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Tarek El Moussa is known for his impressive home renovations on his HGTV shows “Flip or Flop” and “Flipping 101 With Tarek El Moussa.” But what are his own homes like?
That depends, since this 39-year-old reality TV star has purchased, and rented, quite a few properties for his personal use over the years.
Each reflected where he was in life at the time, whether he was single (when his home had a shark tank), married to Christina Anstead (time to upgrade to a massive family mansion), divorced (hello, “dadchelor” pad!), or starting fresh with his fiancée, Heather Rae Young.
For a good look at how life changes can affect the home you have, check out this timeline of El Moussa’s many homes through the years, and how much his tastes have evolved.
Early 2000s: Tarek El Moussa’s first home
Even El Moussa had to start somewhere! Back when this HGTV star was just 21, he bought his first home—and spent way more than he expected. He set out to find a house for around $400,000, but ended up falling in love with a home that was listed for over $800,000.
“It was the perfect bachelor pad—1,400 square feet, massive master bedroom, man cave all to myself, and coolest of all, a 300-gallon shark tank—may I remind you I was 21 at that time?” he wrote for realtor.com®.
Let’s just say that El Moussa’s first home was a huge life lesson for him that you should never bite off more than you can chew—financially or otherwise.
“I was very, very broke,” he admitted. “With no money for furniture, I ended up living in an empty house for nearly nine months.”
2013–18: El Moussa’s first family home with Christina Anstead
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By 2013, El Moussa was married to Christina Anstead, and they had their daughter, Taylor, so they needed a bigger family house. The couple’s hit TV show, “Flip or Flop,” had completed its first season, so they had the cash to upgrade.
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And upgrade they did: El Moussa and Anstead’s home in Yorba Linda, CA, was purchased for an even $2 million at the end of 2013.
With six bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms, this property was already impressive, but the couple ended up spending an additional $1.5 million to improve the property, turning the backyard into an oasis, with a gorgeous dining area, swanky pool, and fire features.
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Despite all that renovation equity sweat, when the pair split in 2018, they sold the house at a loss, accepting an offer for just $2,995,000—proving that renovations don’t always pay off.
2017: El Moussa’s Bad Decisions houseboat
Originally, El Moussa and Anstead bought this yacht together, naming it Flip or Flop. But soon after they separated, El Moussa pointedly renamed it Bad Decisions.
The boat, which cost almost $1 million, has two bedrooms and two bathrooms—making it virtually as spacious as some of his flips.
With teak flooring and cedar-lined closets, the boat is stylish, and it has a kitchen and a washer and dryer. It is also convertible and can either be left open to the ocean breezes, or closed up so that the heater or air conditioning can make the ride more comfortable.
As it turns out, this boat played an important part in El Moussa’s meeting his fiancée in Newport Beach, CA.
“His boat was parked next to the boat I was on,” Young explained on Netflix’s “Selling Sunset.” “And my girlfriend happened to be on his boat.”
She jumped aboard, she recounted, and El Moussa turned around.
“And he was, like, ‘Hi, I’m Tarek,’” she said. “Then we were just, like, texting and kept in touch.”
2018–20: El Moussa’s postdivorce ‘dadchelor’ pad
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After El Moussa and Anstead split, El Moussa moved into a four-bedroom “dadchelor” pad” in Costa Mesa, CA. A good mix of family-friendly and all-El Moussa—without Anstead’s feminine touches—it was only a couple of blocks from his ex-wife’s place, making shared custody of their kids much simpler.
The home had a pool, spa, and outdoor dining space. The interior was styled in bold colors, making it homey but masculine. With a modern fireplace and high ceilings, the space was perfect for El Moussa.
April 2020: El Moussa and Young’s first rental together
By April this year, El Moussa and Young were ready to move in together. They rented a snazzy Newport Beach home, just a block from the ocean. El Moussa and Young’s home had fun swivel chairs, a dining table perfect for a family of four, and lots of family photos.
This rental was temporary, but these two certainly looked comfortable!
September 2020: El Moussa’s beachside fixer-upper
Of course, Young and El Moussa didn’t plan to rent forever, and in September, they bought a home in Newport Beach. Originally, El Moussa bought this house to flip, but after he proposed in July, they decided it would make a great home for both of them.
Unfortunately, it looks as if it will be a while before these lovebirds can move in to their new abode.
In November, El Moussa reported that his new house had flooded. “Ugh, when it rains it pours! We are now way behind schedule and way over budget lol,” he said.
It may take some work to get this place ready, but if El Moussa has proved anything, it’s that he can roll with the punches and is always up for a challenge—with his homes or otherwise.
The post An Eye-Opening Timeline of Tarek El Moussa’s Own Homes, From His First to Where He Lives Today appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.