divvy up his money on the renovations in order to get this home off his hands without digging himself a bigger hole.
Heidi
Heidi has a commercial property in Maywood, CA (close to downtown Los Angeles) that belonged to her husband. It was his shop that he used for his bookbinding and paper printing business. However, two years ago, her husband got sick and sadly passed away. The building remains, along with all of his materials and machines for his printing work. Heidi is having a hard time letting go of the property even though she knows the best solution might be to sell.
Originally bought in 2017, the building has since doubled in value without even renovating it. Heidi’s at a mental tug of war with what to do. Part of her wants to turn it into a residential investment property, but the other wants to get rid of the mental burden altogether and sell. With no experience and no clue where to start, Heidi is looking for advice, resources, and direction from the Bros on where to bring this property so she can finally move on.
So, Who Do the Bros Back?
Jonathan was adamant about backing both investors, but Drew said that it would be near impossible to get both done. Their teams are only available for a short period of time before they have to get back to their normal projects. They discussed it more, and in order to give the investors their best efforts, decided to back Heidi while offering Jason the advice and guidance he needs to stretch his budget and flip the home wisely. Ultimately, they know that Jason won’t lose his shirt—he just needs to cut back on the redesign, and they’re confident Jason will get the reno done in due time.
Bonus: The Bros also returned to help Frank from last week’s backing, who rebuilt his rental property after a devastating fire. Drew and Jonathan helped him finish his backyard into a beautiful space that tenants can enjoy, complete with new landscaping, greenery, a cozy place for folks to lounge, and even a dining table.
Getting Started
When it comes to Heidi’s building woes, the Bros are actually confident that most of the work (sorting through her husband’s old things, auctioning off pieces that aren’t of use to her, and clearing out the building) can be done by Heidi herself, with a little help from a professional liquidation expert to get her started and offer guidance.
Drew and Jonathan’s main focus for backing Heidi is offering her their time and their mentorship so she is no longer being bled dry from the building. Getting her moving on and moving out of this commercial property is going to finally set her free of these financial ties. That way, Heidi will be able to get that residential property she’s been dreaming about, and start her journey in real estate that works for her.
As Heidi is clearing out the building to be able to sell, the Bros revisit a previous investor—Frank—and help guide him to get started on his backyard renovation. The final puzzle piece is getting that space in order so he can get some tenants into the building and maximize the rent for the triplex.
Frank had less than the money the Bros recommended for the bare minimum budget—$20,000. With just $10,000 available to renovate the backyard, he needed to really stretch his money to be able to get the place looking in tip-top shape.
So they made adjustments, like using turf instead of grass, and cleaning and repairing things (rather than buying new) where they could. They also decided to make the laundry room coin-operated. That way, Frank can get a little money back for the long-term.
Heidi’s Building: Before & After
Frank’s Finishing Touches: Before & After
A Warm, Welcoming Space
A Fresh, Green Yard
A Coin-Op Laundry Room
Don’t forget to catch up on our previous episodes, and tune in every Wednesday at 9:00 pm on MAX or HGTV to keep up with Backed By The Bros.
Shop the Look
Check out the decor, furniture, and more seen in this episode–and get it for yourself!
Click here to see all of the items featured in this episode!
wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | Room | Item Type | Product Name | Company | Product Code / Sku |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kelly K. | 29/05/2024 12:00 PM | saad | 26/06/2024 06:23 AM | EXTERIOR | LANDSCAPING | N/A | THE STANDARD DESIGN GROUP NURSERIES | N/A |
2 | Kelly K. | 29/05/2024 12:00 PM | saad | 26/06/2024 06:23 AM | EXTERIOR | STAGING | N/A | SPRUCED HOME | N/A |
Backed By The Bros: Rebuilding After Destruction
Can the Bros help this investor fix his devastating structural damage?
Read More