Twin-sister stars of ‘Unsellable Houses’ get a second season

SNOHOMISH — The show will go on for the sister stars of a new hit series that puts Snohomish County on the HGTV map.

What’s up with that?

Snohomish real estate twins Lyndsay Lamb and Leslie Davis scored a second and expanded season of “Unsellable Houses” on HGTV. The plot has the thrifty sisters coming to the rescue of frustrated homeowners by doing makeovers on houses that aren’t selling.

Over 18 million viewers tuned into the first season’s 11 half-hour episodes that debuted in February and became HGTV GO’s most-streamed new series, according to a news release. HGTV president Jane Latman called the series a “fresh twist and a big win for the HGTV pipeline.” The 18 new episodes will double in length to an hour.

With coffee as their obvious drug of choice, the peppy sisters banter, have dance-offs and get in paint fights while using their smarts and skills.

High Noon Entertainment, producer of “Fixer Upper” and “Cake Boss,” recruited the twins in 2017 from their YouTube videos of car karaoke in a VW van. They have a well-established real estate business.

A retro VW van is their Batcar on “Unsellable Houses.” The show is hyperlocal, with screenshots of the county’s beaches and byways. The first season included homes in Everett, Bothell, Lake Stevens, Lynnwood and Marysville.

Sno-Co properties are needed for the season 2 filming when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

“If you know of any, send them our way,” Lyndsay said. “Anywhere from $300,000 to $700,000. We’re trying to keep a lot of variety.”

The 39-year-old twins grew up in Snohomish and both married their high school sweethearts.

Lyndsay, the elder by three minutes, has brown hair, bangs and glasses. Leslie has blonde hair. Lyndsay dreams up designs. Leslie crunches numbers.

The sisters sound alike. Interviewed by phone, you can’t tell their voices apart. Many of the quotes in this story are likely attributed to the wrong sister.

Homeowners get cameo appearances on the show. The sisters act as the listing agents with their company, Lamb & Co. They throw in the money, $25,000 to $50,000. Remaining profits from the sale are split with the homeowner. What the sisters term “twin-win.”

Jeff Lawrence, owner of J.L. Remodeling of Lynnwood, leads the construction. Greenhouse Home + Life provides staging.

The sisters dive in, doing whatever it takes. Their four sons, ages 9 to 15, also get called to the front with tasks.

“They keep asking how much camera time they are going to get,” one sister said.

“We can’t pay them in kisses like we used to,” the other added.

Stardom has resulted in fandom.

“One time we had a police officer recognize us and get all giddy and go running across the room yelling, ‘It’s you, it’s you.’ And insist on taking a picture with us. He was completely suited up in his uniform,” Lyndsay said.

They were in Colorado at the time.

Fans point out more than their sisterly bond.

“Love the show,” a Facebook post says. “But also must comment on the use of the word ‘youses.’ There’s no such word. Just say ‘your house.’ That can be singular or plural.”

The twins have taken a scolding on social media for not wearing seat belts in the VW video clips. In real life, they do.

Viewers take notice of their designs.

“We have people ask us all day long where things are from,” Leslie said. “The whole point of the show is to give sellers and buyers knowledge on how to improve their own homes to get money back out.”

The products and colors are listed on the website.

The twins have taken on a project of their own by renovating a historic building at 610 First St. in Snohomish for their new office.

“She still spends all the money and I still save all the money,” Leslie said. “I try to save every penny we can and she’s picking the nicest tiles and flooring. I required her to save the front doors and just change out the handles.”

Lyndsay applies cost-saving strategies at home to reinvent spaces.

“I redecorate and change my style probably six times a year. I put all my decor pieces on my dining room table from every room, then I put them in different rooms. It gives everything a fresh look without having to spend money on new stuff,” she said.

”You’d never know if you didn’t pick it up and move it. I do it at Leslie’s house quite often. It drives her husband crazy.”

Andrea Brown: abrown@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3443. Twitter @reporterbrown.