‘Fixer Upper’ houses popular as vacation rentals around Waco

​​​WACO – For devoted “Fixer Upper” fans planning a visit to Waco, it seems too good to be true: the chance to stay several nights in one of the homes that Waco home renovation/design couple Chip and Joanna Gaines fixed up for their HGTV cable television series. ​​

It’s true, though, for nearly half a dozen “Fixer Upper” homes, whose owners have them listed on online property rental services VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owner) and Airbnb. 

Those listings have drawn guests from coast to coast; expanded an aspect of Waco’s hospitality business; added destinations to the map for Waco and Magnolia Market visitors; and, in some cases, opened the door to new business opportunities.

The Gaineses themselves tapped into the potent combination of “Fixer Upper” popularity and the convenience of online booking when they renovated a McGregor house into a bed and breakfast named the Magnolia House. 

Mere hours after online reservations were made available to fans in February, the Magnolia House had booked customers throughout 2016.

At least six other “Fixer Upper” homes could be found listed on VRBO and Airbnb earlier this month, although the owners of one were in the process of downplaying its “Fixer Upper” connection: 

• ​​​Gorman House (season 1, episode 2)
• Mailander House (season 1, episode 12)
• Shotgun House (season 3, episode 12) 
• Barndominium (season 3, episode 11)
• Chicken House (season 3, episode 18)
• Mid-Mod House (season 2, episode 11)
• Harp House (season 1, episode 11) 

Most were listed as renting from between $250 to $350 a night.​

Also check out more details on the Barndominium by clicking here.