In Collaboration with Lifestyle
I have Foxtel for the Lifestyle channel only. Fact! I am a total Selling Houses Australia addict. I even watch those really old episodes I’ve already seen before (maybe more than once!). I just love this show, and having been lucky enough to meet and get to know Shaynna Blaze and Charlie Albone in the course of my job, I really feel like I know them and I know their great on-screen chemistry is the real deal. And as for that Andrew Winter, how hilarious is he?! I love his cutting sarcasm and no-holds-barred dressing downs of the homeowners when they get a little too greedy come auction time (and how often does that happen, eh?!).
I think what I love most about the show is that it keeps it real, much like this blog. They really do work with some challenging (and that’s putting it nicely) homes and unlike some of those bigger budget makeover shows, we are not talking unrecognisable transformations here. We’re talking realistic changes without over-captilising which fix the main issues that have been stopping the properties from selling, sometimes for years! The shows are full of inspiration for DIY fixes we could all try at home without having to re-mortgage. And let’s not forget that crucial ingredient: human interest! There are always stories behind the homeowners; usually ones which pull at the old heart strings, and I’m a sucker for that!
So of course I’m loving the new series of Selling Houses Australia on Lifestyle. Have you been tuning in? Episode one was a cracker: a converted church in the middle of nowhere outside Adelaide. Entry to the house is through a derelict bathroom (you couldn’t make it up). The quirky Dutch expat owners bought it on a bit of whim with visions of a country weekender. They started renovating but a serious injury to David stopped their progress and then all their focus went into their new chess cafe business.
But of course, Shaynna and Charlie are up for the challenge to turn it into eclectic, Instagram-worthy holiday accommodation! Shaynna makes great use of paint to make a big impact on a small budget (including a brave black feature wall). She creates a bathroom with some seriously wow factor tiles, paints the existing kitchen black and adds quirky and repurposed furniture.
Charlie makes the out buildings stripey, defines the front courtyard, has a bee hive relocated by the professionals and plants low-maintenance natives. And it all pays off, as after the first open they receive two offers and sell for $250,000.
In episode two we meet Queensland empty nester Kelly and her large family of rescue greyhounds (and other canine friends). I always cringe when I see a house full of dogs (not that I’m not a fan). You know what’s coming: unpleasant smells and claw damage! And let’s not talk about the room with a treadmill for the dogs to exercise on! Kelly is clearly struggling to keep on top of her acreage and her house on her own, alongside her busy job as a train guard. As with many of the show’s case studies, Kelly is emotional about leaving a home where she has brought up her kids and been through a lot.
Charlie and Shaynna know they’re in for some serious hard work, but as always, they rise to the challenge! In his best English accent, Charlie describes it as “quite dreadful,” and Shaynna says: “it’s dark, bad colour scheme, dirty, but to me it’s more about the floor plan.” Off to a great start! But of course, they do a great job, and for once, Kelly is a realistic seller! Kelly received a good offer which sadly fell through, but there was interest and hopefully she has sold by now.
This series is off to a strong start and I can’t wait to watch the rest!
Selling Houses Australia series 11 is on Lifestyle Channel at 7.30pm on Thursdays and is repeated on Lifestyle HOME.