Neighboring homes that were the stars of an HGTV episode have hit the market in Detroit.
The “Disco House” and “Temple House” were featured in season three of HGTV’s “Bargain Block,” a show documenting the purchasing and rehabbing of vacant homes by renovation duo Evan Thomas and Keith Bynum.
When the pair found the homes in 2023, a large tree had fallen across both. The home at 16230 Santa Rosa Drive had gutters filled with tree branches and weeds, and a porch awning was only held up by another fallen tree.
“They pretty much remodeled everything from the roof to the electrical to the plumbing — everything was a remodel,” said listing agent Andre Abney of Match Realty.
Inside, the contractors revealed 5- to 6-inch-wide plank wood floors beneath crusted carpet, along with a time capsule kitchen featuring a milk chute used to swap full and empty jugs of milk from the inside to the outside — still with a milk jug inside.
This home would become the Temple House, designed with relaxing neutrals and zen-inspired interiors. Harking back to the surprise excrement found in the kitchen sink in the episode, Bynum said the home went “from turd to temple.”
The Disco House at 16226 Santa Rosa Drive had holes in the ceiling, plastic stick-on tiles, and a nearly torn-out kitchen. Bynum and Thomas designed the interior to match a '70s aesthetic with mustards, browns and crushed velvet.
Both homes were purchased for $6,500 each and renovated for about $75,000 each. The Disco House's original listing price was $114,900, and the Temple House's was $115,000. By the end of the show, there were two asking price offers on both homes.
The first three seasons of “Bargain Block” focus on Detroit homes, while the fourth season takes place in New Orleans.
“I’m a sucker for Detroit coming back in general, so I love that they were focused on that aspect,” said Abney.
The show aims to rehab affordable homes for first-time homebuyers, but these two sold to a real estate investor who used them for short-term rentals on Airbnb. The Airbnb listings show the homes are rentable for about $261 for one night in June.
Each earned $22,000 in revenue last year, according to Abney. Both homes can be purchased together for a discount or separately.
The Disco House is a two-bedroom, one-bathroom home with 910 square feet and listed for $144,900. The Temple House has two bedrooms and one bathroom across 895 square feet and is also listed for $144,900. Both will come fully furnished with the original furnishings from the HGTV remodel.
The homes are located in the Fitzgerald neighborhood of Detroit located 10 miles outside of the city center, where there’s an average home value of $113,338 and average price per square foot of $86, according to Homes.com.
Across the street is a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with 1,014 square feet listed for $160,000.
“There’s been a few different renovated properties on that block,” said Abney. “The block is quickly developing, that area is coming back alive again.”