Page 39 - Galveston Monthly Apr2019

arOuNd The islaNd | iSLANdER SPOTLiGhT

GAlveston’s

“BiG texAs Fix”

new SerIeS preMIerS On hgtv

By Kathleen Maca

alveston’s unique architecture is about “They call that a ‘sizzle’ reel,” Ashley says, explains
to be in the public eye again, when the Tv lingo.
Michael and Ashley Cordray’s highly “They bought that, so then we filmed a pilot that
anticipated new series “Big Texas fix” aired occasionally for about six months from the first
gpremieres on hGTv this month. showing until the last,” Michael says of the hGTv
Sitting in the newly renovated kettle house, their network.
most talked about project for the upcoming series, “The pilot was even edited from the original
the Cordrays - who own Save 1900 Realty - shared a 30 minute version to an hour to try out different
bit about the journey and projects that brought them formats,” continues Ashley. “At the time they found
to this point. us, we hadn’t even flipped many houses, and we
Sightings of the film crews, who worked with the were only working on one house at a time. That’s
couple for 20 weeks to film on the island, were the what every production company asked us when they
subject of daily social media discussions and posts. called, ‘how many houses are you working on right
“We filmed eight episodes, each with a different now?’ They wanted that person who was flipping ten
house, between April and July of last year,” Ashley houses at a time, because they know how hard the
says. filming schedules are. We thought the series would
“Nine, counting the pilot,” he adds. mean filming about three days a week, but it was
As exciting as the process has been for the entire more like six and a half.”
community, it was a long process with no initial “More like seven and half,” Michael adds.
guarantees that their efforts would result in a show. “Everything has worked out well, though. Of the
“This has been in the works since 2015,” Ashley eight properties we renovated for the show we’ve
explained. already sold four, a fifth is on the market and a sixth
“A solid year before the pilot started,” continued will go on the market in about a month.”
Michael. “hGTv had put the word out that they were “We’re selling six, one will be a rental and the other
looking for a beach house community with homes in is the one we’re living in,” she says. “Of the four
a certain price range.” we’ve sold so far, two of them are being lived in full
“Which was basically Galveston,” Ashley interjects. time, one is going to be a rental, and the fourth was
“There are a few others, but not many that fit their purchased by a single gentleman who is using it as a
profile, and it had to be a cool Gulf Coast town, so second home.”
- especially with Galveston’s history - we were the Galvestonians and visitors to the island have been
one. We talked to about 25 production companies quite curious about discovering locations the couple
with our pitch. When we found one that was a good was working on while filming was still occurring.
fit, we started Skype interviews with them that were The home used for the pilot episode has received a
edited and assembled those into a short reel a few great deal of attention, and the owners generously
minutes long that was sent to hGTv.” allowed it to be included on the Galveston historical
Once hGTv gave a green light to proceed with the foundation homes Tour.
process, the production company came to the island “We just don’t give the addresses out, for the sake
for a couple of days and filmed what amounted to a of the new owners. Not to mention the fact that
five minute episode. project houses are not always a safe place to visit

APRIL 2019 | GALVESTON MONTHLY | 39