Everything You Need to Know About Booking the Fixer Upper Homes (Before Someone Else Does)
If you've landed on this page, you already know the properties exist. You've probably looked at the photos more than once. You may have gotten as far as checking availability, seen that your preferred dates were taken, and closed the tab with the quiet intention of coming back to it later.
Don't close the tab. Here's everything you need to know to actually lock in your stay — and why later is almost always the wrong strategy with these two.
The Two Properties, Briefly
There are two Fixer Upper homes available to book, and they are genuinely different from each other. Knowing which one fits your trip before you start looking at dates saves a lot of back-and-forth.
The Barndominium is Chip and Joanna's most iconic project — a working horse barn transformed into a dramatic, warmly layered farmhouse on 16 private, gated acres in Lacy-Lakeview. High ceilings, exposed beams, Joanna's original furnishings still in place, a kitchen upstairs, a soaking tub and rain shower, and a two-story 800-square-foot covered deck overlooking a 25-acre spring-fed lake. It sleeps 16+ guests across 5 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. This is the one for larger groups. 🏡
The Little House is the property from Fixer Upper Season 2, Episode 1 — the fan-favorite "Little House on the Prairie" episode. Original wood floors, original ceilings, the fireplace Chip unearthed from inside the walls during filming, and Joanna's original furniture arranged exactly as it appeared on screen. It sleeps 8 guests across 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom, with a massive back deck shaded by a 200-year-old oak tree. This is the one for smaller groups, couples trips, and anyone who wants something intimate. ☕
Both are just minutes from Magnolia Market, downtown Waco, Cameron Park, and everything else worth doing in the city.
Where to Book
Both properties are listed on Airbnb and VRBO. Either platform works — use whichever you're more comfortable with or whichever has better pricing on your dates. The listings are managed directly, so the experience is consistent regardless of where you book.
The Barndominium:
Airbnb: airbnb.com/rooms/20015512
VRBO: vrbo.com/878965
The Little House:
Airbnb: airbnb.com/rooms/20984527
VRBO: vrbo.com/1174105
Read through the listing details before booking — house rules, check-in instructions, and any current policies are all there and worth a few minutes of your time.
When to Book (The Honest Answer: Now)
This is the most important practical advice on this page, so it gets its own section.
Both properties book up consistently and quickly — the Barndominium especially, given its capacity for larger groups. Spring and fall weekends fill first, often months in advance. Holiday weekends essentially disappear the moment they're available. Summer has its own surge. The shoulder seasons — late January through February, and parts of early December — offer the most availability, but even those windows close faster than most people expect.
The guests who get their preferred dates are almost always the ones who booked the moment they decided they wanted to go. The guests who end up choosing between whatever's left are almost always the ones who waited to see if their schedules firmed up first.
A practical approach: check availability before you finalize your travel dates rather than after. If a particular weekend at the Barndominium is already gone, knowing that early lets you adjust your dates rather than your expectations. 📅
How Far in Advance Should You Book?
As a general guide:
Spring weekends (March through May): Book 3 to 4 months out minimum. This is peak season and the most competitive window of the year. If you're planning a spring trip, the time to book is now, regardless of what month you're reading this.
Fall weekends (September through November): Similar to spring — 3 months out is safe, earlier is better. Fall in Central Texas is genuinely beautiful and draws a lot of repeat visitors who know to book early.
Summer: Families with school-age children drive a lot of summer demand. 2 to 3 months out is reasonable, though popular summer weekends go faster than that.
Holiday weekends: Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Memorial Day — book these as early as you possibly can. These dates are some of the first to fill every year.
Winter / off-peak: More flexibility here, but don't assume availability. A cozy winter weekend at the Little House with a fire going is a genuinely lovely experience and has its own following.
Group Size and Property Fit
Getting this right before you book saves headaches later.
The Little House comfortably sleeps 8 across 3 bedrooms — a king, two fulls, and two twins — with 1 bathroom. It works beautifully for a couple plus another couple, a small family, a tight girls' group, or a multigenerational trip with the right configuration. With 8 people sharing 1 bathroom, mornings require a little coordination. Factor that into your group before booking.
The Barndominium sleeps 16+ across 5 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. It's built for groups — bachelorette weekends, family reunions, multi-family trips, large friend groups. If your headcount is under 6 or 7, the Little House will likely feel more appropriate and more intimate. If you're 8 or more, the Barndominium is the right call.
One thing worth noting: both properties are entire homes. You're not sharing with other guests. Whatever group you bring, the whole property is yours for the duration of your stay. 🌿
What's Included
Both properties come with what you'd expect from a well-run short-term rental:
The Little House includes a fully stocked kitchen with pots, pans, utensils, and pantry basics — genuinely set up for cooking, not just reheating. The backyard is stocked with lawn games including horseshoes, Jenga, washers, and redneck golf. Free parking, pet-friendly, smart lock entry.
The Barndominium includes the full kitchen, the spring-fed lake access for fishing, the two-story deck, free parking, pet-friendly, and smart lock entry. The soaking tub and rain shower make it feel considerably more like a retreat than a standard rental.
Both are pet friendly — which, if you're traveling with a dog, is a detail worth not overlooking. 🐾
What to Know Before You Arrive
A few practical things that make the stay smoother:
Check-in is self-guided via smart lock. You'll get your access code in advance. No waiting around for a key handoff, no coordinating arrival times with anyone.
Stock up before you get there. Both properties are equipped for cooking, and having groceries on hand — especially for breakfast — makes the mornings significantly better. The 200-year-old oak deck and a well-stocked kitchen are a combination that rewards preparation.
Bring fishing gear if you're staying at the Barndominium. The spring-fed lake is right there and is genuinely good for fishing. It's one of those amenities that guests who came prepared are always glad they used.
Check the Magnolia Market events calendar before your trip. Magnolia regularly hosts seasonal markets, live music, and special programming. Timing your visit around one of these adds a dimension to the Silos experience that a standard visit can't replicate.
The Fixer Upper drive-by tour works best with a little prep. Before you arrive, pull up a list of the homes featured on the show and their addresses. Having that ready on your phone means the drive-by becomes a proper experience rather than a vague cruise through the neighborhood. 🗺️
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we book directly without using Airbnb or VRBO? The properties are listed and managed through Airbnb and VRBO. Booking through one of those platforms is the standard process.
Are the properties close to each other? Yes — both are in the Waco area and are just minutes from each other and from Magnolia Market. If you have a larger group that wants to split across both properties, the proximity makes that work well.
Is there a minimum stay? Check the current listing for the most up-to-date minimum night requirements, as these can vary by season and date. Weekends and peak periods sometimes carry a 2 or 3 night minimum.
Are they really the actual Fixer Upper homes? Yes. Both properties are the original homes featured on HGTV's Fixer Upper — not inspired by the show, not decorated in the Magnolia aesthetic, but the actual houses. The Barndominium is from the fan-favorite horse barn episode. The Little House is from Season 2, Episode 1. Joanna's original furnishings are still in place in both. 📺
What if my dates aren't available? Check back periodically — cancellations do open up availability, sometimes on relatively short notice. If you have flexibility in your dates, try shifting by a weekend or two in either direction. And if spring is booked, fall is often just as beautiful and slightly easier to get into.
The Bottom Line
These are not generic vacation rentals with a farmhouse aesthetic. They are the homes. There is one Barndominium and one Little House, and between them they sleep a combined total of 24+ guests across 8 bedrooms.
Demand is consistent. Availability is finite. The guests who get their preferred dates are the ones who didn't wait.
Check availability, pick your dates, and book it. Waco will take care of the rest.
📩 Book the Barndominium on Airbnb or VRBO. Book the Little House on Airbnb or VRBO. Both are waiting — but not indefinitely.