Alumni Featured on Episode of ‘Beachfront Bargain Hunt’

Pioneers’ Cape Cod cottage renovation revealed on Magnolia Network’s popular television show

Key Highlights

• Sacred Heart University alumni Connor and Hannah Gillen were featured on an episode of Magnolia Network's Beachfront Bargain Hunt
• The episode followed their journey of purchasing, renovating, and updating a beachfront property

Sacred Heart University alumni Connor and Hannah Gillen were recently featured on an episode of the Magnolia Network’s Beachfront Bargain Hunt.

The husband-and-wife duo bought their Brewster, MA, cottage last year and soon after had a camera crew following them around as they renovated and updated their beautiful beachfront property.

Connor graduated from Sacred Heart in 2017 with degrees in business management and marketing. Hannah graduated in 2018 with a degree in nursing. The couple lived in Denham, MA, for several years before moving to Needham and then buying their second home in Cape Cod.

Connor landed a sales position with Coca Cola in Boston soon after graduating from SHU. He enjoyed the work, but to meet his financial goals, he took on real estate as a side job. When the pandemic hit, he was laid off and decided to make real estate his full-time job, and it paid off: The housing market boomed.

“I fell in love with the business and my career,” Connor said.

Five years later, a representative from the Magnolia Network who saw some of Connor’s impressive marketing and promotional videos for a house he was selling in Falmouth, MA, contacted him. The rep wanted to know more about the Falmouth house and wanted Connor to appear on a network show as the realtor for the property.

The house had already sold, but Connor didn’t give up on his chance to appear on television. When he and Hannah decided to look for a cottage, they called the network. A few months later, they were being filmed for the show Beachfront Bargain Hunt.

“It was really such a unique experience,” Connor said. The crew typically filmed for five to six hours on the weekends, over the course of about seven weeks.

Hannah said she had such an amazing experience filming the show. “Working with the film crew was so much fun and our episode is a great keepsake for us to look back on our renovation journey,” she said. “Cape Cod is where I grew up and a special place for both Connor and I so to have a home of our own there is incredible and we feel so lucky. Filming the show was just the cherry on top!”

The episode aired in early May, and the Gillens are happy with the final products—the house and the episode. Connor said he really can’t believe they were able to get a second home—a beach home—so early on in their adult life. “It’s really special, and we’re just so grateful,” he said.

At the end of May, the Gillens held an episode watch party with family and friends, including several Pioneers. Connor said he likes to celebrate and throw parties, and this seemed like the perfect excuse to get people he loved together.

“It’s something we wanted to share with friends and family. This episode will always be there, and we’ll be able to watch it and celebrate all the hard work,” Connor said.

Hannah added, “To be able to celebrate by hosting a watch party with almost 100 of our close family and friends meant so much and it was great to have all that love and support in the same room.”

The episode can be viewed on HBO Max or Discovery+.