{"id":2117,"date":"2023-04-20T15:32:25","date_gmt":"2023-04-20T15:32:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/20\/can-the-hgtv-effect-turn-around-a-small-colorado-town-ben-and-erin-napier-are-betting-on-it\/"},"modified":"2023-04-20T15:32:25","modified_gmt":"2023-04-20T15:32:25","slug":"can-the-hgtv-effect-turn-around-a-small-colorado-town-ben-and-erin-napier-are-betting-on-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/20\/can-the-hgtv-effect-turn-around-a-small-colorado-town-ben-and-erin-napier-are-betting-on-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Can the HGTV Effect Turn Around a Small, Colorado Town? Ben and Erin Napier Are Betting On It"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of Erik Voake \/ Getty Images \/ HGTV<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The decline of Fort Morgan<\/a> didn\u2019t happen suddenly. There wasn\u2019t a giant factory that closed or a natural disaster that devastated the small, farming town on the plains in the northeastern corridor of Colorado.<\/p>\n

Instead, Fort Morgan\u2019s story is a familiar one playing out across rural America: children moving away to find better jobs in the cities and big-box stores and online shopping leading to empty storefronts on Main Street. But this isn\u2019t how the story ends for Fort Morgan, about an hour and 15 minutes northwest of Denver.<\/p>\n

HGTV is turning its star power on Fort Morgan with the Season 2 premiere of \u201cHome Town Takeover.\u201d The show will feature its biggest name stars, including Ben\u00a0and Erin Napier<\/strong> of \u201cHome Town\u201d and Dave and Jenny Marrs<\/strong> of \u201cFixer to Fabulous,\u201d as they take on revitalization projects around town. The six-episode series is to premiere on Sunday.<\/p>\n

The popular network has a strong track record of transforming struggling, down-on-their-luck, small towns and cities into popular tourist and real estate destinations. Several of these communities have credited the shows built around them for their turnarounds. Can HGTV and its talent re-create the magic in Fort Morgan\u2014and perhaps inspire other struggling towns to invest in their own revitalizations?<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, millions of people are going to see this show,\u201d Jenny Marrs tells Realtor.com\u00ae<\/a>. \u201cThey\u2019re going to be inspired either to go and visit Fort Morgan, which would be amazing and help the town as far as tourism, but also just be inspired to maybe do the same thing in their own town.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Watch: Exclusive: Is HGTV\u2019s \u2018Renovation 911\u2019 the Most Dramatic Home Improvement Show Yet?<\/strong><\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Over the four months of filming for the show, the teams completed 18 projects. They included fixing up homes of local heroes, businesses such as the town\u2019s bowling alley, and community spaces such as the downtown business district and a local park.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur town could use a jump-start,\u201d says local artist Ann Iungerich<\/strong>. \u201cThe last 10 to 15 years, it\u2019s gone through a slump. We could use a boost to get us back on track.\u201d<\/p>\n

Helping out on the projects were guest stars Jonathan Knight<\/strong>, star of HGTV\u2019s \u201cFarmhouse Fixer\u201d and former vocalist for New Kids on the Block<\/strong>; rapper Lil Jon<\/strong>, who also has a show, \u201cLil Jon Wants To Do What?\u201d; and Ty Pennington <\/strong>of \u201cRock the Block,\u201d among others.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese towns each have a special story,\u201d says Jenny Marrs. She was most impressed by the people she met in Fort Morgan and how they rallied together to improve their community. \u201cPeople stop, they say hello, they wave at you when you drive by, they know your name at the grocery stores. These sort of simple things can be really powerful.<\/p>\n

\u201cFamilies have lived in these small towns for generations. This is their family legacy and history,\u201d she continues. \u201cThey shouldn\u2019t have to move if we can help make the town viable again.\u201d<\/p>\n

The HGTV effect on real estate markets<\/h2>\n

The Texas city of Waco<\/a> is perhaps the best example of the power of HGTV and its charismatic stars.<\/p>\n

\u201cFixer Upper\u201d premiered in 2013 and launched\u00a0Chip\u00a0and\u00a0Joanna Gaines <\/strong>into the stratosphere. The couple built an empire off of that show, with a furniture line at Target, eight bestselling books between them, and even their own network, called Magnolia. But their greatest accomplishment might have been transforming the public image of Waco.<\/p>\n

Before the popularity brought by the Gaineses, the city had been best known for a deadly standoff in 1993 between federal agents and a religious cult run by David Koresh<\/strong>. Now, tourists flock to the city to shop at the Gaineses\u2019 stores and eat at their restaurant, Magnolia Table<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Silos District in Waco, TX<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Magnolia<\/p>\n

Average home prices in McLennan County, which includes Waco, surged almost 52.1% from 2015 to 2019, according to data previously provided by local real estate broker Camille Johnson<\/strong>. (\u201cFixer Upper\u201d ran from 2013 to 2018 on HGTV. It was rebooted as \u201cFixer Upper: Welcome Home\u201d on the Magnolia network in 2021.)<\/p>\n

Before \u201cHome Town\u201d began filming in Laurel, MS, Mayor Johnny Magee\u00a0<\/strong>flew out to Waco. He wanted to see the impact that \u201cFixer Upper\u201d had on the struggling city.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we saw were tourists everywhere, and people were claiming that the same could happen in Laurel. We were doubtful,\u201d says Magee. He didn\u2019t realize how popular the show starring the Napiers would be when it premiered in January 2016.<\/p>\n

Today, Laurel is booming<\/a>. Its hotels and restaurants are full, home sales have risen as more people have moved here, and the town\u2019s tax base has increased.<\/p>\n

Home list prices surged in Laurel<\/a>, shooting up 84.1% from July 2016 through July 2022, according to Realtor.com data. That\u2019s compared with a 71.9% increase nationally and 60.8% in Mississippi over the same period.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am a native Laurelite who is amazed about what has happened since Ben and Erin Napier have begun the \u2018Home Town\u2019 show in Laurel. When the show began, downtown was like a ghost town,\u201d says Magee. \u201cWhat we have experienced has blown the minds of everyone who knew Laurel pre-\u2018Home Town.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Bentonville, AR, where \u201cFixer to Fabulous\u201d is filmed, is a bit of an exception as it\u2019s a city of more than 55,000 residents. It\u2019s also the birthplace and headquarters of Walmart.<\/p>\n

However, the Marrses have seen tourism tick up as a result of their show. There are now golf cart tours of the homes that have appeared on \u201cFixer to Fabulous.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a powerful thing,\u201d Dave Marrs says of the HGTV effect on Bentonville.<\/p>\n

But there are a few downsides.<\/span><\/p>\n

Home prices can rise as a result of being in the spotlight, say the Marrses. The number of properties for rent and sale is likely to drop even further as out-of-towners move in. That\u2019s likely to make it harder for locals to find places. And those who grew up in the community might find themselves competing with deep-pocketed investors and retirees.<\/p>\n

When home prices increase, property taxes can also rise. That was a substantial problem that homeowners in Waco experienced.<\/p>\n

Fort Morgan\u2019s already benefiting from \u2018Home Town Takeover\u2019<\/h2>\n

Since the news broke in July that the new season of \u201cHome Town Takeover\u201d would be filmed in Fort Morgan, commercial properties downtown have been selling quicker, says Brian Urdiales<\/strong>, a Fort Morgan councilman and Compass real estate broker.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt isn\u2019t typical to see three commercial properties on Main Street go onto the market and then close in a short time,\u201d he says. \u201cIt would be great to see all the foot traffic and people on Main Street like when I grew up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tourists have also begun to trickle in, says artist Iungerich, 61, a lifelong resident of the town. She submitted the town\u2019s original application to be on the show when it launched just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020. And she created an art installation that will be featured on the show: a 5-foot-tall bowling ball, a 9.5-foot-tall pin, and a crown, all placed in front of the local bowling alley.<\/p>\n

The recent trickle of tourists is certainly something new for Fort Morgan, founded after an eponymously named military post opened in the mid-19th century along the South Platte River.<\/p>\n

Today, the fort no longer remains and Fort Morgan is primarily a farming and ranching community of about 11,500 residents. There is a large Cargill beef processing plant, a mozzarella cheese processing facility, and a historic sugar factory.<\/p>\n

The old railroad depot is boarded up, but folks can still catch an Amtrak train to Denver or into Nebraska. There are some restaurants, and the movie theater has recently been remodeled.<\/p>\n

Fort Morgan has \u201cthe blue-collar jobs. They have the farming. They just didn\u2019t have the draw to keep people there,\u201d Dave Marrs tells Realtor.com. \u201cSo a lot of our focus was \u2018Hey, you\u2019re working here, stay here. Spend time here, spend money here so the town can develop even more.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the town\u2019s struggles, Fort Morgan\u2019s real estate market has remained appealing to buyers priced out of more expensive parts of the state. During the pandemic, many Denver-area buyers came to Fort Morgan seeking more affordable properties, more space, and a more rural lifestyle. Homes sold briskly in a single weekend, often for over the asking price.<\/p>\n

The real estate market has since come back down as higher mortgage interest rates are forcing many would-be buyers to the sidelines. Home list prices are mostly back to pre-pandemic levels, at a median of $330,550 in March, according to Realtor.com data.<\/p>\n

Homes in Fort Morgan are still attracting buyers, especially as prices are about half of Denver\u2019s median price tag of $663,000 and roughly $100,000 less than the national median of $424,500 in March.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur market\u2019s always been pretty strong,\u201d says Urdiales. He\u2019s still seeing bidding wars, investors making all-cash offers, and first-time buyers jumping into the fray. \u201cPeople are still buying.\u201d<\/p>\n

And the international exposure the town is about to receive is expected to be positive for the real estate market, especially as many viewers are working remotely and can live just about anywhere.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt brings this aura of glamour to the small-town lifestyle,\u201d says Jeff Engelstad<\/strong>, a real estate professor at the University of Denver. \u201cYou get on a million people\u2019s radar, and you\u2019re going to land a few of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Home prices surge in Wetumpka after \u2018Home Town Takeover\u2019<\/h2>\n

Ben and Erin Napier in Wetumpka, AL<\/p>\n

Anders Krusberg \/ HGTV<\/p>\n

Perhaps the best blueprint of what\u2019s in store for Fort Morgan might be what happened in Wetumpka, AL<\/a>. The small town was featured in the first season<\/a> of \u201cHome Town Takeover,\u201d which premiered in May 2021.<\/p>\n

As HGTV broadcast this small town into living rooms all over the world, the real estate market caught fire. Prices rose and homes flew off the market. Homes for rent or sale were scarce.<\/p>\n

Home list prices in Wetumpka grew 42.3% from January 2021 through January 2023, according to Realtor.com data.<\/p>\n

While some of that is due to the hot housing market during the pandemic, Wetumpka saw much larger run-ups in prices than the state or rest of the country. Over the same period, prices rose 26% in Alabama and 23.9% nationally.<\/p>\n

The market has since slowed along with the rest of the nation, but some homes are still receiving multiple offers, says Wetumpka real estate broker Beverly Wright<\/strong>, of Re\/Max Cornerstone Realty.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s pretty crazy,\u201d says Shellie Whitfield<\/strong>, executive director of the Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce. \u201cWe\u2019re still building housing, and once the shovel\u2019s in the ground, they\u2019re sold.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When she moved to Wetumpka in summer 2017, about 40% of the stores downtown were boarded up. Now, only two storefronts are empty and busloads of tourists visit the town\u2019s new bookstore, ice cream parlor, pet store, and even a high-end olive oil and vinegar store.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey sped us up about 15 years. It\u2019s been really great,\u201d says Whitfield.\u00a0 \u201cThey just catapulted us just far beyond anything anyone could have imagined.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whitfield is confident the show will have a similar effect on Fort Morgan.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey definitely will see some impact because there is such a strong following for the show,\u201d says Whitfield.<\/p>\n

The Marrses want viewers to be inspired to take action to turn their own towns around.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope that people watch this show and say we can do that,\u201d Jenny Marrs says. \u201cIt\u2019s a spark that gets the fire started.\u201d<\/p>\n

The post Can the HGTV Effect Turn Around a Small, Colorado Town? Ben and Erin Napier Are Betting On It<\/a> appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com\u00ae<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Photo courtesy of Erik Voake \/ Getty Images \/ HGTV The decline of Fort Morgan didn\u2019t happen suddenly. There wasn\u2019t a giant factory that closed or a natural disaster that devastated the small, farming town on the plains in the northeastern corridor of Colorado. Instead, Fort Morgan\u2019s story is a familiar one playing out across…Read More→<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":2118,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2117","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2117","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2117"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2117\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2118"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2117"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/billingsrealtybrokers.paradiseinnovations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}