Surprising Facts About HGTV’s Property Brothers Jonathan & Drew Scott
Since Property Brothers catapulted onto our screens in 2011, we've been obsessed with the dreamy homes and the goofy charm of twin realtor/renovator combo Jonathan and Drew Scott.
The show is still going strong, but like most TV shows, there are a few skeletons in the closet. Let's take a look at some little-known facts about the Scotts' rise to fame and the ins and outs of what you don't see on camera. You'll be surprised by how young they were when they got their start in the renovation business!
Their Parents Didn't Know They Were Having Twins
Photo by Drew Scott/Instagram
The pair were born to Jim and Joanne Scott on April 28, 1978. While the expectant parents knew their lives were about to change as they welcomed another child, they didn't realize they were in for double trouble.
After Jonathan was born they thought that was it, having only expected a single child. Drew surprised everyone by being born four minutes later, becoming the youngest Scott sibling in the new family of five. The twins have an older brother, James, who was born two years earlier. What a shock that must've been!
Drew And Jonathan Began Renovating At Age 8
Photo by Drew Scott/Instagram
From watching the show, it's pretty easy to see that these two have flipping houses in their blood. Their dad would often renovate properties as they were growing up, and from the age of eight, the boys were getting paid to rebuild different parts of buildings.
Growing up, they showed a flair for design by rearranging the furniture in their family home - often to the annoyance of their mom. These two blossoming builders weren't one-trick ponies though. They had a lot of talents and a lot of dreams.
The Twins Were Trained Clowns
Photo by Drew Scott/Instagram
Both Drew and Jonathan could charm even the coldest of souls, and they were also trained clowns. Drew had an interest in theatre and sketch comedy from a very young age, and both of the boys were apprentice clowns.
They made a pretty buck from their act, going on to perform at various parties and events. They weren't cheap. As kids, they were raking in the dough at $100 an hour. Who needs a newspaper route when you've got that sort of cash coming in?
You won't believe which of the brothers was destitute at the age of 20!
Real Estate Was Supposed To Be A Side Hussle
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While the pair had a love for DIY, getting involved in real estate was less of an ambition and more of a security blanket. Jonathan was keen on magic, but Drew was interested in basketball and acting. He went on to have roles in several popular shows, including Smallville.
As they attended university in Calgary, they knew that they wanted to be entertainers in some form, but also knew that they could end up broke and out of work. After seeing an infomercial, they decided that putting some money into real estate would "ease the financial purgatory of being out-of-work actors." They weren't wrong.
They Bought Their First House In College
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While most of us were living off of cans of soup and dried pasta in our college years, the Scott twins were busy planning for the future. After looking into how to make a profit from houses, they took up the lease on a seven-bedroom house across the street from their college.
After giving a much-needed makeover, they sublet the rest of the rooms, making a tidy $800 profit a month. Not long after, they took over the mortgage. A year later, they sold it for a cool $50,000 profit. Makes our college years look pretty fruitless, doesn't it?
Drew Was $100,000 In Debt In 2006
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By this point, the boys had founded Scott Real Estate Inc. and were helping clients with everything from buying and selling to renovating, but Drew wasn't satisfied. He still wanted to act, so he took a massive gamble and moved to Vancouver, giving himself a year to make it in the biz.
By the late 2000s, he was in over his head and down $100,000. As a last-ditch attempt at getting himself out of the hole, he opened up a Vancouver branch of Scott Real Estate and started pitching real estate-themed shows to executives. After a couple of failures, Property Brothers was born, but it wasn't all smooth sailing.
From Unknown Realtors To Unlikely Sex Symbols
Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage
The show sees the brothers helping clients renovate their dream homes, and sometimes focuses on the renovations of their own homes. It's become one of HGTV's biggest success - not least because the ladies love them.
The network has openly touted Drew and Jonathan's sex appeal. "We know that twin brothers and HGTV fan favorites Drew and Jonathan Scott are good-looking, talented and ever-so-popular with the ladies," they said. Magazines like Glamour have publicized their admiration for their "ripped shirts, greased muscles, water-sprayed levels of hotness." During an appearance at the Mall of America, the twins attracted the second ever largest crowd, just behind the band One Direction.
Which of the brothers had a nude scene in a film? Read on to find out!
Jonathan Was Involved In A Bar Brawl
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In 2016, Jonathan was involved in a public scandal after visiting Dempsey's Public House in Fargo, ND on April 24. Media outlets told tales of how the star was a perpetrator in a drunken scuffle, but Jonathan vehemently denied that was the case.
After bouncers were clearing the place for closing, the eldest twin decided to sneak in through the back door, when an altercation broke out close to him. Although Jonathan supposedly wasn't involved, he was put into a chokehold by a bouncer and forcibly removed. He called 911 and reported an assault, but the police claimed there wasn't enough evidence to pursue his claims.
Jonathan Filed For Bankruptcy At 20
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Drew wasn't the only one who had financial issues early on. Just like his brother, real estate wasn't his big dream. He loved magic and wanted to pursue it, with the idea of reaching David Copperfield heights of fame. He wanted it so badly that he poured everything into it - including his money.
After building up an impressive collection of large-scale illusions, Jonathan trusted the wrong person and it came back to bite him. He rented out several of his custom-made pieces to a friend of a friend who stole them, destroying his act and leaving him $80,000 out of pocket. Jonathan sunk into depression and didn't tell anyone about his trouble out of embarrassment, instead filing for bankruptcy before his 21st birthday.
Drew Did A Nude Scene In A Zombie Movie
Photo by Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/Getty Images
Struggling actors will do pretty much anything to make a buck - there's a reason that so many stars have nude photos come back to haunt them. In Drew's case, his bare butt made its debut in a low budget zombie movie. Despite the assurances from the director, the scene was gaudy.
"The cinematography was on par with proud parents shooting their kid's recital with a video camera that requires them to hiss, 'Is it on?' back and forth for an hour. My bare a** made its screen debut right in the middle of this terrible film," he stated.
Do the brothers have a feud with another HGTV duo?
There Is A Supposed Feud With Chip And Joanna Gaines
Photo by Mireya Acierto/FilmMagic
It's not uncommon for similar shows to strike up a little healthy competition, but after Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines turned down an invitation to appear on Property Brothers, the media had a field day. Did the stars truly have that much against their network companions?
While the Scott brothers went on to assure fans that there was nothing but love between the two shows, it's a little fishy. "We're one big family, which is why we love bringing fellow HGTV stars in to judge us," said Drew. "Our show started airing in 2011 and over that time we've met Chip and Joanna once or twice. They were really nice."
Not All Homeowners Are Happy With The End Result
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Most of the shows end in an abundance of smiles and happy tears when the big reveal shows clients how amazing their made-over home is, but it's not always as real as it looks. The New York Times published an article stating that the final reveal often has to be filmed several times.
"At the end of the day it has to be interesting TV," said Jonathan. "But when we find a load-bearing wall, we are really finding a load-bearing wall." When the homeowners aren't that thrilled or don't give the amazed reaction the show needs, there's no option but to retake it until the right shot comes along. That takes a little bit of the magic away, doesn't it?
Clients Have Already Picked A House
Photo by Jason Davis/Getty Images for HGTV
We get that reality TV wouldn't be entertaining without a little drama, but this means that it usually has to be manufactured. In this case, the clients are told to already have a house they want to buy, despite a lengthy house hunting process featured on the show.
Often a couple is conflicted - she wants this house, he wants another - and it takes a lot of viewing and compromise for them to finally settle on one. It makes for exciting TV, but it's just not real. The application form asks potential clients which house they're interested in buying, so it's all a load of inserted cock and bull.
Jonathan And Drew May Not Have The Correct Licenses
Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Cost Plus World Market
According to MoneyInc.com, there's a shadow of doubt over Jonathan and Drew's legal right to do what they do on the show, which might explain some of the staged scenes. The website claims that both a realtor and a contractor require licences in each state to practice.
The site's claim states: "Real estate agents are required to be licensed in the state where they are involved in the purchase or sell of a home. Seasons 9 and 10 of the show were filmed in Greater New York, yet Drew is not listed as holding a NY real estate license. Additionally, general contractors are required to be licensed by the state they are working in. Well, Jonathan is not listed as holding a NY Home Improvement Contractor license or General Contractor license." Make of that what you will.
You Can't Appear On The Show Single
Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images for Cost Plus World Market
This is 2018 and it's not unusual to buy a house solo. After all, have you seen the prospects on Tinder? All the good ones are taken. But if you like the idea of going on this show as a party of one, forget about it. The rules state you must be part of a couple to even apply.
While it's mostly romantically-tied couples that go on the show, there's been a few mother and daughter combos and a couple of friends, so all is not lost. Also, judging by what we've seen it's the conflict that keeps the viewers interested, so we suppose that's a decent reason for the "no solo participants" rule.
Jonathan Is All For Show
Photo by Jason Davis/Getty Images for HGTV
People the world over have enjoyed watching Jonathan get hot and sweaty while he demolishes a wall, or struts around sanding some wood in nothing but jeans, a tool belt, and a tank top. It might be heart-breaking to know that he doesn't actually do the renovations himself.
One Reddit user spilled the beans on how the show operates when it comes to the renovation process. “They use local contractors in the areas they are working in. They get referrals (not sure from whom) and then narrow down the crews they use to 4 different ones. I’m assuming we won’t get to choose which crew is working on our home."
The Homebuyers Hardly See The Twins
Photo by Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Westside Pavilion
There's something so entertaining about watching the rapport between a host and participant in any show like this, and the twins make it enjoyable. Their jokes, their unique charm, and the way they interact with the couples all make for pleasant TV. However, in reality, the brothers hardly see the homeowners at all.
While the renovations take around six weeks to complete, the couples meet Drew and Jonathan a meager eight times during that period. We've got to hand it to them, they all look like they're best friends sharing in a special journey when it's really all for the television dollars. Hey ho. That's just show business.
Jonathan Wanted To Keep His First Marriage Hidden
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We all know that fame comes at a cost. Usually, it's having everyone and their dog know your business. Understandably, Jonathan wasn't initially keen on sharing details of his private life. He recently split from his girlfriend of two years, Jacinta Kuznetsov, but he was married before.
The 39-year-old met airline controller Kelsy in 2007, briefly dating her before marrying the same year. As is the case in many whirlwind romances, the couple soon grew apart and their union ended in divorce two years later.
Drew Is Off The Market
Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for WE
To the disappointment of fans everywhere, Drew was officially taken off the market by Linda Phan. The couple met at Toronto Fashion Week in 2010, and have been inseparable ever since. The two cemented their union in December 2016 when they got engaged.
In October of last year, they packed up and moved from Vegas to LA, planning to raise their future children in their new home. The wedding is all set for spring of this year, so sorry ladies, but you'll have to focus all your efforts on newly single Jonathan. It's a crying shame.
Their Dad Was A Stuntman
Photo by Drew Scott/Instagram
Jim Scott emigrated from Scotland in the United Kingdom after becoming enamored with America. He dreamed of becoming a cowboy like in the movies he saw on television. Jim didn't become a cowboy, but he landed some great jobs in the film industry.
He worked as an actor for some time, a stuntman, and an assistant director before leaving the industry to concentrate on raising his family in the late 70s, moving them to a horse farm in Maple Ridge, while his wife continued working as a paralegal in Vancouver. Both Drew and Jonathan would inherit their love of property from their dad.
