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[0:14] Robert Bannon: Welcome to the Roundtable, everybody. My name is Robert Bannon. You're listening to us on Broadway World over here on the Broadway Podcast Network, iHeart, and Spotify. And you know, this past year I have moved to Detroit. And you know that I only knew about Detroit. I knew Motown. I know Aretha. I kind of knew the sports. I mean, sports is not my thing, but I knew the TV shows about Detroit and the amazing home renovations in Detroit. And I knew that my husband, who was a Detroiter, had sent me a thousand and six a week Zillow listings of houses in Detroit. So I watched Bargain Block. Okay. I said, fine, let me learn about Detroit. And I learned so much about Detroit. There's like a hundred neighborhoods.

I'm still learning. There's way too many miles. I'm still confused. And Eight Mile, everyone at home asked me to take a picture of Eight Mile. There's a mire there. It's not, you're not gonna see MM. There's no trailer park. Relax, everybody. So who better to talk about homes and careers and television in Detroit than my Detroit brother, my sister of Detroit here. I met her. We had a good night at camp. She's a good time. Her friend, they whoop it up, they have a little cocktail, they drink, they sing, they dance. We had a moment over there at the Aretha. I'm so excited. And the new season of her show is on. Shea Hicks-Whitfield, welcome to the show.

[1:29] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: Thank you. I'm so happy to be here, Robert. Thanks for the introduction. I loved it. Boss Lady, superstar, TV star, real estate maven. Like you do it all. Mom, wife.

[1:41] Robert Bannon: I am very, very busy. I make sure I take my vitamins and stay hydrated because I'm just moving and moving.

[1:48] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: Well, you are so, and as superficial, and I apologize about the superficiality of this, you are so beautiful. Your spirit is so beautiful.

[1:55] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: Thank you. It radiates. My sister Joyce was so excited to meet you at the Aretha. She was like, "I see her show. I know her." Um, and I'm sure you get that a lot throughout the city.

[2:10] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: Detroit is home.

[2:12] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: It is, and it's crazy because it happens everywhere. It happens at home, it happens when I travel. And I believe it's because, like, I do have a familiar way about me that people feel like they know me, and they may not even remember where they know me from because I have been selling houses for over 20 years. So when people say, "I know you," I know it's either that I sold them or their family friend or family a house or they see me on Bargain Block. And you know, with Bargain Block being on HGTV, we air at the doctor's office, at the dentist's office when you're waiting for your car at the dealership. So you may not even like have actually sat there and turned to watch our show, but you've probably heard my voice playing in the background.

[2:56] Robert Bannon: Well, Bargain Block is on a new season on HGTV, and we can follow you on Instagram and the links to you if you're looking to buy a house, if you're coming to Detroit, all the information about your organization and what your business is all available on socials, including your website. So, how did you get into real estate? Why really being a real estate agent?

[3:15] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: And so it was like I said, over 20 years ago, I was a little bit younger than I am now, just a little bit younger, and I was looking for a second job. And during that time, back in 2003 to 2000, I'll say even 2007, there was a lot of new development in the city of Detroit, a lot of new builds, a lot of condominiums, a lot of downtown apartments converting condo conversions, and I got a second job as a sales assistant at a brand new new build condo community by way of a builder, and I started selling condos. I'm like, I'm really good at this. So just at assisting the sales manager, I got my license, I became the sales manager of the community, and I've been selling houses ever since.

[4:06] Robert Bannon: So this was never the, you never, this was not like your lifelong goal that you were going to be in real estate as a young person.

[4:14] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: This was really a young person, I can honestly say, like, for as long as I can remember, I loved viewing homes, a different style of architecture. Because you know, in the city of Detroit, we have such beautiful architecture from the gorgeous homes, but even like the buildings, our historic buildings. And so I was an only child up until the age of 12, 13, and I spent a lot of time with my grandparents, and my grandfather would like ride me around the city and show me like the different neighborhoods and downtown Detroit, how it works with all the one-way streets. And I just have always been fascinated with real estate, technically, homes and floor plans and design and all the things.

[4:55] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: So, you know, that's why we were so excited to meet you in this house because when I tell you that my husband, being born and raised in Detroit, goes to bed every night to YouTube home tutorial. Every, it's something about it. I swear it's so fascinating. And even with HGTV, like for as I mean, HGTV has literally been around for almost exactly my timeline as a real estate agent. So it's all I've always just been fascinated with before and afters and home renovations, and it's always played, it's always been my background white noise to say, um, in the background. So for this to be my life now is insane. It's so much fun.

[5:39] Robert Bannon: Listen, I feel like I have become an expert just by what I know more about the damn Bishop Mansion than I think the bishop himself because I have seen all the video. People, so why do you rep the city so much? And why do you think people around the country don't understand kind of the resurgence? And you have a part of it because you're selling the houses that is Detroit.

[5:58] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: I rep the city because I mean, I just love Detroit. I love the grit, you know. We have an amazing art scene, whether it's like actual art or just like music, like all forms of art. People I feel like would be amazed by our food. Like, we have really good restaurants here. There's so many things to love about the city. Um, I even love the four seasons, surprisingly. I love summer a lot more because winter's brutal, but I just love Detroit. How we just like have a lot of pride and we go hard for our sports teams. There's so many things to love about the city. And for a short time, I was a suburbanite during high school when my mom remarried, we moved to the burbs. But as soon as I turned 18, I got me an apartment right downtown.

And I've been here ever since. But I feel like one huge benefit, of course, within the city and Metro Detroit, is how much bang you can get for your buck when it comes to the housing market. People are always shocked when they find out the amount of square footage you can get, the size yard you can get, and how there's so many different neighborhoods. Like, if you want like a cute frame starter house, it may be one block over from a mansion. Like there's Detroit is a very unique, interesting place, especially when it comes to real estate.

[7:20] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: It's so funny. People from Jersey, where I grew up in New York have come to visit and ask about it, and they think it looks like, I don't know, the Bronx, or they think it looks like, you know, like all apartment buildings, and they don't see the neighborhoods and communities that are within the city. And um, I remember going on my first trip to the city, driving down Woodward and going, and Darius took me to Palmer Woods and he took me to university, and he took me to this area where I am in, and he took me to Sherwood Forest. And I said, "Where do these people in these mansions go food shopping? Where is their community?" And he said, "The mire on Eight Mile," right? Everyone knows it's like there are neighborhoods within, and then you can go a block further and it's a different neighborhood.

[8:02] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: And you go, changes, changes, yes, and that's and honestly, it's like a gift and a curse, like it's amazing, but also with me being in real estate, it can sometimes make it a little tricky because you know, when it comes to appraisals and values, not all appraisers understand like this comp this home is not comparable to this home, like it can be very tricky um in that aspect, but yeah, it's definitely a very unique, amazing place to be, especially now.

[8:37] Robert Bannon: Are you seeing more and more people coming into the city wanting to build, wanting to buy a home here that are not native Detroiters?

[8:44] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: I am, and that was not so I can say it's kind of always been a thing for me because I have worked like that downtown condo market. So, you know, it downtown condo market is kind of sort of like a business district to say so. I do get out of towners and transplants, but when it comes to like more residential, I've gotten um a lot of new residents from being on Bargain Block because people are like, "You can get how much house for how much?" So we've gotten since I've been on that show for the last five years. I have gotten a ton of clients relocating here from the West Coast. Because can you imagine what they're paying on the West Coast? Like they can move to your neighborhood, Robert, and be like, "Okay," like easily.

You know, that's why people ask why didn't we move to Jersey? I showed him a studio condo looking at New York City that was $299,000. It was $8,000 a year property taxes. It was $550 a month HOA fees. And he said, "Oh no, get on a plane. No, no, get on a plane, come on to Detroit. We'll get a big old house and you'll have and pay less money and have more space." And like people are always amazed by that. And just as much as people relocating from downtown to like more residential areas are shocked for the amount that they're paying in rent downtown, the amount of home like that they can own. And a lot of times when people are a lot of my return clients are people who are looking to move out because they're now starting families or they got pets and they want a yard for their dog and all of that. So it's been a very fun journey. And just having a successful business after all these years, and it is a referral-based business, I feel like that says a lot too.

[10:35] Robert Bannon: Well, when we're ready to move out of this house to a bigger house, I'm calling you up.

[10:39] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: Let's go. I'm ready. Listen, people renting in downtown Detroit, you know, the people mover is not worth that much. You can come live out here and you can get yourself a house and still take a ride down to downtown Detroit anytime.

[10:51] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: Yes, I mean, because with what with you have, I feel like you it's like with Detroit, you are always like 15, 20 minutes from everywhere. Like you can get back and forth from the burbs to downtown with all of our major highways and thoroughfares. So I totally agree.

[11:07] Robert Bannon: Agreed. So for you, how did television come to you? How did these gentlemen find you? How did HGTV come to you? And were you nervous to do it? Was it something you had to think about with your husband and your family?

[11:19] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: So what happened is Keith and Evan, they were already here. They had already relocated here. They were renovating homes, uh, starter homes on the west side of Detroit. And I saw coverage of them in the media. I'm like, this is so cool. Like these guys, they're not even from here. They're like picking the worst house on the block, and they're renovating it, living in it, furnishing it, selling it, going to the next one. I'm like, I love that because they're providing this opportunity for first-time buyers, and they had sold a couple of houses. And so we had a mutual friend. They're like, um, the guys, you know, they're buying houses, they're working with an agent that's from the suburbs. Not no shade, but they were like, you know, all things Detroit, and I feel like you guys will be a great fit.

And we met one night for happy hour, and there was like heart eyes all around, and we just instantly clicked and we never, we haven't separated since that day. But they did ask me, they're like, "Well, we filmed a pilot for the show. Would you be interested in like filming the rest with us, filming the remainder of the episodes?"

[12:25] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: And I'm like, I think so. So they did do so. The network actually had them do like a test run just on camera to see how our chemistry was, act like that we actually have chemistry. And they loved the three of us together. And so I filmed the rest of that season one. They have, and it was so crazy, Robert, because it was one episode. And so what they did was because they had filmed that pilot with the other agent, they just threw it in there like episode six or seven. And people were, I was new, I'm a freshman, I've never been on TV before, but the viewers were freaking out like, where is Shay? Where is Shay? And I'm like, they love me. They just met me and they love me. And HG had to come and announce on Twitter, like, Shay's still here.

We filmed that pilot before we knew her, but like they had to like make an announcement. So it's like ever since season one, I have been feeling the love. I have been, it's just amazing the amount of love that I get. You would think I'm like Beyonce or something. But people, HGTV is such a staple and people go hard for the HGTV. I see, because you know, since they announced our cancellation, people have been making it known that they are not happy about it. So people, I feel like because like even though there's real estate and renovation, there's something about the relationship aspect that people get involved, like they feel connected. And when you watch your favorite shows, you feel connected to the people. So I get it, I get it.

[13:57] Robert Bannon: So you bring up this time HGTV, no shade to them, but they've gotten a little controversy because some of our favorite shows may not be returning. And we've had Egypt Sherrod here, and I sent her a message and she said, well, the best is still yet to come. There's still life after these shows for us and the personalities on them. So do you feel hopeful that this is not the end of the Shay experience?

[14:18] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: Of course not. Can I can only imagine I'll be 48 coming up, Robert? And I shut up. No, you're not. I can only imagine just like how many times in my life I've had random jobs where or just how I've been on my own since I was my 18th birthday, and life has been life. And so if just think if I've ever just like had that mindset that this is it. At this age, I could have I had a decent job right out of high school, and then I worked with a bunch of older people, and they're like, Shay, you don't supposed to be here, like there's more for you. And I'm like, you're right. And so I've always had that thought that there's always more. You have to believe it. So of course there's more, there's definitely more to come.

[15:01] Robert Bannon: Well, and while we're enjoying it, you can still check out Bargain Block. Make sure we tell the HGTV people that we want more and that we are watching and supporting, and then follow you on Instagram and on your website for all the information. So the houses you find for these shows, you know, Detroit has something called the land bank here, and they have had projects through the years that I mean the house might have a tree growing out of it, but you can have it for a cheap price. The reputation here is that there's a lot of abandoned homes, and there are neighborhoods that do need some love. Do you really find these homes? And are you ever scared of them?

[15:34] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: So I'm scared 99.9. And I think there's no way to hide that. But you gotta think like it's weird because I never got I don't get used to it because no home is the same, like a dilapidated home, of course, is a dilapidated home, but it's always unsettling because you're just basically walking through a pile of rubble. Like, am I gonna fall through this floor? Am I inhaling mold right now? Like, what is happening? So you never get used to it. And most of the houses that are in like the worst, worst, worst condition is typically a key to never pick. In most cases, sometimes I will pick a house that has seen its better days, but in most cases, if it's a shape pick, it's not as deplorable. But it is something about them like selecting these homes and wanting to renovate these homes that have sat for 10, 12, sometimes 20 years dilapidated and bring them back to life is just like the best thing ever.

When I say when I first started working with them and seeing like the first few before and afters, I yeah, it got me pretty choked up because to just see them put like that level of like care and love into detail into a home for a first-time buyer. I've been doing this for so long. I see investor flips all the time, and you know, they are just slapping band-aids on it to get it out. Because if it's an entry-level buyer, they can't afford a heck of a lot of home, right? So to just see the guys put so much thought, love, and care into these homes, it really touched me. Like it made me love them even more.

[17:13] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: So it's crazy because a lot of these neighborhoods have a ton of seniors or like a very young community, like young families, and you don't want your grandma living next door to it, or you don't want your relatives or friends or family that have like three and four year olds walking past their kids, period. So to make that happen in these neighborhoods is meant the world to me to be a part of that.

[17:36] Robert Bannon: Well, I as someone who bought a house that they flipped, and then when you live in it, you realize that some of the things they've done are a little shoddy, yes it's scary and it's sad too because I feel like why would you want to like sell a house to a first-time buyer in this condition? You know, as a first-time buyer, they're already apprehensive about home ownership because of the new responsibilities that come with owning versus renting, and that part has always bothered me like you don't have to make it super pretty but at least make it functional and well put together. And that's what I appreciate about Keith and Evan because they make it functional, well done, brand new, beautiful, and like their homes come with warranties. So they offer so much to that first-time buyer.

[18:23] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: Oh my god, I wish I knew them and you then and so but we're good here. But my husband, he's handy, but I mean we have done work with pipes, we've had to clean out the garage, we've had toilets break and water. You know, people get some people you trust, get a team you trust when you buy a house. When you deal with new homeowners, a lot of people feel like it's unaffordable, they're not going to be able to buy a house. They're scared of how much it's going to cost them. What is your advice to the up-and-coming new homeowner that's looking for a place to start their roots?

[18:23] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: My advice is always connect with a trusted realtor because in most cases that trusted realtor, whether it's me of course or a friend or a family member that can refer someone that they've worked with, and with that comes the knowledge and the experience. And also they tend to have relationships with lenders because if they've been doing this, they have good working relationships with lenders. And I always say, just start the process because you got to think if you're concerned about what your payment would be or your credit history. If you just find out a lender could say, you know what? Actually, you qualify for this much of a house or you're pre-approved for 200 grand. And with 200 grand, you're only going to pay approximately anywhere from like a thousand to $1,300 a month when you're paying that for to some landlord, right?

And you can own your home. So I feel like just start the process. And if you start now, you can be in your home for the holidays. Or even if you need more time, just think starting off next summer, you can have your dream home opposed to paying some slum lord too much rent. I would rather pay my mortgage than pay someone else's mortgage by renting.

[20:05] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: Exactly. And with that, you're creating generational wealth for your family. So there's so many benefits to home ownership. I wish I knew when I was buying this house here. I wish I had known you only because there's a lot of people out here that you can't always trust. There were lenders that were not always on the up and up and trustworthy. And I felt very insecure because I feel like it's invasive. You're gonna go through my credit score, you're gonna see how much money I make. What am I gonna be able to afford? And I promise you that if you find the right real estate team and you find the right people, no one's there to judge you. They're gonna juggle to try to get you into what you can afford.

It just works, it works, it works together, and that's one thing I do value that I bring to my clients is I do have a good working relationship with lenders, with contractors, with the title company, like people that you need to help you get to the closing table. So I feel like, you know, just start. Just start. Just start, and the path will follow, and you'll be in a house. I still go to bed amazed that I have, we own this house. I'm still like, I can't thank you, Jesus. It happened.

[21:11] Robert Bannon: I know that's right. Because I know I'm familiar with your neighborhood and it's absolutely gorgeous.

[21:17] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: Thank you.

[21:17] Robert Bannon: I'm ready to, I'm ready. I owe you lunch. I owe you a moment. But you how do you jump? I mean it. I'm gonna take wherever your hidden Detroit gem is. I'm going there with you. Where do you, how do you balance being a wife? Your birthday is here, you have a little baby, your baby is there. He's so cute. You're a husband and a business and television career, your immediate personality. How do you do it all?

[21:40] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: You know, one benefit is we do have child care. And so that's helped tremendously because both my husband and I are entrepreneurs. So we thought since we like make a kind of make our own schedule that we can make it work. No way. So that's number one. And so with that has come time for me to make sure I can get as much done before he's out of school. My husband is a saint and like a great dad. So if there's anything after he's out of school, then he's really good at taking care of him. And then when it comes to my husband and I, we have scheduled date nights. And one of the things we do is Tyler Free Tuesdays. And so during the time where Bo James is at his pod during the day, we're gonna do something fun and interactive, whether even if we can just carve out an hour of time, we're gonna go out to eat, we're gonna do something where we can engage and have one-on-one time.

And then when it comes to work, the same, like you know, as an agent, a lot of times I'm busier on the weekends or in the evening. So my husband helps make that work. And then we have a really good circle of family that cares for us and our child that a lot of times we can depend on them. But it's been a wild, a wild ride, that's for sure.

[22:58] Robert Bannon: Well, listen, your relationship goals. You guys are so beautiful. Your family is so beautiful. I'm gonna have to reach out to you because we just finished our adoption foster classes and as this journey of the next year goes on, so exciting. No shade, I will call you and be like help please help me because then I'll be, I'm just a little bit ahead of you so I'll be able to provide some. I'm only got a couple of years on you. Play date at my house that next year, it's happening. That's it. I'm so proud and excited to have met you and be a part of the city and all the amazing things that you're doing. You know my show is your show. We learned that this city has so much to offer. There's so much that people need to know and it's a lot more than what you hear on the news or what you see on TV. Like come experience Detroit for yourself and watch the Bargain Block on HGTV when the new episodes are out.

[22:58] Shea Hicks-Whitfield: Yes, the first episode aired Wednesday, August 20th and next day available streaming on HGTV, Discovery Plus or on Max. And so we have a total of four episodes on this season. Five has been cut short, so we only have four episodes and they'll air every Wednesday night at 8 p.m. on HGTV, 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Go get it, go watch it and then follow Shay or Shay.HicksWhitfield on Instagram and find the... Thank you so much for being here. I can't wait to see, I'm looking forward to hanging out with y'all again already. I can't wait. I'll see you on these streets. Thank you so much for being here.