Flint, MI—Flint couple Matt and Katie Bach are hoping to highlight some of the city’s best traits in an upcoming episode of HGTV’s ‘House Hunters,’ which will air Monday, June 8, at 11:30 p.m.
Though the couple previously lived in Grand Blanc, they spent years working in Flint. When it was time to start looking for a new home Katie Bach said, “Flint had everything.”
“At the end of the day, we decided Flint was really calling to us. We had worked in Flint, we’ve always loved Flint, it’s been our social and cultural center even when we lived in Grand Blanc … the closer we got to considering another community, the more we started talking to each other about what we really wanted in the next phase of our lives … Flint ticked all the boxes for us,” she said.
As they started their search for a new home, Matt Bach had the idea to reach out to HGTV. “We on a whim decided to apply for the show. Katie thought I was crazy … she let me apply thinking we would never get accepted but we did.”
According to Matt Bach, ‘House Hunters’ producers were excited to film in the city. “Right away the (producers) said ‘this is the first time in our 20-year history of the show that we’ve been in the city of Flint … we really want to do this.’”
The episode, titled ‘Investing in Flint,’ is a fitting name, Matt Bach said. “We both really like that (title), because that’s exactly what we’re doing. We are helping out with Flint’s future by participating with it actively.”
Though the show came to the city with good intentions, Matt Bach said most of what producers knew about the city had to do with the water crisis.
“I kind of thought of ourselves as trying to change the perceptions of Flint … I don’t know what made final cut but we strongly encouraged them to shoot B-roll in downtown, the Farmer’s Market … that was important to us to put Flint in the most positive light possible,” Matt Bach said.
The episode’s description on the HGTV website, Matt Bach said, “wants an older, historic home downtown,” while Katie Bach “prefers a ranch-style house and doesn’t mind renovations and spending more money to get what she wants.”
When asked if they’d been able to find a compromise, the couple laughed. “I will say yes and no,” Matt Bach said.
In addition to showing off the city, Katie Bach mentioned that Flint’s real estate market is “amazing and it’s a great value.” She said Flint’s houses are low in price but rising, making for an ideal first place to buy.
“If you are looking for a place to invest, Flint is wonderful. It has that social and cultural foundation that people are looking for … You can get into a place on a budget and be in a neighborhood that you can take a lot of pride in.
I am always happy to hear stories like thisone!
We share a similar story…we recently moved from Flushing to Flint after a year of searching a place to downsize. After I don’t remember how many showings from Gross Ile to Grand Blanc. Flint kept calling us… we love the city and share the wish of “being part of the solution”. Flint is full of history, passion, charm, and we like the chance of participating on its rebirth process along with many others! Good for us !!!