Last Jan. 7, HGTV's hit show "Flip or Flop" reached a record-breaking rating of 0.99 among viewers P25-54. Broadway World reported that this is the highest rated premiere telecast of the series, which is now ranked as the number one cable program for its timeslot.
Real-life husband and wife Tarek and Christina El Moussa, "Flip or Flop" hosts, are real estate professionals who specialize in buying foreclosed and distressed houses, renovating and selling them for a profit.
According to Starcasm, Tarek's estimated net worth ranges from $2-$3 million, not including Christina's income. The duo reportedly earns as much as $10,000 per episode, aside from the profit they make in each sale. They also own Success Path Education, a real estate investment seminar group that gives workshops for aspiring investors. The couple is said to get as much as $40,000 for every talk they conduct.
Just recently, Christina shared their story to Zillow, saying that success did not come overnight.
"When Tarek and I first started flipping houses, we didn't have much. We were both real estate agents when the recession hit in 2008. We traded our Mercedes for a Honda, and swapped our $6,000-a-month mortgage for a $700-a-month rented apartment," Christina said.
She detailed that Tarek had to study the real estate market and had to borrow money for their first house flip.
"We had to learn how to flip houses without losing our shirt. Those experiences tempered us and helped hone not only our skills, but our instincts."
When HGTV first knocked on their doors in 2013, house flipping was not yet as popular. According to Pop Sugar, the network was unsure how viewers would respond, so they initially aired "Flip or Flop" at late primetime. The massive success of the show, now on its fourth season, is directly proportional to the growing interest in real estate among television viewers.
"One of the best parts of house flipping is feeling like a partner in communities. We're proud of the work our family business has done to return good, safe homes to the market," Christina concluded.
"Flip or Flop" airs Thursdays, 9 p.m. on HGTV.
