38 » OpenRoad Driver
CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT
Turning It On
TODD TALBOT
Words by Tanis Sullivan
Photos by Kim Bellavance
»
Todd Talbot, co-host of the popular reality shows, Love It or List It Vancouver on W Network and
Love It or List It, Too on HGTV in the U.S., is a fan favourite of millions of home show viewers
on both sides of the border. He’s what you’d describe as a modern gentleman with an impressive
repertoire of talents and a ton of creative energy that he seems to channel effortlessly into multiple
projects at a time.
He’s an actor, realtor, dancer, public speaker,
writer and social media maven, and best
of all, Todd’s an all-around nice guy who’s
extremely relatable. So it’s no wonder that
over the past decade, he’s become a popular
household name and notable celebrity in
his own right.
OpenRoad Driver got the chance to catch
up with Todd to get personal about real
estate, renovating and life on the small
screen.
How did you get your break into
television?
My first big break was on a show called
Fifteen when I was 16 years old. I played
Matt Walker, an alcoholic basketball star
for five seasons. We shot the first season in
Vancouver, the second season in Ottawa,
and seasons three to five at Universal
Studios in Orlando.
How did you go from being an actor
to becoming a realtor on Love It or
List It Vancouver?
Passion and my big mouth! Buying my
first property when I was 25 years old
sparked a passion for real estate beyond my
primary residence, and I grew my portfolio
alongside a continuing acting career. When
a director I had worked with before became
a producer of Love It or List It Vancouver,
the two worlds collided. He had been to a
workshop I created for actors, encouraging
them to own instead of rent, and he knew
that I could talk real estate from morning
till night. It just made sense to get on board
with a project that combined my two loves:
real estate and acting.
Based on all your experience, what’s
the hardest decision people face
when deciding whether to love it or
list it?
The two issues that people on or off TV
struggle with the most are money and
location. There are a lot of people out
there who are very intimidated by the
idea of change, and it’s that fear that stops
people from a cool opportunity and a new
adventure in real estate.
What do you think about the
Vancouver real estate market right
now? Do you think the so-called
bubble will burst?
In a word…no. I’ve been asked this
question for the last fifteen years, which
tells you something about it. I personally
believe in and continue to invest in the
Vancouver market but I do it with a seven-
to ten-year plan for each property. There
is significant demand that will continue
to fuel the market moving forward. The
challenge is not about a bubble bursting.
It’s actually about accommodating a diverse
group of people in a city that is quickly
becoming one of the most expensive in the
world. That, as opposed to hedging against
a potential market correction, is the work
that needs to be done.
You recently downsized from your
3,000-square-foot home in Lions
Bay to a 1,200-square-foot home in
East Vancouver. Why did you decide
to make the move?