What You Don't Know About The Property Brothers

Drew and Jonathan Scott, the stars of Property Brothers, Brother vs. Brother, and Property Brothers at Home, seem like a couple of guys who were born for reality TV stardom. But there's actually more to them and their history than just flipping houses. Let's see what led them to their growing TV empire, and what's going on with the Scotts when the cameras aren't rolling.

That's right. When Drew and Jonathan Scott's mother went into that delivery room, she thought she was only getting one kid: Jonathan. In fact, no one knew two babies would make an appearance, not even the doctor. Talk about double trouble...

The key to success is starting early, and the Property Brothers have been at it a long time. According to Glamour, Jonathan and Drew's first remodeling job took place when they were 7 years old in their childhood bedroom. However, that's not as impressive as their first house sale. They sold their first house in college for an impressive $50,000 profit. With a first act like that, it's safe to say they know what they're doing.

Sure, some people may give Drew and Jonathan the stink eye because they're good looking and successful. But the Scotts aren't worried about the haters... because they're karate experts. They've been studying karate since childhood. These martial arts masters have attained 2nd degree black belts. So anyone looking to start some trouble with them is in for some hurt.

When Drew and his brother needed a creative director for their production company, they didn't go to Monster.com or LinkedIn. They just put Drew's girlfriend at the time, Linda Phan, to work. According to the Scott Brothers' website, she became responsible for creating "social media and special product campaigns" for the guys. Considering she has experience in public relations, it's right up her alley. They renovate homes, and she renovated their social media and websites.

The pair became even more of a team when they got engaged. Drew proposed to Phan in December 2016 at the restaurant Piano Piano, in Toronto — and of course, she said "Yes!" They later tied the knot in May 2018.

As of this writing, Drew and Linda have not had any children. Quite a stir occurred in January 2016 when pictures of Drew, Linda, and a tyke began appearing on her Instagram. Naturally, fans thought it was their kid, despite the fact that Linda never appeared pregnant in public, and the child was too old to just have appeared out of nowhere. Actually, the tot in the photos was Linda's nephew, who makes cameos on Linda's Instagram feed from time to time. So all you baby fans can just calm down — for now at least. It's probably just a matter of time before Drew and Linda have a couple of little Property Babies of their own.

Even though they began buying, renovating, and selling houses at an early age, the Scott Brothers once had musical aspirations, too. According to Glamour, their plans for attaining music stardom have ranged from plans to start a boy band, to... competitive bagpipe playing?

Well, despite going into the real estate and reality TV business, they haven't yet given up on their musical dreams. In late 2015, they released a music video for their country song "Hold On" as The Scott Brothers. And it's not bad! Now, if only they could work the bagpipes back into the act...

Before they became known as the Property Brothers, Drew and Jonathan Scott made ends meet working as clowns. Faces smeared with blue and red makeup, they did a bunch of birthday party gigs, bringing joy and entertainment to children, according to Parade magazine. Considering that they've parlayed their talents for real estate into a television career, the brothers were clearly doing more than making balloon animals and creeping out little kids — they were honing their performance chops.

While most television viewers have poured love and adulation upon Drew and Jonathan, their older brother, J.D., has mostly gone unnoticed. J.D. previously worked in Las Vegas as a celebrity impersonator, drawing on his resemblance to American Idol's Adam Lambert and the late, great David Bowie as an outlet for his creative energy. Since his brothers' TV shows took off, J.D.'s been hosting the network's online, behind-the-scenes coverage of Brother Vs. Brother, as well as earning hosting duties on the show All-American Amusement Parks on Great American Country. Who says three's a crowd?

Though they gained their fame as reality television stars, it doesn't mean Drew and Jonathan Scott are willing to do anything to make a buck. For instance, Jonathan once turned down appearing on The Bachelor. He told People in 2014, "It's not my thing. I like to think that I don't need to date twelve women at a time."

That might sound like Jonathan thinks he's too good for the show, but that's not true. The fact is he's actually too well-adjusted and mentally healthy for it. Meanwhile, a show that ends with marriage could have actually brought back some bad memories for Jonathan, because...

During a 2013 interview with love and relationship site YourTango, Jonathan admitted that he was once married. Though he didn't go into too many details or even give the name of his former love, he did say that it happened when he was young. Supposedly, the two of them weren't right for each other, but they're still friends.

So the Property Brothers have had a lot of other jobs in their lives before finding their niche. And fans may be happy to hear that, back before they gained their fame, the Scott brothers worked as underwear models, which they admitted in an interview with OK! Magazine. They didn't name any of the companies they booked jobs with, but they did admit that there are pics of them in their skivvies floating around out there on the Internet. Put a hold on the house hunting... and let the photo hunting begin.

Although Drew and Jonathan Scott are clearly gifted designers and businessmen, they originally wanted to be actors. In fact, the whole reason they went into real estate was to avoid becoming starving artists. "During university we did our very first property, ended up flipping it — before flipping was a trend or cool," they explained in an interview with Glamour magazine.

Their business took off, but Drew didn't want to give up on his dream of pursuing an acting career. In 2005, Drew decided that his original goal of becoming an actor had been eclipsed by house-flipping — so he flew west to pursue a career in acting while Jonathan ran the real estate and flipping business back in Calgary. But Drew isn't the only one who's tried his hand at acting: both brothers starred on the Canadian series Breaker High, Drew had an additional role on Smallville, and Jonathan was on The X-Files.

The brothers shared a house in Las Vegas, which they bought and renovated themselves. Since they had just a bit of experience with this, they followed the same process they walk clients through on their show: The brothers hunted for bargains, and found a 5,400 square foot home built just before the recession. The exterior of the home was "just a dirt lot," Jonathan told The New York Times, and "nothing had really been done on the inside." The brothers bought the property for $400,000 and promptly set to work. Although their renovation budget was $2 million, they still followed the same advice they give to homeowners on the show and used money-saving hacks like painting the kitchen cabinets instead of replacing them.

After completing the extensive renovations, the house boasted a guest house for their parents, who visit frequently from Alberta. It also featured a two-story commercial-grade water slide that spiraled into the pool and a game room complete with a vintage arcade machine, as well as a putting green and basketball court in the backyard. Not too shabby!

"We've had a medieval weapons collection for a long time," Jonathan said in a 2014 interview with The New York Times. The collection boasts numerous swords, a suit of armor, and a battle-ax, and all were arranged on a shelf near the main entrance of their shared house at the time of the interview. Hmm, a collection of medieval weapons on display in the foyer? Not imposing at all! The intimidation factor must be a great way to deter uninvited visitors.

Cool fact: the battle-ax is a replica of the one used by Robert the Bruce, a revered Scottish king and warrior who lived in the 13th and 14th centuries. "We're related on my mother's side," explained Jonathan.

Drew follows a gluten-free diet, he told the Real Style Network. He even had diagnostic tests run that confirmed his sensitivity, so he steers clear of all wheat, barley, and rye. "A lot of people think I'm allergic to gluten, but I'm actually not," he explained. "It's just that I have sensitivities. I find my body functions better and it breaks down food better if I don't do gluten."

Drew also describes himself as a health nut, and said that if you looked in his fridge, you'd find protein shakes and supplements. In addition to his healthy eating habits, Drew loves to exercise. "I do resistance training," he explained. "I hit the gym four to five times a week. I play a lot of sports. Jonathan and I play basketball and volleyball. I rock climb. We love trying new things, too. In the last few months, I've been trapezing four or five times because we wanted to try something new." Holy flying Scott brothers, Batman!

Speaking of food, the brothers use a personal chef when they're on the road. "In every city we go to [for the show], a chef prepares our meals for three days at a time," Jonathan explains. "I know it sounds oh, la dee da with your fancy chef — but when we looked into it, it was cheaper than eating out."

Each meal costs about $14, according to Jonathan, and the chef services usually give the brothers a list of dishes they can order in advance and then heat up when they're ready to eat. In addition to being less expensive than going to restaurants, the pre-cooked meals have the added benefit of being healthy and within a certain calorie range. "I find cooking to be very therapeutic, but I just haven't had the luxury of time, day-to-day, to do it lately," said Jonathan. "My plan is to one day be fat and happy. Right now, my diet's more p-h-a-t and happy."

Jonathan and Drew haven't been in a fight for 20 years. Yes, you read that right: They've gone two decades without an altercation. The last time they fought was when they were both students at the University of Calgary, when "Drew was being annoying about something," Jonathan explained to The Daily Beast. "I got so angry that I clenched my teeth so hard that I broke them."

Since that incident, the brothers have adhered to what they call a "no-BS policy." 

"Jonathan and I are outspoken," Drew said in an interview with Glamour. "If there's something that's bothering us we just say it, deal with it, and move on. Anything we're thinking, whether it's negative or positive, we just get it out so it's out," said Jonathan. "I don't mind receiving bad news or having someone with a different opinion, as long as they give it to me."

Their love of performing extends far beyond acting: The brothers perform in improv and stand-up comedy groups, Jonathan is an illusionist, and Drew is a director. "I won a lot of awards for my illusions," said Jonathan in an interview with Real Style Network. "My illusions are a full Vegas-style show where there's music and dance and special effects and all kinds of stuff. My favorite illusions — the one that really moves the audience — is one where the girl, who the story is all about, is no longer around. I have this big portrait of her and I pull her out of the portrait. We have a moment where we're up in this dusty old attic, and then we both vanish from on top of a grand piano and appear back in the portrait together."

Meanwhile, Drew has done behind-the-camera freelance work in Vancouver's film and television industry, and his interest in film eventually led him to create an independent production company with Jonathan and their older brother, J.D.

Drew and Jonathan also co-hosted a 13-week radio show, Off Topic with the Scott Brothers, which aired across Canada. J.D. joined them on the show, which discussed a broad range of topics including lifestyle, pop culture, entertainment, and travel.

Jonathan has a big heart for small dogs. Growing up on a ranch, the Property Brothers "always had big dogs." Jonathan shared that, with the life he leads, he "[needs] to have a dog you can take with you," so he added his first dog, a 2.5 lb Yorkie name Gizmo, to his family. "Unfortunately, he was fragile, and he passed away," Jonathan shared. "But before he died, he totally opened me up to small dogs. He was one of the smartest dogs I've ever met."

After Gizmo came Gracie and Stewie. "I like having two dogs, it lets them bond," Jonathan explained, noting, "They were instantly inseparable. They travel everywhere with me. They are so small and well-behaved. They have their little crates and I bring them to the set with me."

Jonathan and Drew both stand at 6' 5", and, while some tall men might be bothered by the size difference that comes with having small pets, Jonathan isn't fazed at all: "The smaller the dog, the bigger you look."

Apparently Scandal actor Scott Foley is an avid HGTV fan — and he especially enjoys Property Brothers. He even reached out to Drew and Jonathan, superstar to superstar, to send his well-wishes and appreciation for the show. "He messaged us and said he's a huge fan, so we thought we'd bring him on as a third Property Brother," Jonathan told Us Weekly during a 2015 visit to the magazine's headquarters in New York City.

When asked to list three things he wishes people knew about him, Jonathan said that he's a self-described hopeless romantic: "I'm willing to admit that I love romantic movies and I go out of my way to do creative things that show a girl how much I care about her." He's brutally honest: "It doesn't matter how difficult or embarrassing the subject matter is, I will always tell the truth." And that — this is especially awesome — he loves haunted houses. "My secret obsession is haunted houses," he explained. "I love them. Whether scary, cheesy, funny, or creepy — I'll take them all! It may stem from my love of Halloween growing up, or from my sadistic pleasure to spook people."

Drew loves to splurge on coins, and he has been collecting coins since he was a child. "I love finding new and unique pieces to add to my collection," he said. "Yes, I admit that this makes me a nerd."

No judgment here, Drew — nerdy tendencies are welcome!

"They make fun of me because I have a tendency to split my pants open," he told AZCentral. "It's because I have nicely fitted suits." Apparently one particular pair of pants is a serial offender, though. "There's one pair of pants," he said, "I happen to be climbing up a hill, and of course, I'm going up these steps... and the camera's right behind me, and what happens, [they] split, right open on camera, and I have like fuchsia boxers on."

Drew's all-time favorite travel destination is their father's native Scotland, and he said that when he was young, he "got hooked on exploring the small towns of Scotland." He explained, "I can roam the meadows or explore the old abandoned castles for hours."

As for Jonathan, he loves both Bora-Bora and Florence, Italy in equal measure. Jonathan finds the beauty of Bora-Bora and the history and architecture in Florence to be particularly wonderful, and he said he "spent hours in both places just wandering."

Don't get too excited — there are no little Property babies running around yet, but it doesn't sound like the conversation is out of the question. In fact, Drew told People, "I'm definitely looking forward to having kids. Linda and I have talked about it, and we've considered adopting."

Jonathan added, "I love kids, and I get along great with kids." While there haven't been any baby announcements quite yet, we will definitely be keeping our eyes peeled!

While some people choose to have a small, intimate wedding, others go big, as was the case with Drew and Phan's wedding. In an interview with People, Drew dished about the then-upcoming nuptials, noting that he planned on having both of his brothers involved in the wedding as co-best men. "I want both my brothers to be there," he said, "They're equally amazing."

Drew also shared the struggle to lock down a date. "The funny thing is, we have four sets of friends who are doing destination weddings over this next year, so Linda and I are trying to pick dates," he told People. "We pick a date and then somebody's like, 'That's our week!'"

Jonathan was eager to add, "The challenge is they can't find a resort big enough because Linda has fourteen bridesmaids." Drew joked in response, "I don't have that many friends."

As the Property Brothers stars have gotten older, it's understandable that they'd take some time to look back on all they have accomplished thus far in their lives, reflecting on what other big dreams and goals they may want to add to the list. When asked what else they may like to achieve before 40, Jonathan tells People in 2017, "I want to ride a unicorn." 

While this may not be in the cards for any of us, he continued, "I'll admit that I enjoyed my 20s more than my teens, my 30s more than my 20s. I think we're at a point where we're very comfortable with who we are and what we want to dedicate our lives to."

Tiny homes have been a huge trend over the last few years with shows like Tiny House Big Living, Tiny House Builders, and Tiny House Hunters, but it turns out these brothers want nothing to do with those little homes. In an interview with PopSugar, Jonathan said, "I don't like it because most of the tiny houses we've seen, they're not built to code; they're not actually functional. I've only ever seen a couple tiny home spaces that are actually a clever use of space and multi-functioning spaces."

Turns out the two actually spent a night in one to give it a test run, and things didn't go so well. "Our whole philosophy is that your home should make your life easier, and as soon as you start tripping over each other and trying to squeeze too much into a space for it to work, then you're not making your life easier," said Drew. "You're making your life more hectic."

"Our parents were amazing. Our parents really encouraged us to always try something new. If there's something someone said you can't do, find five ways to do it," said Drew. "I think that sort of entrepreneurial spirit is what we got in the early age so that we were always looking for something," added Jonathan, "We wanted something that was scalable."

Even at seven years old, the brothers had their own business. They would make wire hangers which they covered with fabric, calling the business JAM, Jon Andrew and Mum Enterprises, their parents Jim and Joanne explained. While they began selling to friends, they eventually got a bulk order from a Japanese wholesaler, making them mini moguls.

While most would assume they have a team helping with the renovations, it turns out the Property Brothers stars hire local contractors to do the work on the house they're upgrading. "Every city we go to, I hire local general contractors and I assign a local construction and design lead as well to every project so that nothing gets missed," Jonathan told PopSugar. He went on to add that they are able to get the work done so quickly in every city they go to by creating about 150 jobs.

Through using this local support, they are never leaving the homeowners high and dry should anything happen after filming. "When I leave town, there's a warranty on the work from the local general contractors who worked on the project," he added.

We hear time and time again that we should make our bed each morning — even this Navy Seal advised University of Texas at Austin graduates to make their bed each morning. Turns out, Jonathan Scott does not.

"I absolutely do not make my bed every morning. I hate that," Jonathan said, "I make enough beds in a day that I do not want to make my bed every day." He went on to add that if there's a chance that someone may come by like friends or family, then he'll make it. But otherwise? Not happening.

Given their tall stature, it may come as no surprise to learn of either brother being involved in basketball, and, as it turns out, Drew actually had some skills!

"In my college basketball days," Drew told Us Weekly, "I had a 43-inch vertical jump, on par with Dr. J and LeBron James. Picture a tall, skinny, dorky guy doing laps with Jumpsoles on." Now that we want to see!