What sort of house can you get for $150,000 in Baton Rouge? Ask Lisa Clingan.
The Baton Rouge real estate agent helped film an episode of HGTV's popular "House Hunters" show late last year. Her clients for the show came from Los Angeles, though one-half of the couple was originally from Louisiana.
"He moved to California, got married, and he and his husband moved back to have a fresh start and live close to his family," Clingan said.
Given the low budget Clingan and her clients had to play with, they expanded their search area outside Baton Rouge proper, also looking in Ascension and Livingston parishes.
Lisa Clingan
"It was very challenging. But we did it, we found it, and I was actually very surprised what was available in that price range. It was actually more than I thought it would be," she said.
"House Hunters" is one of HGTV's most popular programs. It has run since 1999, racking up 249 seasons and more than 1,900 episodes.
The show has visited Baton Rouge in the past. Notably, in 2022, Chris and Zach Fiore picked an Acadian cottage in Mid City in the episode "Southern Charm in Baton Rouge."
Clingan said many of the properties in their price range were ones that had been flipped by investors following the devastating 2016 Louisiana floods.
"Some of these houses were very old properties — you know, like 'grandma’s house' that had not been touched since the ’70s," she said.
"And because the house flooded, (investors) were able to buy it discounted and flip it and keep it in a price range where it was more affordable for people."
The show's airdate is scheduled for 9 p.m. Sunday, May 19. It was filmed in November 2023. Airdates are scheduled by HGTV and are subject to change.