What Tarek El Moussa’s New Solo Venture Means for ‘Flip or Flop’

Tarek & Associates

Tarek El Moussa rose to reality TV fame alongside his wife, Christina, on HGTV’s “Flip or Flop”—but now that their marriage has crashed and burned, he’s blazing his own trail in real estate, he says in an exclusive interview with realtor.com®.

Tarek has rebranded the business—and Christina no longer plays a role. Bid farewell to the unwieldy moniker of “Tarek and Christina: The El Moussa Group,” and say hello to the simple sleekness of “Tarek & Associates.” Founded in October, the new real estate company is affiliated with HÔM Sotheby’s International Realty.

“It’s a complete rebrand of the existing business,” Tarek says.

‘Flip or Flop’: Are the rumors true?

If you’ve heard rumors that “Flip or Flop” went kaput along with the couple’s marriage, Tarek put the kibosh on that: He’s still working with Christina on the show. In fact, the two are currently putting the finishing touches on Season 7, which is likely to start airing early next summer.

Tarek El Moussa

Tarek & Associates

Despite the upheaval in his personal life, Tarek admits the show has provided distinct advantages when it comes to selling real estate. Home sellers crave exposure for any property they’re attempting to unload.

“I’ve been on TV for so long, we have millions and millions of viewers, not only in the U.S., but around the world,” he says, adding that the show is seen in places such as Malaysia, Australia, and United Arab Emirates. “I can reach over a million people with a push of a button.”

Tarek El Moussa’s new focus

The international exposure will come in handy, because he’s aiming for deals at the high end of the Orange County, CA, market. Remember “The OC”?

“I live on the coast in South Orange County, and we’re going after the luxury market there,” Tarek says. His firm will focus on upscale towns such as Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Corona del Mar.

The properties he’s currently selling include an $11.3 million beachfront home in Newport Beach and a $5.4 million waterfront home with private dock on Newport Island.

$11.3 million beachfront home in Newport Beach

realtor.com

$5.4 million waterfront home on Newport Island

With luxury home prices soaring, especially on the California coast, it’s easy to see why Tarek would gravitate toward the upper end of the real estate market. But when we asked him about the red-hot SoCal real estate market, he backed away from the B-word.

“I wouldn’t call it a bubble,” he says, “and I wouldn’t say it’s about to burst, because when people buy homes today, they have to have jobs, they have to verify income, they have to verify taxes, they have to show bank statements. So today’s buyers are truly qualified.”

Call him an optimist (or a realist), but Tarek doesn’t see any signs indicating a repeat of 2007, so he’s diving in to these luxe markets right along the ocean.

Still fond of flipping

That said, his business isn’t limited to Orange County, and his company will still handle flips of nonluxury homes.

“We’ve flipped and sold homes in Riverside County, San Bernardino County, L.A. County, San Diego County,” he says. He still has his team in place in areas of Orange County where homes are more reasonably priced and flipping opportunities are abundant. Most of the show’s episodes are shot in cities such as Garden Grove, La Habra, and Fullerton.

A typical “Flip or Flop” house

HGTV

His tips for home sellers

But what your average homeowner really wants from Tarek is advice on getting top dollar in a home sale. After all, he has an estimated 400 successful flips under his belt.

“I can walk into a house and within minutes I know how to create value—and not only create value, but I know how to get it to sell faster,” he says.

Every property has its quirks, he notes. “But for starters, declutter and make sure the house is clean,” he says. “I feel that it’s very important to replace carpet if that’s necessary, fresh paint, but also pay attention to little things, walking around the house, the faucets, the doorknobs, the doors—just the little things.”

The little things add up, and he is ready to learn whether a little name change to his business will make for a successful equation over the coming months.

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