Entertainment
Here's How Much Chip & Joanna Gaineses' Hillcrest Estate Costs
If you've always wished that you could stay in one of HGTV's Fixer Upper houses, that dream just got slightly more attainable. Starting next week, fans can book a stay in the newly-renovated Hillcrest Estate. Unfortunately, there's no word yet on how much Chip and Joanna Gaines' vacation rental costs, but it's definitely going to be pricier than your average weekend trip. Like, way pricier.
The husband and wife reality stars (slash-house flippers, designers, entrepreneurs, etc.) already have one vacation rental property available: the Magnolia House, located 20 minutes outside of Waco, Texas, features five bedrooms, two bathrooms, and can accommodate up to eight guests for $695 to $995 per night. A minimum two-night stay is required. Hillcrest Estate, meanwhile, boasts seven bedroom, three and a half bathroom, and can sleep up to 12 adults. Booking begins Aug. 8 at 9:00 a.m., but fans can enter to win a free stay on the Magnolia Market website. The sweepstakes' official rules state that the full value of the prize, which includes a two-night stay, a $500 Magnolia Market gift card, and a tour of the couple's store, is approximately $3,090, which means a stay at Hillcrest Estate will probably cost about $1400 per night. To stay in Waco. Yikes.
Don't despair, though; if you're dying to stay in one of Joanna's signature shabby-chic bedrooms but don't want to pay Trump Tower prices, there are some more affordable options. According to Realtor.com, several houses featured on past episodes of Fixer Upper are available to rent. Bonus: while the Gaines are probably too busy with their many, many side hustles to tend to the needs of each guest, many of these rentals are still owned by the homeowners who appeared on the show, so at least you can meet someone who hung out with Chip and Joanna for a week, and grill them about what they're really like.
If you've got a whole gaggle in town for a family reunion or a bachelorette party, you still might be looking at big bucks; Season 3's "Barndominium" is currently renting for $1200 to $1800 per night. The home sleeps up to 20, and the property is 16 acres, including a private lake. Meanwhile, a stay in Season 1's cozy three-bedroom Mailander House starts at just $225 a night. And if you're still itching for a brush with fame, there's always the Harp House, which goes for $550 to $650 per night. That's the home the Gaines renovated for Fixer Upper's carpenter, Clint Harp. The family didn't stay long, and they now rent it out while maintaining a furniture shop next door. Harp has stated on Instagram that the Gaines were "very supportive" of his decision, and Magnolia spokesman Brock Murphy told the Waco Tribune that the company has "no problems" with featured homes being turned into vacation rentals, but he also added that future Fixer Upper contracts would be "more strict," so don't expect to see any more rentals popping up without the Gaineses' approval (and price tag).