Angry homeowners claim ‘Fixer Upper’ hosts Chip and Joanna Gaines deceived them

“Fixer Upper” is the most-watched show in the history of HGTV, and most people would love to be chosen to be guests on the program.

However, former guests Kelly and Ken Downs are speaking out about their experience on “Fixer Upper,” saying that they feel deceived by Chip and Joanna Gaines’ firm, Magnolia Realty.

On the uber-popular show, Chip and Joanna help homebuyers find “fixer-upper” houses in central Texas, and they then remodel and decorate the homes with the buyers’ input.

However, not all of the homes are in desirable neighborhoods—a fact that is causing some serious controversy.

The Downses, a couple who moved to Waco from Dallas, are speaking out because a suspected drunk driver crashed into their “Fixer Upper” house in Waco, Texas. The Waco Tribune-Herald posted photos of the damaged home on Twitter:

Fortunately, the couple was not harmed, as their master bedroom is in the rear of the house, but the car did crash into the front of their home, causing damage to an exterior wall and interior wall in the home’s front office. Kelly Downs acknowledged to the Herald-Tribune that a relocated fireplace — moved during the “Fixer Upper” renovation — was likely what ultimately stopped the car. The next room the car would have hit would have been the bedroom, where the couple was sleeping.

As fortuitous as that was, the incident frightened and upset the homeowners, who say the city of Waco has ignored their complaints about neighborhood crime.

Kelly says that this incident is par for the course because of their home’s undesirable location.

“It’s like the Wild West here. There’s been a lot of commotion coming from the bars and the store across the street,” she told the Tribune-Herald. “It’s been a problem from the beginning. We’ve lived here a year and a half and we feel deceived by the city of Waco and Magnolia Realty.”

Not only has there been crime and late-night noise, but the couple also says that many in the neighborhood have been unwelcoming, as they believe that the “Fixer Upper” program has caused an undue increase in taxes.

“We have been intimidated and harassed,” she told the paper. “People have complained about their taxes going up because we moved here. Store owners have complained about taxes.”

However, not everyone thinks the Downses have a right to complain. Some people have taken to social media to support Chip and Joanna.

The chief defense seems to be: Chip and Joanna didn’t force the Downses to purchase this home, and they should have done research into the neighborhood themselves before moving in:

https://twitter.com/nessita777/status/884512892195930114

RELATED: A Fixed-up House From ‘Fixer Upper’ Is On The Market

What do you think?

Is it fair for the Downses to feel deceived by “Fixer Upper,” or should they have predicted these issues when moving to a high-crime, high-traffic area? And is it worth it to live in a gorgeous home if the neighborhood is undesirable? Or can quartz countertops and a marble backsplash only take you so far?

[h/t: People]