Is HGTV’s Hit Show ‘Fixer to Fabulous’ Real?

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Dave and Jenny Marrs are the husband and wife contractor and designer, respectively, on the Arkansas-based HGTV show “Fixer to Fabulous.” Fans can’t seem to get enough of HGTV’s home renovation shows! “Fixer to Fabulous” premiered in the fall of 2019 and since that time, Dave, Jenny, their crew, their kids and their many pets have taken up residence in our hearts. The couple had no prior experience with television shows or productions but have proven to be naturals in front of the cameras.

The third season of this hit show is set to premiere on November 16, 2021, according to Premiere Date. That means we have, as of this writing, just 18 days until we get new episodes of this delightful show!

Dave and Jenny focus on the homes in their Bentonville, Arkansas neighborhood, and per HGTV press materials, “From dilapidated front porches to squirrel invaded attics, there’s nothing this husband and wife team can’t make fabulous!”

In the past, some HGTV shows have faced allegations of being fake or fixed. Is HGTV’s “Fixer to Fabulous” real?

Here’s what you need to know:

When HGTV Approached Dave and Jenny Marrs They Weren’t Interested

“Fixer to Fabulous” is a verified hit and fan-favorite now, but, it came close to never happening. When producers from HGTV contacted Dave and Jenny Marrs about doing a show set in their northwest Arkansas home, they wanted nothing to do with it. During an interview with Arkansas Online, Jenny revealed that they received an email about doing a show for HGTV. “We thought it was spam. I was like, ‘Oh, sure,’ Delete,” she said.

Dave said, “We originally said, ‘No.’ We didn’t really have an interest. And I was just worried. I was thinking, ‘Small town? They’re going to try and portray it as this backwoods thing.'”

The couple were told it was a long shot that the project would get greenlit because the production company was shooting “sizzle reels” with various people in several small towns across the U.S., the outlet revealed.

Of course, that isn’t what happened. The couple was naturals in front of the camera and great representatives for Arkansas, despite the fact that neither of them is originally from the area. Dave is from Colorado and Jenny is from Florida, Arkansas Online revealed. They moved to the area in 2004.

The show also wasn’t called “Fixer to Fabulous” at first. A 2017 interview with the Arkansas outlet Talk Business & Politics revealed the pilot was originally called “Almost Home.” The tagline for the show was going to be,  “Dave and Jenny Marrs are renovating one historic house at a time until it’s almost home.”

Is ‘Fixer to Fabulous’ Real or Fake?

HGTV shows have come under fire in the past when rumors that they were fake or fixed proved to be true. Sorry, “House Hunters” fans, the people on the show have already closed on the home they end up buying before the episode is shot.

Another hit HGTV show, “Love It or List It” has also been accused of being staged and not quite real. Country Living reported that the ending of the show isn’t quite true. If the family says they’ll love it, sometimes they actually end up listing it, and vice versa. Other shows, including “Fixer Upper” have been accused of being staged and not completely truthful.

We have good news for “Fixer to Fabulous” fans — so far, in the two seasons of the show, there have been no reports of Dave and Jenny Marrs staging things or doing anything fake in any way on the show, TVOvermind reported.

Do Homeowners on ‘Fixer to Fabulous’ Get to Keep the Furniture?

Whenever an HGTV show reveals the completed home renovation the entire space looks flawless. From perfectly placed couches to the artwork on the walls to the bowl of lemons in the kitchen, the completed scenes are picture-perfect. However, sometimes once the cameras stop rolling all that brand new furniture and artwork is carted off and returned to the store or home staging company that provided it.

That’s the case on “Fixer Upper.” Joanna Gaines revealed that the homeowners on her show have the option of purchasing the furniture she uses to stage the home but sometimes the homeowner’s budget is shot before they get to that point.

The same thing happens on “Fixer to Fabulous.” Much of the furniture used in the reveal of the completed renovation is there for staging purposes and not there for the homeowners to keep, Distractify reported. Much like on “Fixer Upper,” the budgets of the homeowners don’t always allow for all new furniture.

However, one difference with “Fixer to Fabulous” is that Jenny Marrs typically updates some of the furniture the homeowners already own and that is theirs to keep. In an interview with PureWow, Jenny said, “If there’s a piece of their furniture that we can use, we do. But otherwise, I work with a local firm and pretty much figure out what I would do for the client. And then the homeowners have the option to buy it at a discounted rate.”