By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Thursday, April 7, 2016
The most popular team on HGTV is Jonathan and Drew Scott, identical twins better known as the "Property Brothers."
In a recent week, the network aired a whopping 30 hours worth of shows featuring the Canadian-born duo, drawing a collective 31.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen data.
What's the draw? Good looks, good humor and sound advice on their multitude of shows from "Brother vs. Brother" to "Buying & Selling." And they've placed their knowledge into a colorful, info-packed 300-page book "Dream Home: The Property Brothers' Ultimate Guide to Finding & Fixing Your Perfect House"
"We started in real estate when we were 18," said Jonathan in a recent phone interview with his brother. "We're now 37. That's a lot of years in the business. It wasn't hard to write the book. It was hard to find the time to write the book. It took us two years!"
The brothers will return to Atlanta on Wednesday, April 13 to meet fans and sell books at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta in Dunwoody. (Buy tickets here.)
The Las Vegas residents spent several months in metro Atlanta in 2013 and 2014 shooting "Property Brothers" and "Buying & Selling." Repeats of those episodes continue to air regularly. They are willing to come back, though preferably in warm weather. And they don't miss the traffic.
Jonathan, better known as the renovation expert, said the book itself will provide plenty of information not on their TV shows.
"We wanted a simple resource," said Drew, who usually wears a suit and tie on "Property Brothers" as the real estate agent. "A lot of houses you'll see in the book we've never had on our shows. We show different designs and designers. We offer ways to solve common problems and even a calendar to buy the right items at the right price."
Practical advice includes using pillows and artwork for unusual pops of color, not the paint on the walls or the countertops, which can be more expensive to change.
As for open concept homes, that's here to stay, Jonathan said. "When a lot of people lived crammed into a small house, multiple rooms made sense," he said. "Now we want multi-functioning rooms with an open-concept space."
"Ninety-nine percent of people want open concept," Drew added. "People love open spaces between the kitchen, dining and living rooms. It's important to have some rooms closed off like a home office or playroom."
He said shows on HGTV help educate people on what's available in the marketplace. "You can't pull the wool over people's eyes and give them a crap job, and expect top dollar," Drew said. "We're raising the bar that way. We're seeing a lot of technology being introduced, more home-efficient appliances and gadgets."
"I have my lights and stuff controlled by my phone," Jonathan said.
"I can freak out my girlfriend by turning on a TV in another room while she's in the house and I'm out," Drew said.
"I wouldn't want to date Drew," Jonathan cracked.
The brothers now live in Las Vegas together. They both enjoy the great weather and entertainment.
"My pole dancing career has taken off," Jonathan said. One thing they do not do is gamble. "You'll go broke in a minute," he said.
More seriously, Jonathan can indulge in his love of magic. "I was just with David Copperfield," he said. "We included him in a 'Brother vs. Brother' episode this season."
Their schedule is crazy. They just finished "Brother vs. Brother." They continue to run their own real estate/renovation business. They are doing this book tour. Then they shoot "Property Brothers" and "Brother vs. Brother" in New York and Connecticut . They are now seen in 140 countries. "We have a strong, amazing fan base," Drew said. "We hope we're giving people shows they love."
While the two brothers differentiate themselves by profession, Drew said Jonathan was the broker for their original company years ago. Drew was supposed to be the contractor at first. But ultimately, the brothers felt more comfortable in their current roles. They purposely made themselves look different so they wouldn't play the "twin gimmick."
BOOK SIGNING
Jonathan and Drew Scott ("The Property Brothers")
7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 13
$10 members, $15 community
The Marcus Jewish Center of Atlanta
5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody
Note: There will only be a photo line at this event, not a signing line. Pre-signed books are available for purchase on the night of the event ONLY from the official bookseller of the MJCCA, A Cappella Books. You must have a copy of the Property Brothers' book in order to have your photo taken with the brothers!
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