The HGTV hotel renovation that ended in tragedy—and what the owners are doing now
|

The HGTV hotel renovation that ended in tragedy—and what the owners are doing now

The story of a small-town hotel meant for television glory turning into a scene of loss is not the kind of plot you expect from a feel-good renovation show. Yet that is exactly what unfolded in Laurel, Mississippi, when a highly anticipated HGTV project went from dream to disaster and forced its owners to rethink…

How deferred maintenance is changing the housing market
|

How deferred maintenance is changing the housing market

Deferred maintenance used to be a quiet line item in a budget spreadsheet. Now it is reshaping which homes sell, which buildings qualify for financing, and how buyers judge value in a tight market. As aging housing stock collides with stricter lending standards and rising repair costs, the decision to postpone basic upkeep is no…

Contractors say these home issues are showing up more often than ever
|

Contractors say these home issues are showing up more often than ever

Across the country, contractors are walking into homes and seeing the same problems repeat so often that they now feel less like flukes and more like a pattern. From rushed new builds to aging systems pushed past their limits, the issues surfacing today are more expensive, more disruptive, and more tightly tied to broader economic…

A devastating setback hits the “Home Town” spinoff—here’s what’s confirmed
|

A devastating setback hits the “Home Town” spinoff—here’s what’s confirmed

The “Home Town” universe was supposed to expand in the most tangible way yet, with a boutique hotel project turning small-town nostalgia into a place fans could actually book a room. Instead, a catastrophic fire ripped through that dream, leaving charred beams where a centerpiece of the new spinoff once stood and throwing the show’s…

Erin and Ben Napier share an update after the spinoff hotel renovation is lost
|

Erin and Ben Napier share an update after the spinoff hotel renovation is lost

The hotel project that was meant to anchor Erin and Ben Napier’s latest “Home Town” spinoff has been gutted by fire, but the couple is not walking away from the story they started. Instead, they are reframing the series, updating fans on the fate of the property and the people behind it, and insisting that…

The “Home Town” hotel project: what happens after the fire
|

The “Home Town” hotel project: what happens after the fire

The fire that tore through the future “Home Town” hotel in downtown Laurel did more than char brick and timber. It singed a carefully built narrative about small town renewal, television fame, and the fragile line between dream and disaster. In the months since, the people behind the project have been forced to decide what…

“Home Town” spinoff hotel burns before opening, and Ben and Erin Napier respond
|

“Home Town” spinoff hotel burns before opening, and Ben and Erin Napier respond

The hotel at the center of HGTV’s new “Home Town” spinoff was supposed to open its doors as a love letter to Laurel, Mississippi, not go up in flames before welcoming a single guest. Instead, a fire ripped through the newly restored property just after renovations wrapped, turning a feel-good TV project into a test…

Why the Gaines’ Colorado house is their most personal “Fixer Upper” project yet
|

Why the Gaines’ Colorado house is their most personal “Fixer Upper” project yet

Chip and Joanna Gaines have renovated scores of properties on television, but their new Colorado retreat raises the stakes from design challenge to family legacy. By turning a 1960s mountain house into a long-term gathering place for their children and future grandchildren, they are treating this project less like a client job and more like…