WATCH: Idaho Falls couple who found home on ‘House Hunters’ gives tour
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IDAHO FALLS — When Sharilyn Hackett of Idaho Falls looked for guidance in buying her first home, she never thought being on a hit TV series would be the solution.
Sharilyn applied to be on the HGTV show “House Hunters” online last year and wanted to surprise her husband, David Hackett. Sharilyn 24, works as a receptionist at a chiropractic office, and David, 28, works as a information systems analyst at Melaleuca.
“That was right at the beginning of our house hunt journey,” David said.
When the couple didn’t hear anything back about their application after a long while, they assumed it was a rejection. But eventually, producers reached out, and after a tedious application process, camera crews were on their way to Idaho Falls in October.
“It was a small town, and they were really interested in coming to the state,” David said.
During the “House Hunters” show, individuals, couples or families are followed though their house buying journey with a local real estate agent. Viewers learn about the featured subjects, where they live, and their wish lists. Buyers are guided through three different houses and select a home at the end of the process.
The couple knew what they wanted, but their wish lists didn’t completely mesh. David wanted more of a customizable home, and Sharilyn wanted one with newer construction.
“I didn’t want to buy something that was equal to the amount of space we had in our apartments. I wanted to at least branch out with more bedrooms,” David said.
Their real estate agent, who also had to go through an application process for the HGTV series, said she too faced some challenges.
“Their budget was a pressure for sure, and they had different ideas of what they wanted,” Keller Williams real estate agent Jodi Steo said. “The production team comes in and only films three different homes, but yes, we definitely looked at several homes, and they go through a real home-buying process.”
The couple was working with what they said was a relatively low budget of $140,000.
“It was a breath of fresh air for everyone … it was going to be more relatable and like a bargain hunting type of deal,” Sharilyn said.
At the end of the episode, the couple settled on a ranch style, one-story home on Linden Drive. It was below their budget, but it wasn’t free from problems. There was still renovation that needed to be done.
“On the show you see where my doubt lies with my husband being able to do the work to the house,” Sharilyn said. “If anyone’s renovated a house before, it gets a lot uglier before it gets prettier.”
The couple said they had about three and a half weeks after selecting their home to get it camera ready. Production crews came back to the home to film after the couple made renovations and moved in.
“Nothing compares to the feeling of knowing that it looks how it does because of our blood, sweat and tears,” Sharilyn said.
The couple has learned that there are no perfect homes, and there isn’t a perfect home-buying process, but they are happy with their choice. They are grateful to the community for their support during their journey.
“It feels absolutely amazing to own a house now. We absolutely love taking care of our yard,” David said.
“As far as us picking this house, I definitely had no idea that this is the house that we would end up choosing,” Sharilyn said.
The couple and Steo will be hosting an event free to the public to view the Hackett’s “House Hunters” episode at the Paramount Theater in Idaho Falls on Wednesday at 8 p.m. Go to the Eventbrite page for more information. The public can also stay for a free viewing of “Beauty and the Beast.”