#You’ll Be Rooting to Save All These Properties

Cheap Old Houses, a wholesome property-touring series, based on the popular Instagram account (with 1.6 million followers), showcases beautifully constructed Victorians, farmhouses and everything in between.

Creative strategist Ethan Finkelstein and his historic-preservationist wife Elizabeth (above) host, crisscrossing the country in search of diamonds in the rough, all under $150K. The married duo help even skeptics see the potential in these future dream homes—despite the cobwebs and funky styling. An 1850s Italianate-style house in Fort Plain, New York, visited in the first episode features a fully functional but entirely pink bathroom, which makes Elizabeth swoon.

And nothing is more rewarding than when the nerdy house-hunters go to see the newly renovated homes folks purchased with their help, including a very special one-room schoolhouse. A father-daughter duo spent roughly 1,500 hours fixing up the place, which was once attended by the dad’s own father!

The couple doesn’t always agree—Elizabeth has to convince Ethan that a more moderate-size Peoria, Illinois, home is special in the second episode (at 9:30/8:30c)—but their love for discovering what these houses have to offer shines through, as does their encyclopedic knowledge of American architectural styles. Soon enough, you’ll find yourself cheering along to their slogan, “Save all the old houses!”

Cheap Old Houses, Series Premiere, Monday, August 9, 9/8c, HGTV