Interview: Noel Collier on Taking It to the ‘Extreme’

Noel Collier might be one of the newest members of HGTV’s talented lineup, but realty wasn’t always her reality. After starting her collegiate career at Blinn College while working full time, she moved towns to begin working as a corrections officer, where one of the inmates encouraged her to return to her studies. Noel then made her way to Houston and Texas Southern University, graduating with a bachelor’s in business administration.

In 2014, she decided to get her real estate license, even though she was working in software sales. What began as a way to pay for her children’s future college tuition turned into a thriving business. Since 2019, Noel has helped hundreds of buyers and sellers as the founder and CEO of Noel Collier Group and has closed more than $70 million in residential real estate.

Now, her expertise is on display in Extreme Buyers Club, where she helps clients with one-of-a-kind requests find their new digs — but she doesn’t want you to focus on the houses. “It’s about the people,” Noel tells HGTV. “We’re going to have requests that make you laugh. We’re going to have moments where you’re probably sitting at home thinking, ‘There is absolutely no way Noel is going to find this.’ And then I’m going to have to go find it. But underneath all of that is something very human.”

While Noel works to find the perfect properties for couples and families alike, she has one of her own at home cheering her on. Noel gave birth to her first child, son Lee, when she was 16; now 25, it’s almost as if they’ve grown up alongside each other. After marrying her college sweetheart, Zay, 16 years ago, she went on to have a daughter, Zaria, and another son, Zay.

It’s all thanks to them that she’s where she is today, from their presence inspiring her to earn her real estate license to their unwavering support of her endeavors. “Now, they get to see Mom on HGTV, and that’s emotional for me,” Noel tells HGTV. “Because they know what happened before the cameras showed up … So when they see me on television, I hope they understand that the show is wonderful, but the real accomplishment is everything that happened before the show.”

Recently divorced Susan had what some real estate agents might have deemed too wild a challenge: a 10-acre property with room for her and her 40 llamas, whom she loans out for special events and enters into competitions. Noel eagerly searched for something that would fit Susan’s bill and her animals’ unique needs — including a room just for them.

“When a client comes to me with a very specific request, I don’t immediately think, ‘That’s impossible.’ My first question is, ‘Why?’” Noel tells HGTV. “Because there is almost always a story behind the ask.” The story behind the llamas needing their own room was less about kookiness and more about Susan being able to prep them for their many appearances and run her business. Noel found just that for her and more in a house not too far from her daughter, complete with an accessible ramp for easy llama transport.

Llamas might have seemed a little far-fetched, but what if a client asks for something people can’t even see? Chad and Leslie tasked Noel with helping them find a property for their ghost-hunting business, Ghost Geeks. They intended to use it for research, investigations and overnight stays — and to test out the supernatural specs of each listing Noel showed them.

While paranormal is their normal, Noel was a little hesitant during their first tour once the seasoned hunters took out their K2 meter, which measures electromagnetic fields, and spirit box, which sweeps radio stations. “When someone says, ‘Noel, I know this sounds crazy, but this is what I need,’ I’m not thinking, ‘That’s crazy,’” she tells HGTV. “I’m thinking, ‘OK. Challenge accepted.’” After seeing a 100-year-old house, a church and an abandoned hotel, Chad and Leslie settled on the latter, ready to get started on rehabbing the nearly 150-year-old venue.

Much like Chad and Leslie’s ethereal request, Noel was put to the test when she started working with Steve and Rhonda. The retirees wanted a place with the same feeling as Steve’s favorite artwork, The Valley of Peace by Thomas Kinkade. As avid fishers, the property needed to have a private pond or lake, much like the one portrayed in the painting.

After showing them countless listings, Noel was able to reel in a deal with the last property she showed them. “I may not be able to give them 100 percent of everything on their wish list, but I’m going to work the problem,” she tells HGTV. “I’m going to explore the possibilities. And I’m going to help them understand where we may need to be flexible and where we absolutely shouldn't compromise.”

Did we forget to mention that Susan also has a baby kangaroo? Remy tagged along on a tour of the property that Susan wound up choosing, skipping from room to room behind her mama and Noel. Along with her llama needs, an open concept was important to Susan because of Remy and the desire to have eyes on her at all times.

“I don’t believe I can be the best real estate agent I can be if I don’t take the time to understand my clients,” Noel tells HGTV. “I want to know how you live. I want to know what’s important to you. I want to know what makes you comfortable. I want to know what your family needs. I want to know what you’re excited about and what you're concerned about.” No one said the family had to be human!

Noel’s husband and children aren’t the only ones supporting her on Extreme Buyers Club. She has a group of people teeming with talent behind her, including property scout Briarley (pictured above), who helps find prospective properties for preppers; carpenter Ryan, who transforms one of Susan’s bedrooms into the ultimate llama salon; and designer and contractor Ronnie, who builds a custom stage for stunt performers.

“My team helps with research, property details, coordination, scheduling and all of the behind-the-scenes pieces that have to happen to make a search successful,” Noel tells HGTV. “But I’m the one sitting down with the client and really understanding what they’re trying to accomplish. I’m evaluating the options. I’m thinking through the strategy. I’m deciding what makes sense and what doesn’t.”

Megan and Nathan, a mermaid trainer and a dive shop owner, were ready to wave goodbye to the home he’d purchased in college. Their main necessity was a 6- to 10-foot-deep pool, which, while Noel delivered on that ask in each property she showed them, was blown out of the water with House No. 3 and a pool with a depth of 9.5 feet. Ultimately, Megan and Nathan weren’t ready to move forward.

“I’ve had clients who walked into the second house and said, ‘That’s it.’ I’ve had other clients who needed to see many, many more,” Noel tells HGTV. “I don’t believe there is a magic number. And I don’t believe in rushing someone into a decision because I’m ready to be done looking.”

After being in the business for more than 10 years, Noel cares about so much more than numbers. Yes, she’s closed nearly $100 million in real estate — and now does so on TVs across the country — but her mindset has shifted over time.

“At this point in my career, I don’t just want to be known as someone who can sell a lot of houses,” Noel tells HGTV. “I want to be known as someone who understands people and knows how to use my real estate expertise to help them.”

Extreme Buyers Club may highlight some exceptional homebuyers, but that’s not the only thing on display. Texas takes center stage, which makes it extra special for Noel, who is originally from Hempstead, moved to Houston for college and runs her business out of Spring.

“Texas gets put into a box sometimes. People have this very specific image of what Texas looks like and what Texans are like, but Texas is so much more layered than that,” she tells HGTV. “I’ve had the privilege of seeing so many different versions of the American dream. And I wanted viewers to see that. We’re not just showing houses. We’re showing lifestyles. And I think there’s something very Texas about the people we meet on this show. People here dream big.”

Noel is ready and willing to help anyone in need of her services, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t play favorites when it comes to requests. “I love the requests that make me stop and say, ‘OK … we’re going to have to get creative here,’” she tells HGTV.

Her favorites, in no particular order, are: very specific lifestyle requests, hobby-related requests, accessibility needs, hyper-specific location requests and the client who wants everything. That last one, in Noel’s words, is probably her favorite.

Noel has flourished as a pastor’s wife, a dedicated mother, and a founder and CEO of her own real estate company, but she’ll never stop growing. One unexpected step on that yellow brick road has been television.

“I’ve closed more than $70 million in real estate transactions. I’ve coached and mentored more than 100 real estate professionals. I’ve built a business and a reputation that I’m incredibly proud of,” she tells HGTV. “But television? That wasn’t in the original plan. And maybe that’s what makes it so special.”

Because it’s imperative that Noel sees how her clients live to help them find what they need, more often than not she visits them at their homes and/or practice spaces. “Home looks different for everybody,” Noel tells HGTV. “And sometimes you just need somebody willing to look at your ‘extreme’ request and say, ‘I understand. Now, let’s see if I can make it happen.’”

Aerialists and acrobats Mark and Anastasia were looking for their first residence together, where they could hone their skills. For the couple, this meant a place with 19- to 20-foot-high ceilings, but one that also balanced performance space with livability. Noel was able to deliver just that in what she called a “rotunda” home.

It’s evident that Noel places importance on the people, not the properties. Because of this, she meets them on their own terms — and sometimes in their own homes — to get a clearer picture of who they are and what they need.

Beyond Susan and her llama loves, another client, Brandon, required Noel’s special brand of compassion. A deaf little person, he was ready to move out of his parents’ home and into one closer to the Texas School for the Deaf, where he’s a teacher, and build his life skills. While Brandon doesn’t wind up purchasing a home, it’s only because, after seeing properties and the modifications he’d need, he wants to stay with his parents and continue saving up.

“Brandon was especially meaningful to me because learning some sign language wasn’t about learning a few signs for television,” Noel tells HGTV. “It was about making an effort to meet him where he was. I didn’t want the responsibility of communication to always be on him. I wanted him to know that I was willing to step into his world for a moment.”