It wasn’t a prank when HGTV called a Whatcom real estate agent about a listing
When HGTV producers first called Peace Arch Real Estate agent Brianna Robbins about a lake house she had listed and pitched the idea of her being part of an episode of a bargain house hunting show, she thought they were joking.
“I’d never seen the show — we don’t even have cable,” Robbins said. “I thought the idea was just ridiculous, and I called my husband and told him I thought it was a prank.”
But she called them back and found they were serious, and her client ended up flying out, Robbins said. Instead of the lake house, the client was interested in buying some property on the beach — forcing a change in which house hunting show was going to be filmed.
An episode of HGTV’s “Beachfront Bargain Hunt” titled “Two Runners Look for a Stunner in Blaine, Washington,” which features Robbins as the real estate agent and the Whatcom County waterfront, is scheduled to premiere at 10:31 p.m. Sunday, June 14.
The episode was originally scheduled for March 22, but its air date was pushed back only days before.
“I’ve had so much going on, but it’s been in the back of my head, and I didn’t know when it was going to go on,” Robbins told The Bellingham Herald. “I’m still a little anxious to see what it’s like, and it seems to be set in stone now. ... I think it’s going to be something fun and something lighthearted at a time we all need it.”
The episode of the show, which follows beachfront house hunters looking to make their dreams come true and the real estate agents working within their budgets, was filmed last summer, Robbins said.
Robbins ended up showing four houses and condos with waterfront views to her client, who is from Canada, lives in Seattle and is looking for a retirement home in between.
Filming for the episode took four days, Robbins said, and she and her husband took her client and production crews to some of their favorite locations around Whatcom County, including Boulevard Park.
“It was four long days,” Robbins said. “The first day I was so nervous, but I got more comfortable as we went along. It was tiring to film, but it was also fun and we had a neat crew. But at the end of the day I was really tired. I just did what I normally do — showed houses like normal, which was good, because I’m not an actress. But it was really fun to share this area and some of the special things here that our family does.”
Robbins said though she knew of HGTV, she didn’t want to watch any episodes of the show before filming because she wanted the whole experience to be a surprise. She has since streamed shows and is anxious to see how her episode came out.
“I’m excited and nervous, because I haven’t seen it, and I haven’t seen myself on TV before,” Robbins said. “I’m excited for my clients, because it is a special moment for her. She’s been a fan of HGTV, and when they asked her if she was interested in having HGTV film the experience, she was pretty excited.”
Robbins said she was originally planning a large watch party with family, friends and co-workers, but social distancing amid the coronavirus threat changed those plans. But the show being delayed and Whatcom County’s recent move to Phase 2 as part of the COVID-19 recovery has allowed her to plan a small get-together with her family and another family.
“Hopefully, later this summer when things open back up, we’ll be able to have a large party and watch it again,” Robbins said.
Robbins’ comment about how busy she has been was corrected June 13, 2020.
This story was originally published June 13, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
