Flip Or Flop - General Discussion

[iMonrey]

Yeah, there aren't really enough total episodes to keep doing marathons. I think there are 16-20 episodes, total. How many times can you watch them?

 

 

I like the show and the couple, although Tarek's eyes darting around is distracting at times.

 

Sometimes he strikes me as having OCD/ADD. I have to admit, though, that I find him strangely adorkable. He's got some funny facial expressions, which obviously the producers and editors have noticed, since they've captured one of his sillier ones in the opening title sequence (where he wins an auction). 

 

Christine's voice doesn't bother me. In fact I like her best when the camera captures some actual live, unexpected moments (as opposed to the scripted re-enactments) - like the time they found someone sleeping in the house they'd just bought and she ran out of the house screaming her head off. Or when they went into that roach-infested house and they had to bleep out whatever she said. At least neither one of them try to pretend they're perfect little angels.

[auntjess]

New show tonight, at 8 I think.

[iMonrey]

Yep, new episode, and we got to see Tarek's sister. I love that her name is Angelique. I wonder if she's a Dark Shadows fan. Beautiful house, they still made a nice profit even after lowering the price for his sister. Her daughter and Taylor look like they could be sisters.

[auntjess]

I'd think that they could have discovered some of the pool problems before they bought, with a more thorough inspection, or having  a pool expert look.

 

Tarek's mother was on a show in the first season, when she leant them money for a deal.

 

[roughing it]

It seems like Christina's false eyelashes are so heavy that she can barely hold her eyes open.  Kind of reminds me of Goldie Hawn in "Overboard" when she's dreaming of being at the ball with the confetti falling into her eyes.

 

I can see wearing them for a special night out, but not for everyday.  Or maybe she only wears them for the show.  She's pretty, she doesn't need them.

[Portia]

It seems like Christina's false eyelashes are so heavy that she can barely hold her eyes open.  Kind of reminds me of Goldie Hawn in "Overboard" when she's dreaming of being at the ball with the confetti falling into her eyes.

 

I can see wearing them for a special night out, but not for everyday.  Or maybe she only wears them for the show.  She's pretty, she doesn't need them.

I've thought the same thing about her heavy makeup and her excessive tanning and hoochie-mama wardrobe. Why does such a natural beauty feel like she has to try to hard? (Of course, as long as she's making those choices because they make her happy, I guess it's her business. I realize I sound like the nagging mom of a teen girl.)

 

Also, as much as I love her bitch-face (and Christina has one of the great bitch-faces of all recorded history, IMO), I find myself wishing she'd smile naturally more often. Every once in a while she breaks into a truly relaxed smile, and it's really, really lovely. But then she goes back to giving Tarek the old side-eye, and that's awesome, too. 

[iMonrey]

I've never really been bothered by Christina's make-up. She's obviously very fair complected, and for all we know there are make-up people on the show who insist that she'll wash out on camera if they don't apply a little extra mascara and eye shadow. I'm sure when she's actually working and not on TV she doesn't go around in designer duds, either. Then again, Tarek is always on site in his usual shorts, flip-flops and Izod, so who knows?

 

 

I'd think that they could have discovered some of the pool problems before they bought, with a more thorough inspection, or having  a pool expert look.

 

I think that's one of the "fake" aspects of the show. Neither of them are stupid enough to buy a property without knowing exactly what they're getting into first. And something like that can be spotted during an initial walk-through. Now, when they start tearing down walls and find bad plumbing and stuff, that's probably genuine, but not something like this.

[Portia]

She's obviously very fair complected

It's funny, I've seen other people on this thread make that same claim, and I just don't see it. To me she looks very heavily tanned. Whether it's a real tan or a spray tan I don't know, but I sure don't see fair skin. I can show you fair skin! Haha, maybe it's the settings on my TV.

[GeorgePBurdell]

I watch this show just so I can LMAO at the opening, where Tarek flees like a lunatic toddler from the falling trellis while the contractor stands there, looking at Tarek like he's lost his mind. Never gets old.

[Honey]

I watch this show just so I can LMAO at the opening, where Tarek flees like a lunatic toddler from the falling trellis while the contractor stands there, looking at Tarek like he's lost his mind. Never gets old.

Don't for get the falling ceiling tiles.  Lol

[Portia]

For some reason my favorite part of the opening sequence is when it shows Christina cleaning windows while Tarek says that some houses are a quick fix. I always imagine her saying, "This house is in great shape--all we have to do is wash the windows!"  

[millennium]

For some reason my favorite part of the opening sequence is when it shows Christina cleaning windows while Tarek says that some houses are a quick fix. I always imagine her saying, "This house is in great shape--all we have to do is wash the windows!"  

 

LOL, I always think that too.    I call it the "Windex Flip."

 

My favorite part of the opening is when Tarek wins the auction and then reacts like he's disoriented and might faint.

[millennium]

Meouch!

 

I just read backwards through this thread.   All the catty comments about Christina.   Talk about a complete tear-down.

 

Personally, I think Christina is the brains behind the whole operation.   She sits there like the Cheshire Cat, quietly listening and nodding as Tarek rambles (sometimes she does a very subtle eyeroll), but I bet off-camera she calls most of the shots.

[Taylorh2]

I watch this show and most of the "Remodel/Flip" shows at the 'Before' and FF to the 'After' shots. Because they are all pretty much 'lather-rinse-repeat'

 

I like looking at the staging & accessories.

[Honey]

millennium, on 21 Oct 2014 - 8:02 PM, said:

 

 

millennium, on 21 Oct 2014 - 8:02 PM, said:

Meouch!

 

I just read backwards through this thread.   All the catty comments about Christina.   Talk about a complete tear-down.

 

Personally, I think Christina is the brains behind the whole operation.   She sits there like the Cheshire Cat, quietly listening and nodding as Tarek rambles (sometimes she does a very subtle eyeroll), but I bet off-camera she calls most of the shots.

I actually really like Christina.  I was watching one of the old shows (Taylor was still in a crib).  I noticed a huge difference in Christina's eyes.  Her lids used to be very heavy, almost covering her lower lid.  She must have had some surgery since her eyes looks so much better now.  Very good work.

Edited October 24, 2014 by Honey

[Portia]

I like Christina also and love that she wears stylish clothes. I don't find them to be hootchie at all. She has a slim figure and wears clothes well. I don't care if she wears a lot of makeup. She feels good and looks good and seems happy. 

 

I also don't know why it is taken as a bad thing that Tarek tells his daughter that she is pretty. I bet he would tell her that even if she was a troll. 

Christina does wear clothes beautifully, but I find some of her skirts reallllly short for professional attire. YMMV, of course.  :-)

 

If you're referring to my comment way upthread, I did not say that it's bad for Tarek to tell his daughter she's pretty; I said it seemed to me that that was he was complimenting her ONLY on her appearance. I was brand-new to the show, watching a bunch of old episodes in addition to the newer ones, and I believe I said that it could just be a coincidence that I had seen like five eps in a row where the only interaction between Tarek & Taylor was him saying "You're so cute."  Sure enough, the more episodes I saw, the less common this was. Also, I hadn't really taken into consideration that they powers that be might look at 30 minutes of footage of him playing with Taylor and choose only the snippet where he's talking about her looks. Ultimately, though I just want to clarify that I don't think there's anything wrong with complimenting a child's physical attractiveness; I think just we should teach them that their minds and characters are what's really important. And I have every hope that this is the case in that family. 

 

Meouch!

 

I just read backwards through this thread.   All the catty comments about Christina.   Talk about a complete tear-down.

I'm sure this was meant in good fun, but a part of me bristles when it's called "cattiness" for one woman to critique another woman. That terminology implies a sort of bitchy competitiveness that just isn't always there. If anything, when I declare that I find Christina's makeup and fashion choices a bit over-the-top, it's coming from a place of motherliness . . . but ultimately, hey, it's just my opinion. Also, I'm not sure I've seen any "complete tear-downs" of Christina on this thread. Maybe I missed some character assassinations, but it seems to me that a lot of poeple are acknowledging that Christina is bright and has other great qualities. 

 

I'm honestly not trying to get combative here, but I've thought it over and feel like I should express how this post struck me. I may be the only one, but the "meow" thing is a bit of a trigger for me. It can come off as borderline sexist, but I'm sure that's not at all how you meant it. :-)

[millennium]

I'm sure this was meant in good fun, but a part of me bristles when it's called "cattiness" for one woman to critique another woman. That terminology implies a sort of bitchy competitiveness that just isn't always there. If anything, when I declare that I find Christina's makeup and fashion choices a bit over-the-top, it's coming from a place of motherliness . . . but ultimately, hey, it's just my opinion. Also, I'm not sure I've seen any "complete tear-downs" of Christina on this thread. Maybe I missed some character assassinations, but it seems to me that a lot of poeple are acknowledging that Christina is bright and has other great qualities. 

 

I'm honestly not trying to get combative here, but I've thought it over and feel like I should express how this post struck me. I may be the only one, but the "meow" thing is a bit of a trigger for me. It can come off as borderline sexist, but I'm sure that's not at all how you meant it. :-)

 

I personally define cattiness as the act of taking pleasure in making snide remarks about other people's personal choices, i.e., hairstyle, clothing, home furnishings, etc.   Such remarks have the appearance of being rooted in jealousy, especially when the target -- in this case, Christina -- has said or done nothing objectionable to prompt the bitter response.  (Now, if we were talking Korina from Project Runway ...)

 

I find both genders equally capable of being catty.    If I were a political correctness wonk, I might point out that it's just a wee bit sexist to presume that cattiness is a uniquely female trait.   ;)

Edited October 26, 2014 by millennium

[Portia]

I personally define cattiness as the act of taking pleasure in making snide remarks about other people's personal choices, i.e., hairstyle, clothing, home furnishings, etc.   Such remarks have the appearance of being rooted in jealousy, especially when the target -- in this case, Christina -- has said or done nothing objectionable to prompt the bitter response.  (Now, if we were talking Korina from Project Runway ...)

 

I find both genders equally capable of being catty.    If I were a political correctness wonk, I might point out that it's just a wee bit sexist to presume that cattiness is a uniquely female trait.   ;)

See, I chafe at the notion that any derogatory comment about a celebrity's style choices is presumed to be bitter or rooted in jealousy. Forums like these are filled with offhand snark about the hairstyles, etc. of celebs who may be otherwise regarded as fine human beings. As for the presumption of underlying jealousy . . . sorry, but I continue to maintain that this card gets played only when a woman is criticizing another woman. Back when Simon Cowell was my favorite judge on American Idol (pardon the terribly dated reference!), I made fun of his too-tight t-shirts on a daily basis, and no one ever suggested I was jealous. 

 

I am pretty sure I have never heard a man referred to as catty, and I'm 100% sure I've never heard someone say "meow!" after a man made a criticial comment about another human being. My original suggestion was not that men aren't critical of others, but that when a man is critical, he isn't likely to be accused of being petty, bitchy, or competitive . . . and he may escape comment altogether. 

 

I'm obviously not expressing this as clearly as I'd like, and I'm also finding that my assumptions about, for instance, the definition of "catty" or implications of "meow!" aren't as widely held as I suspected. I appreciate your polite and measured response, millennium. This has prompted me to begin doing some reading on the subject, and maybe I can find a forum elsewhere on PTV where I can continue the discussion!  :-)

Edited October 27, 2014 by Portia

[mojito]

I hate the 'cattiness' and 'meow' references because they are always aimed at women.

 

Yet, it's male cats that do most of the fighting....How did this turn around on women?

 

I don't think Christine is fair complexioned. Well, not compared to other white people, anyway. Tarek, however, is. But I guess everything is relative.

[Suzeegirl]

Love this show! Tarek, Christina and Izzy the contractor are amazing. I love their taste. It is very sad to read personal negative comments regarding this young couple. They are smart, hard working and I am a huge fan!

[iMonrey]

 

Personally, I think Christina is the brains behind the whole operation.   She sits there like the Cheshire Cat, quietly listening and nodding as Tarek rambles (sometimes she does a very subtle eyeroll), but I bet off-camera she calls most of the shots.

 

There's a running narrative where Christina is always the one who wants to spend the money while Tarek is the one who wants to do a quick flip with as little changes as possible. He's always the one suggesting they keep the old cabinets, old flooring, old fireplace, etc., and it's always Christina shutting him down and saying no, we have to tear that out and start new. Whether that's their real working dynamic or something they cooked up for the show, I don't know. But in that respect, she does come off as "the brains" because her choices are always right.

 

 

I don't think Christine is fair complexioned. Well, not compared to other white people, anyway. Tarek, however, is. But I guess everything is relative.

 

When Tarek was in the hospital Christina tweeted a selfie of her and Tarek from his hospital bed, and she wasn't wearing any makeup at all. Now, she didn't look awful, but she looked like a completely different person. When I refer to her as being fair complected I mean blonde hair, blue eyes, probably almost invisible eyelashes and eyebrows. Without any eye makeup, she could probably pass for a boy. People with dark hair and dark eyes can go without makeup and still have well defined eyes - fair haired people look washed out. I think she's very cognizant of being on camera for the show but she clearly doesn't care if people see her without makeup since she tweeted that pic herself.

[Portia]

When Tarek was in the hospital Christina tweeted a selfie of her and Tarek from his hospital bed, and she wasn't wearing any makeup at all. Now, she didn't look awful, but she looked like a completely different person. When I refer to her as being fair complected I mean blonde hair, blue eyes, probably almost invisible eyelashes and eyebrows. Without any eye makeup, she could probably pass for a boy. People with dark hair and dark eyes can go without makeup and still have well defined eyes - fair haired people look washed out. I think she's very cognizant of being on camera for the show she clearly doesn't care if people see her without makeup since she tweeted that pic herself.

Ah, that makes sense. She's got my sincere admiration for the "naked" selfie. I don't go to the mailbox without foundation and eyeliner because I have an elderly neighbor who might not be able to handle the shock. 

 

I've watched the episodes all out of order, just as they've come up on my DVR. Do they still work with the husky bald contractor? I can't shake the feeling that he might be a serial killer. Israel, on the other hand, is my main man.

 

How is Tarek doing? Will they be making any new episodes? I seem to have run through all the old episodes.

[bubbls]

You know, if I bought the roach house then saw it on the show before it'd been treated I think I'd have to move to a hotel and get some therapy. And maybe burn it to the ground. 

[bubbls]

I saw the episode with the chickens in the barn today. I'm glad a rescue took them. Anyway, I suppose it was probably due to codes, but I wish they'd turned that gorgeous barn into a guest house or MIL suite. With so many people having blended families it seems like it'd make a great place for extended family to live. Or a rental. 

[iMonrey]

 

You know, if I bought the roach house then saw it on the show before it'd been treated I think I'd have to move to a hotel and get some therapy. And maybe burn it to the ground.

 

It was disgusting all right, but bug infestations can be treated if you have a house. (Not so if you live in an apartment; you just shift them from one apartment to the next.) The house I would have been really disturbed to see on this show if I'd bought it was the one where people kept breaking in. 

 

 

I've watched the episodes all out of order, just as they've come up on my DVR. Do they still work with the husky bald contractor? I can't shake the feeling that he might be a serial killer. Israel, on the other hand, is my main man.

 

Daniel was the first contractor you're referring to. Israel came afterwards, but they've had others besides them. They worked with new people on the latest episodes. For as many flips as they're doing at any given time I'm sure they have a multitude of contractors, and the ones they use on the show they probably have to pay some kind of appearance fee.

 

 

How is Tarek doing? Will they be making any new episodes? I seem to have run through all the old episodes.

 

I know there are more new episodes they are filming/have filmed but haven't aired yet, but I don't know when they will. 

[faversham]

The financial overview always includes a big chunk for "closing costs." Since they are both real estate agents and they hold the open house themselves it seems like they would pay 3% at the most for selling. That would be the buyer's agent's half of the standard 6% commission. Buying they would pay just the selling agent 3% also. There must be a lawyer's fee and some miscellaneous fees. But I remember one episode listing the closing costs as $40k. Are they paying points for the buyer, which would reduce the sales price/profit? Any explanation on why closing costs would be that high? 

Edited November 28, 2014 by faversham

[Honey]

The financial overview always includes a big chunk for "closing costs." Since they are both real estate agents and they hold the open house themselves it seems like they would pay 3% at the most for selling. That would be the buyer's agent's half of the standard 6% commission. Buying they would pay just the selling agent 3% also. There must be a lawyer's fee and some miscellaneous fees. But I remember one episode listing the closing costs as $40k. Are they paying points for the buyer, which would reduce the sales price/profit? Any explanation on why closing costs would be that high? 

Could they be paying the buyer's closing cost to sweeten the deal?

[Apprentice Ilisidi]

My favorite flipper is the squirrel. There's at least one squirrel shot in every episode. I think he's appeared on other HGTV shows as well. Must be on contract.

[iMonrey]

I've wondered about that too. Generally, the buyer pays closing costs. Sometimes the buyer will ask the seller to pay all or some of the closing costs in the negotiations, but it seems like on this show, Tarek and Christina always pay closing costs, whether it's some of them or all of them. Maybe it is a standard thing with them to make the sale more attractive and leave the buyer with less wiggle room for price negotiation.

[chessiegal]

I'm watching a marathon right now. I want Christina to come and redo my kitchen and master bath. I just love her taste.

[auntjess]

I see on Facebook that Tarek has just had back/spine surgery.
 

[chessiegal]

Thanks for the info, auntjess. Wishing him a speedy recovery.

[NYGirl]

I've wondered about that too. Generally, the buyer pays closing costs. Sometimes the buyer will ask the seller to pay all or some of the closing costs in the negotiations, but it seems like on this show, Tarek and Christina always pay closing costs, whether it's some of them or all of them. Maybe it is a standard thing with them to make the sale more attractive and leave the buyer with less wiggle room for price negotiation.

I don't know the laws in California but in New York there's taxes to be paid whenever you sell a property.  It's based on the profit over the renovations.  Maybe that's it?

 

This is the only show besides House Hunters that I can watch the reruns if nothing else is on.  I love the relationship between Christina and Tarek.  I also love that she usually wins the argument.

[auntjess]

I can always watch reruns of Bryan Baeumler, unless it's House of..., because his wife is so annoying.
 

[hoosier80]

I generally like watching this show, as they do transform either a dated house or a house of horrors into a very nice home.  I love the kitchens and baths they do.

 

Two things bug:

 

1.  They always run into some problems - always.  Now that could be for the drama for the show, but any flipper worth their salt would have money set aside

      for contingencies.   It would be even more crucial given that a good portion of homes they buy are bought sight unseen.  They very well could have money

      budgeted for unknowns, but the show should let them state so.  The OMG we've already spent 10k over budget and now we found a multi generational colony

      of rats that are on the endangered list and its incredibly expensive to relocate them and to clean everything out.........no way could they really do business like 

      that time and time again, going over budget and then magically getting an offer (after increasing the sale price).  I know they've had a few episodes where

      they didn't get an offer by the end of the show, but most times they do.

 

2.  When the cabinets or fixtures aren't falling apart, they still just take a sledgehammer and destroy everything.  If it's even partially usable, why not try to salvage 

     and take to a resell store.  I'm sure some DIY person could maybe repurpose the item.  

 

Living in the midwest, still experiencing sticker shock over the home prices in CA.  

[iMonrey]

 

1.  They always run into some problems - always.

 

I'm sure they run into unexpected problems in remodeling all the time, but I agree it's phony to keep pretending these are unforeseen problems in every episode. Especially when it's something that would have been blatantly obvious on the first walk-through, like mold on the ceiling.

 

But, it's worse on Love It or List It, for example. On that show, it's almost like it's the exact same episode every time, because Hillary always, always runs into some major problem that eats up most of her budget so she's never able to give the home owners everything they want.

 

 

2.  When the cabinets or fixtures aren't falling apart, they still just take a sledgehammer and destroy everything.  If it's even partially usable, why not try to salvage

 

Probably because they want everything to look high-end, and none of the houses they buy have cabinets that are even close to being in style anymore (although I seem to recall a couple of episodes where they at least considered re-finishing the cabinets). 

[BBDi]

I think Christina just dresses very So Cal/Orange County. I'm a native San Diegan but have lived back east a couple of decades now. I'm always surprised when I visit how differently my sisters and I dress. That's just how it is there.

 

Christina generally looks great, and I agree that she's probably the brains of the operation...She seems like she has a great eye and I sure wish she'd fix up my piece of crap house.

 

With regard to the show itself, it does get repetitive. I think they have built-in challenge because there's not the usual focus as with other shows on creating the 'special house for the special family' (which sometimes gets vomitrocious anyway)--it's just Tarek and Christina, their subcontractors, and the house itself. I definitely enjoy it more when they go into more depth on the nature of the home, the vibe they're trying to achieve, and their design choices, vs just another 'OMG we just found X and that blows out our budget.'

 

That said, it's kind of a testament to how pleasant I find Tarek and Christina, since the focus is mostly on them.

Edited January 30, 2015 by BBDi

[chessiegal]

They posted on FB today that they're starting filming Season 5 in a few weeks. Season 3 starts airing in April.

[Honey]

They posted on FB today that they're starting filming Season 5 in a few weeks. Season 3 starts airing in April.

April 7th to be exact.

[Portia]

Saw the new promo on TV today, and they both look great! Tarek looks healthy, and Christina is sporting a less "plastic" style that really lets her natural beauty shine through.

[iMonrey]

New episodes start in April. Has anyone seen the new promos? Tarek has lost a lot of weight. I hope it's just because he's lost weight, and not because he's still sick. His face looks very drawn.

[chessiegal]

Tarek was in the hospital for about a month. He had some back surgery that required more hospitalization. He's fine now. I think they have chronicled it fairly well on their FB page. They're both grateful he's well enough to go back to filming the show.

[bubbls]

 

It was disgusting all right, but bug infestations can be treated if you have a house. (Not so if you live in an apartment; you just shift them from one apartment to the next.) The house I would have been really disturbed to see on this show if I'd bought it was the one where people kept breaking in.

 

 

Oh I know, but I'd imagine seeing the house one is currently preparing food in looking like THAT before would be pretty traumatic. I'm not at all afraid of bugs or even roaches, being from Florida, but that was extreme. I agree on the house that was getting broken into. That would be frightening. I question the safety of a lot of the locations of the houses they flip.

Edited March 19, 2015 by bubbls

[camom]

There are times when I think T&C aren't too bright.  I mean, they do this for a living, but so often seem surprised by things.  Like finding out they couldn't use a particular paint color on the exterior because of the HOA.  Seeming surprised to find there are train tracks right behind the house.  And these were not houses they bought sight unseen.  I do think that Christina is the brains behind the operation, though.  She is pretty, and I like it since she has toned down the makeup.  Her voice doesn't sound like vocal fry to me, it sounds like she has some sort of appliance in her mouth.

[chessiegal]

Tarek and Christina announced on FB today they are expecting a boy, due date August 21st. They also posted a picture on Easter of their daughter with the Easter bunny and a basket almost as big as she is - she's such a cutie.

[NYGirl]

T and C announced that they are having a baby.  It's a boy and he's due on August 21st which is Tarek's birthday.

 

I cannot wait for new episodes.  I'm so sick of the same ones over and over.

[chessiegal]

Tarek and Christina posted on FB that they did 90 flips last year. Wow. They have also started their own design and construction company. Good for them.

[sugarbaker design]

There are times when I think T&C aren't too bright.  I mean, they do this for a living, but so often seem surprised by things.  Like finding out they couldn't use a particular paint color on the exterior because of the HOA.  Seeming surprised to find there are train tracks right behind the house.

 

 

I always thought that was producer-directed drama.

[iMonrey]

Two take-aways from the new episode: that was the most disgusting house they've ever bought, and $429K for a three bedroom, one bathroom house with no garage is a hell of a lot of money. I'd never be able to afford to live in California.

 

 

I always thought that was producer-directed drama.

 

It definitely is. They know exactly what they're getting into when they buy a house. The "walk throughs" are re-enactments of what they originally saw. They'd have to be. They have to get the cameras in there before they can record their reactions.

[mojito]

While watching this show, I thought about how it was a shame that people had to pay all that money for so little home.