Roku is set to launch ‘This First House’, a new spin-off from the iconic home renovation series, aimed at helping millennials and Gen Z navigate their first home purchase.
Roku Launches New Spin-Off ‘This First House’ for Millennial Homebuyers
EXCLUSIVE: After producing thousands of hours of This Old House and Ask This Old House, the team behind the beloved home renovation series is set to launch a new spin-off targeting a younger audience eager to purchase their first home.
Introducing ‘This First House’
Roku has greenlit This First House, marking the first English-language spin-off of the long-standing franchise since the digital company acquired the brand for nearly $100 million in 2021.
This First House will follow two millennial and/or Gen Z families as they navigate the complexities of buying their first home while acquiring essential skills for property maintenance and improvement. The husband-and-wife duo, Zack and Camille Dettmore, will guide them, supported by experts from real estate, mortgage, legal, and construction fields.
Upcoming Seasons and Expanding Reach
This announcement comes just ahead of the premiere of Season 47 of This Old House and Season 24 of Ask This Old House on Roku on September 29.
It is the latest addition to the brand’s offerings, which previously included the Spanish-language series Dime Cómo Hacerlo, a version of Ask This Old House, now entering its third season.
Michael Burton, Director of This Old House Productions, expressed that the partnership with Roku has opened new avenues for the legacy brand. “It’s an exciting time for us in This Old House. Joining Roku has supercharged our ability to create beyond our flagship shows, allowing us to tap into a streaming audience that has added millions of viewers,” he stated.
Understanding a Younger Audience
Burton highlighted that this new audience is significantly younger than the traditional PBS viewers. “This has enabled us to rethink our content and better understand a younger audience,” he added.
While This Old House has broadened its appeal to younger homeowners over the past four years, the aim was to create a series that speaks directly to them.
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Focus on Affordability and Real-Life Challenges
This First House will emphasize affordable homes and projects, featuring tech-centric visuals, including Instagram reels and TikTok-style content, along with vertical videos and video conferencing.
“In contrast to This Old House, which typically covers second, third, or fourth homes with more resources, This First House dives into the real-world challenges of first-time homeownership,” Burton explained. The series will follow two couples as they experience the highs and lows of home buying, including missed opportunities and tough renovation choices.
Brian Tannenbaum, Head of Roku Originals, noted that the initial focus after acquiring the This Old House franchise was to introduce the show to streaming audiences through video-on-demand and its FAST channel.
“The next step is creating original content that appeals to millennial and Gen Z audiences,” he said. “We aim to make This Old House more accessible with affordable projects and guide younger viewers on buying their first home, especially in the current climate.”
Home Renovation: A Popular Genre
Home renovation remains a popular genre for Roku, which also features Honest Renovations with Jessica Alba, now in its third season.
“The emotional renovation reveals resonate deeply with both participants and our audience. Our approach is very accessible, focusing on tangible renovations that reflect the realities of our viewers’ lives,” Tannenbaum added. “This series aims to be more relatable and grounded than others.”
