Ever since SHA started in 2008 I have found Andrew Winter to be the hilarious backbone of the show.
His first impressions – where he tells home owners the truth about their properties – are the standout moments of the series. I caught up with Andrew to discuss real estate, living in Australia and what really happens behind the scenes on SHA.
A Chat with Selling Houses Australia’s Andrew Winter
We Aussies know you as the tough-love host of Selling Houses Australia. What was happening before TV?
The show kicked off in early 2002 in the UK – until mid 2007. However, in 2005 I had moved to Australia anyway, never expecting the TV work to carry on, but it did for two-and-a-half years! When the UK had had enough of it – literally that month – Foxtel contacted me here and said ‘fancy making an Aussie version?’ – All because a Lifestyle Channel person spotted an article on me in a Gold Coast paper, saying I had moved over. So one door closed another opened – phew!
I would love to see a montage of your ‘first impressions’ when you go to clients houses, because your brutal honesty is hilarious. Do you just say the first thing that springs to mind?
Yes of course, because the first impression in real estate is everything. And as I specialise in ‘difficult homes to sell’, that first impression is vital to reveal. Did I do this in my day job? Sometimes I really did; sometimes I would win and sometimes I would lose, but I WAS ALWAYS RIGHT!
On Awkward First Impressions…
What’s been your worst first impression to date or awkward moment with a client that perhaps we didn’t get to see?
(laughs) Trust me, on our show, you do get to see all awkward moments; there has been one in the UK and one here. Both were very tricky as there were ‘issues’ with the clients, clearly, that our show could not deal with, so it got cut. We do care you know. Having said that, with both meltdowns, the home owners apologised and accepted what was being said was actually designed to help and was correct. We are not a fluffy, no-result show – we film real reality!
Charlie and Shaynna love to give you a hard time for not putting in the hard yards. But the host never does the laborious work, right?
I used to in early UK versions and did so in Darwin last series! I don’t actually mind at all, but I am pretty dangerous with tools, so in fact it is best avoided. But painting, sourcing, cleaning etc, no worries.
What do you think is the biggest mistake people make when they’re trying to sell their home?
An automatic assumption that it will sell easily and at a price they would never pay if they were a buyer!
On the Show’s Cult Following…
Selling Houses Australia has a certified cult following. How do you feel about it and your contribution to its success?
It is all about me!!! (laughs) Cult – seriously… do you think so? I just love houses and real estate and throw in some real characters and off I go. I never wanted to be in TV, never knew anyone in TV, hated anything like it. It took me years to get used to it. I only ever got into it by default and an ex-colleague – please read my book for more.
What’s on the horizon for Andrew Winter? Are you staying in Australia for a while?
We are Citizens. Try telling my three kids we are moving to the UK – they would leave home. I hope Foxtel will find something else for me too, but want to carry on SHA until I can no more. I love doing my day job. I have clients who plan to sell, cannot sell, want to develop to sell etc, who use my consultancy service; that is fantastic and it keeps me in the real estate loop. People are often surprised that I will happily ‘help’ (for a fee of course), but that is often in the scheme of things not too bad, depending on where my consultancy is (plug plug: contact me via www.andrewwinter.com.au).
What’s been your most-fun moment on the show to date?
That is easy; our Gerringong house. We messed around with a shot and did a whole piece where Shaynna was in the boot of the car. Oh we laughed! It never made it to air.
Find out more about this real estate guru, host and author on the Andrew Winter website.
Check out more on Selling Houses Australia on the Lifestyle Channel website.
Love this show. Especially Charlie. They are all so talented.
I love the show too Colleen. Such a skilled team aren’t they!? My fave part is still Andrew’s walk-throughs at the start of the episode – always hilarious!
I love this show but need to visit my daughter to view it as I live in UK
They should play it over there, Evelyn! Selling Houses started over there all those years ago lol. Will have to tell Andrew Winter to pull some strings for you 🙂 PS: It is my dream to live in the UK for a while – you lucky thing!
Love the Show and the Cast, I always watch every single minute of it and love the transformations. Andrew and Charlie are so funny together with their Pommy humor and Shannia is so talented.
I love this show, and love Andrew. In fact he is my secret celebrity crush – I guess not so secret now. Hubbahubba
LOL the cat is out of the bag now, Vikki!
I so love the show me and my husband would watch a season every weekend and love how they transform houses
I am with you, Laine; I like to watch a few episodes back to back so I can fully immerse myself in it all.
Wow I’m exactly the same!!! I save up about 3 episodes so that I can spend a whole day just sitting in front of the tv just eating and chilling and enjoying the show… Daddy takes our 2 1/2 year old out for the day so I can kick back and relax – bliss! By the way, Shayna and Charlie are really lovely to! x
Wish we had this show in Canada. I really enjoy it on my yearly visits to OZ.
Can you get the topless guy from the second picture on for a chat too? But keep him topless.