Flip Or Flop - General Discussion

[auntjess]

This is one of those episodes I'd love to know the back story on.
I'm thinking that the previous owners had bad tenants and were having a problem getting them out.
Wonder if they were evicted, or just trashed the place. 
They had to know something was badly wrong for such a low price and the "stay away" instruction.

 

[iMonrey]

OMG those roaches were disgusting. They bug bomb the house and they're still everywhere. This is another episode (along with the house that kept getting broken into) where you have to wonder about the owners, who eventually will see this episode on TV and go "OMG this house used to be infested with roaches!"  Other than that, I prefer the episodes where the house is relatively small, and this is one where they didn't go over the top with the high-end renovations because they knew they wouldn't get their money back. They still made a profit of 74K - that's pretty good for a house they paid $325K for. 

[mojito]

 

But who are their "clients," really? The only people who have "hired" them are the folks at HGTV and I don't think their ratings would suffer if they showed us some of their flops.

Their clients are the people who buy homes from them. You don't think HGTV is the major source of their income, do you?

 

If HGTV showed flops, potential clients could begin to wonder if there was some sort of quality problem and steer clear of them. Flipping homes is what they do. "Flip or Flop" is just a temporary gig.

[iMonrey]

I can't believe their contractor didn't point out the rotting, termite infested deck on the first walk-through. That's not something they can't see until they rip out walls and ceilings, it's something right out there in the open. I can just imagine them going through these houses and ear-marking things as designated "unexpected" costs to up the drama quotient, but this one was egregiously phony. I know a lot of this show is faked but they don't have to go out of their way to remind me. It's OK if they don't run into any unexpected costs from time to time, they don't have to invent them. Now I'm wondering if the unapproved exterior house paint was also faked just for the show. 

[auntjess]

Not only should the deck condition have been obvious, they should have looked up and seen it themselves.
Also, if you have termites, you need to have an exterminator.
Take out the rotting deck, and they go somewhere else. 
This ain't their first rodeo.  They should have done that, and also been up on HOA rules.

[LizBug]

What happened to their regular contractor?  Usually he's right on top of what needs to be done.

[auntjess]

At the beginning, they said that they had so many other flips going, that his schedule was full.

[LuckyBitch]

At the beginning, they said that they had so many other flips going, that his schedule was full.

 

I have a backlog of these episodes on my TV and I'll eventually catch up. But, I just have to mention one thing in connection with the comment about them saying they had so many other flips going on.

 

I haven't been recording that show Brother v Brother (with the Property Brothers), but I keep catching bits of it here and there. Last  night, I saw the end of what I think was the latest episode and Tarek and Christina were the judges. Tarek  said something about how they've done hundreds of these flips, which I could find believable. But, he also said they currently had 44 flips going on.

 

Is it just me, or is that hard to believe? Unless they have other employees helping manage it all, plus a LOT more contractors, I can't see them managing 44 active  flips at the same time. Maybe 44 flips a year, but not all at one time. If they're doing 44 at one time, then how many are they doing a year? Even just 44 flips a year would net them millions based on what they average on the show.

 

BTW, I Googled the show just now to make sure I was spelling their names correctly and I ended up on their Facebook page for the show. The latest post is by Christina about some negative comments that she said she deleted. I think the comments might have been on an earlier post she did answering questions about where she gets her hair done and where she buys her clothes. It looks like some people left negative comments on that post and she deleted them.

 

Also, she said they're filming Season 3 and next week they begin filming Season 4.

[chessiegal]

I agree that 44 flips at once seems like a lot.

 

Negative comments on her appearance on their FB page - my husband and I joke that some times it looks like you could scrape her makeup off with a trowel, but I would never say that to her, even with the anonymity of online posting. That's just rude. Some people have no sense of propriety or manners.

[Mrs. P.]

She does wear a lot of make-up, but I still think she's stunningly beautiful. I like that she and Tarek seem to share a mutual respect and don't snipe at each other.

[auntjess]

In an earlier flip they had a partner. 

I wonder if they have a lot partial interests in various flips, rather than being in by themselves.

[captain1]

I think, as someone mentioned earlier as a possibility, that probably the vast majority of those 44 active flips are of the "slap on some fresh paint and put down some new carpet" variety that probably take a week or so and net a couple thousand in profit. I think the ones on the show are the exceptions.

[iMonrey]

 

At the beginning, they said that they had so many other flips going, that his schedule was full.

 

That doesn't really wash. They film these scenes for the show. The initial walk-through ("we're seeing this house for the first time - with you!" ) is faked. I wonder if Izzy is just out of town or isn't working for them anymore. There was another contractor in Season 1 named Daniel and he seems to have disappeared as well.

 

I think, as someone mentioned earlier as a possibility, that probably the vast majority of those 44 active flips are of the "slap on some fresh paint and put down some new carpet" variety that probably take a week or so and net a couple thousand in profit. I think the ones on the show are the exceptions.

 

 

And I'm sure those flips are in various stages - in escrow, just purchased, actively being remodeled, on the market, etc. Still, 44 seems like an awful lot. Last season Tarek said they had about 10 flips going on at any given time. 

 

 

my husband and I joke that some times it looks like you could scrape her makeup off with a trowel, but I would never say that to her, even with the anonymity of online posting. 

 

Well, you kind of just did. She could be reading this after all. :-)

 

Still, I'm of the opinion that people who choose to go on TV have to be prepared for that sort of feedback. If they aren't they either need to get off the TV or stay away from the internet.

 

Personally I think she's gorgeous and Tarek's lucky to have her. I also suspect the make-up is applied for the show by a professional who is trying to make sure she doesn't look washed out on camera, considering how fair she is. It doesn't look like the kind of make-up you'd normally wear just around the house, or working on demolition. She tweeted/posted a photo online of her and Tarek when he was in the hospital, and she wasn't wearing any make-up at all. So she's obviously not the type who can't leave the house without a full face of make-up.

 

The last couple of episodes I've noticed Tarek has some rather conspicuous love handles going on.

 

This last one was weird where the bank-owned property was incorrectly listed at $250K when it was really $365. Wasn't the realtor being flooded with calls and offers if that was the case?

 

This was also the first time I've heard Tarek say his last name on the show. Sounds like "ill moose-ah."

Edited July 2, 2014 by iMonrey

[30somethin]

This is one of my favorite shows and I know it is indeed a "show" and we don't see everything, but it seems their average flip takes about 5-6 weeks and they net about $50,000 on average in profit on each one. So that is essentially $433,000 a year in profit, assuming they only flip one house at a time, and I know they have more than that going on at once. So, when Tarek made the comment the other day that "if we lose money on this flip our flipping business is over and we'll have to find another way to support our family" I was slightly confused. Something has got to be missing from the equation. Can anyone explain, this is perplexing me for some reason.

[Sam215]

This is one of my favorite shows and I know it is indeed a "show" and we don't see everything, but it seems their average flip takes about 5-6 weeks and they net about $50,000 on average in profit on each one. So that is essentially $433,000 a year in profit, assuming they only flip one house at a time, and I know they have more than that going on at once. So, when Tarek made the comment the other day that "if we lose money on this flip our flipping business is over and we'll have to find another way to support our family" I was slightly confused. Something has got to be missing from the equation. Can anyone explain, this is perplexing me for some reason.

I think the episode you are talking about is from the first season. That was when they showed them borrowing money from family and from their investor, Pete. It seems like they have the streamlined the flipping process this season and are doing well.

Edited July 3, 2014 by Sam215

[BradandJanet]

This was also the first time I've heard Tarek say his last name on the show. Sounds like "ill moose-ah."

 

Tarek and Christina El Moussa. During the first season, it was hard to find the full name even on the Internet. However, they used their name on the Brother vs. Brother show and during the F & F episode that you mention. 

 

Apparently, they were in real estate and lost big during the 2008 bust. I suspect they're doing OK now. That's a nice BMW Tarek drives. They come across as a nice couple who manage to work together without clawing each other's eyes out. Despite the drama the show builds in, their flips seem intelligent. Sometimes they go with laminate instead of hardwood floors because they can.  

[LuckyBitch]

I recently came across a Flip or Flop discussion thread on an Irvine, CA message board. The thread was started in April 2013 when there was an article in the local paper about Flip or Flop's premiere on HGTV. At the end of Page 1, Tarek makes an appearance, and then he goes on to answer questions all the way until April of 2014 on the last page of the thread which is still going on.

 

On Page 2, Tarek  provides a lot of info about how he got started and how his business works. But if you're interested,  look through the entire thread for his posts:

 

http://www.talkirvine.com/index.php/topic,3738.0.html

 

 

[BradandJanet]

I recently came across a Flip or Flop discussion thread on an Irvine, CA message board. The thread was started in April 2013 when there was an article in the local paper about Flip or Flop's premiere on HGTV. At the end of Page 1, Tarek makes an appearance, and then he goes on to answer questions all the way until April of 2014 on the last page of the thread which is still going on.

 

On Page 2, Tarek  provides a lot of info about how he got started and how his business works. But if you're interested,  look through the entire thread for his posts:

 

http://www.talkirvine.com/index.php/topic,3738.0.html

Very interesting. Thank you for posting this.

Edited July 4, 2014 by stacey

[7-Zark-7]

I will never understand that one realitively expensive home where they consulted a local flipper and he told him to use wood floors and they still went with a light colored laminate... and it sold anyway... for over $700k!  That laminate was so obvious I thought they'd go bust.

[iMonrey]

This last house hardly seemed worth the effort for the small profit they made, given the cost and the investment. That was one weird layout too. There was something off about the idea of using a concrete floor; I find it hard to believe Tarek just came up with that off the top of his head. Somebody must have recommended it for that particular style of house. 

 

Jeepers it's expensive to live in southern California.

[stronglikemusic]

This last house hardly seemed worth the effort for the small profit they made, given the cost and the investment. That was one weird layout too. There was something off about the idea of using a concrete floor; I find it hard to believe Tarek just came up with that off the top of his head. Somebody must have recommended it for that particular style of house. 

 

Jeepers it's expensive to live in southern California.

 

Hardly worth the financial effort, but nice to see a different type of home with different style choices. I enjoyed this one a lot, purely for the aesthetic and no flipper's granite. Wish they colored the concrete to go well with the natural birch rather than the other way around. I've seen floors like that and they can be quite dramatic.

 

And yes, it's very expensive to live in SoCal. ;-)

Edited July 11, 2014 by stronglikemusic

[mojito]

What were the final numbers on that last flip? Or if you don't know, how much did they make? My DVR stopped recording  just as they were summing up the financials. Why can't TV shows begin and end on time and/or, why can't DVRs get the recording time right?

Edited July 12, 2014 by mojito

[auntjess]

I don't remember the price, but I think their profit was $45,000.

[stronglikemusic]

Think it was just under $40K.

[iMonrey]

It was 39K. It's weird, they've made better profits on lower priced homes they spent less on fixing up. That's why I wondered if it was even worth it. If they've got a dozen or more flips going on at once, is it worth their time and investment if they have such a small profit? Probably not. I'd kind of like to get their reaction to that on camera. It wasn't a flop since they made a profit at all, but it would be interesting to see them admit that yeah, it wasn't really worth their time after all.

[Patrizio]

I know they have to pander to the buyers, but does every kitchen have to have granite? Hardly any quartz or concrete, or even butcher block (making a comeback). I have to say they do have a way with bathrooms. I think that in more recent episodes Christina looks softer, but anyone slamming her appearance is full of crap, she's a very attractive woman. I really enjoy the show, they make a good team.

[iMonrey]

Why no new episode this week I wonder? I hope we're not already done with Season 2.

 

What was with that house that had a barn in the back and chickens running loose? Did the previous owners just abandon their chickens and leave them to their own devices? How did they even survive without anyone there to feed them?

[hkit]

I'm not a fan of their renos, but that's probably the point. I'm not their target market. I'd prefer to take the before and put my own stamp on it. What they do is tasteful and contemporary, but also very bland. I'd hate to pay for the upgrade and just tear it up to give it some color.

 

Not one of their houses stands out as "good" or "bad" to me. That is just how homogeneous their renos are.

[chessiegal]

I guess I am their target audience. I love their renos and finishes. Christina has good taste, IMO. I love when she tells Tarek they need to do something more upscale, because it's what buyers will expect. She just doesn't want to settle for doing something on the cheap to save a few bucks.

[MrMattyMatt]

It's  nice to watch this show since they never snipe at each other or create too much faux drama.  That only seems to happen when they have to get investors involved.  

[BradandJanet]

I think I learned from this show that there are solid granite countertops and granite over particle board (or whatever) countertops. Apparently they use the cheaper stuff in their budget remodels, with maybe the solid slab for a kitchen island. I'm interested because I need to remodel my kitchen and don't want to spend a fortune on granite, which I don't even like. My son says this is the only flip show he can stand because people aren't arguing and the attentive viewer can learn something useful.

Edited July 29, 2014 by BradandJanet

[auntjess]

I do like them, even though I can't imagine living in so expensive an area.
Like many people who watched the show in its first season, you really started rooting for them when Tarkek had his cancer diagnosis, and followed his recovery via their Facebook page, or googling news stories.

[LazyToaster]

I wondered the same thing about the chickens. I'm no chicken expert, but it doesn't seem like they could have been there unattended too long.

Did it bother anyone else that they were just throwing everything away without even looking through it? The frugal part of me was thinking what if there was something valuable in there. It was probably just junk, but what if?

[MrMattyMatt]

I belong to the Scripps panel that solicits surveys regarding the Discovery Network's Channels and Shows.  

 

It seems they are trying to figure out what to do with this show.  Without going into tremendous detail:

 

They asked things such as:
1. Who do you like better, Tarek or Christina?
2. Do you think the show would be better with just one of those two, if so which one?
3. Would you continue watching if they were replaced by a different couple?
4. Would you prefer to see more about their life as a family or do you prefer the show be more about the house flips.

Etc Etc...

 

Interesting stuff!!

[auntjess]

Oh dear.  That doesn't bode well.
But as DIY Network is my go- to channel, I have lots of opinions.
You may regret telling me this.

 

[LuckyBitch]

Why no new episode this week I wonder? I hope we're not already done with Season 2.

 

I was curious, so I checked out Tarek and Christina's Facebook page for the show. On July 8th, which is the last new episode my DVR picked up, they posted that it was the season finale (and they were doing a live Twitter chat during the show). Also, this post on July 7th.

 

In another post, and in some comments on some other posts, they said there won't be any new shows until October.

 

There was a post on July 14th with a photo saying they were shooting Season 4, episode 1, day 1 (in Anaheim Hills).

 

On July 18th, they posted that they just wrapped Season 3, (episode 11).

 

So, it seems that the show is doing well, although that survey info posted by @MrMattyMatt is very interesting (thanks for posting it!).

 

Also, ratings seem to be good:

 

On July 1st, they posted this:

Highest ratings yet!! 1.8 million viewers and very high demographic ratings for Sunday encore episodes. ‪#‎FlipOrFlop‬ made top 100 shows 9 times on Sunday. We (heart) our fans!!!!!!

 

Then, on July 22nd they posted this:

YES!! We broke the 2 million viewership mark Sunday....Twice!!

 

 

By the way, on July 18th they posted a link to a Los Angeles Times article about HGTV:

Great article in today's Los Angeles Times about HGTV! We're excited to be included! Thank you to all of our fans who tune in to watch Flip or Flop every week! ‪#‎fliporflop‬

HGTV builds into a top cable network on foundation of no-frills shows

 

 

Also, in case anyone is interested, they have another Facebook page with their real estate listings.

 

Okay, so did I break the record for most links ever included in a PTV post?  Is there a prize or something?  ;-)

[Vivigirl10]

With the mid-century flip with the concrete floors, I was so disappointed that they didn't keep the original birch on the doors and cabinets.  The man they consulted specifically said how desirable it was.  The gray wash they were going to put on it looked awful in my opinion in the trial run and then I couldn't catch a glimpse in the final reveal of how it turned out.  Which makes me wonder if it either looked really bad or they just ended up ditching it completely and replaced all the birch items with new?  Could anyone else tell?

 

That being said, love the show.  I typically like what they do with the houses, they seem skilled and trustworthy in their choices and the lack of bickering is soooo refreshing! 

[chessiegal]

Those ratings look dang good to me. That's above what Pioneer Woman gets on FN, and she's one of the highest rated shows for her genre. I would think HGTV and Scripps would love those numbers.

[MrMattyMatt]

No doubt this is a popular show.  I have a feeling that with the survey they are trying to make sure exactly what people like about the show so they don't make changes that kill it.

[auntjess]

Oh, because it sounded like they were splitting up, and wanted to know which one to go with.
As others have said, we like them because they don't attack each other, and also overcoming cancer is a big deal.

[roughing it]

I think the show works well with both of them, actually all three of them - their little girl is a cutie!  I hate when TPTB mess with a show.

[Portia]

I stumbled on this show while traveling and added it to my home DVR immediately. I wish I'd discovered it earlier; I find it really entertaining, and I like that it's short and compact. As has already been mentioned, FoF makes me glad that I live in Nowheresville in a great big ol' house that cost a fraction of those tiny, $800,000 jobs in SoCal. 

 

Overall I find both stars likeable, but there's one thing about Tarek that bothers me, and I wonder if anyone else has noticed it. So far I've seen five episodes in which Tarek directly interacts with his little daughter, and every single time, he has been shown commenting only on how beautiful she is. Since he clearly views his good-looking wife as his partner--not just a piece of arm candy--I want to believe that he really does value his little girl's brains and abilities, not just her looks. But if it's just a matter of editing, why are the people in charge focusing only on the "you're so pretty" comments? I think it makes him seem like a shallow douchebag.

[topanga]

 

I stumbled on this show while traveling and added it to my home DVR immediately. I wish I'd discovered it earlier; I find it really entertaining, and I like that it's short and compact. As has already been mentioned, FoF makes me glad that I live in Nowheresville in a great big ol' house that cost a fraction of those tiny, $800,000 jobs in SoCal.

I like the El Moussa's story about their life after 2008. Apparently, they moved out of their big house, lived in a small apartment, and traded in their luxury cars for cheaper cars. They weren't destitute and they always had a safety net. Christina's parents seem to have deep pockets--they were able to loan her money for an expensive renovation. I don't know about Tarek's parents.

 

 

 

Since he clearly views his good-looking wife as his partner--not just a piece of arm candy--I want to believe that he really does value his little girl's brains and abilities, not just her looks.

I'm remembering episodes where he asks Taylor about the sound that an animal makes and helps her identify colors....But maybe that was Christina. Hmmm. I'll have to pay better attention to that.

[Portia]

I'm remembering episodes where he asks Taylor about the sound that an animal makes and helps her identify colors....But maybe that was Christina. Hmmm. I'll have to pay better attention to that.

 

I've definitely looked at a very small sampling of episodes, and it may be a coincidence that I was only seeing him comment on Taylor's beauty. Hope so. Oh, and thanks, @topanga, for the background on Christina's family. I had wondered if one or both of the spouses "came from money."

Edited August 5, 2014 by Portia

[auntjess]

There was an episode in the first season where Tarek's mother put up some money.

[LuckyBitch]

@auntjess, yes, I remember that too.

[goodygoody]

What is this ridiculousness?  Yesterday I watched an episode where they bought a house for $275K, said they could sell it for $350K, spent an inordinate amount of money on reno, were concerned about the comps going DOWN in price, then list for 399K???  With no explanation as to how they were justifying that price!  THEN there was a bidding war???  

 

Just a bunch of dramz for nothing.  

[Honey]

I like the show and the couple, although Tarek's eyes darting around is distracting at times.  I'm glad that their little girl outgrew that whiney phase she went through.  I'm also happy they parted with that first contractor they worked with.  He was kind of a jerk.

[Shermie]

I enjoy the show for the reasons stated - they don't bicker and it's only half an hour, which limits a lot of silly drama.

The couple is pleasant and the wife is lovely, but her voice drives me crazy. The vocal fry is like nails on a chalkboard.

And as for the chickens episode. They're birds, they can manage just fine foraging in the dirt for food - bugs, worms, grass, seeds. (Unless they were penned or caged, I didn't see the ep)

[DownTheShore]

I like the show, but I'm getting awfully tired of the marathon sessions of it that HGTV is showing on the weekends and evenings.