Scott McGillivray has made a career out of buying houses, renovating and then reselling them. Through his longrunning Income Property, McGillivray has renovated properties for homeowners so they could bring in money to help them offset their mortgages and other bills.
Now McGillivray puts his own money into properties alongside first-time house flippers in hopes their combined sweat equity pays off bigtime.
That certainly adds an amount of personal drama to the 10-episode run of Buyers Bootcamp with Scott McGillivray, debuting this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV Canada. The affable investment property specialist is at his TV best when he’s swinging a sledgehammer at walls, having bugs rain down into his perfect hair and dispensing quips with potential homeowners. There is certainly a lot of that in Buyers Bootcamp, along with a treasure trove of information for viewers who might be interested in taking some notes from the man.
There is a whiff of reality show to Buyers Bootcamp, as McGillivray—in each episode—meets with two property owners and assesses the viability of each before choosing just one to throw his knowledge, team and money into. First up are Craig and Lindsay, a young couple hoping to turn their 1878 Victorian home purchase into a big bag of cash. Stunning tin ceilings and original wood floors are definitely selling points but evidence of water damage and a specialty market for the size of the house are worries. Next are brothers Kenson and Charles, and their multi-level duplex. A beaten-up main floor and moss growing in the bathroom have McGillivray worried, but the second floor shows more promise as does the siblings’ expansion plans in the backyard.
What really sets Buyers Bootcamp apart from other McGillivray projects are his homeowner co-stars. It’s up to them to not only pitch their properties to the veteran flipper but themselves too. This is going to be a partnership, so they have to sell their enthusiasm and vision in hopes he jumps on board.
After ruminating on the risks and payoffs to both properties, McGillivray makes his decision and the real work begins. Gutting rooms, taking down walls and peeling up floors always reveals unwanted or exciting surprises and Sunday’s debut is no different. But thanks to some generous friends and luck no major costs throw off the budget. The final reveal is simply stunning.
If you’re already a fan of McGillivray you’re going to love Buyers Bootcamp. If you’re not, but are thinking that house flipping might be in your future, tune in. The man has made a living doing this and you can learn a lot from watching him work both on and off the work site.
Buyers Bootcamp with Scott McGillivray airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV Canada.
Image courtesy of HGTV Canada.