HGTV's New 'Beat The House' to Premiere With Hillsborough Feature

A new television series on HGTV will premiere Jan. 7, featuring Hillsborough's Rob and Mary Ann Lombardo's search for a new home.

"Beat the House" picks up the Lombardo's search after they've identified a property with all of the features they want—then introduces real estate professionals Jojo Jones and Christopher Kromer, who try to "beat" the chosen house with two other Hillsborough properties. 

Jones, of Macon, Ga., pitches a more expensive property, appealing to Mary Ann Lombardo's desire for a "move-in" ready home, while New York City-based Kromer answers with a lower-priced property to entice the family.  

The show's producers turned to Hillsborough real estate professionals Charlie Nuara, a Realtor with ERA Statewide Realty, and Lisa Novak, a Realtor with Re/Max Preferred Professionals, to help pinpoint the alternative properties for the show.

"They had one of the properties in mind but when they told me the criteria, I told them I was listing another home the following week that met the same criteria," Nuara said. "Since they needed three homes, they checked out that one as well and decided to use it."

Nuara and Novak said the sellers were anxious to enlist HGTV in marketing their properties—in fact, the property Nuara suggested was quickly snapped up after word got around that it was going to be featured in a new HGTV show.

Viewers of the show will likely recognize the neighborhoods and backgrounds around the properties—and possibly the Lombardos, themselves.

"I think (the new show) created a bit of buzz around town because Hillsborough was going to be featured in the program," Novak said.  

Watch "Beat the House" at 11 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Jan. 7 on Comcast Channel 61 to see how it all unfolds.