h-town ho-down

Houston reality TV stars the Hos return for Season 2 and ink exclusive real estate deal

House of Ho Season 2 Houston red promo shot

The Hos are back for Season 2 and more deals.

Photo courtesy of HBO Max

Houston power fam The Hos are once again back in the house. The docu-reality series stars of House of Ho are set to return to streaming network HBO Max for a 10-episode second season on Thursday, August 25.

Season 2 kicks off with three episodes, with three new episodes to follow on September 1, and the final four episodes debuting September 8, according to HBO.

As fans recall, Season 1 introduced the nation to patriarch Binh and matriarch Hue, who went from Vietnamese immigrants to building a multi-million dollar real estate and banking empire. The Season 1 cast included the Hos’ son Washington and his wife Lesley; their daughter Judy and her fiancé Nate Nguyễn; and Aunt Tina; and Cousin Sammy, who has become an influencer with a propensity for ending posts with “b*tches.”

In Season 2, according to HBO, new characters will emerge, including single roommates Bella Ho and Kim Ho (Washington and Judy’s cousins), and independent-minded Vanessa Kon and Tammy Gee (Nate’s sisters), as well as their respective partners Carlton Kon and Tran Nguyễn. (Here’s guessing that Carlton and Tran will offer some interesting tidbits and perspectives on being part of the Ho family.)

Aside from flashing their opulent lifestyle and navigating cultural clashes, the Hos are still wheeling and dealing. The Houstonians have inked an exclusive deal with Realty.com to “deliver world-class service to clients in the Houston area,” according to a Realty.com announcement. (The Houston Chronicle’s Andrew Dansby was first to locally report the news.)

Specifically, Washington Ho, a real estate investor and banker, felt that a partnership with Realty.com would allow better access to the information he needed to represent his investment strategy more efficiently. “In today’s market there is no question that data and information are the driving forces for a solid investment,” he noted in a statement.

Washington and Realty.com subsequently crafted a partnership — fittingly dubbed The Real Estate Team — comprised of Realty.com staff; Houstonian Julia Gibson, who works at Camelot Realty and also owns Illuminate Sweat, a health and wellness business in the Spring Valley; and Houstonian Bernie Kane, who Realty.com refers to as “original founder and president” of residential home builder Juliet Homes, a residential home builder.

“We are excited to partner with The Real Estate Team on their journey to build a world class real estate operation,” said Lance Custen, Realty.com founder & CEO, in a statement. “By utilizing the Realty.com exclusive platform and leveraging technology and data we are confident The Real Estate Team will provide the best service to their clients and help many find the home of their dreams.”

This timing comes on the heels of real estate reality Texas TV news that Douglas Elliman powerhouse Tracy Tutor, star of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles, and HGTV’s reality show Flip to a Million are both heading to Dallas to shoot episodes, as The Real Deal notes.

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In Memoriam

Legendary Texas singer-songwriter Joe Ely dies at 78

Joe Ely/Facebook

Joe Ely was a major figure in Texas' progressive country scene.

Joe Ely, the legendary songwriter, singer and storyteller whose career spanned more than five decades, has died from complications related to Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and pneumonia. He was 78.

In a statement posted to his Facebook page, Ely died at his home in Taos, New Mexico, with his wife, Sharon, and daughter, Marie, at his side.

Born February 9, 1947, in Amarillo, Texas, Ely was raised in Lubbock and became a central figure among a generation of influential West Texas musicians. He later settled in Austin, helping shape the city’s reputation as a hub for live music.

As with many local legends, it's hard to tease out what specifically made Ely's time in Austin so great; Austin treasures its live music staples, so being around and staying authentic from the early days is often the most important thing an artist can do.

Ely got his local start at One Knight Tavern, which later became Stubb's BBQ — the artist and the famous venue share a hometown of Lubbock. He alternated nights with emerging guitar great Stevie Ray Vaughn. He built his own recording studio in Dripping Springs, and kept close relationships with other Texas musicians. Later in his career, Ely brought fans into the live music experience, publishing excerpts from his journal and musings on the road in Bonfire of Roadmaps (2010), and was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in 2022. Austin blues icon Marcia Ball was among Ely's friends who played the induction show.

"Joe Ely performed American roots music with the fervor of a true believer who knew music could transport souls," said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

In the 1970s, Ely signed with MCA Records, launching a career that included decades of recording and touring around the world. His work and performances left a lasting impact on the music scene and influenced a wide range of artists, including the Clash and Bruce Springsteen, according to Rolling Stone.

"His distinctive musical style could only have emerged from Texas, with its southwestern blend of honky-tonk, rock & roll, roadhouse blues, western swing, and conjunto. He began his career in the Flatlanders, with fellow Lubbock natives Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, and he would mix their songs with his through 50 years of critically acclaimed recordings. [...]"

Read the full story at KVUE.com. CultureMap has added two paragraphs of context about the Austin portion of Ely's career.

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In Memoriam

Legendary Texas singer-songwriter Joe Ely dies at 78