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HGTV alum Cindy Stumpo is transforming Boston into a celebrity hotspot — one luxury, multi-million-dollar home at a time.

The TV personality and developer — who starred on HGTV’s Tough as Nails — is an icon both in the New England real estate scene and on the network, as she made history by becoming the first female builder on HGTV.

In Boston, Stumpo builds mansions for A-list athletes, including retired NBA star Kemba Walker (who played for the New York Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks before coaching the Charlotte Hornets), Boston Celtics star Al Horford and Minnesota Vikings cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

Stumpo’s homes aren’t just luxury buildings — the mansions she crafts are typically in the $10-$20 million range. Over her 36-year career, she’s the only developer in Massachusetts who regularly works on homes of this caliber. (In addition to creating abodes for well-known sports figures, Stumpo is also known working on houses for high-end venture capitalists and hedge fund managers.)

Celebrity home builder and former HGTV star Cindy Stumpo poses in October 2024 photo shoot.

Courtesy of Cindy Stumpo

In order to meet, mingle and network with such high-profile clientele, Stumpo attends star-studded events in Beantown that are frequented by Boston icons like best friend duo Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, as well as former New England Patriots legend Tom Brady.

For Stumpo, “It’s not just about building houses — it’s about crafting dreams for clients who expect the very best,” she explains.

While her HGTV show may have ended in 2010, Tough as Nails continues on in podcast form on iHeartMedia. Also in the works? A potential TV show focusing on her career trajectory and extensive experience in real estate.

“If going Hollywood helps spread that vision, then I’m all in,” she says.