Flip or Flop

The best things about Tarek and Christina are that they are level-headed and realistic. You don't see them blowing up at their contractors, or overspending on their flips. They spend realistic amounts of money on their properties and renovations, and they encounter realistic problems. Unlike other shows, like Flipping Vegas, problems don't seem staged. And I love the fact that the show is only 30 minutes; one hour can be overkill for these types of shows. Other reviewers have said that the characters are "bland" but I disagree. I would rather that they be themselves rather than over-act for the camera. And I don't mind Christina's SoCal accent; she's nice to look at and she has a good head on her shoulders. Over all, Flip or Flop is an entertaining and efficient home renovation show.

The amount of nastiness and hatred toward Tarek and Christina on this site is astonishing. As to predictions that they show won't be on long, it's not only been on since 2013, Christina and Tarek now each have separate shows on top of Flip or Flop.

I guess we just live in a world where people need to focus their hostility on something. Let's see - I've read they always make money. So in other words, you've watched what - one show? They have lost money, they have gotten no offers by the time the show ends, they've had no one show up at an open house.

Also what makes any of you think these people do one flip at a time? They have as many as ten going at a time. Despite what you might think, they do know what they're doing.

I've read the prices they buy these flips for are exorbitant. This is southern California - of course the prices are ridiculous! And I've read that they do no sweat equity themselves. Again, you've only watched one episode. They certainly do.

On a show like this, the "surprises" etc. that are shown on a property - they certainly know about them before the cameras start rolling, otherwise, there would be no show. And yes, they go over budget - on the particular flips they show. Again, no drama without it. They have made a ton of money.

I happen to think Christina is a good designer. I love people saying she isn't one. Then how are the houses getting done? And how is she doing designing on a second show?

Not successful? Live in a tract home? Uh, no, they don't. They run a huge business, have a large home which has been shown, and they make a lot of money.

I had a friend on one of these shows - it went pretty well like you see on TV but full price was not paid for the products purchased. That's to the person who complained about them getting things cheaply. These home shows do.

Once they divorced, the hatred toward this couple doubled, intimating that Tarek should check the paternity of their second child. That is disgusting, especially considering she had to have in vitro fertilization.

I watch these shows to see the finished product - I like looking at something that looks great coming from nothing. I don't watch them so I can trash the people doing them and call them con artists. Look up their business on google, and you'll see they're hardly that. They're also hugely popular.

In the same way video shot containing failed offers and lost auctions would be edited out of the show, the show would gravitate towards footage containing the more complex and challenging flips because that will naturally bring more interesting content. When flipping houses, complexity and challenges usually result in a higher cost of repair so that should mean the net profit should be lower than one of their uneventful and unaired typical flips.

But this is not what we see. Instead, in usual reality TV flipping drama, we have Ken and Barbie fretting about losing money only for the final minute to show they actually made $50-$100K. Every time. This simply cannot be true and here is why:

In a number of shows they have mentioned that they have a number of other flips in progress simultaneously. The ones we see usually take 4-8 weeks to complete and net around $50-$100K. Also in a number of shows they try to make it sound as if they are stretched thin, borrow money from relatives, and act as if one unprofitable flip will force them into poverty. The only way this could be true is if they either lose money on houses we do not see or make a minimal amount on a typical flip. At any rate, I want to see that. I want to see why a house failed to flip profitably! I think that would be extremely educational and be a far more interesting show than one where we already know the ending!

It's like watching an episode of Gilligan's Island where they have a chance on getting rescued. C'mon, even if the show was airing new you know they aren't getting rescued.

I'm not some airhead socialist condemning someone their right to earn their profit, but I do want to see the truth in now successful these flips really are so that the faux financial drama that is put into the show at least feels real. The show where they asked Barbie's father for a $15,000 loan and then cut to break as we sat on the edge of our seats waiting to find how what happened is a bit much.

I love watching DIY and renovation shows to see before and after results. This show isn't bad. I understand some of the fake drama that is added to gain interest in viewers. I don't believe the auctions. It seems very staged by not so experienced actors. I have to say though, the thing that irritates me the most about this show is Christina. She has the personality of a zombie. When she is talking to the camera, it's very monotone and very valley girl like. For goodness sake, please pronounce your G's! Also, why on earth would you wear high heels and makeup to a demolition? The amount of mascara makes me cringe every time. As a couple, Tarak and Christina seem very unemotional. There is no arguments, no tears, no raising voices, no hugging, no nothing. Flipping houses would be an emotional roller coaster! There is ZERO emotion in this show! It's all about the money. Oh and please stop whining about how much something costs when you drive around in your multiple luxury automobiles. I'm all about being able to reap the benefits of one's own work but don't complain about a few thousand more spent on a flip when it's evident that it's a drop in the bucket for you. Enough of the fake drama! Give us the raw drama! Give us some emotion people! Please Christina, for goodness sake stop talking like Kim Kardashian and pronounce those G's!

I do enjoy the show, mostly to see the before and after. However, I absolutely cannot stand Christina's voice, lack of vocabulary, and her clear intentions to get noticed for wearing a new outfit every 15 minutes. She also seems awfully eager to drop off her ONE child at her mothers, when a house can be evaluated by one person. Or maybe even bring your ONE child along with you. She does seem to have somewhat of an eye for decorating, but of course she is insistent on the high end tiles, quartz, flooring etc... When you speak to most flippers they will tell you the main focus is making a profit. You can make your kitchens and bathrooms shine just as easy with much cheaper products.

I do also have some doubts about their claims of massive profits each week. Their houses are always well done, but sometimes the prices they ask are ridiculous yet magically they seem to get what they are asking for, sometimes even MORE.