Christina (f/k/a El Moussa) and Ant Anstead Split-Up!

[DaveNV]

Do we really care about this person?

Not particularly. But as you can see, people have very specific opinions about her.

Dave

 

[Glynda]

I haven't watched HGTV in quite awhile, but when I was watching I never liked her. I hate to judge other women, but......................

I never got into their show much. Both seemed fake to me.

 

[DaveNV]

I never got into their show much. Both seemed fake to me.

I think the Flip or Flop show was quite formulaic. Even Christina described it on camera, saying something like, "We find a house that looks good outside, but it's a wreck inside. We tear it apart, I find great design things, Tarek gets mad when he finds out how much it costs, then he reconsiders, then he gives in. I get my way, and the house comes out great. We sell for a profit." With that in mind, every single show went exactly that way.

And now, with his Flipping 101 show, Tarek is suddenly an expert who has flipped "over 500 houses." Over 500?? Sounds like a lot for a guy about 30 years old. That's more than 50 houses a year in a ten-year career. Nearly one a week? Pretty ambitious numbers, when you think about it.

And "Christina on the Coast" is no better. Talk about formulaic! Every house is grey and white interiors. White quartz countertops. Grey cabinets. Install this diamond-shaped tile as a backsplash either horizontally or vertically. At the end of the show, every house looks the same. Ho hum.

Dave

 

[wackymother]

I think the Flip or Flop show was quite formulaic. Even Christina described it on camera, saying something like, "We find a house that looks good outside, but it's a wreck inside. We tear it apart, I find great design things, Tarek gets mad when he finds out how much it costs, then he reconsiders, then he gives in. I get my way, and the house comes out great. We sell for a profit." With that in mind, every single show went exactly that way.

And now, with his Flipping 101 show, Tarek is suddenly an expert who has flipped "over 500 houses." Over 500?? Sounds like a lot for a guy about 30 years old. That's more than 50 houses a year in a ten-year career. Nearly one a week? Pretty ambitious numbers, when you think about it.

And "Christina on the Coast" is no better. Talk about formulaic! Every house is grey and white interiors. White quartz countertops. Grey cabinets. Install this diamond-shaped tile as a backsplash either horizontally or vertically. At the end of the show, every house looks the same. Ho hum.

Dave

I guess she's moved on from subway tile.

When Flip or Flop first started, they had a few episodes where the outcome was more dicey and they just barely broke even or even lost some money. Then they started showing them making $70k per house no matter how crazy extravagant they had been on the remodel.

 

[DaveNV]

I guess she's moved on from subway tile.

When Flip or Flop first started, they had a few episodes where the outcome was more dicey and they just barely broke even or even lost some money. Then they started showing them making $70k per house no matter how crazy extravagant they had been on the remodel.

We were commenting the other night that they're doing $750K to $1M homes now. Somebody's pockets got mighty deep over the years. (And yes, even though I'm critical, I watch their shows. I watch a lot of HGTV stuff. It's in my blood, at least right now. )

Dave

 

[Talent312]

I miss the old ones, going way back to Holmes on Homes, Before & After,
and If Walls Could Talk.

I'm kinda over these generic reno shows - even Property Brothers is stale.

Robert Thompson, Syracuse University:
“When you look at that lineup, you think to yourself, ‘What kind of bogus
cable network is this? But it’s really quite an ingenious plan. HGTV is kind
of like a utility. You turn the faucet on, and water comes out. You turn on
HGTV, and HGTV comes out.”

.
.

 

[Patri]

I think the Flip or Flop show was quite formulaic.

Every single reality show is formulaic. So is every Hallmark movie, and old western, and sitcom. Either the public loves the stability, or the writers think we can't handle ingenuity. Or they don't have any.

 

[DaveNV]

And now, with his Flipping 101 show, Tarek is suddenly an expert who has flipped "over 500 houses." Over 500?? Sounds like a lot for a guy about 30 years old. That's more than 50 houses a year in a ten-year career. Nearly one a week? Pretty ambitious numbers, when you think about it.

Dave

Replying to my own comment: Google says Tarek is 39 years old. So make that over 500 houses flipped in a 20 year career, assuming he started it right out of high school (which I kind of doubt.) So that would be a house flipped roughly every two weeks. Still a mighty high number. I'd be curious to know the backstory on that claim.

Dave

 

[wackymother]

Replying to my own comment: Google says Tarek is 39 years old. So make that over 500 houses flipped in a 20 year career, assuming he started it right out of high school (which I kind of doubt.) So that would be a house flipped roughly every two weeks. Still a mighty high number. I'd be curious to know the backstory on that claim.

Dave

It does sound like a lot. I guess once he got started and became an industry, he could be investing and consulting with other flippers and contractors who are also flipping houses. Like a giant Amway of house flippers. He could be counting those, if that's what he's doing. On HGTV we see a few where he swings a sledgehammer for a few minutes and gets a little dirty, and then he moves on to the next one.

 

[Rolltydr]

We were commenting the other night that they're doing $750K to $1M homes now. Somebody's pockets got mighty deep over the years. (And yes, even though I'm critical, I watch their shows. I watch a lot of HGTV stuff. It's in my blood, at least right now. )

Dave

I’m with you, Dave. I probably watch more HGTV than anything. I like the beach shows mostly. Beach Hunters, Beachfront Bargain Hunt, Buying the Beach, Caribbean Life, etc. I also really enjoyed the recent Renovation Island. It was interesting to see everything they had to overcome to get that place ready.

 

[wackymother]

My favorite is House Hunters International! I love that one. I'm going to start an HGTV thread so we can discuss.

 

[DaveNV]

I’m with you, Dave. I probably watch more HGTV than anything. I like the beach shows mostly. Beach Hunters, Beachfront Bargain Hunt, Buying the Beach, Caribbean Life, etc. I also really enjoyed the recent Renovation Island. It was interesting to see everything they had to overcome to get that place ready.

I watch a lot of beach shows, too. More to live vicariously through the people, than to care what they buy. It's especially nice on Hawaii Life, although I completely disagree with the homes they show - they're obviously staying within their own listings, and not venturing out into the general MLS. Hawaii Life is a brokerage firm in Hawaii, and they're just showcasing their own listings.

Renovation Island was amazing. That couple has a ridiculously solid marriage. I think any other marriage would have crumbled. (And I never did understand who paid for it all? Did their company buy the hotel? Were there investors? With all the cost overruns, their debt must be enormous. I'm sure the HGTV people paid them, or paid for, a certain amount. But at the end of it all, do they own and operate the hotel? Questions, questions... )

Dave

 

[AnnaS]

Not surprised.

 

[wackymother]

I watch a lot of beach shows, too. More to live vicariously through the people, than to care what they buy. It's especially nice on Hawaii Life, although I completely disagree with the homes they show - they're obviously staying within their own listings, and not venturing out into the general MLS. Hawaii Life is a brokerage firm in Hawaii, and they're just showcasing their own listings.

Renovation Island was amazing. That couple has a ridiculously solid marriage. I think any other marriage would have crumbled. (And I never did understand who paid for it all? Did their company buy the hotel? Were there investors? With all the cost overruns, their debt must be enormous. I'm sure the HGTV people paid them, or paid for, a certain amount. But at the end of it all, do they own and operate the hotel? Questions, questions... )

Dave

If you want to talk about "How did they stay together?" renovation shows....did you ever watch Grand Designs? It's on Netflix. Oh. My. God.

 

[DaveNV]

If you want to talk about "How did they stay together?" renovation shows....did you ever watch Grand Designs? It's on Netflix. Oh. My. God.

I don't think I've ever seen it. Was it a money pit thing, or was the couple just ill-suited for the project?

Dave

 

[wackymother]

I don't think I've ever seen it. Was it a money pit thing, or was the couple just ill-suited for the project?

Dave

It's a British show. They have different laws regarding reality TV in the UK, and everything has to be strictly true. (So they can't even show things like House Hunters, because on those they are simulating the buyer looking at three different properties.)

Every episode has a very, very determined renovator, usually a couple, usually British. We are not talking about garden-variety renovations. We are talking about huge artistic visions and multi-year projects. The host, Kevin McCloud, visits the people at the beginning of the project and then I guess it takes years to film every one. He visits them and checks on the progress. It's hard to describe the scope of these episodes--they're just so intense. Usually all ends happily and the renovators end up with a magnificent beautiful house and Kevin McCloud is impressed.

BUT there was one a couple of years ago where the husband wanted to build this massive modern house on the coast in Devon. It just kept snowballing and snowballing and getting worse and worse, and the episode ended with the kids (who had been young when the project started) being all grown up; the parents had split and clearly one kid was on the mother's side and one was on the father's side. The father had poured everything into this project, and it still wasn't done, and he was out of money to complete it. It was fascinating and horrifying.

 

[DaveNV]

It's a British show. They have different laws regarding reality TV in the UK, and everything has to be strictly true. (So they can't even show things like House Hunters, because on those they are simulating the buyer looking at three different properties.)

Every episode has a very, very determined renovator, usually a couple, usually British. We are not talking about garden-variety renovations. We are talking about huge artistic visions and multi-year projects. The host, Kevin McCloud, visits the people at the beginning of the project and then I guess it takes years to film every one. He visits them and checks on the progress. It's hard to describe the scope of these episodes--they're just so intense. Usually all ends happily and the renovators end up with a magnificent beautiful house and Kevin McCloud is impressed.

BUT there was one a couple of years ago where the husband wanted to build this massive modern house on the coast in Devon. It just kept snowballing and snowballing and getting worse and worse, and the episode ended with the kids (who had been young when the project started) being all grown up; the parents had split and clearly one kid was on the mother's side and one was on the father's side. The father had poured everything into this project, and it still wasn't done, and he was out of money to complete it. It was fascinating and horrifying.

Ok, now it sounds familiar. I'll see if I can find it, to be sure. There is another show kind of like that, where an architect visits these amazing houses, and showcases them. Incredible architecture and innovation. I'll have to find the name of the show. It's worth it, if you like great, visionary houses.

Dave

 

[Rolltydr]

I watch a lot of beach shows, too. More to live vicariously through the people, than to care what they buy. It's especially nice on Hawaii Life, although I completely disagree with the homes they show - they're obviously staying within their own listings, and not venturing out into the general MLS. Hawaii Life is a brokerage firm in Hawaii, and they're just showcasing their own listings.

Renovation Island was amazing. That couple has a ridiculously solid marriage. I think any other marriage would have crumbled. (And I never did understand who paid for it all? Did their company buy the hotel? Were there investors? With all the cost overruns, their debt must be enormous. I'm sure the HGTV people paid them, or paid for, a certain amount. But at the end of it all, do they own and operate the hotel? Questions, questions... )

Dave

Agree on all points. I wondered how much it all costs. I don’t think they ever gave a cost for the purchase or their final renovation costs.
I did google the property one day. It’s quite expensive to stay there.

 

[Rolltydr]

It's a British show. They have different laws regarding reality TV in the UK, and everything has to be strictly true. (So they can't even show things like House Hunters, because on those they are simulating the buyer looking at three different properties.)

Every episode has a very, very determined renovator, usually a couple, usually British. We are not talking about garden-variety renovations. We are talking about huge artistic visions and multi-year projects. The host, Kevin McCloud, visits the people at the beginning of the project and then I guess it takes years to film every one. He visits them and checks on the progress. It's hard to describe the scope of these episodes--they're just so intense. Usually all ends happily and the renovators end up with a magnificent beautiful house and Kevin McCloud is impressed.

BUT there was one a couple of years ago where the husband wanted to build this massive modern house on the coast in Devon. It just kept snowballing and snowballing and getting worse and worse, and the episode ended with the kids (who had been young when the project started) being all grown up; the parents had split and clearly one kid was on the mother's side and one was on the father's side. The father had poured everything into this project, and it still wasn't done, and he was out of money to complete it. It was fascinating and horrifying.

I watched a few of those. I didn’t see that specific one but some of those projects were unbelievable.

 

[wackymother]

I watched a few of those. I didn’t see that specific one but some of those projects were unbelievable.

The one with the...I think the house was designed to be like a snake? Yes, a snake.

Grand Designs couple go over budget in snake-like house

The design of Stephen and Elizabeth Tetlow's home in the Blackdown Hills was inspired by a fossil shell Stephen spotted on their kitchen table. Kevin McCloud likened it to a snake.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Rolltydr]

I definitely won’t be watching that one! I have a serious phobia of snakes!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wackymother]

I definitely won’t be watching that one! I have a serious phobia of snakes!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Don't worry. The house ends up clearly distinguishable from an actual snake.

 

[clifffaith]

I miss the old ones, going way back to Holmes on Homes, Before & After,
and If Walls Could Talk.

I'm kinda over these generic reno shows - even Property Brothers is stale.
Robert Thompson, Syracuse University:
“When you look at that lineup, you think to yourself, ‘What kind of bogus
cable network is this? But it’s really quite an ingenious plan. HGTV is kind
of like a utility. You turn the faucet on, and water comes out. You turn on
HGTV, and HGTV comes out.”

.
.

My favorite early HGTV show was Curb Appeal. Really enjoyed that show. In fact the landscape guy who did the back garden and porch at our Victorian home was on one episode. He told of getting calls from all over the US to build a rill water feature like the one he installed local to us, all of which he declined. My favorite new show is Vacation House Rules. I have no plans to even stay in a vacation house, but love watching the redesign process. Of course at the end I'm talking to the TV about how the charming amenities (fancy toiletries, coffee bar groceries, beautiful towels and bedding) are going to eat into profits and need replacing after the slob renters get done trashing them. Totally impractical to set the rentals up like they are the guest house out your back door; spoken as one who does have a guest house out my back door and had it trashed by a renter (albeit one who stayed for a miserable year and not a week).

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I like the Flip or Flop Shows but in the other cities. There was one on another channel called Flipping Vegas which was entertaining. The husband was a cheapskate and the wife always wanted to go over the top on expense. Yes fake but entertaining. The original Flip or Flop series wasn't bad.

Christina needs to focus on her kids and step away from the camera. Tarek may be proposing on air to his GF soon, too. Stop, everybody.
I liked the original TV show. Christina was always so bossy though. However, the chemistry worked for the original program. If they invested their money well, both should be millionaires, so put family first now. However, it is hard to walk away from fame....

Agree. Those are Tarek's kids too. Although I like his show, he should also walk away. I feel sorry for those kids. What a mess.

 

[DaveNV]

My favorite early HGTV show was Curb Appeal. Really enjoyed that show. In fact the landscape guy who did the back garden and porch at our Victorian home was on one episode. He told of getting calls from all over the US to build a rill water feature like the one he installed local to us, all of which he declined. My favorite new show is Vacation House Rules. I have no plans to even stay in a vacation house, but love watching the redesign process. Of course at the end I'm talking to the TV about how the charming amenities (fancy toiletries, coffee bar groceries, beautiful towels and bedding) are going to eat into profits and need replacing after the slob renters get done trashing them. Totally impractical to set the rentals up like they are the guest house out your back door; spoken as one who does have a guest house out my back door and had it trashed by a renter (albeit one who stayed for a miserable year and not a week).

I saw Curb Appeal - The Block just the other day. Great show. John Gidding is more than a good TV show host - he has a genuine degree in architectural design. So a lot of what they do on the show are his ideas.

And I agree with Vacation House Rules. Great concept, and Scott McGillivray knows his stuff. The woman who helps him with design is great at her work. I think they're based in Canada, so perhaps they get a better class of renter. I'm sure there are exceptions, but my experience is that Canadians are generally a pretty respectful bunch.

Dave