Kansas City and the home renovation industry have a lot in common: both are full of hidden treasures and historical value, both sources of incredible beauty and architecture, and both are getting some well-deserved recognition. So what could be more perfect than a home renovation show based right here in our hometown?  

The housing industry has seen a significant and steady rise in “flip” homes over the last few years, and not just on television. If you’ve purchased a home or followed the market recently, you probably noticed that many listings are owned by names ending in “LLC” that never actually occupied the

property. However, it’s pretty easy to spot the difference between a home that was renovated by a true professional and one that appears to be the result of a novice looking to take advantage of a hot market. Since we like to do things right here in Kansas City, whether it’s beer or barbecue or fine art, native interior designer and handywoman Tamara Day is adding home restoration to that list.

Day is the soon-to-be starlet of the new DIY network series “Little Money Mansions.” After creating raving fans with the first two episodes that aired last summer, according to a recent article in Her Life Magazine, Day is working on filming a full season of the show that is set to kick-off later this year.  The series will follow Day as she and her crew, which includes her father and a local general contractor, take on the challenge of breathing new life into large, dilapidated homes that the average flipper might see as too much of a risk.

Cathy Knight-Kotzias, a licensed realtor with Keller Williams Key Partners, LLC, is excited to see what the show will do for the area on a personal level. Knight-Kotzias specializes in unique and rural properties in Missouri, and she recently sold her aunt and uncle’s home to Day as a candidate for the show. “We had our Christmas dinners in that home for 30 years; it’s exciting to see our family home get renovated.” Watching such key parts of our childhood transform and move on without us is often difficult, but Knight-Kotzias is looking forward to the positive impact the change will bring. “I think, like a lot of kids, we’d rather see it get renovated than continue to deteriorate.”

“Little Money Mansions” is an exciting milestone for Kansas City as the first major network home renovation series that is entirely based here, but it won’t be the first time a property from the area has been featured on a major network.  Kansas City has also guest starred on HGTV’s House Hunters and ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. But Kansas City has done her time as the supporting actress, and now it’s time to step into the spotlight as the leading lady.