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WOMAN: Look at that view!
BLASHAW: We all dream of owning a little slice of paradise.
WOMAN #2: This is just beautiful.
This is stunning.
And for most people, that's all it is -- a dream.
But I'm gonna fill you in on a secret.
There it is!
You can have your dream vacation house.
The dream is about to begin.
Oh, my gosh.
BLASHAW: And you can have it all for free.
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
This week, I'm in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Located just north of the Georgia border,
Hilton Head is a little island
packed with Southern charm and big-time family fun.
It has 8 marinas, 24 golf courses,
12 miles of white, sandy beaches,
and plenty of high-end shopping and food options.
This town is a dream-come-true,
whether you're an active vacationer
or just like to lie on the beach.
Marc and Celeste
started visiting Hilton Head five years ago.
From their very first moment on the island's pristine beaches,
they dreamed of owning their very own vacation home
I'm Celeste.
And I'm Marc. We live in Atlanta, Georgia.
And we have two boys, Evan and Bennett.
The first time we came to Hilton Head,
we came with my family for the Fourth of July.
We've come here ever since.
You just don't seem to get
the same wild-and-crazy Spring Break crowd here.
It's much more family-oriented.
There's the beach. Love to kayak.
There's nothing that I don't love.
We did start looking,
but it was a little hard when you're far away.
Owning a vacation house here
really would be a dream come true.
We want to be close to the beach, and
everything's super expensive, from what we can tell.
We have to be able to afford it.
And it's still something that --
I want to be at the beach. We can do it.
[ Laughs ]
There is a way for Marc and Celeste to own a vacation home
without breaking the bank,
and that's to make it pay for itself.
To do this,
we'll take the yearly costs of owning a vacation home,
cover it by renting it out for part of the year,
and then end up with a net cost of zero.
The prime rental season here is 14 weeks.
We'll have to find an undervalued home
with lots of potential, renovate it to maximize rental income,
and end up with a property that will rent out for top dollar.
With all expenses paid, Marc, Celeste, and their family
can enjoy their second home for the rest of the year for free.
Hi, Matt.
Hi, Matt.
Thank you.
Why did you decide to buy a house here?
We love it. There's no stress at the beach.
There's lots to do. We love to kayak, and Marc loves to golf.
So, what are we looking for in a house?
Three bedrooms. At least a couple bathrooms.
Something that we can be as close to the water as possible.
Something that's close to amenities.
And anytime we've rented, there's been a pool.
We have $100,000.
But I'll be honest with you, Matt.
We do not want to do a renovation.
[ Chuckling ] I mean, that's daunting, to me.
To tell you the truth, why people don't buy those houses --
because they're just like you. They're scared to jump into it.
We're scared.
All right.
I'm gonna search this island far and wide.
I know you said that you've been looking, okay?
I'm gonna look even harder.
I'm just gonna make sure
that it's gonna fit your needs and a renter's needs.
Cover those carrying costs, have the vacation home for free --
That's the target.
Let's do it.
I will see you guys soon.
Thanks, Matt.
MARC: Beautiful today.
BLASHAW: How you guys doing?
Good.
So, I looked at numbers last night, okay?
I got some great properties to show you.
We're gonna look for houses today
between $450,000 to $500,000.
As a starting-off point of $100,000 like we talked about,
after the down payment, that's gonna leave us
about $50,000 to $55,000 for renovations.
I want you guys to think like renters today, all right?
What would you, as a renter, want in this house, okay?
I'm gonna show you one house that is not for sale.
It is the ultimate rental.
We're gonna see what attracts Hilton Head renters to it,
maybe get some design ideas
and put it into your rental property.
Yes.
BLASHAW: This ideal rental has everything that renters want.
It's a quick walk to shops and restaurants
and smack-dab in the middle
of the best golfing, tennis, and water sports on the island.
And now, look at this beauty.
This is the premier rental on Hilton Head Island.
5 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, 4,500 square feet.
So, this rents, on the low season, $5,000 a week.
On the high season, double that.
Okay?
But it pays for itself, even with those numbers,
and it's all about packing it with amenities
and making it stand out.
Don't fall in love too hard, though, all right? Come on.
Wow.
Look the ocean.
This place is amazing.
BLASHAW: Right? Four French doors,
all with access to the outside.
Everything that you could want in a kitchen is right here.
So, this is luxury at its finest.
But it's not, like, a stuffy luxury.
It's a cozy luxury.
This is going to appeal to a broad base of renters.
Even more inviting, I think, is the living space outside.
Look at that.
You got the view,
but you got the Lowcountry luxury living out here, as well.
This is what renters love.
I love that mantel. Is that driftwood?
Yes.
Okay.
And then, leads right into the master bedroom.
CELESTE: Yeah.
Yeah, this is amazing.
I think this is bigger than my kitchen at home.
It's gorgeous.
And this is what an en suite bathroom should look like.
Okay, there is so much more to see, guys, okay?
Upstairs.
BLASHAW: Another living space...
...upstairs.
BLASHAW: If you're having a nice, adult dinner party downstairs,
bring the kids up here and be done with it.
And you guys will know what this room is for.
[ Chuckles ]
Sleeps four kids comfortably.
Your kids will love it. Renters' kids will love it.
So, here's the master bedroom for the upstairs.
This setup is exactly like the master that's downstairs,
taking advantage of the view, access to the outdoors,
en suite luxury bathroom.
MARC: Fantastic. It just keeps getting better.
CELESTE: I love the open floor plan
and being able to feel like you're outside,
'cause I love to be outside here.
Having an area for kids to have their own space
is something that, as a renter,
I certainly would be looking for.
What better place to talk about rental numbers
[ Sighs ] Yes.
I mean, you got the pavers in here.
Yeah, the grass is neat.
We can't afford a multi-million-dollar house,
but we can take these multi-million-dollar ideas
and put them into your house.
I love it. Sounds great.
Now that I've been able to open up Marc and Celeste's
mind to the possibilities, all I have to do is show them
the houses they have to work with.
And hopefully, they see the same potential.
So, let's go find your own mini version
of your multi-million-dollar house, okay?
Next, I show Marc and Celeste
a spacious home only blocks away from the beach.
Mm, wow.
This is what you come to Hilton Head for.
BLASHAW: We're in Hilton Head, South Carolina,
looking for properties with Marc and Celeste.
With a maximum of $500,000 to spend on a house,
we've got to find them a vacation property
that we can fix up, rent out, and make pay for itself.
I'm taking them to a three-bedroom, two-bath
located in the private resort community of Palmetto Dunes.
It's a short hop to the beach, right on a canal,
and packed with easy access to tons of great family amenities.
But it needs a lot of work.
And there it is.
3-bedroom, 2-bath, 2,500 square feet.
Its list price is $475,000.
MARC: It's just kind of shabby.
We need to freshen it up, give it that Southern charm.
Definitely paint that door,
trim those hedges down so we can see into the house.
We don't have to spend a lot of money here.
We should spend it on the inside.
The family room.
Uh-huh.
How many families lived here?
A lot, as you can tell by the carpet.
We have a nice, tall ceiling. This fireplace is great
for a family room. This is what we want.
Yeah.
Right behind this wall.
So that doesn't really have that open floor plan.
No. See what I mean?
Wow.
BLASHAW: "Wow" and "Why?"
And this feels, like, really claustrophobic in here to me.
I mean, this wall cuts off the circulation to the whole house.
You guys were so drawn to that open floor plan
of the ideal rental, so let's do something similar here.
Let's take this wall down
to open up the kitchen to the living room,
take the pass-through wall down and put in a breakfast bar,
new cabinets, new granite countertops, and new appliances.
Creating a new, unified space for families to gather in
is crucial to a vacation renovation,
so focus your budget here.
This whole house is full of little spaces
that are not being utilized that we need to think about.
Case in point, this is what I like to call the bonus room.
This could be a great play room, a TV area,
another great rental opportunity.
Okay.
Then, the master's right towards the back of the property,
Nice view out there.
So, direct access to the outside -- That's huge.
Big selling point for a master retreat.
The bathroom -- It's clean. It's functional.
And I think we just leave it at that.
We need to spend all that money in the kitchen,
because in terms of a rental, that's what matters the most.
Guest bedroom -- A couple big windows.
And then, we got the bathroom.
So, it's a Jack-and-Jill.
But then, you have direct access to the living space, as well.
So, it's almost like three bathrooms in one.
A dual-entrance bathroom like this
is great for big families or more than one family.
And right off the kitchen is the utility room.
This is a room that is not listed as a bedroom.
With an outside entrance, utility panels,
and vinyl floors, this room is supposed to be
some kind of mudroom or work space.
But I say we reclaim this as a living space.
Remember the ideal rental, that bunk bed room?
Yes. I loved that for the boys.
Right? Do something like this in here.
Change the flooring and put in a bunk bed.
Then we can list it as another bedroom.
More bedrooms mean a higher rental price.
Outside with us.
Look at all this space.
You may not be right on the ocean,
but we are right on a canal.
You have access to miles of canals.
You have kayaking, canoeing, fishing.
We want to make this area comfortable and inviting.
So, first, we clean up and resurface the decks,
bring in some landscaping around the sides for color
and finish it off with cozy seating.
Then we add a big cooktop grill
and an alfresco dining area to bring the family together.
We can even build a rack for kayaks.
Making this home just as comfortable outside
as it will be on the inside
is crucial for attracting renters.
One more bonus I'm gonna show you.
BLASHAW: Huh?
Wow.
This is what you come to Hilton Head for.
You have this just a walk away.
This is what a dream vacation rental is all about.
BLASHAW: So, $475,000 is the asking price on that house.
It's bank-owned, so there's no wiggle room in there.
We have $100,000. With $50,000 down,
that leaves us about $50,000 left for renovations.
Total investment -- $525,000.
Total costs on that house per year --
mortgage, taxes, utilities.
It has an HOA. Flood insurance, as well.
So it's a little high. It's $42,000 a year.
So, to cover to the costs on the house,
during that peak 14-week rental season,
we'd have to rent it out for $3,000 a week.
I don't know. That seems really high to me.
That extra bedroom --
I think that'll really get it up to that $3,000 range.
The house itself just feels like
you're in this maze walking through,
with all these strange, little spaces.
I'm a little concerned with the $3,000 a week
that Matt mentioned. I think that, with the floor plan,
even if it opens up, I'm just not sure.
A lot to think about.
Getting ready for a tough decision.
Let's go, guys.
Up next, I show Marc and Celeste
a cottage with some extra space next door...
That's a huge space over there.
...and an unexpected surprise.
CELESTE: Wow, look at this.
BLASHAW: We're in Hilton Head, South Carolina,
looking for a vacation home we can renovate and rent out
to cover the annual costs.
With a house-hunting budget just under $500,000,
I'm taking Celeste and Marc
to see a three-bedroom, three-bath house
in the Sea Pines resort community.
It's Hilton Head's best-known resort.
It offers top-notch dining, shopping, and amenities.
And the house itself is a 10-minute bike ride
from the nearest private beach.
MARC: All right.
See all the mature trees?
Gorgeous.
You got a corner lot, which is nice.
3-bedroom, 3-bath, little under 2,000 square feet.
So, $485,000 is the price of this house.
But this is sold with the furniture in it.
Okay.
This is in Sea Pines,
which is an amazing community here on the island.
And they hold an amazing PGA Tour. Marc?
Yes.
One of the best golf courses in the world.
Exactly. So that is a huge draw for renters,
and that means we can fetch top dollar.
That's a huge space over there.
Is that all part of the property?
Common area. You don't have to maintain it,
but you have access to it.
The house could use a little bit of work.
Need to add some color with some plants around here,
Oh, that'd be cool.
And just a little bit goes a long way.
Let's go on the inside and see what you guys think.
All right.
Right into our cozy living room.
Wow, okay.
I mean, this is just a nice space.
But what it's missing -- It's missing that Lowcountry living.
I mean, what does it feel right now?
It just feels really formal,
and I don't like the furniture at all.
It's kind of hodgepodge.
I say we change the furniture out.
We need to give it that beachy feel that we want.
Definitely need to open up those windows.
Let's take advantage of the outdoor view.
Here's your kitchen.
Okay. It's bigger than I would've thought.
The kitchen is not perfect,
but what's great -- It's nice and open,
so we have a lot of room to work with.
So, this is what I would do.
Let's bring in that engineered flooring all the way throughout,
update the appliances
with some high-end stainless steel appliances,
maybe a farmhouse sink.
And then, right in the middle here,
let's make this a giant island with some seating.
And all this tile needs to go.
Definitely a granite or a quartz product.
Hard surface is great.
We want to give it some character in here.
It just doesn't have it right now, okay?
Let's go to the outside. There's a feature back here that will
get you at least 10% more on your rent.
Ah, the boys would love the pool.
Yeah.
In this area, almost every rental has a pool.
So you have to have a pool in order to stay competitive.
It's a great start, but the rest of the yard need some work.
What I would do --
Let's put in those big pavers with some grass in between.
The arbors need to be redone.
Paint that up to give it some contrast,
hang some plants from it.
On the far side, we put a privacy screen in
Yeah.
...so you can just sit and enjoy this Lowcountry living.
Around this tree, let's add some more seating,
some nice, comfy, cozy couches, a fire feature.
The more we put back here,
the more money we can charge on a weekly basis.
Let's head inside.
In the master, you see that they continued...
...that flooring.
What a big difference it makes. So, not much to do in here.
We change the paint color,
change the decor, and then we're done, right?
Big budget saver.
And the master goes right into the master bathroom.
We can paint up the cabinets.
We'll take off that wallpaper, new light fixtures.
Just brighten this place up a little bit.
Then, we come to our first guest bedroom.
Yeah.
Okay. That's nice.
So, this is what we can do to this.
We take out these two beds in here
and just make this a master.
So now, just like the ideal house,
we have two master bedrooms.
Two masters in a rental market is king.
It expands your rental pool, especially here,
where multiple families often vacation together.
There's nothing really wrong with this house.
It's just, there's no real "wow" factor when you walk in.
The pool is certainly the biggest draw, I think, for me.
This doesn't seem like a rental. It seems just like
a regular house that people are gonna go into and live.
We have to make people remember that they're on vacation,
not at their friend's house in the suburbs.
This house is listed at $485,000,
but I think we can get it for less,
since it's so far from the beach.
I'd like to make an offer at $455,000.
I mean, that would leave you
just under $45,000 for renovations,
putting your project total at an even $500,000.
$45,000, I think, can get us where we need to be.
Mortgage, HOA, taxes, and utilities
add up to $35,000 a year.
That means we have to be able to rent it out for $2,500 a week
for the entire 14-week peak rental season
in order to break even.
All right, so, let this kind of sit with you,
and we'll go see some more.
Coming up, we see a two-story stunner
with Southern style and a golf-course view.
But how far from the beach?
BLASHAW: We're in Hilton Head, South Carolina,
searching for a vacation house between $450,000 to $500,000
that Marc and Celeste can fix up and rent out
to cover their annual costs.
Next, I'm taking them to check out
a 3-bedroom, 2-1/2-bath, classic two-story home on a golf course.
The house is a sure bet to draw the golf weekend rental crowd.
But with the nearest beach over 2 miles away,
can I convince Marc and Celeste
to trade in the sand for the links?
There it is, right there.
Really quiet street we're on.
So, we're in the Sea Pines community --
great for golfing, as you can see right behind you.
With an annual PGA golf tournament
held right here each April,
this house is a guaranteed top-dollar rental for that week.
3-bedroom, 2-1/2-bath. Little over 2,200 square feet.
You know, I like this country look it has,
almost like a country farmhouse.
It just looks so inviting to me.
CELESTE: I love the front porch.
Rocking chairs need to go up on that front porch.
In my mind, that's what a house
in South Carolina should look like.
See? And if that's in your mind,
that's in a renter's mind, as well.
But how far from the beach?
It's about 2 miles, okay?
But I think the big draw here is a private golf course.
I mean, I think this is a winner.
Entryway here.
Hardwood floors.
It's got the fireplace.
It leads right into the dining room. And then,
you have the sliding glass doors right out to the deck.
I think it looks fantastic.
This house, in general -- It's a blank slate.
So now we can spend our money on making this luxurious.
Remember the ideal rental, how you felt when you walked in.
All those upgrades, yeah.
Yes. We've got room to expand.
Open up this wall.
Now, you'll have a direct eyeline right to the great room.
This kitchen has a ton of potential.
Let's make it a luxurious cook's kitchen.
Make these cabinets tall, all the way up to the ceiling,
under-cabinet lighting, subway tile for a backsplash,
completely redo the countertop with granite,
breakfast bar area, adding seating in here,
stainless steel appliances.
You make it sound simple.
[ Laughs ]
Then, right off the kitchen, you have a formal dining room.
Well, I don't know that we would use it like a dining area.
So what we can do in here --
Let's turn this into the kids' room.
We add another bedroom,
upping the value of the house and the value of our rental.
Fantastic.
BLASHAW: And the master right off the family room, okay?
CELESTE: Yeah.
Definitely some upgrades, but it's all cosmetic.
And then, right past the closets,
you got the master bath in here. This thing's big.
Wow. It's huge.
Two sinks.
And they're separate. That's nice.
We can turn this into a luxurious spa escape.
Remember how large that bathroom was in the ideal house, right?
We have that kind of space and that potential here, as well.
So let's just make this thing shine. Great opportunity.
So, let's head upstairs.
Then, two guest bedrooms upstairs.
I love the window.
You have two closets on either side,
Wow.
So, this is the guest bathroom,
okay, for the upstairs.
And then, it heads right into our other bedroom.
Wow.
This could act as a second master,
Yeah, I love it.
All right. I'm glad you like it.
Let's head downstairs and check out the backyard.
And off of the great room...
your entrance into the great outdoors.
Lots of shade.
You got the deck, so you're able to enjoy the beauty all around.
I just keep hearing a lot of cars. And I'm worried,
with kids, they can get right out into the street,
It is a busy road.
That's the main entrance into this community, okay?
We can't stop the traffic, but we can try to combat it.
So, this is what I would do back to this space.
I would extend the deck out 10, 15 feet, even.
Let's put in a water feature
that might drown out the traffic sound,
maybe put a privacy screen towards the back.
That will help drown out the sound, as well.
So, let's bring in a hot tub, maybe even a grill area.
That would be nice. It's a great spot.
CELESTE: I think the house itself is pretty white, boring.
However, with the upgrades that Matt talked about,
I can see it. It sounds great.
There's a lot that can be done with this house.
But you can't change the distance to the beach,
and the road noise is just never gonna go away.
The list price on this house is $469,000.
Wow.
I think that's a little overpriced.
What I'd probably do is put in an offer around $390,000.
Maybe we'll get a target price at $410,000.
We need about $60,000 for the renovations.
So our total investment will be $470,000.
Mm-hmm.
So, with this HOA around here, it's one of the most prestigious
on the island, so the fees are a little bit high, okay?
Carrying costs on this is $36,000 a year.
So we'd have to rent this place out
during that 14-week peak rental season
for $2,600 a week.
Now, in the shape that this house is in right now,
there's no way we're gonna get that.
But if we pack it full of luxurious items
and list it boasting its proximity
to a PGA Tournament golf course,
I know we'll be able to get $2,600, okay?
Okay.
Sound good?
Sounds great. Makes lots of sense.
All right. Let's go, guys.
Decision time.
...it's a tough call, but Celeste and Marc
Wow.
BLASHAW: We're on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina,
a laid-back golfer's paradise where the South meets the sea.
Marc and Celeste have been searching
for a vacation home to buy, renovate,
then rent out in the high season
so they can carry it year-round, all expenses paid.
Working within a $450,000 to $500,000 budget,
we've seen some properties with potential.
And now, our couple has to decide
which home will fulfill their vacation house dream.
How you guys feeling?
Good.
Decision time.
Three properties -- all great.
We'll talk about the good, talk about the bad.
And you're gonna have a decision for me at the end of it.
Sounds great.
Okay. So, here we go.
First one -- Cozy on the Canal.
3-bedroom, 2-bath, little over 2,500 square feet.
Listing price on that is $475,000.
It is a bank-owned property.
They're not gonna take any less than that.
So, probably, we're gonna put
around $50,000 for renovations into that house.
So total cost would be $525,000. It's a lot,
but it's right on that canal, bike ride to the beach.
Now you remember.
In this house, we wanted to renovate that kitchen
and totally refresh that deck.
So, mortgage, taxes, utility, HOA are gonna be $42,000 a year.
So we'd have to rent it out for $3,000 a week
during the peak 14-week rental season.
Okay.
Okay, so, next one is the Sea Pines in the Shade.
3-bedroom, 3-bath, under 2,000 square feet.
The list price on that property is $485,000.
We have to put in an offer lower.
The target is about $455,000.
If we can get that, we put about $45,000 into renovations,
so total cost on that would be $500,000.
So that's kind of in the middle of our budget.
And our two projects here
were to spruce up that patio and renovate that kitchen.
So, rental numbers on that -- $35,000 per year.
So, in order to get that for free,
we need to rent it out for $2,500 a week
during that peak 14-week rental season.
Next one -- Classic on the Course.
Really like this one.
3-bedroom, 2-1/2-bath.
It's a little over 2,200 square feet.
List price on that is $469,000.
There's no way we can spend that money on the house.
Our target price is $410,000.
If we can do that, put $60,000 into renovations,
our total investment will be $470,000.
I think that's gonna deliver the renters, no problem.
First, we completely turn around that kitchen.
Then we reconfigure that deck to eliminate the road noise.
The carrying costs for that property run $36,000 a year.
So, in order to cover the costs, we'd have to rent it out
for $2,600 a week during that 14-week peak rental season.
So, can we eliminate one?
Yeah.
Every house had some real strong positives.
But we're getting rid of the house with the pool.
Okay. Sea Pines in the Shade.
The house was so bland. The ceilings were low.
There's no way we could've changed that.
I think that's smart. Okay. So, now, we got two left --
Yeah.
...or Classic on the Course, two very good properties.
What do you think?
I think we're ready to make a decision.
Okay!
It's gonna be great for us.
It's a really big risk, but to be that close to the beach --
It's in a gated community.
MARC: To have that access on the canal -- just a dream come true.
This house is bank-owned,
so there is no room for negotiation.
And our construction budget is tight.
One slip-up, and Marc and Celeste's dream
can turn into a nightmare.
It's been six weeks since Marc and Celeste decided
to take on the house by the canal.
And I've never seen a bank work so quickly
to get a property off their hands.
I'm just hoping that's good luck and not a bad omen.
In the meantime, I've come up with an overall plan
that I hope these newly minted vacation homeowners will like.
Okay, guys.
So, here's my design ideas for your vacation house.
In the front, contrasting trim, a brand-new front door,
and all-new columns for a touch of that signature Southern look.
Sounds great.
Can't wait.
Inside, we'll create an open flow
between the living room and the kitchen
and put down all new hardwood floors.
We'll gut the kitchen entirely
and make it bright, open, and high-end.
We'll refinish the fireplace and the built-ins
and finish it all off with a modern ceiling fan.
And then, out back, we'll turn the deck
into an inviting outdoor living space.
So, in order for me to start opening this place up,
I got to rip it down. So you guys grab your towels,
hit the beach. I'm gonna get started.
Break it up.
...demo.
Because we're tearing out this wall,
we first have to get rid of these kitchen cabinets...
...and then the old media stand on the other side.
You can check the plans as much as you want,
but you will never really know what's on the inside of a wall
until you open it up.
Yes!
A wall without surprises --
good on the stress levels and great for a budget.
And now we can open up the kitchen to the living room.
This floor plan is open for business, man.
After that, it's time to open up the kitchen...to the kitchen.
Hello.
Ohh!
Hilton Head, we've got a problem.
Did you notice something happen up there?
BLASHAW: I didn't notice anything happen. But I noticed...
Yeah.
BLASHAW: When you start pulling down walls,
there's always a risk
of exposing an extra load-bearing post
in an unlikely spot.
And that's not an easy problem to fix.
That's gonna be money to get that done.
[ Sighing ] Ah, man.
Tell me it ain't so.
BLASHAW: At Marc and Celeste's Hilton Head vacation home,
we've just kicked off kitchen demo,
and we've run into our first big problem.
The kitchen wall we want to take out may be structural,
and it could be holding up part of the ceiling.
BLASHAW: It's carrying some weight on it.
By taking out that living room wall,
we may have put additional stress
onto the kitchen supports.
This is a nerve-racking situation.
That's the last thing you want, is the roof to fall down.
So if we have to bring in an I-beam to support the roof,
that is gonna cost us big.
I mean, we're gonna have to run a beam
probably across this way to support our rafter.
That's money -- $1,500, $1,700 -- to get that done.
Caesar is climbing up in the attic.
Our hope is that he finds a header beam that we can't see.
What do you think?
Yeah.
Yeah, we've got a beam.
Tragedy averted.
All right. Back to it.
Get out. Whoo!
With the kitchen opened up and ready to rebuild...
...we're already moving forward with the exterior work.
We're repainting and resealing the back deck.
And then it's on to the front.
I'm giving the shabby, old door a fresh facelift.
I'm gonna give it some style
and give this front patio a whole new look.
These can just rip right out.
By beefing up these posts
and wrapping it with rough-sawn 1x6,
it's an easy and inexpensive way
to give this front porch a fresh, new look.
The front of the house is starting to stand out.
And inside, we're installing hardwood floor
throughout the kitchen and living areas.
And that nice, whitewashed, beach look
is gonna make these rooms seem light, bright, and open.
Next, up goes the drywall, and on goes the skim coat.
Bright white paint will quickly
and cheaply update the old brick chimney,
but there's just one thing it's missing.
One of the things that Marc and Celeste love
in that ideal rental was the reclaimed wood mantel.
So I found them
a 100-year-old piece of oak that came out of a barn.
I'm gonna install it right above the fireplace,
and it will become a focal point that no renter will forget.
We sunk three steel bars into the fireplace brick...
Just like that.
...and drilled three matching holes into the mantel.
So all it is now is just sliding it right on.
Right there.
Boy.
Whoo! Nice.
They are going to love this.
So, we painted up the fireplace, not only to open up the space,
but it's a backdrop to this beautiful piece of barn wood.
It's reclaimed, so it's eco-friendly,
and rustic, to give us that Lowcountry living charm.
There's only a few weeks to go till the high season begins,
and we have a lot of work left to do.
The kitchen is coming along.
New Shaker cabinets,
quartz countertops, and a brand-new sink.
The interior is shaping up fast.
And now we've got to polish off the backyard.
One of the best features about this house is the canal access.
So I'm making a custom kayak rack right on the dock
so that sporting renters will have easy access.
It's convenient to use, photographs well,
and it's really gonna highlight this home's waterfront location.
This is the hardest part of the job.
This kayak rack is pure and simple.
Some 2x6s, some hardware, is all you need.
Nice.
This will be the kayak rack that keeps renters coming back.
The backyard is really coming along...
Looks good. Right there.
...with some additional landscaping.
But as the weather warms up,
the deadline for the peak rental season is making us sweat.
Ceiling fans in this part of the country
are not only a statement piece. They're essential.
So, the fireplace is gonna be the focus point of the room.
But this fan is going to keep renters cool
and look cool, as well.
We may be kicking up a fair bit of dust,
but we're still far from done.
We're adding exterior trim,
hanging doors for the brand-new mini media room,
and putting in subway tile and cabinet doors.
Just how I like them. Perfect.
Okay, so, in the kitchen, we used a Shaker-style cabinet,
which is giving us nice, clean lines -- simple.
And then we used white with the cabinets
as well as the backsplash. So it's like that beach theme --
bringing in the white sands from the beach.
It's also making this kitchen look twice as big as it is.
[ Beeping ]
Marc and Celeste's canal-front house is almost finished.
But we're still working up to the last second
so this house can be rent-ready in time for beach season.
Love it.
Coming up next...
MARC: Oh, my gosh.
...the big reveal.
Aah!
BLASHAW: We're in Hilton Head, South Carolina,
where we've been working nonstop to turn a dull, cramped
three-bedroom ranch house by the beach
into a top-of-the-line vacation rental.
Now it's finally time to show Marc and Celeste
just how far we can go with their $50,000 renovation budget.
MARC: Oh, my gosh.
Ta-da!
[ Laughing ] It's fantastic!
Just a splash of color on the door
and broadening out those columns
takes this house's curb appeal to the next level.
I love, love, love the blue door so much.
It was hidden behind all those bushes before.
All the bushes taken away. The house says "Rent me" now.
It makes you want to walk through that door,
which you're going to right now. Let's go. Come on.
MARC: Oh, my goodness.
Oh, my gosh. Awesome!
Amazing.
Wow.
[ Laughing ] Is this the same house?
That's the same fireplace.
This was Grandma's living room. We just freshened it up,
painted the shelves white, added some crown molding,
and then blending it in so it all looks cohesive.
Where did you like that mantel?
Well, in the $20-million place, right?
Can we get that in a place for us?
You have it right here.
100-year-old barn wood, hand-hewn.
Such a centerpiece.
We're opening this place up.
The light that comes off of the skylights
now bounces onto a lighter floor.
The floor says "beach" to me.
It's amazing what you can do just with a little bit of style.
We wanted to take your personality,
and we wanted to take what renters want,
I still can't get over this.
You're trying to peek around the corner to the kitchen.
I know. You want to see it so bad.
BLASHAW: That wall is out.
Look at what we opened this wall up to.
MARC: Holy cow.
You saw what was wrong in here.
Now you're seeing everything that's right and more --
really nice cabinets, nice stainless steel appliances.
I mean, we put most of our budget into this kitchen.
And this is what's gonna make the most impact.
Renters are gonna keep coming back.
And we're gonna get the highest rental dollars
I love it.
You can be sitting at the bar,
and people can be sitting in here
while we're all hanging out together.
That's all I ever wanted.
I know! I know!
I think this kitchen is really gonna stand out for a renter.
Take a peek around at just the formal dining space.
BLASHAW: Isn't that nice?
You have a kitchen to living room to dining room
that people can flow through -- just a nice, smooth transition.
It's perfect.
So, let's head over to the utility room over here.
Oh, look at this.
It was almost like this room
was set up to have bunk beds in it.
This is all like that first house we saw.
That same idea --
I brought that into your house with the double bunk beds.
There was no use for this space.
So now, by turning it into a kids' room --
Fit four little kiddos in here.
People maybe can't afford to come in here
and pay that weekly rental rate all the time.
So, now, multiple families might be able to do that.
I can't wait to show the boys. They are gonna love it!
Now I want to show you guys what we did
with that awkward walk-through to the master bedroom.
Remember this unused space?
Oh, my gosh. Look at this!
We have made this a bonus room, a media room.
What a great thing to market.
Kids could come in when it's raining outside.
They can play video games in here.
It's bright. I felt like it was a cave before.
We just took off half of that paneling.
We cut down our costs by half
by just painting the existing paneling that we had,
extending in the laminate flooring through here.
Let's move on to the master.
The room suitable enough to be called the master.
[ Both laugh ]
Look at this.
This is amazing!
It was so nasty before.
But we didn't spend a lot of money in here.
Fresh coat of paint, new window treatments, Berber carpet.
Oh, it's all so relaxing.
Pictures of this with views of the outside --
We have to show that to everyone that this is a waterfront.
They'll expect to pay a higher price.
You guys are gonna get this thing rented out, no problem.
I'm not gonna want to rent this out, Matt.
You're making it too nice.
All right. Let's head to the outside.
Wow.
What we bought the house for.
Oh...
The deck looks amazing.
You have a formal dining table out here.
You have tons of seating.
The more seating we can have, the better.
So, look down there at the dock.
The top caps with the copper on it --
Just a little bit of a copper touch to it.
You only needed to replace a couple boards,
but mostly just a brand-new, fresh coat of durable paint.
That's all you need. Freshens up this space.
We need to cater to the sporting type of renters.
And that's why...
I made you a kayak rack.
Ah, look at that!
So now you can take it right from the kayak rack
right into the canal. Boom.
They're gonna rent this place in a heartbeat.
Landscaping out here -- I love it. It's so inviting.
Just a little bit of grass.
I've tried to make this as low-maintenance for you guys
as you possibly can.
All this stuff just adds up.
People are gonna expect to pay a higher weekly price
just from putting in these plants, a dining room table.
The house is absolutely a dream come true. Love it.
Yeah, it's our dream come true.
Before, it was a lot of wasted space.
Now, I mean, it feels bigger.
After looking at that million-dollar place,
and now, seeing this -- We own that, in my mind.
We have everything we could've ever wanted.
There's nothing I don't love about it.
Well, now, you get to sit down and enjoy this, huh?
[ Laughing ] Yeah.
List price was $475,000, and that's what we got it for.
We put $50,000 in for renovations.
CELESTE: Whole new house.
We just had to make sure to spend that money right, okay?
So, the covering cost on this is $42,000,
for mortgage, taxes, utilities, HOA,
and flood insurance, as well.
So, we can go one of two ways here.
$3,000 a week for 14 weeks --
I think we could book that solid.
But I'm here to tell you I think we can get $3,250 a week.
And we only have to rent it out for 13 weeks.
So, what'll it be?
Is it gonna be that $3,000, 14 weeks,
or do you want to do it for $3,250?
I think the lower. I don't want to overestimate anything.
We need to be sure we keep it rented.
Okay.
Okay.
Let's do it.
Congratulations. I'm gonna go put this on the market.
We got everything we wanted, plus we're close to the beach.
I do think we could get $3,250. I think Matt's right there.
We need to make sure that we can cover that initial cost.
But knowing that we can eventually up the price,
I think we just start conservatively at first.
You know, I never thought we could have
that vacation house for free, but I think we've got it now.
It's been six months
since we finished Marc and Celeste's
Cozy on the Canal property.
Only after a few weeks of being on the rental market,
they were able to increase the rental rate
from $3,000 to $3,250 a week because of the high demand.
So now, not only are they able to cover the annual costs,