‘Married to Real Estate’: Egypt Sherrod & Mike Jackson Tease Bigger Stakes in Season 3
Q&A
Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson are back for season 3 of Married to Real Estate. With Egypt, the go-getting real estate broker and designer, and her husband Mike, an expert builder, they are a one-stop shop.
Their entertaining dynamic has struck a chord with audiences as the couple works with Atlanta families to find homes and then bring a personalized shine to them. For the pair, it’s not only about bringing the wow factor to each finished product but about falling within or below budget and even creating some additional equity as well.
That’s easier said and done. The premiere sees Egypt and Mike meet up with a couple who have failed to secure a home in a competitive market. Thankfully, Egypt provided them with some options. They secure a place outside of Roswell with hopes of using the remaining budget to bring some Jepandi flair to the property, including a kitchen transformation and turning an existing space into a yoga studio.
Here Egypt and Mike preview projects they’ll tackle and a big milestone marked this season.
How does it feel to know the show is connecting the way it has?
Egypt Sherrod: I feel grateful people are loving on us and supporting us. Mike has dubbed those who watch our show and are fans of our “fams.” We want everyone to feel part of the family. Based on the feedback when we get out and about, it works. The feedback we’re getting from our aunts and uncles. To just keep going. That we’re making them so proud. Or that we’re so funny. Or that they want to give me unsolicited advice on my recipes. That just tells us we are connecting in such a way, and they feel comfortable doing so.
Mike Jackson: You also remember why you’re doing this. It also keeps the funny, keeps the real, doesn’t lose who you are, and continues to evolve. That is what we go into this season. You’re going to see a lot of evolution as it pertains to us finally bringing our business to come to pass, as in a brick-and-mortar. Seasons 1 and 2 we’re looking for it, and we’re finally getting it in season 3.
Egypt: It wasn’t just brick and mortar. It was what is this business model. We’re living together and working together, but are we going to be officially going to be bringing our businesses under one roof? That was a question for us for a long time. My husband and uncle had their own construction business, and I did real estate and design with mine. It’s beautiful to see things come together. At the same time, it takes sacrifice when you want to build a legacy, family business. This means egos have to be off the table for us to build better and bigger. That is what we were able to accomplish this season. You’ll see the culmination of that with Indigo Road Realty & Design Group. We challenged ourselves with these projects. There are bigger stakes.
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Mike: Bigger stakes. Different boundaries and rules, especially when you take on a commercial property, which is what we did. We took on Clark Atlanta University. Not to give up too much but there is a section within the college that has some hookups and funding.
Egypt: It’s about having a slice of life in real life. Meaning, that we hope people who watch our show can see themselves in our situations and conversations. Mike ragged on me about how to properly load a dishwasher. Me going through change. We all know what the change is. Every room I walked into was boiling hot, and I needed air conditioning. Hopefully, people can find themselves through our lives. You are seeing our kids grow up. Simone graduated college. You guys get to see her walk across the stage.
It’s great to have those milestones and have it filmed. Like having these high-quality home movies.
Mike; A digital diary.
Egypt: A great way to put it. I’ve never thought about it like that.
The first episode features a couple that really struggled to find a property. You work to find them one and have to act quickly How was it overcoming these obstacles?
Egypt: This season was trying. The market went crazy. There is a housing shortage within inventories in major cities across the nation, but specifically where we live in the Atlanta metro area. We had the smallest housing inventory in the entire nation. We are actively trying to find our clients the homes of their dreams and renovate them. But we’re losing houses because the market is going crazy. There are multiple offers for every price point. It was very trying. Blood pressure was high, but it’s safe to say you’ll see it all happen. What you’re going to get even more this season is an education about how to move forward in any real estate market.
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At the same time, there is a timeline to complete a renovation, hopefully within budget, when everything is so expensive.
Mike; We’re dealing with it a lot this season between windows and doors, and then them not showing up on time. It’s one of those things you have to work with the client and remind them we’re still going to be on time within a budget and getting back into the house. There are some workarounds we do to make sure we stay on time.
Egypt: I have Mike custom-make a lot of things this season for that very reason. When you know what you’re up against, it’s about strategic planning. If we know that windows and doors are going to take the longest, that’s the very first thing we’re going to order. Outside of that, there is nothing we can do but wait. There were a lot of woosahs with clients. We have done what we can do, so we encourage deep breaths as we bring this new baby of a house into the world. But to save money and time, I had to turn to Mike for custom-made vanities, cabinets, etc. It’s a lot of race against the clock not only to finish the house, but to get our clients out of hotels, short-term rentals, sister, and brother homes.
There are moments where it’s about finding the middle ground. You want to give the client what they want but also guide them to see what they may not.
Egypt: It’s a delicate balance between clients and designers, and even construction. I might see something and can’t unsee it because that creatively is what I like to accomplish. Mike will come back to me with five other ways to see it and so what I’ve learned to do is stay open and try to be as flexible as possible. I may love my ideas, but there may be even better ones. I tell my clients to tell me their vision and what is important to them. I tell them it’s about stretching yourself to allow yourself to think differently than what has always been here. It’s all to reach the goal.
And often you’ll accomplish the goal and do it under budget.
Egypt: There are actually a few projects that came in over budget. This is real construction. Mike had to tell a client that we had to upcharge them $8,000, and she didn’t have it. This was something we didn’t know until we got behind the wall. In her basement, water was getting in and she couldn’t see it until we got down there. Nothing we would do to make it beautiful would be worth it if we allowed water seepage in the basement. Imagine having that $8,000 peeled back on the design budget for me but we made what they were looking for happen.
Along with more Married to Real Estate, you’re also appearing for Battle on the Mountain. What was that like working on this show?
Egypt: That was fun. It was in Colorado, Breckenridge. You have not seen beauty until you’ve driven through that mountainside. I was afraid for my life because he was blasting music and bouncing in the car rocking on a two-lane highway as we were getting on set. I was afraid for my life but the views were gorgeous. I said at the end, “Mike, would you consider moving to Colorado?” I loved it so much. I’m here, but I feel my heart is still there.
Mike: I can tell you this. Fans are going to be able to see the creativity from the folks battling it out. Each house is different.
How do you reflect on 2023?
Egypt: It was a blur. 2023 went by so fast. We’ve been putting our heart and soul into so much. Building our business, stressing ourselves and our budget to make these design reveals for our clients even better and bigger than what we’ve done before. Staying close to the kids because they are getting up in those ages right now as tweenagers. There is nothing scarier than a tweenager. It’s scary. Life be livin’’. You get to see it all on Married to Rael Estate.
Married to Real Estate Season 3 premiere, December 28, 9/8c, HGTV
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