The Property Brothers fear Trump’s tariffs could drive up construction costs

HGTV home renovation stars Jonathan and Drew Scott — better known as the Property Brothers — fear Trump’s proposed tariffs could drive up construction costs.

The brothers’ home country of Canada, along with Mexico, was in the crosshairs of the president-elect’s tariffs, threatening that both countries would be economically hit by trade tariffs if they did not stop the flow of migrants and drugs into the United States.

“Jonathan and I love the idea of local products,” real estate agent Drew Scott, one half of the 6-foot-2 identical twins, told Bloomberg. “We have to find a balance,” added Jonathan, the couple’s contractor. “Blanket tariffs are not good for any economy,” he said. If these tariffs cover essential construction products such as steel and lumber, the impact could be devastating for homeowners looking to renovate and the construction industry, which could cause the price of newly built homes to rise sharply.

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There’s a lot at stake for the Scott Brothers. They have a home goods brand empire worth $2.8 billion, but as TV hosts they also have the added advantage of not having to simply rely on selling products to pay their bills. “We made money in every market possible,” Drew said. “Upgrade, down markets, buyer-seller markets, it doesn’t matter.”

The brothers expect major renovation projects and home remodels will likely take a back seat in 2025 if interest rates don’t fall. A trade war will only make the situation worse. The Scotts have plenty of options to invest their $200 million net worth (according to Celebrity Net Worth) if the house flips fall through.

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They’ve created a reality TV empire with Fixers and dozens of HGTV shows, books and even a cruise under their roof. Additionally, according to Variety, the Scotts have been endorsed multiple times and appeared in ads for Chase Bank, LendingTree, ADT Security, Dish Network and American Family Insurance, to name a few. LA-based production company Scott Brothers Entertainment is home to her numerous TV shows. At the same time, their retail and e-commerce home furnishing product lines are ubiquitous in numerous retail stores such as Living Spaces, Macy’s, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Wayfair and Amazon. They also have a mobile app, Property Brothers Home Design, which launched in 2019 with publisher Storm8. Everything is housed under her multi-billion dollar company, Scott Brothers Global.