When RE/MAX Agents Double as HGTV Stars

Lights, camera… action!

Four RE/MAX agents detail their unique experiences starring on some of HGTV’s best-known series. In addition to providing a behind-the-scenes look, these real estate pros share how, when their episodes finally aired, their communities banded together with pride to celebrate the publicity of their treasured hometowns.

‘House Hunters’ in Michigan

Over its 20-year span on television, longtime HGTV hit show “House Hunters” had never voyaged to Flint, Michigan –  until last season when Jonathan Schlinker, an agent with RE/MAX Edge in nearby Goodrich, helped a couple relocate from the suburbs to downtown. Often receiving negative national attention, Flint is an entrepreneurial hub full of historic homes, neighborhoods and universities with plenty of opportunity for restoration.

“There’s no better way to be a part of a revitalization and get involved than actually live there,” Schlinker shares.

The homebuying process for Schlinker’s clients began in the fall of 2019, long before there was talk of an HGTV appearance. He had already shown the couple multiple homes when they decided to apply – for kicks – to be on “House Hunters.” Schlinker honestly never believed they’d get picked.

But after a slew of questionnaires and video chat interviews, Schlinker and the clients were surprised to receive word that they had been chosen for an episode. With a quick turnaround, the episode was then filmed in a short timeframe of two weeks, and neither Schlinker nor the clients were able to see the 21-minute finished product until its long-awaited air date months later.

“We had to be very careful to not disclose any spoilers in advance,” Schlinker says. “The family had already been living in their home for half a year before [the episode] aired.”

If there’s one thing Schlinker wants to make clear, it’s that the prospective homes, reactions and emotions seen throughout the show are completely genuine. Prior to working together, Schlinker was unfamiliar with his clients – but after going through the application process, filming a reality TV show episode and appearing on national television together, he says they have – in true Flint fashion – “almost become family.”

“Everybody that lives in Flint, works in Flint or used to live here tuned into the show and was proud of their hometown. [HGTV] did a great job of portraying what Flint is really like,” Schlinker boasts.

An added bonus to this once-in-a-lifetime experience is that months after helping these clients relocate, Schlinker represented their daughter in the purchase of a home in downtown Flint, too.

‘House Hunters’ in Ohio

Casey Roch, an agent with RE/MAX Trends Realty in Canal Fulton, Ohio, also had the opportunity to be the real estate expert on an episode of “House Hunters.” This episode, however, took a much different direction than typically seen.

“I showed [the couple] only one house,” Roch explains. “HGTV did a different spin on this episode where [the husband] has his real estate license. So, I showed them my one listing and then [the husband] showed two other homes to his wife. Sometimes they do different renditions like this to keep the show interesting.”

“They showed my true personality through my interactions with the client and I felt like it was organic,” he says, noting the show’s integrity.

A local leader, Roch notes that his appearance on TV was received well by his community – and even led to new business.

“I had a great response from people in the area, friends and family,” he shares. “And I got fun comments from the community saying, ‘You’re a celebrity now!’ I’ve also gotten six to seven new clients who said they saw me on House Hunters.”

‘Lakefront Bargain Hunt’ in Ohio

For two years in a row, agent Mike Homan with RE/MAX Unlimited Results appeared on the 12-season hit series Lakefront Bargain Hunt to help families find homes in Ohio’s Holiday Lakes area. It all started when Homan received an email from a TV production company who had been impressed by his local marketing videos and asked him to be on a real estate show they were filming that highlights lake towns.

“I looked at the email for about 10 minutes and thought, ‘This is a joke,'” Homan says.

The request turned out to be genuine. After impulsively responding to the production crew, Homan agreed to be on the show, found a client interested in appearing on the show and, a few weeks later, was on the fast-track to filming his first episode. Following a memorable airing, Homan was contacted by the same company a year later to film another episode with new clients. This time, he helped five families, all related as siblings or cousins, find one lakefront home they could gather at together.

It took less than five days to capture all of the footage for this second episode. Homan describes the filming process as laid-back, saying that there are no scripts, just simple guidance based on the layout of the show – and it’s not uncommon to do multiple takes on the same scene.

With two HGTV episodes now under his belt, Homan is ready to be a regular.

“The second episode was certainly a little more relaxed than the first one,” he says.

‘House in a Hurry’ in Indiana

After a 10-year-long career as a professional wrestler with companies like World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), RE/MAX agent Kevin Fertig returned to the TV screen when he was recently featured on newer-concept HGTV show “House in a Hurry.”

Fertig, now an agent with RE/MAX Legends Group in Indianapolis, was approached by an old wrestling colleague who had a friend working in casting. After a successful meeting, Fertig was told he’d be perfect for an episode of “House in a Hurry,” but there was one problem – he had to find a client ASAP who was willing to operate under the show’s premise: finding a new home in just two days.

Luckily, with the help of Facebook advertisements, Fertig found a client who was relocating from Oregon to Indiana and – most importantly – willing to buy a home in a time crunch on national television. The initial distance wasn’t a hurdle for Fertig; as a longtime real estate expert in Indianapolis, he was able to jumpstart the homebuying process from afar and prepare for their quick and timely move.

“That weekend is all the time [the clients had] to find a home, but I feel like I already knew them before I met them because we’d been on the phone so much talking about what they were looking for in a house,” Fertig explains.

The chemistry between Fertig and the hurried homebuyers displayed on TV was no act – he often becomes close friends with his clients, getting invited over for gatherings, receiving renovation photos as people spruce up their new residences or simply chatting on the phone just to catch up.

Fertig’s background in the entertainment industry made him comfortable and easygoing while on set for “House in a Hurry” – a drastic comparison to the days of fighting in the ring.

 “Being on HGTV was a very different experience than when I was wrestling on TV with WWE,” Fertig says with a laugh.

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