Most frequently asked questions about Nicole Curtis, including why she kept her pregnancy secret
Nicole Curtis, the increasingly popular star of DIY Network program Rehab Addict, has led a varied and interesting life–one which was hardly centered around reality television stardom. Have you got a Nicole Curtis question you’d like answered? Check out our list and see if we’ve covered it; if we haven’t, leave your question in a comment!
Why did Nicole Curtis keep her pregnancy a secret?
This is almost certainly the most popular Nicole Curtis-related question. The answer is simple: because she wants privacy for herself and her child. Curtis has addressed her second pregnancy twice on social media; both times involved a tongue-in-cheek story about Curtis’ dog wanting more puppies, and Curtis volunteering herself as a surrogate.
(Just to be completely clear–because there always seems to be a lot of confusion about this point, whether in Starcasm’s comment threads or on Nicole Curtis’ Facebook page: No, Nicole Curtis was not actually a surrogate for her dog. Humans cannot be surrogates for dogs.)
Nicole Curtis revealed that she was pregnant at the end of Rehab Addict‘s sixth season finale, so the Nicole Curtis pregnancy wasn’t a total shock. You can check out Curtis’ two Facebook updates regarding her pregnancy here and here.
Curtis also has a teenaged son named Ethan, who sometimes appears in her Instagram feed.
Where does Nicole Curtis live?
Nicole Curtis has two homes of her own: one in Detroit, where she was born and raised, and a second in Minneapolis. Both cities have been featured on Rehab Addict. In addition, because Nicole Curtis owns the homes that she features on Rehab Addict before renovating and selling them, you might say that she has also lived in St. Paul MN and Akron OH.
Does Nicole Curtis have formal training in construction and design?
No: she is, by her official DIY biography’s admission, “a self-taught rehabber and designer.” She’s a bit like a composite of Chip and Joanna Gaines from HGTV’s Fixer Upper, in that regard.
That said, Nicole Curtis worked as a real estate agent when she was discovered by HGTV execs, and maintains her real estate license. And Curtis does have extensive experience dealing with a male-dominated world: she worked at Hooters to put herself through college in the 90s.
“I started on my own,” Curtis has said, “one small project at a time. Renovating homes is best done when you are very educated about real estate–start researching, and find a mentor to shadow.”
What is Beach Flip, and does Nicole Curtis have any other shows beside Beach Flip and Rehab Addict?
Beach Flip is a competition-style home remodeling show set in a serene beach community. Season one filmed in the winter of 2015 and aired this past summer, and it’s believed that season two will film in early 2016, though HGTV has yet to make a formal announcement about the show.
Other than Beach Flip and Rehab Addict, Nicole Curtis has no other televisual programs…yet. Given Rehab Addict‘s increasing popularity, though, and the HGTV / DIY proclivity for franchise building, lit’s not unlikely that we’ll see a spin-off soon.
What is the Ransom Gillis house?
The Ransom Gillis house is a grand old mansion in Detroit’s Brush Park neighborhood. It had been empty (and decaying) since the 1960s, until Nicole Curtis and the Rehab Addict crew made the home the centerpiece of Rehab Addict’s seventh season. Curtis’ renovation of the 5,000 square foot building is part of a much larger, multi-million dollar restoration of the entire neighborhood, which is itself a part of the even bigger and still-ongoing revitalization of Detroit. You can check out the edifice’s meticulous reconstruction by tuning in to the current season of Rehab Addict.
I heard that Nicole Curtis was robbed–and beaten up. Is that true?
Not exactly. This past summer, Nicole Curtis was the victim of what the Detroit PD called larceny and a near-carjacking, and what some media outlets called an outright carjacking (and, in extreme cases, a beating and robbery). The confusion about this story stems from a disconnect between Curtis’ update on social media and the coverage of the story, much of which was written before the DPD clarified what had actually happened.
BEFORE READING THIS — WE ARE SAFE AND THAT’S WHAT MATTERS…I was the ‘victim’ of an attempted carjacking and it made me question every single thing I have going on in my life. I kept it together through the police report and about halfway home … I lost it….Here I am the self-appointed ‘come live in the city — there’s no such thing as bad neighborhoods just bad neighbors’ and I got … robbed….They got my old house book and my laptop, but I had my keys in my satchel not in a purse — not accessible. Had I thrown a ‘purse’ in; had I started my car to get the AC going while loading everyone and everything up — might be a totally different horrible outcome…I’m coming to meet [the criminal. First, I seek to understand what makes you think this was a good idea. ’Cause the mom in me wonders was it the only choice you thought you had? Second, I’m going to pray for you that your life takes you different directions.
How about the rumor that Nicole Curtis once bought and renovated a house for one dollar. Any truth to that?
She did indeed purchase a “decrepit” old house in Minneapolis for $1, all the way back in 2012. The renovations cost a bit more; a local story said that Curtis put $100,000 worth of work into the house. The work was successful: Curtis went on to list the house for $145,000, and an urban legend was born. The house was featured on Rehab Addict, back in the day; if you’re feeling intrepid, you can dig through Nicole Curtis’ photos on Facebook and find shots of the work in progress.
What are your burning Nicole Curtis-based questions? What else would you, the viewers at home, like to know?
Rehab Addict airs Wednesdays at 9 PM EST on the DIY Network.
(Photo credits: Nicole Curtis FAQ via Facebook)
