Everything You Need To Know About Flip Or Flop | Real Estate Skills

Needing a work break? Stuck at home with nothing to watch? With all the uncertainty we face today, you may be looking for more ways to be entertained, well Flip or Flop might be your next must-see series! 

Flip or Flop is not just another show you'll catch while flipping channels, it's one that you may want to stick to. Although it may seem like just another home network show, you'll be able to gain a lot of insight into the house flipping business and how it may benefit you in one way or another. 

In a recent article by fool.com, house flipping has been gaining popularity over the last few years. House flipping shows, Flip or Flop specifically mentioned, have been seen to impact this gain in popularity. During the first quarter of 2020, 7.5% of home sales were flipped, a jump from 2017 when it was just 5.7%. 

With a growing audience, these shows have provided a perspective for them to gain knowledge on the house flipping business. This source of entertainment eventually turned into an educational gain for those who were watching, whether they knew it or not. 

Enjoying Everything You Need To Know About Flip Or Flop? Use this menu to jump to the section of your choice: 

• 1. What Is Flip Or Flop?
• 2. Meet The Cast Of Flip Or Flop
• 3. Into The Personal Lives Of Tarek And Christina
• 4. Is Flip Or Flop Real Or Staged?
• 5. Is Flip Or Flop Cancelled?
• 6. Where Does Flip Or Flop Take Place?
• 7. The Realistic Profits And Examples From Flip Or Flop
• 8. Where To Watch Flip Or Flop?
• 9. Flip Or Flop Reviews
• 10. Shows Similar To Flip Or Flop
• 11. How To Become A Real Estate Investor If You Like Flip Or Flop?
• 12. Final Thoughts On Flip Or Flop

What Is Flip Or Flop?

On the broad spectrum of reality real estate shows, what is the series Flip or Flop about and how does it differ from the others? 

This show focuses on house flipping, the process of taking dilapidated homes and restoring them to better and livable conditions, with the intention of selling them and gaining profit. House flipping is an arduous process, but profitable business, especially when done the right way.  

Flip or Flop star Tarek El Moussa and then-wife Christina Anstead were previously real estate agents but switched career focuses when they experienced the downside of the housing market. They now purchase distressed homes from auctions and flip them to restore the home’s conditions in hopes of a successful resale. You will get to see their process of purchasing homes, flipping and renovating, anxiously finding a buyer, and above all, seeing whether their flip was successful or a flop.

Related: Learn How To Flip Houses Without A Real Estate License!

Meet The Cast Of HGTV Show - Flip Or Flop

Image Credit

Sure these two have been working together for some time now, but let’s get to know them individually and their journey prior to becoming on-screen stars. 

Flip or Flop's Tarek El Moussa started his real estate career by obtaining his real estate license at just 21 years old. As a real estate agent in his home town, Orange County, Tarek was successfully selling multi-million homes left and right, until the housing market took a turn for the worse. He then turned away from being a realtor and went into another sector of real estate: house flipping. 

Here's a peek into what a typical day in Tarek's life is like:

HGTV star Christina Anstead was also in the real estate business with a partner at the time, Tarek. As they entered the house flipping business in California, Christina had more of an eye for interior design during the renovation process of the properties. 

Although these two were seeing successful outcomes during their time of being real estate agents, the housing market was, unfortunately, running out of opportunities for them to continue on. However, flipping dilapidated homes eventually turned into a new success for the duo as Flip or Flop began to air and gain popularity.

Into The Personal Lives Of Tarek And Christina 

As the co-stars have made their way through the real estate business, they have also gone through other circumstances in their personal lives. Let’s take a little peek into what the pair has gone through beyond what you see on the show.  

Here are a few major things you need to know about Tarek and Christina:

• Tarek El Moussa and Christina Anstead were married: Yeah, you read that right! Christina Anstead was once Christina El Moussa! Beyond their successful real estate agent careers and being reality show stars, the duo actually met at a real estate office and started their relationship working together, eventually marrying in Spring of 2009.

• The couple went through many medical struggles: Not everything was as great as it seemed through the screen. Shortly after Flip or Flop aired in 2013, Tarek was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, then shortly after with testicular cancer. On the other hand, Christina was facing her own battle getting pregnant through vitro fertilization, even facing a miscarriage in 2014. After battling two diagnoses of cancer, Tarek is more than 7 years cancer free and Christina was able to get pregnant after an abundance of caution. 

• The couple separated, eventually divorcing: During the time of their marriage, the couple welcomed two children, daughter Taylor Reese in 2010 and son Brayden James in 2015. Shortly after, the couple made the difficult decision to separate privately in May 2016, followed up with a public separation in December and finalization of the divorce in January 2018. The couple continues to raise their family as they navigate the future for themselves. 

• Christina remarried December of 2018: Christina married Ant Anstead, shortly after her divorce from ex Tarek El Moussa. Anstead, who was also previously divorced, was a former UK police officer, soccer player and tv presenter for car shows, popularly known for being a co-host of Wheeler Dealers.

• Tarek is dating Heather Rae Young: After the divorce form his ex wife, Tarek crossed paths with Young in July 2019. Heather Rae Young is also in the real estate business and is widely known from the Netflix original real estate show, Selling Sunset. 

• Christina is now broken up with her second husband: The pair recently announced their breakup in September of 2020, after less than two years of marriage. They welcomed a baby boy, Hudson, exactly a year prior to their separation.

• Tarek is engaged to Selling Sunset Star Heather: After a year of dating, the couple announced their engagement in July 2020. Tarek’s children from his previous marriage also approved of her which made the proposal so much sweeter! 

Here's a video going through Tarek and Heather's relationship timeline leading up to their engagement:

The duo has definitely had their fair share of struggles off the screen, but at the end of the day, they continue thriving in their careers and are doing everything they can for their own happiness, while also constantly reassuring that their children will "remain our priority". 

In an interview with CNN, "Taylor and Brayden are the reason behind everything we do," El Moussa said in a statement. "They are both happy and healthy and the flipping business is thriving." 

Is Flip Or Flop Real Or Staged? 

We all have a sense of misconception when it comes to reality television shows, especially with house flipping shows where a lot of money could be involved. So is flip or flop real or staged?

As far as the real estate aspect of the show is concerned, the show is completely real. The auctions that some fans were concerned about were addressed by Tarek. He explains that although they seem dramatic, the auctions where they purchase their unseen properties are totally real.

Anstead and El Moussa also use their own money to purchase the properties shown on the show. As they were successful even before turning to Flip or Flop, they have used their own money earned from other investments and put it towards the purchase of these properties.

The couple always had a passion for real estate and have now found themselves putting in that energy towards flipping homes, so there is no surprise that a lot of the show is real. Of course, it won’t hurt to keep an open mind while watching the show.

Read Also: What Is Home Staging And How Can I Use It?

Is Flip Or Flop Cancelled? 

The couple is divorced so does that mean Flip or Flop is cancelled? The answer is no. Tarek and Christina both continue to shoot Flip or Flop. Despite their history of divorce, the duo co-parents their children and have continued to be friends, in which they choose to continue working with one another on their series. 

Airing in 2013 and eight seasons later, the network announced the release of 15 new episodes on October 15, this will be their ninth season. 

Here's a video expressing Christina's feelings on how far the pair has come:

Where Does Flip Or Flop Take Place? 

Like a lot of reality real estate shows, the series does not take place in just one location. The Property Brothers, for example, has previously mentioned that they like to film in different locations to provide more diversity for the show. Flip or Flop may be doing the same as they have filmed in locations such as Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Nashville. Although most of their flips take place in Southern California, specifically Orange County. 

Why do this? Well, the housing market varies depending on the location. The cost of living can be different in one location compared to another which can (and will) influence the housing costs. 

Let’s compare Atlanta to Vegas for example. Atlanta is 3.7% less expensive than Las Vegas. As it is cheaper to live in Atlanta than Vegas, the housing costs in Atlanta are 5.2% less expensive. Factors that are involved in determining the costs of living may include, but are not limited to: 

• Personal salary 
• Grocery prices
• Differences in the cost of utilities such as electric, gas, and oil
• Health care
• Taxes and other expenses - such as car insurance and transportation 

It is important for house flippers to know the market they are dealing with to see if the profits they are considering are worth it for the area and to get to know the target clients they are dealing with.

The Realistic Profits And Examples From Flip Or Flop

As we continue to discuss Flip or Flop and reality house flipping shows in general, you may still wonder how real are these REALity shows exactly? Well, let’s focus on the profits they make that may seem exaggerated on the show, but actually aren’t.  

House flipping is the process in which a home is flipped and renovated into better livable conditions by the buyer and is then put back on the market, in hopes of having it be someone else's dream home. The goal is to hopefully gain more profit than what the house was bought for, along with the renovation expenses put into it.  

The duo focused a lot on the Orange County area in California during the series as that is where they began their real estate careers. Here are a few examples of their very profitable flips and how much they have earned from it: 

1. Profit: $117,000 

Tarek and Christina had to really take on the interior of the home when they got this from the auction. Tearing down walls and opening up space really provided a beautifully renovated kitchen in the end, with a good profit along with it.

2. Profit: $121,000

Although the outside shows most of the renovation, there were also interior renovations made during this flip. With such a refreshing makeover, the home is revived with fresh paint and new features, the duo walked out with a fair profit for this flip as well. 

Read Also: How To Flip A House For The First Time (THE ULTIMATE GUIDE) 

3. Profit: $167,500

The bathroom went from mediocre to WOW in this renovation. From basic cabinets and flooring, Tarek and Christina brightened up the space with clean white cabinets and beautiful new tiles. Their profit for this flip was just as amazing as the place looks! 

4. Profit: $211,200

Another interior renovation for the living area resulted in an open living area, especially with the removal of certain walls. With Christina's eye for design, the entire place is dressed up! Their profit for this amazing flip leaves us just as speechless as the home does. 

Image Credits

The profits they gain may be big, but the two stars have definitely made it clear that they are in it because of their passion for real estate and house flipping. With years of experience in the field, the two have gained credibility and expertise, which also reflects in the profits they gain from each flip. 

Where To Watch Flip Or Flop?

Now that we have a little more background on the show and cast, where do I watch Flip or Flop?

You can catch Tarek and Christina on HGTV, both on the channel and the website, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and YoutubeTV. Depending on subscriptions you have, you can access certain, or all, seasons of Flip or Flop. 

Through these streaming services and television channels, you'll also be able to access other titles of house flipping reality shows that may be just as informative as Flip or Flop! The more the merrier, right?

Flip Or Flop Reviews 

More often than not, viewers tend to believe that these shows are far from reality, even though they may be called "reality TV". To put things into a better perspective, let's discuss reviews that the audience has left us over the years.

The show holds great reviews on these streaming services. For example, the series currently holds a 4.4-star rating on Amazon’s customer reviews. Many enjoy it as they see how real it is compared to others. They work without the over-exaggerated drama, risk their own money, and there isn't a lot of fake entertainment getting in the way. 

On the flip side, some people had lower reviews mostly applying to the personal issues the pair has. Although the show is mostly about the house flipping, viewers bring up the "unprofessionalism" when it comes to the couple's personal relationship showing a little too much on-screen, specifically the seasons released after the couple's divorce. 

Nonetheless, in the aspects of house flipping, the show is seen to be a great resource to those who are looking for a true perspective on the profitable business. Although there may be drama, reality shows are seen to have that in one form or another. Ultimately, it is up to you to judge it on your own as each person holds their own standards. 

Shows Similar To Flip Or Flop

If you're looking for different perspectives on what a house flip process is like, there are other shows you may want to look into to help with that.

Rooting from Flip or Flop, Christina and Tarek both have their own spin-offs of the series, but apart:

• Christina on the Coast: With two seasons already released and a new season on the way, Christina takes on her own remodeling projects in her series. As she begins her new venture and a new chapter, Christina is using this new opportunity to expand her design business in Southern California. In an HGTV article, Christina wrote "design is my favorite part of the house-flipping process and I can't wait to be able to now work directly with clients and create a space they've always dreamed of having". 
• Flipping 101 with Tarek: The series premiered just this year and Tarek has every intention of teaching everything he has learned to those who are looking into house flipping. In an article with HGTV, he shares "I'm going to show them how to take the worst of the worst and make a mountain of money turning their homes into the best on the block".

Beyond Flip or Flop, there are also other shows and teams who take on house flipping that you may also want to consider: 

• Brother vs. Brother - This popular series features another real estate duo, the Scott Brothers. With some healthy competition, the brothers go head to head to see who can flip a home for the highest selling price. The Property Brothers also star in a wide variety of other home improvement shows. 
• Fixer Upper - Although this series came to an end in 2018, they have recently announced another season coming up in the next year. In the meantime, you can catch up on HGTV and other streaming services. Chip and Joanna Gaines take on house flipping in Waco, Texas, reviving neighborhoods by flipping dilapidated homes. 
• Masters of Flip - Dave and Kortney Wilson, previously in the music industry together, made the switch into the real estate business. The show goes through the couple's real estate venture from renovations and flips to buy and hold properties and vacation rentals. 
• First Time Flippers - This series follows first-time house flippers and the process they go through while they learn how to makeover and renovate these homes. Ultimately, they get to see whether the risk was worth it by the profits they make in the end. 
• Zombie House Flipping - The name is quite eye-catching, isn't it? This show follows a crew who takes on homes that may have been abandoned for years, foreclosed, and in extremely poor conditions. Basically, they take on the worst-of-the-worst, which leads us to why it's called zombie house flipping. 

These series are just a few that are out there for you to watch. Take it all at once or pick and choose one, either way, you ought to learn something from each show as each has different to offer.

How To Become A Real Estate Investor If You Like Flip Or Flop?

Inspired by Flip or Flop? Want to take house flipping into your own hands? There are ways for you to get into the business, all you need is that little bit of inspiration and determination!

Connecting with others in the real estate business may help you gain more personal insight into the business. One-on-one sessions with other professionals will help get any ambiguity you have about the business and will help you decide if it's something you really want to do. LinkedIn is a great way to connect with real estate professionals in the field and get questions you have answered!

Free resources are also available for you to get your foot in the door. A simple search is all it takes to access resources that may help you start your career in the real estate business. Certain businesses offer different training opportunities for free when you start so definitely look into those that are available to you!

Read into real estate blogs and books that will help you stay educated on the topics you see in the shows. If you aren't familiar with different terms or topics that may come up while watching, it will definitely help you learn if you read into those certain topics, this will be an advantage for you as you learn more and get a better grasp of what you may run into in the field. 

Learning how to invest in real estate without having to put a lot of money into it is a great way to get started. This way, if the process doesn't go in your favor you won't have to face a huge loss. Real estate is a great field even if you don't have a lot of money to invest in it, learn how to do it right and you won't regret it! 

Of course with the circumstances we face with COVID-19, you may not be comfortable going out and seeking your own projects just yet. But don't worry, there are ways you can run an entire house flipping business virtually. 

Above all else, investing your attention, time, and determination into the process will only enhance your profitability and experience in the field. Investing in real estate may be an arduous process, but one that will eventually pay off once you learn the strategies to play the game! 

Final Thoughts On Flip Or Flop

Although Flip or Flop may just seem like another source of entertainment to pass time, it can eventually lead you to a career that you never thought you would see yourself in. Inspiration is all you need to get into real estate and there's an abundance of resources that are able to help you get there. 

The series may be a reality series, which may leave some people skeptical, but it does grasp the raw process that house flipping endures. From the auctions to the renovations to finding a buyer, it takes you through the highs and lows that house flippers have to go through. 

The perspective you are given through the series may leave you inspired and don't be afraid to act on it! If you aren't on the hunt for finding another career to take part in, then enjoy the show for pure entertainment!