The Flipping El Moussas - General Discussion

[SoCalAgain]

I’m not sure there is a more nauseating couple in all of HGTV world.  When they split, it’s going to be ugly

[Chris Knight]

The Big Bear episode, dang that cabin was small, and seemed too close to a busy road right behind it. I didn't see a dishwasher and would never buy or rent a place without one. I don't love all the black, either.

I am not clear what Heather's role is in this business other than co-owner. I mean, I guess she's a co-owner. But will she keep bringing in designers ?

From the 1st episode, "Him and I"--> Heather is clearly a scholar.

What will Tarek's new closing line be ? He is apparently no longer saying, "Time to find another house to flip !" He and Babe will need to think of something. 

And yeah, I don't get why they didn't take the kids to see the house. They seem to take the doggie everywhere. 

Edited March 25, 2023 by Chris Knight

[edie3]

On 3/25/2023 at 3:01 PM, Chris Knight said:

They seem to take the doggie everywhere

And then let the dog get on the beds at the reveal???

[ChiMama]

On 3/9/2023 at 10:01 PM, ArtFossil said:

Heather is so vapid. What a waste of time and space.  

Like others have said, her voice is super-irritating and she comes off as quite fake/a try hard. Close your eyes and listen & she’s a kardashian klone. Ugh. 

Edited March 28, 2023 by ChiMama

[Jeanne222]

On 3/25/2023 at 2:01 PM, Chris Knight said:

The Big Bear episode, dang that cabin was small, and seemed too close to a busy road right behind it. I didn't see a dishwasher and would never buy or rent a place without one. I don't love all the black, either.

I am not clear what Heather's role is in this business other than co-owner. I mean, I guess she's a co-owner. But will she keep bringing in designers ?

From the 1st episode, "Him and I"--> Heather is clearly a scholar.

What will Tarek's new closing line be ? He is apparently no longer saying, "Time to find another house to flip !" He and Babe will need to think of something. 

And yeah, I don't get why they didn't take the kids to see the house. They seem to take the doggie everywhere. 

Isn't Heather a realtor?  She'll probably sell them!  Maybe....that's what she does best?????

[ArtFossil]

Watched the second episode. Their “homes” are so cluttered and disjointed. There’s no style and no concern for function. Just admiration for custom mirrors and custom sconces as if those minor details make a house livable. And 36 weeks to make a profit of 100k seems pathetic to me. (And if we factor in Heather’s wardrobe and candle/throw/office etc expenditures I bet that number is much reduced.)

[CrazyInAlabama]

Between Tarek's home buying business, and flip to sell or rent (I've read that Tarek's rental portfolio is over 100 properties), plus the flip volume they do, they do pretty well financially.   I remember they said a long time ago that his business does 80 to 100 flips a year. 

I saw the episode this week, and it was pretty generic, but at least they got a designer, and she seemed to have decent taste.   

I do have to say the horizontal stair and balcony railings are scary if you have kids.    However, the house was nice, but boring.   

I'm wondering if some 'flips' are renos for someone who already bought the house, and wants a remodel, and is willing to pay Tarek's company to do it?   That would explain things like closing the kitchen door off, which made no sense.  

Edited April 2, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[iMonrey]

Boy, I used to think Christina was kind of vapid, but compared to Heather, Christina is positively cerebral. Why does Heather go "ha ha ha ha" after everything she says? I realize it's probably a nervous tick but it makes her sound like such a ditz. And she doesn't need any help sounding like a ditz to start with.

The Anaheim flip was nice, but there was one neat thing in the kitchen I would have kept. That fresco-like painting on the kitchen wall. Didn't really match the modern design they were going for but it was so cool. If it had been me I would have designed around it.

I don't blame HGTV for trying to capture (or salvage) whatever magic they had when Flip or Flop was at its peak in popularity, but I cannot believe either Tarek or Christina are getting anywhere near the same ratings with their new shows. 

[Chris Knight]

On 3/31/2023 at 9:12 PM, iMonrey said:

 

The Anaheim flip was nice, but there was one neat thing in the kitchen I would have kept. That fresco-like painting on the kitchen wall. Didn't really match the modern design they were going for but it was so cool. If it had been me I would have designed around it.

 

I agree, that fresco thing was cool. I didn't like that they closed off the doorway to the living room. Our old house had that layout and it was a pain to have to walk all the way around to yell at Mr. Knight in the living room lol. Also that area with the fake wood wall seemed like dead space - should that have been a small formal dining room  ? That seemed odd, almost as odd as both H &T getting excited about a small hallway closet.

The house didn't seem that big really but I did like the outdoor area. Very nice.

Heather's hair stylist's mom bought an almost $1.3 mil home ? Wow.

H & T do appear to like each other a lot. I don't understand why she needs an assistant though.

[Christine]

When I see ads for "The Flipping El Moussas", I can't help but laugh.  I've always  used "flipping" for "effing" when effing is not appropriate when writing in certain environments.  I don't substitute "flip" for "eff", so my reasoning may be off base.

They may as well be called "The Effing El Moussas" for me.

[b4pjoe]

2 hours ago, Christine said:

When I see ads for "The Flipping El Moussas", I can't help but laugh.  I've always  used "flipping" for "effing" when effing is not appropriate when writing in certain environments.  I don't substitute "flip" for "eff", so my reasoning may be off base.

They may as well be called "The Effing El Moussas" for me.

Appropriate name for them. 😁

Also they could be a circus act with the name "The Flipping El Moussas"! 😁

[RunningMarket]

On 3/31/2023 at 7:12 PM, iMonrey said:

Boy, I used to think Christina was kind of vapid, but compared to Heather, Christina is positively cerebral. Why does Heather go "ha ha ha ha" after everything she says? I realize it's probably a nervous tick but it makes her sound like such a ditz. And she doesn't need any help sounding like a ditz to start with.

That laugh almost drove me to the brink. I've seen parts of two episodes now, and I can't do it.

[b4pjoe]

After this episode Jeff needs to win an emmy. He played the nice guy contractor perfectly and I'm sure he was dying on the inside.

If the CIA needs a sure fire method of getting foreign enemies to talk they should put Heather's laugh on loop. They won't have a chance.

Heather did mention she deals in high end real estate and mentioned a house that is priced at $25 million. Makes it seem like dealing with houses like these are a few steps down for her if she deals with those kinds of real estate deals.

Also they have removed the part of Flip or Flop where they go see a house, make a low ball offer, and then pay above that low ball offer. Now both houses they went to look at were already purchased by his company and already had a reno budget set before they went and looked at it.

And the whole "this is Heather's flip" to do on her own was complete BS. Tarek doesn't have it in his DNA to let that happen and the whole Jeff won't let him in the house was bizarre.

The house wasn't horrible but there wasn't anything special about it either. The whole "I already have a buyer" for it seemed a little unbelievable especially since it was her hairdressers mother although I imagine Heather has to go to a hairdresser to the stars and not just a normal hairdresser so okay...$1.85 million for the house.

[edie3]

Does anyone have a link to the Big Bear house? I can't find it. Thanks!

[b4pjoe]

10 hours ago, edie3 said:

Does anyone have a link to the Big Bear house? I can't find it. Thanks!

Here is a link but you will need to have Discovery+ to use it.

https://www.discoveryplus.com/video/the-flipping-el-moussas-us/five-flipping-bears

[edie3]

26 minutes ago, b4pjoe said:

Here is a link but you will need to have Discovery+ to use it.

Oh, I meant the actual listing for the house. Thanks

[iMonrey]

This latest reno they did in Tarek's old neighborhood is the kind of flip I prefer. I like it when they go old-school and do smaller houses that are really in bad shape and transform them into something nice. I'm not interesting in seeing them update million dollar mansions into more expensive million dollar mansions, those transformations aren't as impressive. This turned out to be a nice little house, although I couldn't figure out where the TV was supposed to go. Maybe over the fireplace but they didn't have the seating set up for that. And if they did, it would block the entryway to that room.

Minimal Heather this episode which was also a great improvement. And as much as she bugs me I was kind of obsessed with the earrings she was wearing during the interview portions. One one side she had a gold stud with the giant teardrop diamond and on the other side it was a diamond stud with a gold teardrop.

Could we just reformat the show around Tarek and his pal Ronnie pranking Tarek's mother while flipping nearby houses? Heather can pop in for a minute or two if need be, it would still be about the El Moussas.

[b4pjoe]

5 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

This turned out to be a nice little house, although I couldn't figure out where the TV was supposed to go. Maybe over the fireplace but they didn't have the seating set up for that. And if they did, it would block the entryway to that room.

The TV thing always bugs me on these shows. On many of them there is a TV in the before picture but in the after picture there is no TV anywhere. I'd be the one during the reveal to say "where the hell is my TV"? And just an FYI...a TV above the fireplace is too high and you will have a stiff neck after watching it for awhile.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I loved Dominique, Tarek's mom, being given the car. 

Buena Park, and a cheaper (relatively) house.  It looks like the older ones Tarek flipped.  In interior is awful before, and creepy.  I'm shocked the rear addition is permitted. 

I loved seeing Tarek's friend Ronnie.   Tarek and Ronnie taking the exterior rocks to his Mom's place is so funny. Dominique in the scene with Tarek talking about him is so funny.    The first bath reno looked just fine with the gray and off white tiles.   However the ensuite pink bathroom was hideous.  I would rather have a walk-in closet that a small amount of extra bedroom space.   The finished product looked ordinary to me, on the exterior. 

The house last night was nice, and boring.   However, their dog taking a dump, and scooting it's butt on the floors throughout the house was disgusting.    

Edited April 14, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[edie3]

I knew that dog was trouble!

[Soapy Goddess]

5 hours ago, edie3 said:

I knew that dog was trouble!

...and that dog really needs some discipline. So they figured it took a dump due to its brown ass. So, it's perfectly okay for the dog to sit and/or roll its dirty ass on each bed, couch or chair?!?  Disgusting, to say the least.

[edie3]

5 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

Disgusting, to say the least.

And he dragged his butt on the rug. Why did we need to see this?

[CrazyInAlabama]

Not only was their dog taking a dump in a flip house, but has the possibility of allergies by the realtors and buyers ever crossed T & H's minds?  Of course not, that would require them thinking about anyone but themselves.   

I know a family that have severe allergies to dogs and cats, and if one of the people with severe allergies went in one of the flip houses where that dog had been inside the way Tarek's dog was, there would be bad health consequences.    I wonder how potential buyers feel about seeing the pooping dog in their potential home? 

I've watched my last episode of this show.    

Edited April 16, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[b4pjoe]

So the investor 2 doors down with the general contractor wife had a pretty impressive flip going. I’d watch a show with them over these two.

[iMonrey]

That was such a weird "cottage." It was a whole floor level below street level. I assume it was built into a hill on the downward slope. I disagreed with their decision to remove what Heather called the "Hansel and Gretel" framework around the roof line, I thought it was charming. They painted the exterior grey and black which I thought was hideous. I did like the wooden accent wall with the scones though. They ended by saying they "had a lot of interest" but clearly had not sold it yet.

The dog needs to have his anal glands expressed. I hope they know that.

Taylor has Tarek's face, and Braeden has Christina's. Ironically.

Edited April 18, 2023 by iMonrey

[edie3]

Is Heather the first woman to ever be pregnant?

[CrazyInAlabama]

At least this is the last one of the season, and next week it's Flipping 101, and the return of Fix My Flip.   

I find it hysterical that they always say how much interest there is from buyers, since so many of them don't sell, and have price reductions.     

They simply repeat the trendy color palettes, and I'm sick of black exteriors.   I also am tired of everything being Heather's favorite colors of black, white, and gold.    Everything they've done this season is so bland looking.  

 

Edited April 28, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[edie3]

Did anyone notice in the downstairs bath, the floor tile wasn't lined up right? Not all the tiles made that little flower shape. Or was it just me?

Edited April 28, 2023 by edie3

[CrazyInAlabama]

On 4/27/2023 at 9:05 PM, edie3 said:

Did anyone notice in the downstairs bath, the floor tile wasn't lined up right? Not all the tiles made that little flower shape. Or was it just me?

I just looked at the reveal of the after, and you're right, the 'flowers' were only on the part by the tub, the left side of the room floor tile was way off, with some centers next to each other.   Also, the subway tile in the bath wasn't grouted correctly.    I see no reason to have a coffee bar upstairs, have it in the kitchen for access for everyone, or does the buyer have to put a coffee station downstairs too?    Or do they expect everyone to go upstairs to get coffee?         I didn't like the wrought iron pattern on the stairs either. 

The black shower tile upstairs made it look like a cave, and will show every bit of water splash, soap, and be a nightmare to clean. The black vanity top in the upstairs bath was the usual black granite, and will be a cleaning nightmare too.   That would have been the perfect bath to save money by using the white marble look porcelain tile with veining on large tiles.  The shower would have lighter, not show water spots so much, and installation and labor would be cheaper. 

The backsplash tile in the kitchen was too busy, and too much contrast.  It would have been better to have a more subtle gray and white, or something that wasn't so glaring.     H & T certainly are in love with everything stark black and white.  I wonder how many offers actually go through?  It sold for $910k.     At the height of the market where I live, sellers would get high offers, well over asking, and many had at least one failed offer, and had to put it back on the market.    

Edited April 30, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[Katie W]

3 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

   I wonder if this one sold, and for how much profit? 

He said at the end of the episode it sold for $910,000 so quite a bit below asking. Usually they discuss possibly getting multiple offers so I did find this weeks episode interesting that Heather said that there’s no way they were going to get over ask in this current market. She said buyers weren’t doing that anymore. 

[iMonrey]

I realize they wanted this to be the baby episode, but the timeline was all over the map. It started with Tarek asking Heather if she wanted to do one more flip before the baby came. Which made it sound like the birth was imminent, and indeed she looked about seven months along or so. Then when she was first driving to the Long Beach house the caption said 19 weeks until the due date! That's almost five months! So she was only four months along? Maybe, she's pretty tiny, but she looked closer to six when she got to the house, although not as big as in the previous scene.

Throughout the episode the caption kept clocking down 'til her due date until finally it said 14 weeks, which is still more than two months away, yet once inside the house they said it was already the middle of January and she was due the 27th of that month. WTF.

We know all these episodes were filmed concurrently and we've already seen her go from not even showing to looking about to pop within the space of several previous episode. I don't know why they attempted to play this one any different.

[suomi]

Link for Big Bear house:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/M2099442892

I grew up in Big Bear and it was so beautiful that it was like living in a Technicolor postcard. The most recent prolonged drought in Cali (20 years) led to devastating bark beetle infestation of pine trees. The Forestry Service plans to clear 136,000 standing dead pines on 13,000 acres of federal land in the valley. Property owners are liable for the cost of removing their dead trees. Bark beetles that devour oak trees moved in a couple years ago and the lake level hasn't been this low since 1959.

Someone mentioned the neighborhood looking scruffy, good eye. Most of Big Bear is scruffy, and rinky dink. The communities in the SoCal mountains are like that. The reno is in the flats near the airport and is in the flight path. Not a busy airport but not a primo location for a spendy home either.

Hoping this sheds light on how much of a vanity project this was for the 2.0 Mrs El Moussa.

[CattyK]

I’m watching the “last flip before baby” episode.  I cannot believe how long it took Heather and Rejoy to figure out the reason for the upstairs configuration is the dormer.  That information should’ve entered their consciousness as soon as they got out of the car.  Actually now that I say that, did Tarek also not immediately grasp that?  Ugh I don’t want to rewind and rewatch to double check.  
 

somehow I find Rejoy the most artificial looking person on the show.  Not a fan.  

[CattyK]

Finished the episode.  I liked a lot of the inside.  I really don’t like black cabinets in a kitchen though.  The gray on the exterior was horrible, didn’t suit the style of it at all.

[Jeanne222]

I always compare Heather to Christina!  Tarek married twins.

Heather just can't seem to get over how cute she is and that voice is like nails on a chalkboard!

I'm giving this union two years.

 

[b4pjoe]

25 minutes ago, Jeanne222 said:

I always compare Heather to Christina!  Tarek married twins.

Heather just can't seem to get over how cute she is and that voice is like nails on a chalkboard!

I'm giving this union two years.

Christina always annoyed me a little bit but she is nowhere in the same annoyance league as Heather. And Tarek is so unaware he married a clone of Christina. I'm sure a psychiatrist would love to have a session or 20 with him.

[iMonrey]

Quote

somehow I find Rejoy the most artificial looking person on the show.  Not a fan.  

There is something really off about her face, isn't there? It just looks like it doesn't belong on that head or something. Like she's wearing mask almost.

[Jeanne222]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

There is something really off about her face, isn't there? It just looks like it doesn't belong on that head or something. Like she's wearing mask almost.

Probably too much surgery!  Heck she might be a 90 year old woman with work. Lol

[CrazyInAlabama]

1 hour ago, Jeanne222 said:

Probably too much surgery!  Heck she might be a 90 year old woman with work. Lol

Combined with fillers and botox probably also. 

I'm glad that the Flipping Fools have finished their season, and I'm looking forward to Flipping 101 returning this week.   

[b4pjoe]

19 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Combined with fillers and botox probably also. 

I'm glad that the Flipping Fools have finished their season, and I'm looking forward to Flipping 101 returning this week.   

I wonder if he is going to have Heather doing Flipping 101 too? 😬

[edie3]

2 hours ago, b4pjoe said:

I wonder if he is going to have Heather doing Flipping 101 too?

Seems like they can't be apart from each other, so probably!

Edited May 4, 2023 by edie3

[CrazyInAlabama]

She actually was on a couple of last season.  The desert flippers who had the green cabinets way too high, and the woman who was screwing up the flip of the house with the fantastic view, are at least two she appeared on.   

[Jeanne222]

Anybody happen to know where the topic might be for Kendra’s new real estate show might be?  Ty

[chessiegal]

3 minutes ago, Jeanne222 said:

Anybody happen to know where the topic might be for Kendra’s new real estate show might be?  Ty

If it doesn't show up on a search, you'll have to create one.

[Jeanne222]

Just now, chessiegal said:

If it doesn't show up on a search, you'll have to create one.

Yes I searched everywhere. Thank you!

[CrazyInAlabama]

The last house of the season, sold for $2.325 million. However, with the purchase price, the huge overage on rehab budget, and the super high carrying costs, the profit was probably zero, or maybe an actual loss if they didn't include staging costs in the estimate.    

Purchase price was $1.828 mil., reno was $280k, took much longer to finish because of permit and construction issues, plus carrying costs were $12k a month, plus closing costs and commissions.  Since they didn't mention staging costs, the break even of $2.319k was not right, so no profit. 

Edited May 27, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[Scarlett45]

On 5/27/2023 at 2:40 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

The last house of the season, sold for $2.325 million. However, with the purchase price, the huge overage on rehab budget, and the super high carrying costs, the profit was probably zero, or maybe an actual loss if they didn't include staging costs in the estimate.    

Purchase price was $1.828 mil., reno was $280k, took much longer to finish because of permit and construction issues, plus carrying costs were $12k a month, plus closing costs and commissions.  Since they didn't mention staging costs, the break even of $2.319k was not right, so no profit. 

That happens sometimes. It’s important to share those if you want SOME sort of “reality” in this show. Not every home is going to turn a profit or even a small one. 

[Scarlett45]

I’ve got this on in the background, and  Tarik’s cheeks look oddly shiny and stretched. Fillers maybe? Cheek implants?

[topanga]

On 3/10/2023 at 11:39 AM, CruiseDiva said:

I tried to watch this show because I like Tarek and Izzy, but had to change the channel. Heather's voice is like nails on a chalkboard. My ears just couldn't handle listening to her screech and squawk.  

I like Heather because she seems nice and relatively competent on Selling Sunset. But the show is pretty boring. *shrug* I'll keep watching for now. 

 

On 3/15/2023 at 1:33 PM, edie3 said:

I finally figured out who Heather reminds me of.  Tori Spelling.

or Christina El Moussa (Haack)

[CynicalGirl]

^ I think you mean Christina Haack El Moussa Anstead Haack Hall. 😉