Flip Or Flop Atlanta - General Discussion

[dleighg]

1 minute ago, doodlebug said:

even pillars

yeah, we redid our kitchen and had to work around a pillar. No way was I going to spend a fortune on removing that (though we did spend a fortune on stuff that mattered, like pantries and pull our shelves and such). 

[Simon47]

Liked this recent house. Bedrooms were nicely done, the kitchen didn't have a hood vent, which made me happy.

[MyAimIsTrue]

I want to like Ken and Anita because I find Tarek and Christina to be insufferable phonies but it's not working for me yet.  I lived in Atlanta for a number of years so I'm enjoying the scenery and it's nice that K & A seem like real adults but I think they're dull.

[Simon47]

9 hours ago, MyAimIsTrue said:

I want to like Ken and Anita because I find Tarek and Christina to be insufferable phonies but it's not working for me yet.  I lived in Atlanta for a number of years so I'm enjoying the scenery and it's nice that K & A seem like real adults but I think they're dull.

They are slightly dull to me, but I enjoy them. Enjoy them!

[sistersledge]

On 9/17/2017 at 0:39 PM, iMonrey said:

 

Two things about that house in east Atlanta: one of the bedrooms had wood paneling and Anita said "we can just paint over this" and that's exactly what they did. Anyone else would have taken it down. And you know what? It looked fine. Also, they took down the wall between the dining area and the kitchen but they left the horizontal beam across the ceiling where the wall used to be (not sure what that's called but it has something to do with it being load bearing). Again, that's something the contractor and/or home owner would have demanded come down on any other show because it "ruins the flow" (this is especially true on Property Brothers I've noticed). Which would incur thousands in extra costs to fix. And you know what? It looked fine too.

 

I’m sure in a higher-end flip they would probably do both of these things, but in this price range it doesn’t make sense.

Edited September 20, 2017 by sistersledge
Spelling

[iMonrey]

This is literally the first time I have ever seen a renovation show on HGTV where they left the original brick fireplace intact. On any other show they would have either painted the bricks or torn them out and replaced them with tile. What a refreshing change. You know, not everything has to adhere to whatever the trend is today. Some people like brick.

The master bath was oddly narrow and it was kind of obvious it used to be a closet. Not sure they could have done a whole lot about that and I guess it's better than no master bath at all.

Hmm. Interesting that they pointed out how a 30K profit would mean barely breaking even after closing costs and other expenses. They kind of blew up the whole premise of this show by saying that and admitting the reported "profits" aren't necessarily indicative of what their gross take-away is.

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it's nice that K & A seem like real adults but I think they're dull.

You know, at first I kind of felt the same way. Neither of them have overbearing personalities. They aren't really typical TV hosts. Every now and then we get a glimmer of their personalities - like last week when Ken made a goofy face and did a goofy voice for no apparent reason when they were doing a final walk-thru before the open house. It would be nice if they could open up a little and let us see more of their dynamic. 

On the other hand, it's a refreshing change from the phony-ness of Tarek and Christina or Bristol and Aubrey. Ken and Anita seem very genuine and I believe they do this with or without a TV show. The others, I felt like they were only doing it to be on TV.

Ken and Anita have a pretty  bizarre home. I looked at their website a little bit and apparently they've done several add-ons and admit the floor plan is kind of wacky. It has a very distinctive, interesting exterior.

Plus I love their dog.

[dleighg]

Just now, iMonrey said:

This is literally the first time I have ever seen a renovation show on HGTV where they left the original brick fireplace intact. On any other show they would have either painted the bricks or torn them out and replaced them with tile. What a refreshing change. You know, not everything has to adhere to whatever the trend is today. Some people like brick.

And once you paint it, that's it.

 

1 minute ago, iMonrey said:

Hmm. Interesting that they pointed out how a 30K profit would mean barely breaking even after closing costs and other expenses. They kind of blew up the whole premise of this show by saying that and admitting the reported "profits" aren't necessarily indicative of what their gross take-away is.

Quote

yes, refreshing.

[iMonrey]

One mystery about that house is that they turned a dedicated laundry space into a master bath but never told us where they moved the laundry to. It wasn't in the kitchen and the house didn't have a garage or a basement.

[ByaNose]

On ‎9‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 1:55 PM, iMonrey said:

One mystery about that house is that they turned a dedicated laundry space into a master bath but never told us where they moved the laundry to. It wasn't in the kitchen and the house didn't have a garage or a basement.

and, I also didn't see it 'moved" in the 3-D Graph they always show. Where could they have put it?

[netlyon2]

6 hours ago, ByaNose said:

and, I also didn't see it 'moved" in the 3-D Graph they always show. Where could they have put it?

They may have just done a closet with hook-ups. I think the price point would have eliminated any grander plans (like building  a new laundry room off the back of the house, which the did in a different flip). Was there a garage?

[katalizt]

On 9/23/2017 at 1:55 PM, iMonrey said:

One mystery about that house is that they turned a dedicated laundry space into a master bath but never told us where they moved the laundry to. It wasn't in the kitchen and the house didn't have a garage or a basement.

In the open house you could see some people opening a closet door in the hallway. I suspect that was the laundry. I don't think they used the entire space of the original laundry closet for the bathroom, which is why the toilet nook was so narrow. 

At first I thought their new layout was going to end up being weird, but it worked. I personally don't like opening the front door and seeing the kitchen, but it was a good solution for what they were working with because the fireplace room clearly had to be the living room.

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Clearly I don't understand the world of flipping, because do people actually buy houses without having inspections done? That foundation footer issue was whack! I'm surprised there weren't more signs of the settling IN the house, that would have clued them in.  (I know that none of this stuff is 'real' per se, but there should be some sort of connection to reality.)

White shaker cabinets!  Drink if you are taking part in the drinking game.

[iMonrey]

So we finally get to see the loose foundation footer they've been showing in the opening title sequence all season. I'm thinking this is the last new episode. Anyone else catch the date on the Stop Work notice? 10/17/16. This was filmed a year ago.

Possibly they saved this for the last one because it didn't sell. And yeah - how could they get that far in renovation without checking out the foundation? Argh! Why does HGTV keep doing this bullshit surprise crap? Either they are so stupid they didn't bother checking something this crucial, or they are lying about finding out about it mid-way through construction. Idiots or liars . . . which one of those things do you want to be?

There was something really odd about that house too - there was a sheer drop-off to the right of the car port/garage. I wish they had shown it from that angle, it appeared to be sticking out of a hill or something.

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Clearly I don't understand the world of flipping, because do people actually buy houses without having inspections done? 

MCP - apparently you are only required to have a building inspection if you are applying for a mortgage (and it varies from state to state). However, the flippers buy all cash, so it's not a legal requirement. And assuming that Ken is in fact a licensed contractor, he himself can do the inspections, since that's who does them - contractors. 

That said, it would be idiotic to buy a house without checking really basic things like the roof, the plumbing, the electrical, and yes, the foundation. They said they didn't check it before making an offer because the crawl space door was locked. They should have made their offer contingent on what they found down there. Unless they felt like they had a good profit potential no matter what they found down there.

[chessiegal]

It's also not unheard of for houses to be sold "as is" - especially estate sales. So an inspection isn't going to get anything improved. I think these folks know what they're getting. The "surprises" are probably something they knew when they bought the house. Probably the all cash is a major factor, as mentioned.

[Simon47]

I saw that sign, too! This was filmed a year ago, I think.

[ByaNose]

6 hours ago, Simon47 said:

I saw that sign, too! This was filmed a year ago, I think.

Yup! The Stop Work sign was dated 10-17-16. A whole year. That's a long time for airing. I still like the show and would be adverse to it returning. They usually have the least drama of the Flip shows but they still add in the occasional  "Oh no! What were they thinking?...BS" LOL!!!!

Edited September 30, 2017 by ByaNose

[doodlebug]

18 hours ago, chessiegal said:

It's also not unheard of for houses to be sold "as is" - especially estate sales. So an inspection isn't going to get anything improved. I think these folks know what they're getting. The "surprises" are probably something they knew when they bought the house. Probably the all cash is a major factor, as mentioned.

Considering how slim their profit margins seem to be, it is a bad business decision to buy these places without contingencies.  It's one thing for Tarek and Christina, working out in fantasyland where 6 figure profits are the norm, to buy a house without inspections; they know that the land alone is worth a bundle.  For Ken and Anita, working in a market with much lower home prices and smaller profit margins, it is awfully dangerous to buy a house without knowing that a 5 or 6 figure additional expense is lurking.  As they said, buyers expect a solid foundation, they aren't going to see it as something they should have to pay extra to get.  

Even if they do buy as is, surely the buyers have to disclose known flaws in the property as part of the process.  That huge crawl space was hardly inaccessible and the multiple prior repairs to the footers made it obvious that the problems should have been known to the seller and revealed prior to purchase.  I suspect the 'discovery' and lamentation over the cost of remediation was all made for TV drama.

[chessiegal]

26 minutes ago, doodlebug said:

I suspect the 'discovery' and lamentation over the cost of remediation was all made for TV drama.

Oh, I agree. They are too experienced not to buy wisely.

[iMonrey]

Which makes you wonder . . . is there any pushback between the hosts and the network? Not just for Ken and Anita, but for all the HGTV remodeling shows? At what point do the hosts realize these required "surprises" every week make them look stupid? I don't think people like The Property Brothers care too much because neither of them are actually doing what they're pretending they're doing so they probably aren't overly concerned about their brand, but you'd think Ken and Anita, Chip and Joanna and even Tarek and Christina would be. And surely their contractors would be worried about how dumb they look when, week after week, they miss really obvious things like bad foundations or bad roofs. 

[doodlebug]

3 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Which makes you wonder . . . is there any pushback between the hosts and the network? Not just for Ken and Anita, but for all the HGTV remodeling shows? At what point do the hosts realize these required "surprises" every week make them look stupid? I don't think people like The Property Brothers care too much because neither of them are actually doing what they're pretending they're doing so they probably aren't overly concerned about their brand, but you'd think Ken and Anita, Chip and Joanna and even Tarek and Christina would be. And surely their contractors would be worried about how dumb they look when, week after week, they miss really obvious things like bad foundations or bad roofs. 

I think the PR and notoriety they get from being on TV regularly more than offsets any scripted nonsense.  I imagine that their regular businesses draw a lot of new customers who want to meet the folks they've seen on TV.

[juliet73]

This most recent ep (Marietta) was the first flip of Ken and Anita's that disappointed me.  I know they were tight on money, but for a couple thousand more, I think it could have been so much better.  First, they expanded the master bath and it was nice, but I think they had the room to install double sinks.  Secondly, there was so much wasted space in the kitchen. They could have added some more cabinets or built ins against that huge empty wall.  Instead, they staged it with two small chairs?  Finally, moving the sink to the island and leaving the dishwasher on the opposite wall was a poor design decision.  Also, the hood vent was ugly and looked out of place.  Upper cabinets with a microwave would have looked so much, IMO.  They didn't show the backyard - even though they were just "cleaning it up", it would have been nice to see it not all overgrown and wild.  They got $20k over asking so they made a good profit.

[suebee12]

44 minutes ago, juliet73 said:

Finally, moving the sink to the island and leaving the dishwasher on the opposite wall was a poor design decision. 

Poor planning plus I like having a window over my sink! My last two kitchens didn't have a window and I hated it! My present kitchen is by the window and I love looking outside.  Much better than looking at a wall or in this case, looking out to the living room!

Two sinks in the bathroom isn't all that big for me...if I had a young family, I would much rather have the two sinks in the kid's bathroom because they are usually in there together getting ready for school.

[ByaNose]

Who wants their sink in the center of the room? I’m usually okay with the cooktop/stove on the island (actually, I prefer just an island) but I draw the line with the sink. I don’t care if it’s a farmhouse sink. I don’t want it on my island. I did like the grey cabinets. I thought they were going to do the usual white shaker but they switched it up a bit. The whitewash brick was okay too but then they covered it up with a stupid painting. Granted, it was just for staging but why cover up the work you just did. Also, the back porch was beautiful. It must be great to sit out there in the early weekend mornings reading the paper and relaxing. Overall, not a bad Flip but they lost major points with me with the sink choice.

[mojito]

Who didn't know they were going to paint the brick and go with a farm sink and shaker cabinets? 

Several times, I've found the brick home looked better than the paint job. Is it just cheaper to paint than to try to recondition the brick? It seems that in either case, you clean and repoint. Maybe they skip the latter step and cover up loosening mortar with thick paint. I thought the cream color paint of this last home did nothing to improve the home's exterior. 

As for a sink facing a window. Do people daydream while they're washing dishes? Me, I focus on cleaning the dishes, not the view of the back yard. I don't like standing there to begin with; I try to get the job done as quickly as possible. 

[suebee12]

49 minutes ago, mojito said:

Do people daydream while they're washing dishes? Me, I focus on cleaning the dishes, not the view of the back yard. I don't like standing there to begin with; I try to get the job done as quickly as possible. 

No daydreaming here, but I do like to have a "view"...sometimes I am cleaning veggies and look up to see the birds,etc. Also I only rinse my dishes and put them in the dishwasher so I don't have to pay a lot of attention. I like the brightness of the "natural light"(sorry I couldn't resist!) coming through the window! Also I have the old fashioned garden window and the plants like the sunshine!!

[ByaNose]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

As for a sink facing a window. Do people daydream while they're washing dishes? Me, I focus on cleaning the dishes, not the view of the back yard. I don't like standing there to begin with; I try to get the job done as quickly as possible. 

It’s funny because my current view from my sink is my center kitchen cabinet. I live in a townhouse and it’s been my view for 18 years. That said, if I had a choice I wouldn’t mind a window with a view of the outside. I just thought the choice of putting the sink on the island was weird since the original floor plan was near the window or that saide of the house. 

[juliet73]

13 hours ago, mojito said:

Who didn't know they were going to paint the brick and go with a farm sink and shaker cabinets? 

Several times, I've found the brick home looked better than the paint job. Is it just cheaper to paint than to try to recondition the brick? It seems that in either case, you clean and repoint. Maybe they skip the latter step and cover up loosening mortar with thick paint. I thought the cream color paint of this last home did nothing to improve the home's exterior. 

As for a sink facing a window. Do people daydream while they're washing dishes? Me, I focus on cleaning the dishes, not the view of the back yard. I don't like standing there to begin with; I try to get the job done as quickly as possible. 

I think when the exterior brick is painted a lighter color with darker accents (shutters, rails, frames) it makes the house look more modern, IMO.

I like having a window over the sink. I like the fresh air and because my house is at a higher elevation, I can see down into at least 5 of my neighbor's yards...not in a creepy way, more of a judgemental way. Their deck needs some work, they should cut their grass, their kids are brats, etc.

Edited October 8, 2017 by juliet73

[ByaNose]

26 minutes ago, juliet73 said:

I think when the exterior brick is painted a lighter color with darker accents (shutters, rails, frames) it makes the house look more modern, IMO.

I like having a sink over the window. I like the fresh air and because my house is at a higher elevation, I can see down into at least 5 of my neighbor's yards...not in a creepy way, more of a judgemental way. Their deck needs some work, they should cut their grass, their kids are brats, etc.

Don’t you get wet with a sink over your window? LOL!!!

[dleighg]

9 hours ago, ByaNose said:

Who wants their sink in the center of the room?

I don't get the problem. My sink is on the (huge, I will say) island, next to the dishwasher, looking toward the eat-in table and beyond to the sliders to the deck. What's the issue? The stove is behind me, on the wall.

[suebee12]

1 hour ago, dleighg said:

My sink is on the (huge, I will say) island, next to the dishwasher,

Ah, there is part of the problem. Wasn't the dishwasher still in it's original place? Not by the sink but behind it under the window.

[juliet73]

7 hours ago, ByaNose said:

Don’t you get wet with a sink over your window? LOL!!!

I fixed it. Thanks :)

[iMonrey]

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Also, the hood vent was ugly and looked out of place. 

Agree about the hood. I'm not crazy about the "whitewashed" bricks either. Either paint them or don't. Whitewashing them just seems half-assed, like you applied really cheap white paint and it didn't really cover up the brick very well so instead of doing another coat you just gave up.

For once, though, I believe we saw an actual "surprise" this episode - I'm reasonably confident that pipe in the bathroom did break right in the middle of filming and they were just lucky enough to be there filming, because the way the cameraman ran after them and the way Anita walked in front of him seemed very real and unrehearsed.

[Sir RaiderDuck OMS]

My guess is that a lot of the "100 homes a year" are bought at a discount from distressed sellers and then listed at full price with little or no renovations aside from cleanup.

Having said that, I like the show. None of T&C's hysterics and none of Desert Flipper's endless emphasis on "Outdoor/Indoor Lifestyle" (DF's Lindsey must get paid to say that phrase at least once per episode).

Edited October 8, 2017 by Sir RaiderDuck OMS

[Simon47]

I didn't get Anita in the 1st part when she said "There's not a doubt in my mind that that house won't sell." Anyone know what she meant? Thanks.

Also, my sink is facing a window to my backyard.

[dleighg]

They show the layout so quickly I didn't completely follow. But they stole the living room "closet" to make the closet to the MB. Leaving no closet at all in the main part of the house? When we bought our (large, fairly modern) house, it had one tiny closet in the whole main level -- a coat closet. That is, no broom/vacuum closet. We fixed that. I'm wondering if this house has neither a broom NOR a coat closet now?

[dleighg]

On 10/6/2017 at 10:18 PM, juliet73 said:

Upper cabinets with a microwave would have looked so much, IMO.

My contractor for my (very expensive) reno tried to talk me into a (real) double oven and putting the micro on the counter. I was like "use up counter space for something I use multiple times a day, instead of putting it where the second oven is that I will use one or two times a year?".  I agree; a micro should be integrated *somewhere* in the kitchen.

[katalizt]

9 hours ago, iMonrey said:

For once, though, I believe we saw an actual "surprise" this episode - I'm reasonably confident that pipe in the bathroom did break right in the middle of filming and they were just lucky enough to be there filming, because the way the cameraman ran after them and the way Anita walked in front of him seemed very real and unrehearsed.

I completely agree, plus it wasn't edited at all, they just left the raw footage rolling. And there was an awkward angle from another camera when they came back from commercials that would never be shot that way on purpose.

 

3 hours ago, dleighg said:

They show the layout so quickly I didn't completely follow. But they stole the living room "closet" to make the closet to the MB. Leaving no closet at all in the main part of the house? When we bought our (large, fairly modern) house, it had one tiny closet in the whole main level -- a coat closet. That is, no broom/vacuum closet. We fixed that. I'm wondering if this house has neither a broom NOR a coat closet now?

I actually went back and paused it on the layout so I could get a good look, especially because the past few episodes they haven't addressed the laundry rooms very much. There's not another closet but there is a laundry room off of the dining room - behind the whitewashed brick wall. It looked like there might be space there for some storage. I still think they could've built a closet inside the master bedroom, since it looks to be about twice the size of either of the other bedrooms. 

At first I didn't think tearing down the bit of wall between the living room and kitchen would be worth it since there would be such as small space btween the wall and the pillar, but I liked how it turned out. See, it's possible to have clearly defined rooms and still flow from one to the other! "Open concept" and "completely closed off" are not the only options.

They were so close to choosing wood grain cabinets! But no, they had to go with gray. Ugh. I didn't really like the design of the kitchen overall. I didn't think anything matched. I also agree with everyone above who says that the sink should be next to the dishwasher, regardless of whether they're on the island or against the wall. 

Just once I'd like to see one of these shows leave exposed brick. I thought the front of the house looked mostly fine when they bought it, the bushes just needed a trim.

On a good note, the porch was great. I was glad they painted the doors from the living room white. I thought that really highlighted the porch.

[iMonrey]

Quote

I didn't get Anita in the 1st part when she said "There's not a doubt in my mind that that house won't sell." Anyone know what she meant? Thanks.

I commented on that earlier because they show that clip in the opening title sequence. It's a double negative. I'm sure what Anita means to say is that she has no doubt the house will sell. By saying she has no doubt the house won't sell, she's actually saying nobody is going to buy the house. No doubt about it: it won't sell. 

[twinks]

I'm still on the fence about this show. I like the couple (minus the fist bumps) and the finished product is usually amazing. I can't put my finger on it, maybe the camera angles...but it seems they show too many close ups (faces, circular saws, etc) which makes it difficult to see what's actually going on.  I have a hard time visualizing their plan. Then all of a sudden, it's done. Maybe it's just me :)

[ByaNose]

10 hours ago, twinks said:

I'm still on the fence about this show. I like the couple (minus the fist bumps) and the finished product is usually amazing. I can't put my finger on it, maybe the camera angles...but it seems they show too many close ups (faces, circular saws, etc) which makes it difficult to see what's actually going on.  I have a hard time visualizing their plan. Then all of a sudden, it's done. Maybe it's just me :)

I agree. In fact, tonight is the first time I noticed all the fist pumping. I guess kissing would be too much. LOL!! They show goes really fast. I don’t mind that it’s a half hour but they barely show the work then all of the sudden it’s being staged and then there’s an Open House. It just seems rushed. Overall, it’s a good show and they are miles ahead of that Las Vegas Couple. Thank god they have left the airwaves. I think even HGTV saw how bad their end product was. The wife had no style or design style whatsoever. 

[mojito]

I liked this week's reno, the exterior (no brick to paint over), the master bath, the kitchen. Not sure where the washer/dryer would go. That was a 1000 square foot home with three bedrooms and two baths. Maybe the washer and dryer were behind the kitchen? I'm okay with the fist bumps. They seem like people who played sports competitively. It's kind of a natural thing to do. I think it's funny how they echo each other sometimes, repeating what the other says. And they're favorite expressions, "This is really baaaad" and "Let's do this" (even when "this" means they're only moving from room to another) amuse me, too. I also like how they both introduce themselves to potential house holders with a first and last name and a handshake. I don't know why, but there it is. I'd be fine if they return next season, and like others, I wouldn't miss the Las Vegas couple. Hope the Fort Worth couple is as capable, tasteful, and tolerable. 

[suebee12]

Finally got to this weeks show and I really liked what they did to the house! I like them also. You can tell they are a great couple without getting all lovey-dovey about it. I have noticed one thing that really bothers me about their staging though(and yes, I know it is staging and the buyers can do what they want) but I hate how they always put the bed way too close to the wall. I know it makes the room look larger but I want nightstands on both sides of the bed and room to make the bed. I already hate making beds so to have only inches between the bed and the wall makes it even more work.

I look forward to more shows from them and none from the Las Vegas couple...of course, I just won't watch them if they come back. I am waiting to see what the Ft. Worth couple do.

[iMonrey]

Quote

I like the couple (minus the fist bumps) and the finished product is usually amazing. I can't put my finger on it, maybe the camera angles...but it seems they show too many close ups (faces, circular saws, etc) which makes it difficult to see what's actually going on.  I have a hard time visualizing their plan. Then all of a sudden, it's done.

You're not wrong about the camera work. I constantly find myself rewinding and pausing on the floor plan because I can never figure out how the rooms are situated. They don't really do a very good job of showing us the layout - too many closeups. Also, in this episode, I didn't really see the point of moving the front door. They put a window where the door used to be but it was basically the same entryway area so what was the purpose of that? It also looked like they created 2 new bedrooms - one out of the area that used to be the foyer and another out of the area that used to be the kitchen. Did they turn the existing 2 bedrooms into one? I don't get it. 

Also, that table was really tiny. There really wasn't much of a dining space in that house - one tiny island and one tiny table shoved up against the wall.

[Simon47]

Ken and Anita, the house was a bit too much this week. But I heard that there's an African American couple doing a flip show in Fort Worth soon. Andy and Ashley?

[katalizt]

With this last episode, I didn't think the layout change was worth it. The new bedroom they made out of the old kitchen ended up being super narrow and weirdly shaped for a bedroom. I don't get why they stepped into the foyer and were like "this space has no purpose". It's an empty room, it is whatever you make of it. Why couldn't that be a living room? I didn't get a good look at the before and after blueprints but it looked like the before had proper space for both a living room and a dining room whereas the after clearly did not. I still like Ken and Anita but this one was not their best work. 

[dleighg]

On 10/14/2017 at 2:49 AM, suebee12 said:

hate how they always put the bed way too close to the wall. I know it makes the room look larger but I want nightstands on both sides of the bed and room to make the bed. I already hate making beds so to have only inches between the bed and the wall makes it even more work.

No way would I want the bed next to the wall. So where does the wall person put his/her phone/glasses/cup of water/book etc? I wonder if there was actually room in that bedroom to have two nightstands?

[katalizt]

After the disappointment of finding Flip or Flop Vegas instead of Atlanta on Thursday, I was surprised to find my DVR recorded a new episode last night. I have a feeling they wanted to bury this one in an unusual time slot because I think this might have been the original pilot. 

There were some talking heads in a setup we haven't seen before: Ken and Anita sitting side by side at what is presumably their house, speaking directly to the camera. There was a lot more explanation than usual, like defining wholesalers and holding costs, and explaining that their project manager is an employee, not a contractor. And, what was perhaps the most telling, for the open house the sign that they put up said "360 realty" instead of Red Barn or whatever their business name is.  

As for the flip itself, the exterior was the most notable part. It used to have some horrible thick stucco and they replaced it with siding, with stone along the bottom. They took out a super long ramp and made a very nice porch and cleaned up the landscaping. The interior was the same old tear down the walls, gray and white kitchen, etc. Although I didn't really understand the layout of the house. It look like there was only a dining room and kitchen on the main floor and then a den/living room in the lower level. I do think it was smart to add windows and double doors out to the deck from the den.

[jquitar]

New episodes tonight. 

[ByaNose]

Pretty nice flips. It appears that they kept the first one for themselves. They did such a good job that they couldn't part with it. The second episode was a twin unit which they made in to one big house. That said, it didn't look that big after removing all the walls. Yup! Open concept yet again.

[iMonrey]

And Ken and Anita are back! Wow, the two houses they did in these episodes surpass anything Tarek and Christina have done, in terms of remodeling, IMO. And notice the lack of fake drama, i.e. "oh, we didn't know we were going to have to put on a new roof/install new wiring/new plumbing . . . oh noes!" Thank goodness for a more genuine approach. I really missed these guys, and they are definitely my favorite team out of all the Flip or Flop iterations. 

My only quibble would be that I don't care for the sliding barn door for a bathroom door. There's just something less substantial about it for a bathroom door. It would be great for a closet door, but a bathroom door? Thumbs down. I didn't care for the tile they used in the master in the first episode either - too busy, and it looked like something Christina would have used.

Otherwise, fantastic job on both. I'm a little bummed HGTV seems to be burning these off by pairing them up - there will only be five weeks' worth. Seems like the network views these as filler until they can get more Tarek and Christina. Boo!