Flip Or Flop - General Discussion

[iMonrey]

But they do use Century 21, so there's something going on. Who knows. Now that I think of it, we almost never see an actual real estate sign or logo on any of the myriad house hunting shows in HGTV, so they must really go out of their way to avoid the legal hassles of including them.

I think it's likely that T&C are too busy with their construction and design company, and this show, to want to be bothered with the red tape and details of being realtors for these houses. It's probably way easier for them to let someone else do that.

Edited October 10, 2016 by iMonrey

[Zoe]

25 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I think it's likely that T&C are too busy with their construction and design company, and this show, to want to be bothered with the red tape and details of being realtors for these houses. It's probably way easier for them to let someone else do that.

But they are the realtors: https://www.redfin.com/CA/Cypress/4572-Rainier-Dr-90630/home/3988484

Quote

Listing provided courtesy of Tarek El Moussa, Century 21 Masters BRE #01329011

[iMonrey]

Oh. So . . . they are realtors with Century 21, but can't show the Century 21 signs on the show, so we only see the T&C Properties sign on the show, then after they finish filming, the T&C sign comes down and the Century 21 sign goes up? That's . . . odd.

[Rabbittron]

35 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Oh. So . . . they are realtors with Century 21, but can't show the Century 21 signs on the show, so we only see the T&C Properties sign on the show, then after they finish filming, the T&C sign comes down and the Century 21 sign goes up? That's . . . odd.

You really think C21 wants to be associated with    All the lies that they tell on the show?

[Eeksquire]

My guess is that the T&C sign is only up while they are doing the filmed open house - C21 wouldn't want any part of making sure that all the people that walked through signed waivers and releases, nor would they want to be on the hook if some PA forgot to make sure that no one's Bart Simpson t-shirt or whatever got filmed.  There's a lot of liability potential in airing a tv show and I can imagine C21, not being in the business of television - but perceived as a deep pocket - wouldn't want to be named in a lawsuit for any of those things.  That seems to be the deal on almost all of the HGTV shows - for instance, I doubt that the Property Brothers are licensed realtors/contractors in all the states they film in, and their sign (that they mark sold!) is only for the sake of the show.

[CaptainCranky]

I've watched this show a few times and my take is simple. I do like the end product but their labor and material cost are not realistic. Not sure if it's a SoCal thing but in other parts of the country those cost could be double or triple what they are paying.

[azshadowwalker]

Just watched them paint exterior brick, and I wanted to throw things. Getting paint off the brick after some idiot does that is almost impossible. I live in a house where someone painted the entire exterior a baby shit brown. The neighborhood houses are all cute red brick and white trim, like this one should be.

The kitchen was all white--counters, cabinets, backsplash--at Tarek's insistence. Just horrible. Christina may do everything the same, but there's at least some color. Awful. 

[Minivanessa]

Tarek and Christina's real estate seminars are getting bad reviews - and something like 50 complaints filed with the FTC over courses/products offered by the company responsible for the course. (That seems to include all the courses, not just the Tarek/Christina stuff.)

Edited October 27, 2016 by Jeeves
Clarify the 50 complaint thing.

[millennium]

Shame on Tarek and Christina for licensing their names and reputations to that scam outfit.   Shame also on the suckers who shelled out for the courses thinking it was their ticket to flipper fortune -- especially after they found out that Tarek and Christina were "too busy" to have anything to do with it (they were also "too busy" to be interviewed for the news story).   Epic flop.

[auntjess]

I was disappointed to read that Scott McGillivray also does these seminars, as well as the Tulsa couple, the Wiafes.

[vmcd88]

I dont understand why anyone would pay for a course on flipping houses.  Cant I learn everything I need to know from HGTV or DIY?  What secrets are there that havent already been shared?

[Amethyst]

Just saw the poolside house in Whittier, with the olive exterior.  It was a weird shape; it looked like the house was buried in the ground.  They clearly did this one for the backyard space, with the pergola, fire pit, etc.  I loved the pergola, and didn't mind the fire columns (since the landscaper said those "had" to be there, rme) but the fire pit was too much.  Although I liked the visual look of the grass "strips" through the concrete, they could have ditched the fire pit altogether and left some actual grass there to garden, or even throw a football.  And that fire pit was ugly.  It looked like a wicker disco ball.  I wasn't crazy about some of the stylistic touches either, too tiki-ish.  Despite Christina mentioning that this was a family house, I couldn't see small kids running around out there.  It was definitely an adult playground.

Oh, I nearly forgot; they invested $250K and got only $60k back, even with the HGTV $10k kick in?  I know it's staged, yada yada yada, but wouldn't that be considered a flop?

Edited October 29, 2016 by Amethyst

[hoosier80]

Watching a marathon on HGTV now.  Saw the dinosaur pool house again, which Christina said would be great for a family with kids.  Yeah, kids generally love dinosaurs, but don't kids in CA also play on grass?  Seemed like they could've left a little grass in the backyard.  Then the new stairs they put in did not seem child safe at all.  I don't even like staircases where there is an opening between the stairs (but I am naturally scared of any heights).

Then the next house they had, did a fire pit and fountain - basically no grass in the backyard.  I get that there is a water restriction now in CA,   but they couldn't leave a little grass?

It just kills me how Tarek will go ahead or push them to buy a house, then when they find the flaws (dah dah DAHHHH), Christina then says I didn't want to buy this one.  Did I miss it and she's really a designer?  She surely acts like she is a master designer.  Some of the stuff she puts up, I would not care for one bit.  What happened to keeping it simple so you appeal to more people?  Her stuff is always modern, modern, modern and she'll add something funky.  Or the use of blue tile backsplash.   My kitchen appliances (mixer, blender, etc.) and accessories are in black and red.  I am not a blue person, so I'd be ripping out that tile (if I had the money and liked the house).  I still get sticker shock from the house prices (I live in central OH - my 140k house looks better and better - new build back in 2003 with 1600 square feet - even when typical maintenance and breakdowns come up).  I also have a 30 minute (non freeway) drive to work.  Only bad thing - cold & frozen precipitation.  

[doodlebug]

17 hours ago, hoosier80 said:

Watching a marathon on HGTV now.  Saw the dinosaur pool house again, which Christina said would be great for a family with kids.  Yeah, kids generally love dinosaurs, but don't kids in CA also play on grass?  Seemed like they could've left a little grass in the backyard.  Then the new stairs they put in did not seem child safe at all.  I don't even like staircases where there is an opening between the stairs (but I am naturally scared of any heights).

Then the next house they had, did a fire pit and fountain - basically no grass in the backyard.  I get that there is a water restriction now in CA,   but they couldn't leave a little grass?

It just kills me how Tarek will go ahead or push them to buy a house, then when they find the flaws (dah dah DAHHHH), Christina then says I didn't want to buy this one.  Did I miss it and she's really a designer?  She surely acts like she is a master designer.  Some of the stuff she puts up, I would not care for one bit.  What happened to keeping it simple so you appeal to more people?  Her stuff is always modern, modern, modern and she'll add something funky.  Or the use of blue tile backsplash.   My kitchen appliances (mixer, blender, etc.) and accessories are in black and red.  I am not a blue person, so I'd be ripping out that tile (if I had the money and liked the house).  I still get sticker shock from the house prices (I live in central OH - my 140k house looks better and better - new build back in 2003 with 1600 square feet - even when typical maintenance and breakdowns come up).  I also have a 30 minute (non freeway) drive to work.  Only bad thing - cold & frozen precipitation.  

I don't know how any of these houses are great for kids.  I realize there are drought issues in SoCal, which might make it difficult to install a traditional lawn, but surely there is something better than hard surfaces, water and fire hazards.  All of the yards we've seen are actually hazardous to young kids, with open swimming pools, fire pits and concrete/stone everywhere.  I don't think we've ever seen them install a fence or safety gate around a pool or any sort of barrier to keep a kid from falling into an open fire.

[ShellSeeker]

I was watching that same marathon. The manufactured drama on this show really makes it hard to enjoy, or even find believable. There was the one house with the high windows in the basement (or lower room...maybe it was a split level) that they were going to convert into a bedroom, and then there was the "bombshell" that they couldn't make it into a bedroom because the windows were too small. FFS, even I know that a room must have at least one egress window to qualify as a bedroom, so there's no way they didn't know that going in. It drives me nuts.

The exterior/scenery shots for the house in Riverside with the huge yard were also misleading....there was an overhead shot of the ocean. Riverside is not close to the coastline at all. 

I did think the dinosaur pool was pretty cool.

[Eeksquire]

Can we talk for a moment about the decorative tile panels they've been putting in? I'm not talking about where they put it in a band, but in kitchens as an inset in the backsplash, usually above the stove.  I watch them do this and it seems like it's nearly always off center.  Like, the house Tarek did alone because Christina was almost at the end of her pregnancy and then home with the baby.  It's asymmetrical and that alone would be enough to turn me off the whole house - I could not live with that.  It would make me crazy.  I understand that the spaces are X tiles wide, but for the love of all that is holy, the design should be CENTERED.  If you can't make that work (even pay for the extra labor to cut the tiles) then DON'T DO IT.

[ShellSeeker]

I thought the multicolored Spanish tile they did around the fireplace in that one house was really hideous. It did look better after the house was staged, but I still did not like it at all.

[Honey]

Why would anyone want to live in CA? Smog, earthquakes, mudslides, long commutes, and the housing prices are ridiculous.

Our beautiful 1870 farmhouse is 3 stories, 3800 sq ft with 5 bdrms and 5 baths, it sits on over an acre of land with a pond, and it cost a whopping $145,000.  I have a 5 minutes drive to work.  I can't imagine paying over $500,000 for a no-character box with 2 bedrooms and 1 bath.  That's crazy!

[MsTree]

4 hours ago, Honey said:

Why would anyone want to live in CA?

For the same reason they want to live in HI...the weather, beach & lifestyle.  It's also what drives up the prices...supply & demand.

[Honey]

4 hours ago, MsTree said:

For the same reason they want to live in HI...the weather, beach & lifestyle.  It's also what drives up the prices...supply & demand.

T&C never seem to have a problem finding houses to buy, so I'm not sure I buy the S&D argument.  As far as the weather, there are a lot of places with even better weather, and the housing costs are 30% less than CA.  Add in the drought, and I still don't get it.  SMH

[Broderbits]

16 hours ago, Honey said:

Why would anyone want to live in CA? Smog, earthquakes, mudslides, long commutes, and the housing prices are ridiculous.

 

Well I lived in Central Virginia for about 10 yrs and we had a pretty bad earthquake there. It was strong enough to move my 4 BR house off it's foundation, topple heavy bookcases, and destroy every breakable in the kitchen cupboards. Shit can happen anywhere, and high prices happen all over the country. A lot of people never move far from where they grew up, or go where the work is.

[ByaNose]

I wouldn't mind living in Malibu, CA in a nice beach house. That said, they cost millions & millions of $$$$$ so that won't be happening time soon. I would like T & C to flip a beach house but not invest the whole budget with the outdoor space. I didn't care for their last few shows with the huge backyards with all the metal & fire. LOL!!!

Edited November 1, 2016 by ByaNose

[Maharincess]

On 10/31/2016 at 7:57 PM, Honey said:

Why would anyone want to live in CA? Smog, earthquakes, mudslides, long commutes, and the housing prices are ridiculous.

Our beautiful 1870 farmhouse is 3 stories, 3800 sq ft with 5 bdrms and 5 baths, it sits on over an acre of land with a pond, and it cost a whopping $145,000.  I have a 5 minutes drive to work.  I can't imagine paying over $500,000 for a no-character box with 2 bedrooms and 1 bath.  That's crazy!

Life long California resident here and couldn't imagine living any place else.   Not every place in California is as expensive as what is shown on TV, not by a long shot, and earthquakes are very few and far between. It's not like we have an earthquake season every year. 

[Jmpbu]

You need a new contractor.  He continually lowballs the cost.  Surely this isn't a tv rating ploy.

[Honey]

I saw an ad during this week's show that said new episodes would be airing around Christmas.  At least I think that's what I heard, I was only half paying attention.

I love their Christmas promo (even though I think it's way too early).  It shows T&C dancing, and the kids around a Christmas tree.  Brayden is really cute, and looks just like Tarek.  So does Taylor actually. 

[Honey]

On 11/2/2016 at 2:42 AM, Maharincess said:

Life long California resident here and couldn't imagine living any place else.   Not every place in California is as expensive as what is shown on TV, not by a long shot, and earthquakes are very few and far between. It's not like we have an earthquake season every year. 

There is also a fault line that runs through the Adirondacks, where I live.  Once every 4 or 5 years we get a little shake, I can't imagine "The Big One" hanging over my head though.  I apologize for disparaging your home state, I'm sure you love it there.

I came close to also being a resident of CA.  When I was a baby, my family moved to Sacramento, my Grandfather had health problems that forced them to come back here.

[Evangeline]

On 10/31/2016 at 7:57 PM, Honey said:

Why would anyone want to live in CA? Smog, earthquakes, mudslides, long commutes, and the housing prices are ridiculous.

Our beautiful 1870 farmhouse is 3 stories, 3800 sq ft with 5 bdrms and 5 baths, it sits on over an acre of land with a pond, and it cost a whopping $145,000.  I have a 5 minutes drive to work.  I can't imagine paying over $500,000 for a no-character box with 2 bedrooms and 1 bath.  That's crazy!

 

On 11/4/2016 at 5:42 AM, Honey said:

T&C never seem to have a problem finding houses to buy, so I'm not sure I buy the S&D argument.  As far as the weather, there are a lot of places with even better weather, and the housing costs are 30% less than CA.  Add in the drought, and I still don't get it.  SMH

Among other reasons previously discussed, salaries and job opportunities often (not always, but often) are greater in places where the cost of living is higher, and that is true of California -- well, the major cities in particular.  It changes the economic equation and makes the two not very comparable.  I live and work in L.A. County and it is certainly true of my job -- both with respect to the salary I earn and the quality of work I do.

Beyond that, as as been mentioned, people have different preferences and priorities.  I'm not tied to the L.A. area by family or by being raised here, so for me L.A. is pretty much entirely a choice.  I don't get much enjoyment out of living in a large space, so square footage is not a priority -- partly because I just don't see how additional space would increase my quality of life, and partly because a lot of time is spent outdoors in California or in other places -- hiking, beach, restaurants, movies, theatre, etc.  I don't need that much entertainment in my home, because I have every entertainment I could possibly want a short distance from me, of a quality that couldn't be replicated in any private home.

I don't know of any place with better weather than California, at least not in the United States.  California has a Mediterranean climate, which is pretty much ideal and hard to find outside of the Mediterranean! It's 5 pm right now in November, and it's 80 degrees.  It's sunny pretty much everyday.  I ate lunch outside today and it was so nice.  I don't tolerate either heat or cold well, and there are few places in the U.S. besides California (and Hawaii) where you can have 70-80 degree temperatures year round.  The overall quality of life here (at least my quality of life here) just can't be beat.  While your home sounds lovely, I realistically wouldn't choose to live there if you paid me (my interest in open spaces, nature, and such is limited to vacations -- it wouldn't provide enough enjoyment year-round to justify everything I'd be losing).  

As it happens, a lot more people are like me than are like you, which is why California is so expensive.  It really is supply and demand.  Just because there are a lot of houses for sale doesn't mean anything -- there is the demand to meet the supply here at those prices.    

That said, the big one does scare me, but I've grown up with that threat my entire life (I'm not from California, but I grew up on the west coast and it's a threat pretty much everywhere along the coast).  It's hard to find a place without a risk of a natural disaster (or other threats), and as much as I don't like to actually think about this, I've made the decision that I don't think it is a big enough risk to justify moving somewhere I wouldn't be as happy living, just to avoid the what-if.  So I just hope for the best. 

[auntjess]

On ‎10‎/‎29‎/‎2016 at 7:18 PM, hoosier80 said:

 Yeah, kids generally love dinosaurs, but don't kids in CA also play on grass?

Where have you been?  Not just on this show, but especially on Yard Crashers,  grass is out, or artificial.
Yards should be covered with firepits and huge outdoor kitchens.
And the "water feature," which I bet soon becomes a mosquito breeding area.
Oh, and pergolas for shade, which seems to me like using umbrella ribs to keep off rain.

[Bastet]

Quote

Oh, and pergolas for shade, which seems to me like using umbrella ribs to keep off rain.

Ha!  We don't have enough rain to need a patio covering that could block it.  It's often - depending on what direction (in relation to the sun) the patio is facing - much more sensible to build something that can provide filtered sun.  They're not designed to keep off rain, and the few times a year that means we have no outdoor seating option, oh well (it's probably our version of cold, anyway, so we'll be indoors).  They're designed to split the difference -- letting some sunlight through one the dreary days and providing some shade on the hot days.  If someone has room for another truly shaded area to be used during the hottest days, great, but many times you need one area that can best work year-round.

Edited November 11, 2016 by Bastet

[iMonrey]

Quote

Why would anyone want to live in CA? 

Legalized weed!

But seriously - few people can really just pick up and move anywhere they want. In most ways the place you live is chosen for you rather than the other way around. By your job, by your family, by your circumstances, you name it.

I'll be glad to get back to "normal" episodes. The backyard episodes were a bust. Sure some of them were pretty cool looking but you could tell they were only buying those properties to fulfill some sort of promise or obligation for "special" episodes. Their profit margin was zilch on a lot of them. And I would have preferred seeing more of the house in some of them rather than the back yard, which all ended up looking the same anyway. Stick to what you know, T&C!

[shipmate]

As much as I enjoy the show, I don't think my liver can make it through a drinking game where are the magic words are "modern" or "obsessed"!

[Maharincess]

I just finished watching a few episodes of the show.  Christina is such a snob and I seriously laugh my ass off when Tarek pretends he knows how to do construction work, it's hilarious. He has no clue what the hell he's doing and he doesn't even hold the tools properly. I bet the real workers laugh at him when he steps in and pretends to work.  It reminds me of a little kid doing "work" with his daddy and pretending he knows what he's doing.   Both of them are so snooty and prissy.  

[Bossa Nova]

I watched a marathon of their shows this week too. Besides the houses....

Christina really needs a "make under" ! Yes, she is a pretty girl but she always has too much "going on". The false lashes, the heavy eyeliner (yes, I know you need a little extra on the eyes for TV), then the pink frosted lipstick, the hot pink nails, the layers of bracelets, the oversized earrings, oversized handbags with fringes, the over sized sunglasses (which really look dated and out of style), often the big banana curls in her long hair,  busy printed clothes. I know her aesthetic is youthful and funky, nothing wrong with that. But she often looks slightly tacky and cheap. Because she has that natural California blonde look, a make under would do wonders for her. Plus cleaner lined clothing and simpler accessories, or just less of them. 

My husband watched with me. He and I also noticed her voice. There's a little vocal fry going on there and something else that we found grating. We are east coast, so is it a slight valley girl tone?

Brayden?  Sorry, I am from another era. These new baby names just don't sound right to me. 

Quote

Tarek pretends he knows how to do construction work, it's hilarious. He has no clue what the hell he's doing and he doesn't even hold the tools properly. 

Hah ! So true. The staged shots of him taking a sledge hammer to something, or putting up new tile look to be exactly what they are - fake. But Chip Gaines is also shown doing the same sort of pseudo manly construction stuff for the cameras. At least Chip looks a little dirty in his T-shirt, jeans and work boots, like he's been doing something to get his hands dirty. Plus he isn't easily grossed out by something in an old house like Tarek often is.  Tarek is often in a perfectly clean and pressed polo (golf type) shirt, shorts and flip flops.... not quite believable for dirty work. 

Edited November 18, 2016 by Bossa Nova
Keep thinking of more stuff to vent about

[fountain]

Only this season have the housing prices been really high.  I recall prior seasons had 300k-500k prices, which I find reasonable as I sit in a 450k 1360 sq foot bungalow in Manitoba.  

I actually enjoy the more reasonable prices on this show as I watch that show from Texas where homes are so cheap people should be able to pay cash and I just cannot relate.

It is hard to believe Christina had over an 8lb baby!  She was so tiny when full-term, it was all baby.  I like how they talk to the kids normally, no baby talk when Christina was talking to Taylor about those tiles.  My 7 year old is into design too and likes this show.

It is weird but I kind of like their snootiness.  The vocal fry can grate sometimes but it really doesn't bother me much.

 I don't think they do any physical  work in the homes and they don't really do too much faking of work like on other shows.  A bit of demo here and there but they make it known there are contractors.

Edited November 20, 2016 by fountain

[chessiegal]

I don't find them snooty at all. I follow them on FB and their posts are so positive, showing a loving family. Yeah, I know you can fake it, but I just don't get that vibe. Their posts mostly show that they realize they are truly blessed.

Tiny Christina with an 8 pound baby probably explains the C-section.

I appreciate that while the show is a re-enactment of events, it does show what they do IRL for a living. (Looking at you Property Brothers.)

[iMonrey]

Quote

I actually enjoy the more reasonable prices on this show as I watch that show from Texas where homes are so cheap people should be able to pay cash and I just cannot relate.

Me too. I just can't relate to the million dollar properties. I liked the earlier episodes where they were doing modest little bungalows and turning them from abandoned looking hovels into showplaces. Even those at a $350-500K price point seemed steep to me. I'm in a flyover state where you can get an upscale 4-bedroom in an upscale suburban neighborhood for under $200K. 

[topanga]

I like the flip T & C did last week. I especially liked the master bathroom--the tiles and the flooring. It was weird, though, that they were flipping a 4 bedroom house, but we only saw the master BR. I think they showed one of the other BRs in the closing credits. Maybe there was a time issue--they spent a lot of time looking at the garage with the extra bedrooms. 

And I rolled my eyes when the general contractor didn't reveal to them at the initial inspection that the house needed a new roof and had asbestos in the duct work. 

[iMonrey]

I disagreed with Christina about the trees. They could have pruned away some of the dead stuff but just cutting them all down seemed like a big waste and lost all their privacy. I'm not sure what kind of trees those were but some of them looked like they were in great shape. What a shame. Tree killers!

And yeah - a new roof is something you should know before you even make an offer. Stop purposely looking like dummies.

[topanga]

Oh, I forgot. Taylor is beginning to look like a young Meg Ryan. Or a cute Olsen twin. 

Brayden still looks like a baby blob, but that's okay. He's certainly a happy baby. I love how easily Tarek can make him laugh. 

[Honey]

On 11/19/2016 at 9:29 PM, chessiegal said:

I don't find them snooty at all. I follow them on FB and their posts are so positive, showing a loving family. Yeah, I know you can fake it, but I just don't get that vibe. Their posts mostly show that they realize they are truly blessed.

Tiny Christina with an 8 pound baby probably explains the C-section.

I appreciate that while the show is a re-enactment of events, it does show what they do IRL for a living. (Looking at you Property Brothers.)

I agree.  I don't find her snooty or snobby at all.  I really like her.  Unlike some girls, she looks just as pretty without makeup, as she does with it.

I think both kids look like Tarek, especially Braydon.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Honey

[mojito]

Saw the La Hambra episode. House was a real snoozer. All white and gray. ALL. Even the front door was white. Extremely boring. 

[Sam215]

Our TiVo cut it off.  Did it sell?  I agree it was a super boring house and I hated the way they "fixed" the kitchen.  Maybe I just don't care for Pete.  He was annoying. 

[tabloidlover]

I hated the kitchen.  Too much deep grey and considering the removal of most windows - it was too dark!

[Maharincess]

2 hours ago, mojito said:

Saw the La Hambra episode. House was a real snoozer. All white and gray. ALL. Even the front door was white. Extremely boring. 

I agree.  I always have to laugh when she talks about a "pop of color" and she's talking about gray. 

I watched an episode today and I tried to count how many times Christina said something was "cool/super cool" and "amazeeen" but I lost count after a few minutes.  

[DrivingSideways]

Why does HGTV program the episodes so that the final reveal of how much money they made gets cut off?  If they are trying to make me DVR the show afterwards, I refuse to!

[mojito]

Quote

I agree.  I always have to laugh when she talks about a "pop of color" and she's talking about gray. 

When I was writing my post, I thought of writing how, in 30 years, people would say, "Oh, this house was designed in the teens when they considered gray a 'pop of color'!

Quote

Why does HGTV program the episodes so that the final reveal of how much money they made gets cut off?  If they are trying to make me DVR the show afterwards, I refuse to!

I agree. On some shows, I have the DVR record one minute extra. 

[Honey]

11 hours ago, Maharincess said:

I agree.  I always have to laugh when she talks about a "pop of color" and she's talking about gray. 

I watched an episode today and I tried to count how many times Christina said something was "cool/super cool" and "amazeeen" but I lost count after a few minutes.  

Or, she refers to gray as pretty.  That makes me laugh.  For a few episodes their word was"dialed".  Like, this yard is totally dialed.

[iMonrey]

These episodes were apparently filmed before the Selling Summer/backyard episodes that aired back in September and October, because Brayden was only 15 weeks old in the La Hambra episode and he was clearly older than that in the Selling Summer ones. Weird. 

Anyway, I agree the kitchen was kind of ugly and I did not care for the design at all. The backsplash was especially hideous. It's ironic that Christina said she "trusted" Tarek to make an offer (or not) on the house without her input because the last episode where he did that, she swore she would never let him buy a house again without her seeing it first!

I don't get what their relationship is with Pete, either. When this show first started, he was presented as an investor who put up the money, and they did all the work and then split the profits with him. Lately they've shown him going out and finding houses on his own, then calling them and offering to split 50/50. Now he's doing construction, demo and design work? 

I just wish they would drop the facade of the "surprises" they always seem to encounter during construction. They obviously have a thriving business and a TV show about it, and I'd be much more interested to know the real story behind these houses, like who really found them, what they really knew going in, etc. There's no reason to keep faking all these surprises and it just makes them look like dummies.

[Bastet]

9 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I don't get what their relationship is with Pete, either. When this show first started, he was presented as an investor who put up the money, and they did all the work and then split the profits with him. Lately they've shown him going out and finding houses on his own, then calling them and offering to split 50/50. Now he's doing construction, demo and design work? 

In an interview during the early days of the show, Tarek revealed that Pete was their 50/50 partner on all real estate investments; while we only saw him put up the money for certain homes featured on the show, he was actually putting up half the money (and taking half the profits) on each one.  I have no idea what the situation is now, though.

[Honey]

19 hours ago, iMonrey said:

These episodes were apparently filmed before the Selling Summer/backyard episodes that aired back in September and October, because Brayden was only 15 weeks old in the La Hambra episode and he was clearly older than that in the Selling Summer ones. Weird. 

Anyway, I agree the kitchen was kind of ugly and I did not care for the design at all. The backsplash was especially hideous. It's ironic that Christina said she "trusted" Tarek to make an offer (or not) on the house without her input because the last episode where he did that, she swore she would never let him buy a house again without her seeing it first!

I don't get what their relationship is with Pete, either. When this show first started, he was presented as an investor who put up the money, and they did all the work and then split the profits with him. Lately they've shown him going out and finding houses on his own, then calling them and offering to split 50/50. Now he's doing construction, demo and design work? 

I just wish they would drop the facade of the "surprises" they always seem to encounter during construction. They obviously have a thriving business and a TV show about it, and I'd be much more interested to know the real story behind these houses, like who really found them, what they really knew going in, etc. There's no reason to keep faking all these surprises and it just makes them look like dummies.

In the beginning seasons Pete was almost "the bad guy" investor who would complain about the money spent or the timeline.  The reality is, he and Tarek have been very good friends for quite a while.  The relationship we're seeing now (playing golf, doing flips together) is their real relationship.  I like this Pete much better.  He's much more likable.