duchess fare: Scott McGillivray of HGTV's Income Property

HGTV (the Home and Garden Television channel) continues to showcase inspiring spaces, complete with head to toe renovation work and outfitted with polished style & furnishings. Lately, I'm realizing all the shows I tend to make time to watch are hosted by Canadian designers & builders -- Candice Olsen, Sarah Richardson, Mike Holmes and host of my newest favorite, Income Property, Scott McGillivray.

Scott McGillivray, Host of Income Property

OK, yes, Scott is easy on the eyes, but he's not just a pretty face, he really knows what he's talking about. Scott's personal experience owning rental properties coupled with his design/build/carpentry skills makes for an extremely informative show. Income Property focuses on educating homeowners on the do's and don'ts of becoming a landlord. Over the course of the 30 minute program, an apartment is renovated (typically a space in an existing duplex or triplex, where the landowner is residing in a portion of the residence) - brought up to both code/safety standards while incorporating a 2011 interior design style. Scott is quick to point out that 2 key components of renovating rental properties are return on investment & sticking to the renovation budget, prompting him to make wise choices when selecting the apartment's fixtures & design finishes that reflect the asking rental price and will ultimately hold the greatest longterm value. When the space is completed, and before a tenant moves in, Scott seeks out the opinion of a local appraiser to provide insight to the overall value added to the entire structure from much needed updating.