About the Hosts, N-Z

Learn more about all your favorite HGTV hosts

By FrontDoor.com | Published: 1/30/2012

Deus Scott- Carpenter Deus Xavier Scott's fascination with construction began as a youngster, while watching contractors build an addition to his parents' home. Asking every question that came to his mind to every craftsperson, his education began. Eventually Scott learned to build furniture and renovate homes and apartment complexes. Then he branched out into welding and the visual arts, all of which allowed him to eat while pursuing a career as performer in Los Angeles.

Scott continues to delve into various forms of construction and engineering, including architecture and metal fabrication. When not having fun on HGTV's Designed to Sell, he assists a colleague who teaches a welding class and constructs "functional and dysfunctional" furniture. He is also trying his hand at stonework, glasswork and painting.

Egypt Sherrod- As a self-proclaimed do-it-all woman, Egypt serves as a nationally syndicated TV and radio personality, an inspirational author, a motivational speaker, a philanthropist, a licensed realtor and, most recently, as the new host of HGTV's Property Virgins.

As an acclaimed radio personality, Egypt has won over countless listeners with her dynamic delivery and magnetic mix of sass and class. The Philadelphia native can be heard weekdays hosting her top -rated "Midday's With Egypt" on New York City's 107.5 WBLS, where her primary goal is to inspire and entertain. Before her time as host on "Midday With Egypt," this award-winning broadcast talent was also a former host of the Power 105.1 morning show "Egypt & Ashy" in New York., as well a staple on radio stations in other major cities such as like 100.3 The Beat in Philadelphia and 92Q in Baltimore.

As a television personality, Egypt worked as a former correspondent for NBC's The Maury Show and as the voice of Premiere Radio Network's "Synopsis" entertainment report on "Live in the Den," which is broadcast in more than 72 cities across three continents, making her one of the most recognizable voices in syndicated radio. You can also find her giving her music and pop-culture expertise on CNN's The Joy Behar Show, Fox's The Today Show and Black Entertainment Television. In addition to being on radio and television, Egypt produced EgyptSaidSo.com, a website dedicated to entertainment scoop and exclusives.

Throughout her TV and radio career, she has sat down with plenty of A-listers, such as Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese, Will Smith, Diane Keaton, Jay-Z, Beyonce, and Janet Jackson, and she has been featured in Rolling Stone, The New York Daily News, Time Out New York, The Source Magazine, VIBE Magazine and various other publications. As the recipient of various career achievement awards, Egypt was named at the top of R&R magazine's "Power Players On The Rise" Top 10 list. She also received the "Executive to Watch" Award from NABFEME (National Association of Black Female Executives in Music & Entertainment) and a career achievement award from WEEN (Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network).

In addition to winning TV, radio and other awards, she launched Egypt Cares Family Foundation, as a way to bridge the gap within the family structure on several different levels. The foundation holds financial seminars and clinics to educate families on retirement planning, investing and home ownership, as well as forums on health issues like diabetes and cholesterol. As a philanthropist, she sponsors the "Egypt's Give Back Tour" each year, a successful coat and toy drive that takes place in multiple locations throughout New York and New Jersey.

Devoted mother, loving wife, respected business woman and focused community advocate, Egypt is brilliantly and fearlessly using the power of the microphone, television and Internet to help others, all while living her own life to the fullest.

Sabrina Soto- Born in Miami, Real Estate Intervention host Sabrina Soto was the first generation of her Cuban family to be born in the United States. As a child, Sabrina helped her mother run a decorating and home-staging business in which the pair spent most weekends shopping for furniture and d?cor for clients. As a result, Sabrina developed a love for design, a knack for creating beautiful spaces on a budget and an ability to clean just about anything. After studying design at UCLA, Sabrina later made her way into television as a show host.

In addition to her television experience, Sabrina also is a licensed real estate agent and recently became a LEED Accredited Professional. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is an internationally recognized green building certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.

When Sabrina is not busy with her many ventures, she works as a successful freelance clothing and accessories designer. In her spare time, she also loves hitting the beach, hiking a trail and experimenting with new recipes. She currently resides in Washington, D.C.

Bethany Souza- Bethany Souza first realized her passion for real estate when she was recruited from the hospitality field into the world of commercial brokerage. Parlaying her vast hotel experience into real estate, she became dually licensed in California and Nevada, representing Las Vegas Boulevard hotel owners, land developers and coastal estate buyers in multimillion-dollar transactions.

Never one to sit on the sidelines, Bethany was quick to follow her aspirations of being a hotel owner and moved to Illinois to personally renovate, decorate and open her own small luxury inn. In addition to running the inn, staging homes and renovating rental properties, Bethany represents real estate developers in sales and design for high-profile condominium projects across the United States.

Matt Steele- Matt Steele is originally from central New York. His maternal and paternal grandfathers were both master craftsmen and carpenters. They produced handmade re-curve tournament and hunting bows used around the world. Today those bows are hard to find and a collector's dream.

His penchant for constructing (or destructing) things was evident at a very early age. Rumor has it that as a toddler, and unbeknownst to his parents, Matt took advantage of some unsupervised time after a nap one day and disassembled his crib quite easily. When it collapsed, his mother recalls, "All the nuts and bolts were in the middle of crib." From that point on, his constructive ability was encouraged often, but with a bit more supervision.

Although his knack for creative carpentry and building has led him to HGTV's Designed to Sell, his career path did not originate there. He began his career behind a microphone in radio at WEBO-AM/WQWT-FM in Owego, N.Y., where he worked as a board operator and weekend news writer while attending college. After school, he relocated to Northern Virginia, where he was offered the evening time slot as an on-air Top 40 DJ and production announcer with 97.5 WKMZ-FM. Other credentials include a residence as the voice of WJAL-TV, a then WB affiliate in Chambersburg, Penn. Matt is also a licensed private pilot rated in helicopters and airplanes.

Richard Steinberg- Richard Steinberg, an agent on HGTV's Selling New York, is one of New York's most successful and prominent brokers of apartments and townhouses.

Grossing over more than $100 million in sales yearly, his comprehensive knowledge of the Manhattan marketplace has made him a frequently cited expert on real estate in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Observer.

As the top producer at Warburg, Richard has a client roster of New York's top celebrities, politicians and business leaders. During the course of his career, he has successfully brokered sales in virtually all of the city's notable condominiums, cooperatives and townhouses.

Richard holds a doctorate degree, raised two children in New York with his wife, who is also a broker, and is a long-time resident of the Upper East Side.

Shane Tallant- Shane Tallant's TV career began in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Penn., as an entertainment reporter for the local CBS/UPN affiliate. As his career flourished, he made the move to San Francisco to host the WB's The Mixx, a popular entertainment news program. During his time on the West Coast, he landed exclusive interviews with many Hollywood A-listers such as Robin Williams, Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson. Along the way, Shane snatched an Emmy award for Best Program Host in 2005 and was selected by the Oxygen Network as one of the Top 3 Up and Coming Entertainment Reporters in the US and Canada. He attended Flagler College in Saint Augustine, Fla., and currently resides in Virginia.

Chip Wade- Atlanta native Chip Wade has building in his blood. Coming from a long line of experienced carpenters and woodcraftsmen, Chip began working with his father at an early age ? and over the years developed an interest in carpentry, landscaping and renovation. As the contractor and master carpenter on HGTV's Curb Appeal: The Block, Chip explains and demonstrates the tools and processes best suited for exterior renovation, landscaping and construction. Chip also appears as the carpenter on HGTV's Designed to Sell.

After graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, Chip moved on to earn his certification in residential construction. He soon developed a passion for construction as he became proficient in both the design and execution of large-scale remodels.

Chip is the owner of WadeBuilt LLC, a design and construction firm, and resides in Atlanta with his wife, Pauli, and son Mac.

Tonya M. Williams- Tonya M. Williams has the Midas touch for turning her dreams and aspirations into reality. Shortly after earning her bachelor of arts in communications, she moved to Atlanta, where she embarked on a very successful career in real estate. An eternal optimist who loves working in real estate and can't believe she gets paid to do it, the personable Tonya lives by the creed of being prepared and knowledgeable about her work. As the real estate expert on Designed to Sell, she believes every home is an adventure.

Tonya is the president and CEO of Williams Realty & Consulting, which provides staging services and real estate consulting for both residential and business clients. When she isn't gently recommending changes as the real estate expert on the show, she keeps busy by performing real estate consulting, staging homes and selling real estate in metro Atlanta.

Tonya's hallmarks for success are to be passionate about your work, be true to yourself and always try to see sellers' homes through the lens of their best potential.

David Wint- Professional contractor David Wint is a native of Michigan. As a young boy, he moved to Atlanta, where he quickly discovered his love of the outdoors. Hunting, fishing, riding horses and playing with his four Labradors occupies much of his time when he is not playing with his tools.

He was introduced to the construction industry by family members who acknowledged his aptitude for the business, but who also educated him on the finer details of the different trades. He attended Georgia Southern University on a football scholarship to study business. In 1999 his entrepreneurial skills prevailed, and Building Dreams, Inc., was founded.Building Dreams, Inc., is recognized as a respected renovation company throughout the finer neighborhoods of Atlanta due to their superior craftsmanship. They transform homeowners' dreams into reality.

David is very involved with all of the company's projects. His hands-on experience sets him aside from other contractors. His skill and professionalism is what established him as the contractor for Atlanta's Designed to Sell. He is excited to lend his knowledge and expertise to the set and allow homeowners to capitalize on their biggest investment.

Vern Yip- Renowned interior designer Vern Yip, host of HGTV's inspirational makeover series Deserving Design, has transformed countless homes and restaurants with beautiful makeovers on several design television shows and through his private practice. In addition to Deserving Design, Vern also is a judge on the network's hit reality competition HGTV Design Star. Whatever he does, Vern's award-winning work has a distinct flair that reflects his expertise as both an architectural and interior designer.

Vern runs his own design company in Atlanta, Vern Yip Designs and www.vernyip.com, where design tips are dispensed and top-quality products, designed by Vern with consumer value in mind, can be purchased. With a Bachelor of Arts in economics from The University of Virginia and a Master of Science degree in management and a master's degree in architecture from The Georgia Institute of Technology, Vern has used his varied educational background to build a distinguished business. His creations and room transformations range in budget from the notoriously frugal showcased on television to eight-figure projects for high-end clients nationwide ? including special event design for one of 2006's highest-profile Oscar parties. Regardless of the budget, Vern's design calling card is his attention to detail married with precise, clean-lined interiors. Many elements of his creations and eclectic style demonstrate an influence from childhood travels throughout Asia, Latin America and Europe. Often with Vern's designs, less is more and something in the room always "pops" because of its graphic nature.

Having characterized himself as the classic overachiever, Vern and his projects have amassed an impressive list of design awards including the 2003 Distinguished Southerner Award, Southern Living magazine; 2000 Southeast Designer of the Year; Fusebox Restaurant, Atlanta, 1999 Best New Restaurant; and DeuxPlex Bistro and Night Club, Atlanta, 1999 Best New Night Club. In addition, Vern has been prominently featured in various publications such as Entertainment Weekly, the New York Times and USA Today. He is frequently seen on television shows such as Today, The Early Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN and Live! With Regis and Kelly.

Vern continues to be involved extensively in non-profit work, and has served as honorary chair for ?Eleven - the Event,' the 2009 fundraiser for The Ulman Cancer Fund, where he established the Vera Yip Memorial Scholarship in honor of his mother. He also works closely with UNICEF to help raise awareness of the needs of children around the world.

Heyward Young- From his first steps, Heyward Young felt the need to go from room to room and explore. Growing up in Columbia, S.C., he was exposed to many historic homes and after numerous job test drives, he realized that his career "fit" was to match buyers with their perfect home. Moving to Atlanta, Ga., he followed his dream and became an agent over 10 years ago.

Named one of Atlanta's top agents by Atlanta Magazine in 2004, Heyward capitalized on his top performance and in 2006 gathered partners and opened Sanctuary Real Estate, a successful, small boutique that is firmly planted in midtown Atlanta. From its inception, Sanctuary established strong roots and in a short time doubled in size and sales volume.

Being from the South, he can provide a critique wrapped in charm and his love of football, specifically that of the Clemson Tigers. With a passion for real estate coupled with southern appeal, Heyward is the perfect addition to HGTV's Designed to Sell.

Lytel Young- Lytel Young -- named one of America's Top Young Designers by House Beautiful magazine, and recently featured for his innovative designs in transforming small rooms with big ideas -- has established himself in Los Angeles as an in-demand designer with a distinctive approach to interiors.

Lytel's design is based on a simple, balanced and textural style that transforms homes into sanctuaries. His sophisticated, original designs are totally unique, timeless and inspired. His designs are a reflection of a building's architecture and moreover, the people who live and work in them.

He grew up in Delaware. After graduating from Delaware State University, he moved to New York to pursue a career in the performing arts. His path eventually led him to Los Angeles where he began pursing his passion for painting, furniture design and interiors. His exploration of design brought him to the prestigious Interior Architectural Design Program at Santa Monica College where he studied, and eventually moved on to UCLA.

Lytel serves on the Benefit Committee of The New York Design Center's 80th Anniversary celebration in conjunction with House Beautiful. He will soon debut a custom furniture line and is currently working on residences in the Hollywood Hills and an office in West Hollywood. He is also featured as the host of Save My Bath.

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