'Property Brothers' draw crowd to She: An Expo for Women at Chattanooga Trade and Convention Center

photo LaNell Rice, left and Sarah Gaddis select pieces of jewelry from the Origami Owl booth Sunday at the She Expo at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
photo Drew Scott from the show "Property Brothers" speaks to the audience about finding their dream home at the She Expo on Sunday at the Chattanooga Convention Center.

At the age of 18, brothers Andrew and Jonathan Scott bought their first home with a down payment of $250 after graduating high school.

On Sunday, locals flocked to the Chattanooga Trade and Convention Center to meet the twin brothers and learn from them. You'd probably have recognized them: one a bit unkempt and clad in flannel while the other, hair slicked back, dons a suit.

Andrew and Jonathan Scott are the "Property Brothers" from HGTV's hit show, and they were the headliners at last weekend's She: An Expo for Women produced by the Times Free Press.

"I'm one of their biggest fans," said Cindy Brotherton, who listened intently from the audience as the Scotts made suggestions. "My friends kid me about watching them 24 hours a day."

The brothers studied real estate while working odd jobs after school. That first house of theirs was worth $200,000 when they bought it. After they fixed it up, they sold it for a $50,000 profit.

"We didn't want to be a struggling artist," said Andrew Scott, known as Drew on "Property Brothers."

Instead of researching real estate as a hobby, the brothers saw it as a significant income source and a way to help other families get into their dream homes. Now, at age 36, Jonathan Scott is a licensed contractor and Drew Scott is a real estate agent.

On "Property Brothers" they give advice about home improvements, teaching people how to have "a Champagne dream home on a beer budget," they told She audience members.

After much cheering the brothers hit the stage at the two-day event, which also included "The Pioneer Woman" Ree Drummond and more than 150 vendor booths showcasing health screenings, beauty products, appliances and food. Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" played overhead as thousands of women walked to their seats. An announcer pumped the audience to cheer for "Team Drew" and then "Team Jonathan."

The brothers joked with their fans and Jonathan said he wants everyone to know he's four minutes older than Drew. Then they told the story of renovating and selling a home for a family with nine children so the family could find a larger home with more space.

The Scotts also host HGTV's "Buying and Selling" in which Jonathan renovates a home for a top-value sale and Drew helps the owners sell it. On "Brother vs. Brother" each brother mentors a team of home improvement experts, with the winning team winning a $50,000 prize.

A fourth show about renovations the brothers have made in their own homes is scheduled to start this year around Thanksgiving.

Contact staff writer Yolanda Putman at yputman@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6431.

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