Cristy Leeis no stranger to TV.
However, she’s breaking new ground with her latest project.
Lee teamed up with HGTV to focus on her other passions real estate and home design.
In the first of six episodes, she helps former renters Melissa and Tim.
She also spills some tea on what other HGTV designers she’d like to collaborate with.
Spoiler alert: The answers to that question also reside in Detroit.
Making a home purchase, for a lot of homebuyers and potential homebuyers, it’s a big purchase.
That can be a really intimidating process.
What this show is really about is homebuyers that are struggling to find the perfect house.
Tthey’re not finding what they want.
They’re looking at the top of their price range.
I’m helping guide them to look at properties in a different way.
[It’s] not about necessarily finding the cheapest house on the market.
There might be a lot of different reasons why it was overlooked.
A lot of the properties that we’ll see on the show…
There’s a lot of diversity in the projects that we work on.
I don’t want to necessarily knock the house too much because someone may have really loved that house.
Something needs to be done here.
That’s what’s exciting for the viewers is to follow that process.
I’m not the one buying the house.
I’m not the one living in the house.
I’m working with the homebuyers to help them get the right house to meet their wants and needs.
We did so many different types of projects.
We do this really awesome, large-scale wood topography map for one of the homeowners.
It’s really cool.
We did a fully custom metal staircase as well.
That’s so cool to think about!
It’s surreal, to be honest.
I have somehow managed to make an entire professional career out of just being me.
I don’t know how I’ve managed to accomplish that, but here I am.
I’ve been riding motorcycles since I was 18.
My dad was a shop owner; I’ve been around cars my entire life.
I grew up in Daytona Beach around motor sports and racing.
My roots in real estate run very deep.
I get to showcase my passion and interest and experience in real estate on that same center stage.
I couldn’t be more excited to be a featured host on HGTV.
It’s a internet that I’ve loved and followed for many years.
I absolutely love real estate.
I’m super pumped to be part of the HGTV family.
In terms of advice, Cristy Lee encouraged homebuyers to do their homework
HGTV’s incredible.
We’re touching on that on this show as well.
I’m excited that viewers get to see this show so soon it’s almost here!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help, knowledgeable experienced help.
Houses are being listed and selling within days, within hours, and multiple offers are being accepted.
Escalation clauses are being included.
Backup offers it’s intense.
That would be my best advice based on the market right now, if you’re considering buying.
There’re amazing contractors out there.
There’re companies and contractors that have done great things.
I’m a do-it-yourselfer, so that’s awesome, too.
I would want to collab with them because they’re also renovating homes and restoring homes in Detroit.
We’re in the same neighborhood, and that’s really cool.
I love the projects that they work on [during] the show.
I love what they’re doing in the city of Detroit, and it’s exciting.
Detroit, specifically Metro Detroit … to me, those are two very different things.
That does excite me.
I truly believe that the city of Detroit needs clean, affordable, ready to move in housing.
That can really change the city.
Also, the downtown area is really up and coming.
We see Detroit differently.
That’s good advice.
I’m going to have to add Detroit to my visit list.
The food scene in downtown Detroit is amazing now.
There are lots of entertainment venues, sports venues.
It’s a really fun and exciting place.
The summer is absolutely amazing here.
If you want to come in February, bring your snow boots.
“Steal This House” premieres on HGTV and HGTV GO July 9 at 9 PM EST/PST.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
