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Flip Or Flop - General Discussion


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This felt absurdly scripted and contrived to me. Here's what I suspect based solely on conjecture:

The last batch of new episodes aired almost a year ago and no mention was made in them of their relationship status. They cut out references to them being married in the opening credits but otherwise acted like everything was the same between them. I bet that's how they filmed the next batch last summer. But then HGTV stepped in and decided to exploit their tabloid-heavy divorce so they went back and filmed a bunch of talking heads and "fight" scenes to insert into these episodes. That's why it's taken so long to get this new season on the air.

Notice the variations in Tarek's hair length and facial scrub. He starts out in his car, his hair buzzed really short, telling Christina he has a date; they meet up at the house "the next day" and his hair is visibly longer. In the big "fight" scene where they have it out on the street his hair is buzzed again but it's back to a normal length during the open house. That's why I think a lot of these "let's bicker and highlight our divorce" segments were filmed and inserted later. 

I did like the house, though, except that the floor plan seemed very scattered - I couldn't get a handle on what was where in that place. At the end of the day I'd still rather buy a house done by T&C than one by Aubrey and Bristol. 

  • Love 12

The show was painful to watch and it’s clear TPTB have decided to exploit the divorce for ratings and T& C have gone along with it, probably for the money.  There was no reason to include Tarek’s dating life, clothing choices or shaving habits in the episode; it was obviously scripted and badly, at that.  Shame on all of them.

Despite the divorce, Christina’s love for all things gray continues.  Boring.

  • Love 8

I really hope HGTV scales back the drama and just gets back to the renovations. One thing I've always enjoyed about Flip or Flop is that they didn't have that manufactured crap that you see on say A&E and Bravo. Sure there might be some tension or actual problems they need to work out on the flip, but we don't need to know what happened on a date or snide comments about a scruffy beard. This first episode back just made both of them look bad. The fact that there were so many obvious cuts/splices with changing hair lengths makes HGTV look bad.

  • Love 6
30 minutes ago, lynxfx said:

One thing I've always enjoyed about Flip or Flop is that they didn't have that manufactured crap that you see on say A&E and Bravo

I must have been watching a different Flip or Flop because I've seen plenty of manufactured crap on this show. In fact, HGTV is all about the manufactured crap; virtually every show on this network is full of it.

That said, this was quite a transformation of a pretty awful property. Loved the large tile kitchen backsplash and the tiny grass area with flowers. They really improved the curb appeal too.

  • Love 3
15 minutes ago, Broderbits said:

I must have been watching a different Flip or Flop because I've seen plenty of manufactured crap on this show. In fact, HGTV is all about the manufactured crap; virtually every show on this network is full of it.

Not to the extent of other networks with the dramatic music, shaky-cam, gasping reaction with cut to commercial shots every single episode. For the most part the shows like Property Brothers, Flip or Flop and Fixer Upper are pretty straight forward. They aren't perfect and do occasionally have big issues come up and even an "omg" gasp but they usually feel more organic and actually happen.  Watch one episode of any flipping show on A&E and you immediately will see the difference. DIY seems to be pretty straight forward as well, although the on screen commentary for First Time Flippers is quite entertaining in a Blind Date kind of way.

Last night's ep was pure script with Christina walking away then Tarek chasing her in the street. He even hit his mark and turned back toward the camera to make sure he was in frame when arguing with her. Just seemed like a totally different show.

  • Love 2
20 hours ago, iMonrey said:

This felt absurdly scripted and contrived to me. Here's what I suspect based solely on conjecture:

The last batch of new episodes aired almost a year ago and no mention was made in them of their relationship status. They cut out references to them being married in the opening credits but otherwise acted like everything was the same between them. I bet that's how they filmed the next batch last summer. But then HGTV stepped in and decided to exploit their tabloid-heavy divorce so they went back and filmed a bunch of talking heads and "fight" scenes to insert into these episodes. That's why it's taken so long to get this new season on the air.

Notice the variations in Tarek's hair length and facial scrub. He starts out in his car, his hair buzzed really short, telling Christina he has a date; they meet up at the house "the next day" and his hair is visibly longer. In the big "fight" scene where they have it out on the street his hair is buzzed again but it's back to a normal length during the open house. That's why I think a lot of these "let's bicker and highlight our divorce" segments were filmed and inserted later. 

I did like the house, though, except that the floor plan seemed very scattered - I couldn't get a handle on what was where in that place. At the end of the day I'd still rather buy a house done by T&C than one by Aubrey and Bristol. 

It felt really scripted to me as well. It was interesting that they decided to go with Christina being "jealous" about Tarek dating, when all the interviews and Internet sites talked about Christina starting to date first. IIR reports were that before the divorce it was Tarek who was being verbally abusive towards Christina on set. I'm just fascinated that HGTV has decided that they want to give the impression that Tarek is the guy moving on, while Christina is the whiny witch who can't let go.

I know that both Tarek and Christina have said that they are working hard at being civil to one another and working professionally together for the sake of the children. I was hoping to see that in the show, not them bickering. In any case it was really, really uncomfortable. I'll watch a couple of more episodes, but if they keep up the "drama" I'm out.

  • Love 9
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Is gray's time in the spotlight almost done?  So sick of it...

There has to be a happy medium between whites and grays and the gaudiness of one of Aubrey and Bristol's homes. Still, it makes sense to go neutral on a flip, there's no getting away from that. And the tile backsplash they used in the kitchen was a nice contrast.

  • Love 4

Tarek and his changing looks are throwing the continuity off. He seems like he had shorter hair and then longer hair but it was supposed to be the day after. The confessionals were annoying and hopefully that stuff will die out soon. The house it self was fine once finished. They did a good job with the front porch but it still looked cheap. The kitchen turned out nice which amazes me since I don’t care for the large hexagon tile. The bathrooms were their usual 411 down to the shower niches. They love a good show niche don’t they? The backyard did look awesome though. Overall, it was a good show but they have to cut back on the bickering crap or else I’m out. Okay! Maybe, not out-out but fast forwarding to the end. LOL!!!!!!

  • Love 5

It's one thing if they are caught in an actual argument but the bickering feels very manufactured. The little spat out on the street seemed like something they were asked to re-create for the cameras. Let's face it, these two just aren't talented enough actors to pull this off so it feels very fake. If they're willing to discuss the challenges they are facing now that they're divorced, then fine, but limit those to the talking heads and keep it real. 

  • Love 9
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Don't they realize their kids will see this some day?  

Have you checked the copyright of HGTV shows? Most are no more than a couple years old because they make so many shows and because styles change so quickly, they can't repeat the older shows. I doubt that their kids will see any of these shows unless their parents make a point of showing them to the kids.

Well, thank goodness no phony drama in this latest one. But good grief that house was a total tear-down. I think they really must have known going in they could get over $450K for it if it was fixed up. I want to know what the heck that giant twisted thing was in the back yard. It looked like something straight out of Jack and the Beanstalk. 

  • Love 5

That was much better than the last one. It really does look like HGTV wanted to show them "fighting" for one episode, probably since the world knew about the divorce, so they inserted some extra scenes. Now that they covered that part, they are willing to go back to flipping houses and Tarek and Christina acting like adults who have a civil relationship for the sake of the kids and their business. Others noted that in the "fight" scenes Tarek's hair and clothing were so different that those had been shot at a different time. It's like HGTV went "OMG people know they are divorced we have to SHOW the conflict or the audience won't get it."

I did like the flip. It was a cute little house and the outside was actually really interesting. I can't imaging paying $450K for it, but then I don't live in California.

  • Love 3
10 hours ago, lynxfx said:

So glad that the drama was limited to the promos. The episode didn't contain any references to dating or their relationship. Big improvement. 

The house was looking like quite the money pit, but of course they would get their multiple offers and a bidding war. 

I wonder if they're supposedly multiple offers and bidding wars are true?

  • Love 2
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The way I watch this TV show is the first 5 minutes then turn on something else and then come back to last five minutes to see the finished product?

But then you miss the drama of the "surprise" discovery that they have to re-wire the whole house, or that they need a new roof! Cut to commercial.

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I wonder if they're supposedly multiple offers and bidding wars are true?

Probably. Real estate in SoCal is ridiculous. I can't believe what people are paying for tiny little cracker box houses. People would probably fight over a house newly remodeled like that and under $500K.

  • Love 3

So does someone in production have pet rodents and they whip them out when they want Christina to be extra grossed out?  Because several years ago they had a white mouse rummaging around in a trashed-looking house, and this one (I just saw the "dating/blowout" one) had one white and brown rat, and one white rat that Tarek called a mouse.  I'm no huge pest expert, but I do live in a city, and any mice or rats I've ever seen have been brown/gray. 

Now I don't doubt that there are houses where pets got out and the people moved away without them, but I just think it's strange that any time I've seen a mouse or rat on this show, it looks like a bred-as-pet critter rather than a pest type.

  • Love 6
17 hours ago, Jobiska said:

So does someone in production have pet rodents and they whip them out when they want Christina to be extra grossed out?  Because several years ago they had a white mouse rummaging around in a trashed-looking house, and this one (I just saw the "dating/blowout" one) had one white and brown rat, and one white rat that Tarek called a mouse.  I'm no huge pest expert, but I do live in a city, and any mice or rats I've ever seen have been brown/gray. 

Now I don't doubt that there are houses where pets got out and the people moved away without them, but I just think it's strange that any time I've seen a mouse or rat on this show, it looks like a bred-as-pet critter rather than a pest type.

My understanding is that the rat/mouse thing is a running joke by production to watch Christina freak out. So yes - plants.

  • Love 5

I’m so glad Tarek & Christina let us know they are divorced every 5 minutes. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know. Jeez! Can the show, Tarek & Christina STFU!!! Between their personal stuff & the fake reaction shots to EVERYTHING this (season) show is getting on my last nerve. That said, the Flip turned out nice even with such a small kitchen. Man! I’ve seen bigger kitchens on airplanes. 

  • Love 6
3 hours ago, valdawn said:

How could they not know each other’s travel schedules when they have kids together? Like wouldnt you  plan ahead? Who was watching the children??? Probably manufactured crap to have drama for the show. All annoying and I feel sorry for the kids. 

I agree, I know they have a couple of nannies, but, which one had primary custody if they were both out of town?  And, why does Tarek get to be the offended party when, from the sound of it, he hadn’t run his plans past Christina either?  I am glad we haven’t seen the kids thus far, they need to be out of sight if the show is going to exploit the phony divorce drama.

As for the house, white shaker cabinets and a gray exterior, ho hum.

  • Love 3
On ‎6‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 10:00 AM, iMonrey said:

Probably. Real estate in SoCal is ridiculous. I can't believe what people are paying for tiny little cracker box houses. People would probably fight over a house newly remodeled like that and under $500K.

Ridiculous is a good word, insane is also a good word.

I left SoCal in '88 but it will always be home. For many years we spent a week every summer at Roberts Cottages on The Strand (a beachfront one-lane) in Oceanside. A motor lodge of twenty four tiny cottages, built in the 20s, a local legend, now individually owned, Cali's first condominium association. We met families who had been staying there for 20-30 years. Rarely on the market, the one currently available is 288 square feet, 2-bdr for $775,000. They're gold mines because summer rates start at $1500 weekly and winter rates start at $800. But imagine the property tax!

"Due to the size of these homes typical conventional financing is very difficult and transactions are typically cash only." Eh-hew!

This is the only flipper show I watch so I don't know if they all have bank but the way T&C throw around cash money is surreal to me. I know it's SoCal but wowzer. Did their parents float them in the beginning? I can't remember. Haven't seen the new eps, been waiting to read here and then decide if I will watch. I mellowed on C after awhile, I guess I got used to her, and for some reason I want to like her but she doesn't make it easy.

2 hours ago, suomi said:

Ridiculous is a good word, insane is also a good word.

I left SoCal in '88 but it will always be home. For many years we spent a week every summer at Roberts Cottages on The Strand (a beachfront one-lane) in Oceanside. A motor lodge of twenty four tiny cottages, built in the 20s, a local legend, now individually owned, Cali's first condominium association. We met families who had been staying there for 20-30 years. Rarely on the market, the one currently available is 288 square feet, 2-bdr for $775,000. They're gold mines because summer rates start at $1500 weekly and winter rates start at $800. But imagine the property tax!

"Due to the size of these homes typical conventional financing is very difficult and transactions are typically cash only." Eh-hew!

This is the only flipper show I watch so I don't know if they all have bank but the way T&C throw around cash money is surreal to me. I know it's SoCal but wowzer. Did their parents float them in the beginning? I can't remember. Haven't seen the new eps, been waiting to read here and then decide if I will watch. I mellowed on C after awhile, I guess I got used to her, and for some reason I want to like her but she doesn't make it easy.

In some of the early seasons, we saw T&C borrowing from their parents to get the dough to pay cash for houses.  They were originally both realtors in Southern California and did pretty well until the market bottomed out around 8-10 years ago. They ended up living in her parents' garage for a while because they didn't have money for a place of their own.  During that time, they shopped around tapes proposing a show about flipping while trying to launch their own flipping business.  Back then, the shows were much more concerned with budget and they didn't toss money at the homes like they do now.  They were also generally much more modest homes than we're seeing now; in worse shape, smaller and not in the best areas.  It seems like, as their business grew, the housing market took off again and now everything in So. Cal is ridiculously overpriced.

I'm glad I live in the Midwest where owning a home is within reach of most people.

  • Love 5

Whenever they find a home that's completely filled to the rafters with garbage it makes me wonder if it's just staged that way for the show. Like a dump truck just pulled up and filled the place with junk. I just can't imagine how a house could ever get into a state like that. Didn't the people who left take anything with them? Even if they were evicted, surely they had time to pack up their stuff - if not all of it, at least some of it. I mean, nobody could have been living there with the house looking like that, surely. Did the evicted tenants purposely throw their furniture and belongings all over the floor in an effort to dissuade someone from purchasing the home? To what end? 

I remember when T&C bought a more upscale home and found it vandalized with broken windows and concrete poured into the toilets and so forth, and that I could see, if the previous owners had been foreclosed on. But a house where the floors are just completely covered with upturned furniture, clothes, trash, etc., just baffles me. More so because T&C seem to find a lot of these houses.  

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How could they not know each other’s travel schedules when they have kids together? Like woukdntbuou plan ahead? Who was watching the children??? Probably manufactured crap to have drama for the show. 

Yeah, this "argument" really rang hollow, as with the one in the season premier. Apparently neither knew the other planned to be out of town. Tarek has the nerve to bitch about Christina spending time with her girl friends like she's supposed to be at his beck and call at any given moment? But he doesn't have to tell her his plans?

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 Did their parents float them in the beginning? 

They used to have a partner named Pete. We haven't seen him in awhile. He was the one with the money and he fronted them the cash, they did all the work, then they split the profits. That's how they got started. They did once ask Christina's parents for money, and another time they hit up Tarek's mom, but in both those instances they were already well into the flip and didn't have enough to finish it the way they wanted to.

  • Love 6

Am I the only one excited to see Izzy!?

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

Whenever they find a home that's completely filled to the rafters with garbage it makes me wonder if it's just staged that way for the show.

It does seem very suspicious; every tenant in California can't be this vindictive and sloppy(and careless with their pet mice).

  • Love 5
2 minutes ago, Broderbits said:

Am I the only one excited to see Izzy!?

It does seem very suspicious; every tenant in California can't be this vindictive and sloppy(and careless with their pet mice).

I love Izzy!  I wish he had his own show.  He's so calm and deadpan and I particularly love it when Tarek complains about how much a particular fix will cost and Izzy gives him the side eye.

  • Love 7

I suppose it's possible the house was abandoned long enough for people to have broken in and partied in there, but it didn't look like the home was vandalized by party-goers so much as it just looked like a tornado swept through and dumped every stick of furniture, ever book, every ornament, and every article or clothing all over the floor. It just doesn't make any sense.

On another note - what were those holes for in the original exterior facade, in the gable over the front door? They looked like holes for birds to nest in, like the overhang was designed to double as a giant bird box. I think I've seen those before on other older houses too. Or is it just some sort of weird ventilation? 

3 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Whenever they find a home that's completely filled to the rafters with garbage it makes me wonder if it's just staged that way for the show.

My husband has a friend who lives in a house that looks like that. You can't even see the floors - there are little trails through stuff piled over 4 feet high that he uses to get around. First time I saw it I couldn't believe it.

3 hours ago, iMonrey said:

 

They used to have a partner named Pete. We haven't seen him in awhile. He was the one with the money and he fronted them the cash, they did all the work, then they split the profits. That's how they got started. They did once ask Christina's parents for money, and another time they hit up Tarek's mom, but in both those instances they were already well into the flip and didn't have enough to finish it the way they wanted to.

Pete is usually the voice on the phone when they have to call one of the "home owners"  or another "real estate agent."  I'm pretty sure he's still their partner.

I'm sure that they have a financial arrangement with a bank to deal with all their expenses and income.  They certainly are not obtaining mortgages for each property, because then they would be required to go through termite inspections.  And they don't.

 

I just got a flier in the mail from Tarek and Christina inviting me to their seminar on flipping houses.  They say my area is prime for flipping.  In my area, their "before" quality houses are going for $1M plus.  I can't see it being really easy or profitable.

  • Love 2
On 6/9/2018 at 7:42 AM, Rabbittron said:

I wonder if they're supposedly multiple offers and bidding wars are true?

As someone who bought in Northern California about 4 years ago, yes, absolutely true. In our area, the cycle is as follows: house goes on the market on Tuesday. Brokers tour. Open houses the next two Saturdays and Sundays. Private showings in between. After the second weekend of showings, offers are "due" the following Friday (usually). It is practically unheard of to put in a "full-price" offer--it is a matter of how much over asking you will offer, how short an escrow you can swing, and if you can pay all cash. (Houses here run about $450/sq foot if they need a full remodel, $500-550 if they've already been flipped.) Most listings get about ten offers, and there is a bidding war until an offer and probably a backup are accepted, usually for about 10-15% over list. VA loan offers are NEVER accepted because of the extra hoops you have to jump through. In the area that feeds to the middle school where my daughter went, there are currently maybe 8 houses listed for sale (1200 kids at the middle school if that gives you an idea of the population density). Probably 2 are under a million, and those are definitely needing a full gut, and are 3br/2ba 1500 sq ft houses. 

I know Southern California is more relaxed than this, but that's the state of affairs in the San Francisco Bay Area suburbs, and not even the Silicon Valley ones. 

I think the dumpster houses are probably foreclosures. 

  • Love 6
On ‎6‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 4:52 PM, meep.meep said:

Pete is usually the voice on the phone when they have to call one of the "home owners"  or another "real estate agent."  I'm pretty sure he's still their partner.

I'm sure that they have a financial arrangement with a bank to deal with all their expenses and income.  They certainly are not obtaining mortgages for each property, because then they would be required to go through termite inspections.  And they don't.

 

I just got a flier in the mail from Tarek and Christina inviting me to their seminar on flipping houses.  They say my area is prime for flipping.  In my area, their "before" quality houses are going for $1M plus.  I can't see it being really easy or profitable.

I got one of those invites, too. I'm from the Philadelphia area. I promptly threw it in the trash. LOL!!!

  • Love 2
(edited)
6 hours ago, MsTree said:

Lime green Crissy? Either there's something radically wrong with her or she's getting off on breaking Tarek's balls.  Enough of the bullshit, ok?

The bullshit seems to be the whole point of  the show anymore.  They spent more time on the stupid contrived ‘argument’ and Christina’s talking heads explaining Tarek than they did on the house.  None of them are able to act, it was obviously phony.  I felt especially sorry for Izzy, his ‘bro moment’ with Tarek was painful to watch.

No way Christina wanted a lime green house, she’s not Aubrey.  It would’ve been nice to get more info about how they changed the layout of the house, where they put the laundry room, etc.

Edited by doodlebug
  • Love 5
1 hour ago, doodlebug said:

The bullshit seems to be the whole point of  the show anymore.  They spent more time on the stupid contrived ‘argument’ and Christina’s talking heads explaining Tarek than they did on the house.  None of them are able to act, it was obviously phony.  I felt especially sorry for Izzy, his ‘bro moment’ with Tarek was painful to watch.

No way Christina wanted a lime green house, she’s not Aubrey.  It would’ve been nice to get more info about how they changed the layout of the house, where they put the laundry room, etc.

It was funny because they never showed Tarek and Izzy in the same frame with the bro talk. Obviously, they needed to provide Izzy with an acting coach. Did they even show the backyard after it was cleaned up? I can't recall. The lime green was just a (stupid) plot device. You know they were going to do their usual gray (which always looks good) and, white trim. Overall, the house looked nice. I wasn't too crazy walking in to the front door with the island right there but I guess they had to do something with the support beam pole.

  • Love 2

I have a better concept for this show. Have these two sitting at a table amidst a garbage strewn kitchen doing a run through of the script

Too bad First Time Flippers isn't listed. Now that show raises lotsa questions. Like how does seemingly complete incompetence manage to complete a renovation to seemingly acceptable appearances and who would buy a home where the flippers apparently just put up wallboard onto outside walls with no insulation. 

  • Love 2

This was another one where it felt like they went back and shot additional "drama" footage for the episode. What the heck was up with all the clips from previous shows? It almost felt like a series finale or something. Who the hell cares if Christina sells their house? 

Quote

None of them are able to act, it was obviously phony.  I felt especially sorry for Izzy, his ‘bro moment’ with Tarek was painful to watch.

Painful. Absolutely painful. That's why this phony drama just doesn't work - they are all terrible actors. 

But you know what really cracked me up? Christina's hair stylist has the exact same hair as Christina!! Right down to the spiral curls framing her face and hanging down her front. 

I actually thought the green and dark blue paint might have worked but it wasn't painted the way Christina described. She said the house would be green and the trim would be dark blue, but the garage half of the house was dark blue with the light green trim instead and that looked awful. If it had been done right, it might have worked - I can sort of see what she was going for with the mid-century vibe of the house.

  • Love 2
1 hour ago, 100Proof said:

Too bad First Time Flippers isn't listed. Now that show raises lotsa questions. Like how does seemingly complete incompetence manage to complete a renovation to seemingly acceptable appearances and who would buy a home where the flippers apparently just put up wallboard onto outside walls with no insulation. 

We've been watching a bunch of those and they are truly mind boggling. I don't know how many times I can watch someone flinch/jump/scream whenever they turn on a saw or use a nail gun. The timelines are also quite hilarious. 

Intro: We expect to finish in 7 weeks.
......
"8 months later"
......

They also tend to either not sell or are rented out.

 

My DVR didn't list a new Flip or Flop so didn't record. Wonder what happened there.

  • Love 1

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