Flip Or Flop - General Discussion

[ByaNose]

I liked the the inside of the flip but the outside of the house was all wrong with its angles. It actually did look like a barn on the outside which I didn’t like. I want the black and white house up the street. LOL!!!!! Of course, they made a huge profit. You gotta love HGTV and reality tv. That said, Tarek and Christina are getting along so well which I do like. They even do side by side confessionals. The hadn’t done that since when they were married. I didn’t care for the tile in the bathroom but I did like the rustic and modern fireplace. 

[LittleIggy]

That 1930s Spanish style house they flipped tonight had this beautiful stained glass window depicting a dirigible in the sky in the bathroom. I hoped they saved it!

[ByaNose]

Tarek & Christina are really over their divorce rough patch. I don’t think they were this happy when they were married. It’s a much more enjoyable show. It was a nice flip and I’m glad they kept (or tried too) the integrity of the house. It was expensive flip which priced them out as of airing. It was a nice change if pace flip.

[OnTime]

On ‎11‎/‎12‎/‎2020 at 2:43 PM, sheetmoss said:

My jaw dropped, they didn't know what to do with the  family room space as is

Does it being a lower-level throw them off that much? Oy vey!

So they decided to add another bedroom to the lower level.  Tarek/Jeff know the regulations about adding a "bedroom"  but they never talk about it. They act like you can just add another bedroom with no problem!

"But Once the owner converts the extra room into a bedroom, the home may no longer be in compliance with the septic permit that was issued. If the home has a septic permit for a three-bedroom home and is being sold as a four-bedroom home or a three- or four-bedroom home, it is a material misrepresentation that could subject the seller to liability in the future."

[doodlebug]

11 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

That 1930s Spanish style house they flipped tonight had this beautiful stained glass window depicting a dirigible in the sky in the bathroom. I hoped they saved it!

I hope they saved it, too, but I kind of wish they had found a place for it in the remodeled home.  I was going nuts listening to Christina brag about her 'modern Spanish' design while choosing the same tiles, flooring and cabinets they use in every other home.

It  was a really neat house, though, much nicer than the cookie cutter sameness of the ones they usually flip.

[iMonrey]

It was a nice house but the kitchen backsplash was hideous IMO.  

I think we've seen a trend with how hard it is to sell houses in the million dollar price range. They go like hotcakes when they're in the 750K range but over a million and they tend to sit on the market. 

[OnTime]

On the repeat episode they torn down an unpermitted room and bathroom, which was added on where there had been a patio. They put back the patio with tile and said the cost was $1,800.

I really doubt they could have done that for only $1,800. It wasn't peel and stick tile!  Sometimes they really give questionable numbers for what something costs.

[CrazyInAlabama]

My guess is some of the tiles, or other things that seem rather cheap, is they either shop clearance tile, or it's left overs from other jobs, so bargain prices, and larger tiles, so it makes the labor cheaper.      If that house with the bedroom on the patio, they had a minimal price for the tiling of the patio, but they had to put thousands into fixing the exterior wall, and roof where the room had been put in.   I think they just guest-imate on prices for an individual job anyway.  

I wonder if the Hollywood house sold, and how much for?   

Edited November 20, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[hilaryvm]

One thing I just now started to notice - any time Tarek/Christina makes seem to cost them more.  For example, in the walk through of the Spanish house, the talked about enlarging the master bathroom by taking space from the hallway bathroom.  Then, when everything is torn down, the discuss doing the same thing and it costs $8000 (or whatever number it was) and the show adds the entire amount as "overage."  If it was already planned, why is it not in the original budget?  Or, they'll pick a tile for the bathroom, and Christina says the cost and it is all added to the overage, but shouldn't tile have already been in the budget?

I think I may be overthinking this show.

[sempervivum]

21 hours ago, OnTime said:

On the repeat episode they torn down an unpermitted room and bathroom, which was added on where there had been a patio. They put back the patio with tile and said the cost was $1,800.

I really doubt they could have done that for only $1,800. It wasn't peel and stick tile!  Sometimes they really give questionable numbers for what something costs

I could swear the contractor said it would cost $11K to redo the walls and roof, after they removed the unpermitted room. The $1800 was probably just for the tile, which seemed to be one of Christina's 'well, we just HAVE to do this' embellishments. Tarek and the contractor most likely just intended to leave the floor the original concrete.

[ByaNose]

I had to go to the bottom of the thread to find this show. How the mighty have fallen. Same ole (fake) drama. The flip turned out nice. They didn’t get their asking or over asking price. They ended up with a profit of $83,000-ish. They put more money in to it and couldn’t recoup it all. Once again, Christina adds nothing to the show. Unless, you call saying everything is gross and scary looking while sounding like a Valley Girl a contribution. Also, I think Tarek & Christina are doing it on the side. They are laughing more and more and seem to like each other again. So gross.  LOL!!! 

[iMonrey]

I thought the gray grout looked shockingly sloppy. I hope they cleaned it up a bit after their little contest. I noticed they backyard had a clear view of enormous power line towers in the background. I guess maybe that's pretty common in SoCal.

Quote

Once again, Christina adds nothing to the show. Unless, you call saying everything is gross and scary looking while sounding like a Valley Girl a contribution.

LOL. Yeah . . . this routine where she whines and whimpers and goes "Ewwww!" every time they look at a house is really old. Surely she's seen it all by now. This one didn't even smell bad, except for maybe the bathrooms. It was just a lot of broken glass but still the hallway was "creepy" enough for her to whine about.

Quote

Also, I think Tarek & Christina are doing it on the side. They are laughing more and more and seem to like each other again. 

It would be funny if they got back together, but IMO Tarek would be a fool to take her back.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Since both of them have their own shows, and Christina had another baby, I suspect that they spend very little time at their flips.   Actually, since their company is doing up to 10 flips at a time, I suspect they only look at the homes before they buy (or they come from Tarek's we buy anything, no matter how ugly business).     I doubt they do that much of anything any more, besides filming.      Especially since Christina probably took a while for maternity leave, and now for other reasons.  

Both of them will be on Discovery + with their own shows, so they'll have even less time for working on individual houses too.     I was surprised to see Tarek say he was still doing the flipper seminars.   

Edited December 12, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[MsTree]

6 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Both of them will be on Discovery + with their own shows, so they'll have even less time for working on individual houses too.

When will that happen? Are they leaving HGTV or doing both??

[chessiegal]

7 hours ago, MsTree said:

When will that happen? Are they leaving HGTV or doing both??

Discovery + is a streaming service that starts January 4. Discovery owns HGTV along with many other "lifestyle" channels.

[CrazyInAlabama]

The Discovery/HGTV reruns and new shows will be on Discovery+, but the new shows are mostly spinoffs of their current programming.   F or F will still be on HGTV, but the spin off shows with each of them will be on the streaming channel.    There's supposed to be one with Tarek, and Taylor.    Then on HGTV, F or F is already renewed for another season.   

Then on D+ Christina's going to have another show of some kind.   Hopefully, that one will mean Christina on the Coast will be gone from HGTV, because I never watch it.      

I suspect that Christina's out of town trips, and sitting in the car while she talked to Tarek was when she was pregnant.    

The one where she was out of town, and Tarek teamed with Robert Drenk (mortgage broker, who wanted to try flipping) certainly is fun to watch.   This was a hoarder house, and they said it was going to many thousands in dump fees to get rid of the trash, and leftover vehicles.     

Edited December 18, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[iMonrey]

I hate these repackaged repeats with the pointless pop-ups. And the "bonus footage" just replaces previous footage. Like last night's when there was additional talk between Tarek and Jeff about the bathroom tile going all the way up the wall but they cut the scene where they decided to put tile behind the bathtub next to the shower. So, what's the point?

Also, for a "designer" (*cough*cough*) Christina doesn't seem to know her terminology very well. She described the fireplace as a "Greek God" thing. I'm not sure if she was going for Grecian or Greco-Roman but there is no architecture called "Greek God."

[ByaNose]

The Mission Viejo house was a HOT mess that turned out beautiful. I even liked the circle backsplash that Christina picked out. I’m usually not a fan of gray for kitchen cabinets but that too worked out nicely. The fireplaces were cool looking but I still wish they would add a mantle. It doesn’t cost that much for a piece of wood. LOL!!!! The house would have looked awesome with the pool with that view but it was starting to turn into the money pit and they were over it and just wanted it finished. Once again, Tarek & Christina are positively giddy with each other. I guess they are better as friends than spouses. Of course, a lot of it’s played up for the camera but they do seem to be in a better place. 

[LittleIggy]

Mission Viejo: That was definitely a hoarder house. Bet the hoard contributed to the foundation problems. I bet the neighbors were so relieved that it finally got renovated. I liked how it turned out too. Turning that loft area into a bedroom was a good idea.

[CrazyInAlabama]

My guess on the Mission Viejo house is the hoarder who lived there did nothing about maintenance the entire time they lived there.   Filling in the pool was a good idea.   Spending $100k on what probably wouldn't even be a permanent fix on the pool and yard issues would have been ridiculous, and a total waste of money.     

Getting rid of the arches, and closing in the loft for the added bedroom was a great idea.  

I absolutely hated the front door on this one.    I don't think it matched the house at all.    I loved the gray cabinets, and the big circle tile back splash.    The bathrooms were spectacular.     As usual, the stagers did a fantastic job.   

As a buyer (who couldn't afford anything they ever flipped and sold on this show), I wouldn't touch that house.   The house was beautiful when they finished, but I lived in places where some houses had foundation issues, and they simply don't get solved permanently.    There may be some that are fixed, and stayed intact, but I wouldn't take the chance.    I agree about the fireplace mantles, and think putting a mantle on a working fireplace is necessary, not optional.    I was shocked at how much profit they made on this house. 

Edited December 19, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[buttersister]

Quote

She described the fireplace as a "Greek God" thing. I'm not sure if she was going for Grecian or Greco-Roman but there is no architecture called "Greek God."

LOL. Is she dating again? 

[ByaNose]

14 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

My guess on the Mission Viejo house is the hoarder who lived there did nothing about maintenance the entire time they lived there.   Filling in the pool was a good idea.   Spending $100k on what probably wouldn't even be a permanent fix on the pool and yard issues would have been ridiculous, and a total waste of money.     

Getting rid of the arches, and closing in the loft for the added bedroom was a great idea.  

I absolutely hated the front door on this one.    I don't think it matched the house at all.    I loved the gray cabinets, and the big circle tile back splash.    The bathrooms were spectacular.     As usual, the stagers did a fantastic job.   

As a buyer (who couldn't afford anything they ever flipped and sold on this show), I wouldn't touch that house.   The house was beautiful when they finished, but I lived in places where some houses had foundation issues, and they simply don't get solved permanently.    There may be some that are fixed, and stayed intact, but I wouldn't take the chance.    I agree about the fireplace mantles, and think putting a mantle on a working fireplace is necessary, not optional.    I was shocked at how much profit they made on this house. 

The new front door....isn’t that more for mid century modern houses? I know I’ve seen that type of wood door before but I can’t specifically recall what type of house it’s usually done with. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

5 hours ago, ByaNose said:

The new front door....isn’t that more for mid century modern houses? I know I’ve seen that type of wood door before but I can’t specifically recall what type of house it’s usually done with. 

Yes, Mid Century Modern is that door style.    That door didn't match the house style at all.   I would have used a frosted pane, with either the top all one pane, or most of the door, but only one pane.     

 

Edited December 19, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[LetsStartTalking]

I really wish these two would travel out east and away from Southern Cali. All their homes have the same look outside and all their homes have the same dull gray / white / black / touch of blue and green inside.

Come to MA or RI where property is skyrocketing and they can work with historic homes, colonial homes, gilded age homes. That would be the real challenge - not these Southern Cali Spanish style stucco homes built in the past 50 years with no personality or character.

[sempervivum]

21 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

As usual, the stagers did a fantastic job.

All of their staging crews are really good, but I don't like the over-the-top dining table stuff with big centerpiece florals and giant napkins sticking up out of wine glasses, etc. 

It must get kind of boring for them, always having to work with grey tones.

[ByaNose]

I personally want a stager to stage my house but I don’t want to actually move. LOL!!!

[Dehumidifier]

5 hours ago, LetsStartTalking said:

 

Come to MA or RI where property is skyrocketing and they can work with historic homes, colonial homes, gilded age homes. That would be the real challenge - not these Southern Cali Spanish style stucco homes built in the past 50 years with no personality or character.

Some of them do have some style, but they take it out. I liked the arches that they squared off in Thursday night's new episode. There was another one (in LA) where they left the arches but took away a column-like base they had. Personally, I like the brick fireplaces and hate when they tile them and the whole wall above. No mantel, either. 

[Chris Knight]

On 12/12/2020 at 11:06 AM, CrazyInAlabama said:

 

Then on D+ Christina's going to have another show of some kind.   Hopefully, that one will mean Christina on the Coast will be gone from HGTV, because I never watch it.      

 

Christina's show was way too long. An hour is just too much. I liked seeing her cute hubs, even if only for a few minutes here and there.

[iMonrey]

Quote

I absolutely hated the front door on this one.

I'm seeing that style of door everywhere lately. Must be the latest trend.

I don't believe for one minute they made a profit on the Mission Viejo house, let alone as much as they claimed. They had that house for way too long and had to spend way too much money just to fix structural issues. I don't know why HGTV insists on lying about their profits. (Well, OK, yes I do know why, but it's stupid.) And yes, it's HGTV, not just Tarek and Christina. They do that on all their shows.

Quote

Come to MA or RI where property is skyrocketing and they can work with historic homes, colonial homes, gilded age homes. That would be the real challenge - not these Southern Cali Spanish style stucco homes built in the past 50 years with no personality or character.

Oh dear Lord, no! Can you imagine Christina renovating historic homes, ripping out all their charm and character and replacing it with white and gray tile? Stay in SoCal, Christina. Please.

Edited December 20, 2020 by iMonrey

[CrazyInAlabama]

I remember on the few follow up shows to some of the original remodels, the one with the chickens, and rickety barn in the back yard they said was going to make a profit, but on that show Tarek said it was a flop.    They don't mention all of the commissions they pay on the sales either, so that's at least another 6%, unless Tarek is the sales agent, and waives his commission.  So the big remodel this week with the bad foundation, couldn't have made almost $250k profit.     They also don't mention carrying costs either, and that has to be a huge amount with some HOA payments, and utilities, , with their loan payments on hard money loans with huge interest, their closing costs buying, and other things.   

[lynxfx]

31 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

They also don't mention carrying costs either, and that has to be a huge amount with some HOA payments, and utilities, , with their loan payments on hard money loans with huge interest, their closing costs buying, and other things. 

They buy with cash now on most properties. I think they mentioned doing a hard money loan on one house this season or the last. No one would do that on a house where you know there is going to be a minimum 3 month wait just to get the foundation sorted. The carrying costs without a loan was probably a grand. 

Tarek is the selling agent so he pockets the commission as another company or waves the fee. It is never mentioned so your guess is as good as mine. All they do is give a blanket mention of "minus closing costs" when calculating the profit. 

I do believe they made a healthy profit this time only because the sale price was so much higher than what they aimed for. It was over $200k above asking. You would have to be lying about a lot of numbers to make that a flop. 

[OnTime]

On ‎12‎/‎11‎/‎2020 at 12:22 AM, ByaNose said:

Once again, Christina adds nothing to the show.

She really doesn't! 

Tarek finds the houses, explains what needs to be done, works with the contactors and she just shows up and nods.

 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I bet Tarek is buying all of the junkier looking houses this season through his we buy anything part of his company.    

[Dehumidifier]

4 hours ago, OnTime said:

She really doesn't! 

Tarek finds the houses, explains what needs to be done, works with the contactors and she just shows up and nods.

 

She decides which shade of gray to use on anything and everything.

[Dehumidifier]

With the fireplaces these two do you have to use Command hooks to hang your Christmas stockings.

[Broderbits]

1 hour ago, Dehumidifier said:

With the fireplaces these two do you have to use Command hooks to hang your Christmas stockings.

Can't you just hang them in your country home or Tuscan villa or Paris apartment?

[ByaNose]

Tarek & Christina don’t like fireplaces with mantles. It’s too expensive. <sarcasm> I don’t understand their aversion to them. I’m sure their is enough spare wood lying around that Izzy could work with. Jeez!

[MsTree]

2 hours ago, ByaNose said:

Tarek & Christina don’t like fireplaces with mantles. It’s too expensive. <sarcasm> I don’t understand their aversion to them. I’m sure their is enough spare wood lying around that Izzy could work with. Jeez!

In Christina's opinion, a mantle leans towards the rustic side. And since she is a contemporary girl all the way, she like the clean/sleek look of tile, all the way up to the ceiling.

[ByaNose]

7 hours ago, MsTree said:

In Christina's opinion, a mantle leans towards the rustic side. And since she is a contemporary girl all the way, she like the clean/sleek look of tile, all the way up to the ceiling.

I guess I can see that. It might cut off the design for some people. That said, I rarely ever see contemporary/modern fireplaces in my travels. It’s not like I don’t get out but I see more brick/stone fireplaces where they do have mantles and I guess blend in more. I can see where they might stand out more with a shiny tile. 

[iMonrey]

That mansion they  just did was enormous. Nice to see Izzy back again, I wondered if maybe he had cut ties with them. They use Jeff almost exclusively now. I think the kitchen was still kind of small for a house that size. The weirdest thing about that house was that narrow walkway at the top of the stairs. Kind of scary looking. I'd be afraid small children or pets would fall off of it.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Izzy's company does a lot of high end remodels, and I suspect he doesn't do the smaller houses any more.      Also, from what I've read, the filming really screws up the scheduling for the actual flip, and takes a lot of time doing the same scenes and discussions over and over.  I bet Jeff the contractor is paid as a part of the show, and I'm sure the advertising of his company is very valuable too. 

When T & C started their construction and design business, I think most of the contractors wore shirts with the T & C logo, but after that Jeff usually wears another company shirt.   

 

Edited January 9, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[doodlebug]

15 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Izzy's company does a lot of high end remodels, and I suspect he doesn't do the smaller houses any more.      Also, from what I've read, the filming really screws up the scheduling for the actual flip, and takes a lot of time doing the same scenes and discussions over and over.  I bet Jeff the contractor is paid as a part of the show, and I'm sure the advertising of his company is very valuable too. 

 

Isn't Jeff employed by T&C?  I thought he was part of their regular crew who now handle virtually everything from finding the houses to selling them.

I think Izzy has said that he had to limit his appearances on the show because his construction business, which I believe he owns with his brother(s), was so busy and because he was tied up for days and days with filming for the show which didn't pay as well as his real job.

[LetsStartTalking]

This is the first season I'm watching Christina and Tarek together. I watched his 'Master Class' series which he did solo towards the end of 2020, and enjoyed it for the most part. He hosting with his ex-wife is horrible, at best. She offers nothing but her shiny veneers and such insight as 'Ohmygod!', 'Ohwow!', 'Yuck', and of course, 'Ilovethistile'. I have a feeling she is there solely to attract the straight male viewers, as Tarek is there mainly for the gay male viewers and the women. 

Other things I've noticed about the show which doesn't make too much sense:

Since they remodel every single home with the exact same tiles for bathrooms and backsplashes, wouldn't it make most sense if they went directly to the manufacturer and buy in bulk, in which they could then store it and use as each project comes up? It would be more cost effective then what they are doing now (going through retailers with big showrooms, which they are paying for by the prices they charge to people like these two).  Same with the marble countertops, the interior paint, and the exterior paint. Just buy it all in bulk and they'd save a fortune*.

Every home they buy has 'surprises' in store - leaky roofs, leaky walls, cracked foundations, faulty wiring, illegal construction, etc. Do these homes not get inspected before they buy them? In my state (RI) both the  buyer needs to have a complete home inspection done before purchasing a home. The price is then negotiated depending on who agrees to take care of the problems - the seller or buyer. A home inspection will always prevent the 'surprises' which arise, so the buyer knows how much money will be needed to fix the problems before they invest. 

Aside from the insepction, the seller also signs a 'disclosure statement' acknowledging the condition of the home, and any problems which did not show up in the inspection (for example, a rodent problem every winter).  And in the case where there are surprises within the first year or so, the buyer can sue the seller for not revealing the problems in the disclosure. Oftentimes, the realtor for the seller is included in the lawsuit.

These two make it look like they're going to the toy store and buying a doll house to fix up. It's very misleading.

 

*Actually, HGTV the supplies for free as promo items, no doubt.

 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I suspect that when Tarek buys at auction, or from his "We buy anything" company, that they only do the walk through by one of their contractors, and I'm sure they still buy some sight unseen.   Also, they buy a lot for cash, so no bank requirements for the normal inspections.    I'm sure since they have 5 or more flips going at once, that they do have a warehouse, and buy in bulk.   I'm sure the individual trips to get tile, or the consultations on style and cabinets has been done long before.   I'm sure with most of their flips they buy in quantity, and I bet only the most expensive houses (like this week's house with Pete de Best partnering, that sold for over $2 million) have anything unique or more expensive.  

I bet the termite infestations are also not a surprise either, and they just show it as a discovery, when they planned it all along.  

[doodlebug]

On 1/9/2021 at 8:03 PM, LetsStartTalking said:

 

Since they remodel every single home with the exact same tiles for bathrooms and backsplashes, wouldn't it make most sense if they went directly to the manufacturer and buy in bulk, in which they could then store it and use as each project comes up? It would be more cost effective then what they are doing now (going through retailers with big showrooms, which they are paying for by the prices they charge to people like these two).  Same with the marble countertops, the interior paint, and the exterior paint. Just buy it all in bulk and they'd save a fortune*.

Every home they buy has 'surprises' in store - leaky roofs, leaky walls, cracked foundations, faulty wiring, illegal construction, etc. Do these homes not get inspected before they buy them? In my state (RI) both the  buyer needs to have a complete home inspection done before purchasing a home. The price is then negotiated depending on who agrees to take care of the problems - the seller or buyer. A home inspection will always prevent the 'surprises' which arise, so the buyer knows how much money will be needed to fix the problems before they invest. 

Aside from the insepction, the seller also signs a 'disclosure statement' acknowledging the condition of the home, and any problems which did not show up in the inspection (for example, a rodent problem every winter).  And in the case where there are surprises within the first year or so, the buyer can sue the seller for not revealing the problems in the disclosure. Oftentimes, the realtor for the seller is included in the lawsuit.

These two make it look like they're going to the toy store and buying a doll house to fix up. It's very misleading.

 

*Actually, HGTV the supplies for free as promo items, no doubt.

 

Actually, most of us who watch the show are pretty sure those 'shopping' trips are staged for the show.  Their business owns a large warehouse in California where they store stuff that they buy in bulk which is why we keep seeing the same kitchen cabinets, backsplashes and bathroom tiles.  They'd lose the obligatory scene in every show where Christina, pretending to be a 'designer', pulls out an assortment of stuff while Tarek complains about the cost.

California doesn't have point of sale inspection required and, in areas where housing is in short supply. like Orange County, where Tarek and Christina usually do their flips, sellers don't need to fix up their house to sell it. Because the supply is so short, a lot of these houses are purchased 'as is', especially by the flippers who don't want to get into a bidding war.  They make sure they have a big enough margin in their investment to take care of the stuff that comes up.

Edited January 11, 2021 by doodlebug

[CrazyInAlabama]

I bet you're right.    With the part of Tarek's company that buys any house for cash (at a bargain price of course), my guess is there are no inspections, since the houses are 'as is'.      I seem to recall some mention of a warehouse before, so I bet they shop clearance, and huge lots of the same generic tiles, cabinets, and sinks, etc. , or go to wholesalers.    

Edited January 11, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[LetsStartTalking]

17 hours ago, doodlebug said:

Actually, most of us who watch the show are pretty sure those 'shopping' trips are staged for the show.  Their business owns a large warehouse in California where they store stuff that they buy in bulk which is why we keep seeing the same kitchen cabinets, backsplashes and bathroom tiles.  They'd lose the obligatory scene in every show where Christina, pretending to be a 'designer', pulls out an assortment of stuff while Tarek complains about the cost.

California doesn't have point of sale inspection required and, in areas where housing is in short supply. like Orange County, where Tarek and Christina usually do their flips, sellers don't need to fix up their house to sell it. Because the supply is so short, a lot of these houses are purchased 'as is', especially by the flippers who don't want to get into a bidding war.  They make sure they have a big enough margin in their investment to take care of the stuff that comes up.

Thank you for this !  This all makes sense now. I figured they had warehoused their supplies somewhere and was hoping they were smart enough to buy in bulk.

I also notice there is never any mention of appliances. They're never out choosing appliances, or talking about the amenities offered with each one. I guess those are not part of the budget.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I'm guessing since they do over a hundred flips a year, that part of the warehouse is appliances they buy at wholesale prices, by the semi load. 

Tonight's new episode, "Flew the Coop" must be one of the 'we buy anything' houses Tarek buys.    The house was really nice, but it amazes me that the only bath on the first floor is shared, and that's where the primary/master (I call them owner's suite) bedroom is, and it doesn't have an en suite, and it's on the market for $888,000, and sold after five days for $910,000.        I liked the different tiles and things they used, but I hate open shelving, and the kitchen had a lot of it.      

Edited January 15, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[doodlebug]

On 1/11/2021 at 5:40 PM, LetsStartTalking said:

Thank you for this !  This all makes sense now. I figured they had warehoused their supplies somewhere and was hoping they were smart enough to buy in bulk.

I also notice there is never any mention of appliances. They're never out choosing appliances, or talking about the amenities offered with each one. I guess those are not part of the budget.

I think they buy appliances in bulk, too, and store them in the warehouse.  It seems like just about every flip they do has the same generic stainless steel fridge and dishwasher and the stoves look similar too,  Except in their high end flips, where they need a restaurant-style fridge and stove to fit the space; I think every house gets the same stuff.

Now, if a sponsor would come aboard that just happened to make or sell appliances; I think we'd see shopping excursions to purchase those items, too.  I have a feeling that the tile store we often see them shopping at probably pays a fee to be on the show and maybe gives T&C discounts for their bulk purchases in exchange for the plug.

[iMonrey]

Actually they don't even have a fridge installed half the time, it's usually just an empty space for one. They do have stoves though and you're right, if there was a sponsor for it they'd probably be out appliance shopping every week and extolling the virtues of (insert name brand here). 

I for one would not like my yard to be adjacent to a public park, but maybe if you have little kids you would.