Photo courtesy of Sabrina Stephens
Hoover resident Randy Sullivan, left, gets help trying to find a home in downtown Birmingham from ARC Realty Realtors Sabrina Stephens and Jeff Davis in an episode of "House Hunters" scheduled to air on HGTV on Sept. 25.
A new episode of the “House Hunters” TV show on HGTV next week will feature two Hoover Realtors as they help a Hoover resident seeking to relocate to downtown Birmingham.
The episode, titled “New Beginning in Birmingham,” is scheduled to air Sept. 25 at 9 p.m. central time.
Hoover resident Randy Sullivan said he was already looking at properties in Birmingham when one of his real estate agents, Jeff Davis of ARC Realty, when Davis approached him about an opportunity to do some filming of the process with HGTV.
“The opportunity came up and I was like, ‘Sure, why not?’ I thought it would be fun,” Sullivan said. “Jeff and Sabrina [Stephens] have both been my Realtors for years, so I asked Sabrina if she would be my viewing partner and we just went from there.”
Stephens and Sullivan had to audition with HGTV, and they were asked a series of questions to gauge their chemistry with each other. HGTV producers in New York and Los Angeles reviewed the audition footage.
“So we had two sets of eyes on us, and I guess they liked us enough because they reached out to us several weeks later and said they wanted to start filming,” Sullivan said.
Filming for the episode took place over the course of about five days in October and November 2023.
“It was just overall a really great experience,” Sullivan said. “I think for me meeting the production crew was the most enjoyable. The producer of the show was from New York, and the lighting and sound guys were from Atlanta and Charlotte, and they were just all super nice and accommodating. They honestly made the process more enjoyable than I initially thought it would be.”
This was the first time for Sullivan to be filmed for a television show, and he said he viewed it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“I was already living in Hoover, but looking for property downtown,” Sullivan said. “I did want a rooftop area, a loft-type property. I have always had an interest in architecture and old buildings, so that was sort of the theme of the show.”
Stephens and Davis said while the days were very long, the filming was exciting, and they learned about the process of filming. The episode was filmed at multiple locations around the city.
While this is not Jeff Davis’ first time to be on television, it was the first time for him and Stephens to be on a show together.
They said they hope to showcase a positive light on the real estate industry, noting the Birmingham market continues to thrive in what they describe as an “unprecedented time.”
Davis and Stephens said viewers can expect to see some amazing listings and unique views of the city.
Sullivan said he will watch the episode for the first time when it airs.
“I am a bit nervous to see it because on the first day of production I was actually sick,” Sullivan said. “I lost my voice, and I wasn’t able to do the second day recording. I probably had less energy than I normally do when filming, and it will be interesting to see how it all turns out. It was a lot of fun though, and I am glad I was chosen to be a part of it all.”
For details about the show, visit hgtv.com/shows/house-hunters.
