‘Fixer Upper’ Stars Chip And Joanna Gaines Want To Create ‘Dream Homes,’ Not Airbnb Rentals

Chip and Joanna Gaines have been successfully renovating homes in Waco, Texas over the past three seasons of HGTV’s Fixer Upper.

However, now that close to a dozen of their houses are up for rent, the Fixer Upper couple is not pleased that their homes are turning into vacation spots.

According to Us Magazine, Chip and Joanna never wanted their renovated homes to be turned into rental spots for financial gain and believe the rentals might compromise the integrity of their show.

To stop people from renting out their newly renovated homes, Chip and Joanna are planning on changing the application process.

“We want to do remodels for clients’ homes. That’s the true intent of the show, and we want to ensure that does not get lost in this new vacation rental trend,” Brock Murphy, a spokesman for the couple, stated. “What started off with perfectly understandable intentions could cast a shadow of a doubt on the much bigger picture, and we are going to do our best to protect that moving forward.”

According to the Verge, several of the homes are listed on Airbnb and VRBO, and even include a note that reads, “As seen on HGTV’s Fixer Upper.”

The majority of homeowners who turned to renting on the show didn’t want to do so. Instead, they were forced to rent their property following excessive attention from fans of the show, changes in employment, and other reasons.

For their part, the Gaines are worried that their Fixer Upper audience will start to question their motivations for remodeling homes.

In fact, they want to make sure fans know that their goal is to renovate homes for private use, not financial gain.

“That’s the true intent of our show, and we want to ensure that does not get lost in this new vacation rental trend,” Murphy concluded.

There is little denying that the couple has been making perfect vacation rental homes throughout their time on the show.

Not only are their renovated homes beautiful, but they’re clean and impersonal, making them prototypes for sites like Airbnb.

Staying in one of the homes is not unlike being in a hotel, only a lot more sophisticated.

Indeed, the ideal aesthetic that Airbnb goes for, according to the site’s official consultant, Natascha Folens, is an “industrial look and the mid-century, as long as it doesn’t look cluttered and old.”

This description matches just about every home renovation on Fixer Uppers, so it’s completely understandable that some of the homes are being turned into vacation hot spots.

Meanwhile, Country Living is reporting that the renting situation will likely continue in the coming years.

So far, the Mailander House, the Shotgun House, the Gorman House, the Chicken House, the Midcentury Modern House, and the Barndominium are all up for rent.

Even the Harp House is expected to rent out soon.

According to Starcasm, fans can now rent out dates for the Magnolia House, though the calendar won’t remain empty for long.

Booking dates start in January of 2017 and run through the beginning of July.

The home sleeps eight, and there is a two night minimum to book. The home accommodates eight adults and is located 20 miles away from the heart of Waco, Texas.

While fans might be eager to spend a night at the home and share a piece of history with the show, pricing is currently around $700 per night.

Fortunately, the price isn’t bad if you can manage to get seven friends to go in with you.

The new season of Fixer Upper is set to premiere on HGTV this coming fall, check out the video below to see some of their best work.

[Image via HGTV]