HGTV; realtor.com
In the latest “Flip or Flop,” Tarek El Moussa and Christina Anstead take a big risk when they agree to team up with fellow house flipper Pete De Best.
De Best has appeared on the show before, and this time, he’s back with a valuable lead on a house in Yorba Linda, CA. He knows he can’t afford to do the project on his own, so he asks El Moussa and Anstead to join forces.
The only problem is, De Best isn’t on board with all of Anstead and El Moussa’s designs, saying their ideas are too expensive.
In this episode, “Turf Wars,” Anstead and El Moussa have to persuade De Best to spend the necessary money on the house, or risk missing the mark on the flip.
Can these three flippers work together to get this house sold for top dollar? Or are the “Flip or Flop” stars 50% in on a major flop? Read on to find out whose style wins out in the end—and learn some great tips on adding value to a home.
Modernize the fireplace with a sleek surface
When these three flippers first tour the house together, De Best tries to convince El Moussa and Anstead that the fireplace is fine as is.
“This fireplace works,” he insists. But the “Flip or Flop” stars couldn’t disagree with him more.
The fireplace is dated and, despite De Best’s protests, they end up spending $2,200 to cover the fireplace in blue tile laid in a herringbone pattern.
When the tiling is finished, it’s clear that the new look is a big improvement.
“Now it just looks supermodernized,” El Moussa says as he admires the finished fireplace. “It just looks really, really good.”
De Best is thrilled with the results, too, agreeing that the money was well-spent. And, as it turns out, potential buyers appreciate the update. One even mentions, “The herringbone on there is gorgeous.”
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When stairs are a focal point, go all in
At first, it seems Anstead and El Moussa are going to have to give up on the idea of a new stair railing. After all, De Best is all about saving money, and new stair railings can be expensive.
But De Best surprises them both by going ahead and ordering a sleek, modern railing.
“You’re never going to believe it,” he says toward the end of the remodel, “but I told [contractor Jeff Lawrence] to go ahead and put a new, modern staircase in.”
It’s lucky that De Best realizes how important this railing is, because once it’s installed, it’s clear that the sleek banister is needed to pull together the modern look of the living room.
The stairs are in the middle of the room, they’re a big focal point, and without this update, the room wouldn’t work.
The new railing costs $2,800, but El Moussa is right when he says the new banister is “worth every penny.”
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High ceilings sell houses
El Moussa hates that the ceiling in the kitchen is lower than the ceiling in the living room. So, he asks Lawrence for a quote. Leveling the kitchen ceiling so it’s flush with the rest of the ceiling will be expensive, about a thousand dollars, but El Moussa thinks it’s worth it and tells Lawrence to do it.
In the end, it’s clear El Moussa was right to dole out the extra cash for the kitchen. The higher ceiling makes the room seem larger, and the extra space allows the team to build taller cabinets that go all the way to the top.
Between the open feel, the improved flow, and the extra storage, going for the higher ceiling was easily one of the best design choices El Moussa made for this house.
Take a risk with chevron-style backsplash
This team of three is careful when it comes to choosing colors for the kitchen. After much deliberation, they decide to go with white cabinets, white countertops, and a blue tile backsplash. It’s a classic, and safe, combination, so Anstead suggests something a little different: laying the tiles in a chevron pattern.
The outcome is truly beautiful. The blue tile catches the eye, and the chevron pattern adds movement to the space.
“We got very simple on the countertop and the cabinets,” De Best says as he looks at the finished kitchen, “but then you have enough contrast to really pull it all together.”
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Classic colors can create a modern look
While Anstead and El Moussa may have a new partner for this house flip, they’re still sticking to their favorite color palette: black and white. The ever chic and simple color combo is a staple for this duo, so when it’s time to paint the house, it’s no surprise Anstead proposes painting the house white with black trim.
Black and white have done this pair well in the past, and it looks like, once again, this contemporary color combo is the right choice. The finished house definitely stands out, and the sleek design matches the interior.
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Use your bathroom tile on the floor to create flow
While De Best and El Moussa search for a discount subway tile, Anstead finds an accent tile she knows will work in the master bathroom. Still, she has to persuade both El Moussa and De Best to spring for the extra $800 for the tile she likes.
In the end, they all agree to the extra cost of Anstead’s geometric pick and cover the bathroom floor and a shower wall with it. When it’s all finished, there’s no denying that the look is bold and interesting.
“Your eye’s drawn to the pattern, and then it just goes up, up the shower wall and it all flows together,” El Moussa says.
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So, is this a flip or flop?
When these three first buy the house, De Best manages to get the price down from $800,000 to $745,000. But even with this reduction, they rack up quite the rehab bill at $68,000. Nonetheless, in the end even De Best admits, “I definitely think the extra money we put in this job is worth it.”
El Moussa lists the house at $999,900, but it sits on the market for a month. So he lowers it to $974,900, and they soon receive a full-price offer. That means this team will make a profit of $119,900—about $60,000 for El Moussa and Anstead.
It looks like teaming up with others pays off!
The post Tarek and Christina Add a Third House Flipper—and the Fight Is On! appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.
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