After 10 years, famed house flippers Tarek El Moussa and Christina Haack have ended “Flip or Flop.” It’s is a shame, because the show’s final flip was their most profitable.

These two spent $900,000 on the four-bedroom, three-bathroom, Spanish-style home in Santa Ana, CA, then poured $200,000 into renovations. It was a hefty investment, but their gamble paid off. The property was sold last week for a whopping $1,730,000, netting them a $570,000 profit—the most we’ve seen them make yet.

So why call their show quits, right when they’re making bank on their flips? Haack claimed she found it frustrating to work with El Moussa’s tight budget.

“I’m tired of constantly having to sell Tarek on my ideas. I get it,” she explains in the final episode. “It’s usually about money. It’s more gratifying for me to design for someone who’s personally investing in their home than it is to do these flips.”

True, it must have been tough for these former spouses to bicker, house after house, about whether to splurge on certain upgrades or save money. Still, in our minds, this tension was also what made their renovations so successful.

As proof, we take a closer look at the last house on “Flip or Flop” and how El Moussa and Haack may have ended their show on their best renovation ever. Here’s how they worked their magic, along with one final batch of lessons we may all be inspired to apply to our own abodes.

Invest in the exterior, particularly the front door

From Season 1 to the end, Haack and El Moussa have come full circle. In 2013 on the very first episode of “Flip or Flop,” these two renovated a petite Spanish-style home. On the show’s final episode, they revisited this style, only on a much grander scale of 2,779 square feet.

Indeed, this home’s sheer size was already a strong selling point, particularly its two garage spaces. But Haack and El Moussa did many tweaks to step it up, painting the window frames and adding lots of lush greenery.

And although Haack complained until the end that El Moussa was too much of a tightwad with his renovation budget, he did often cave to her demands on the exterior—because after all, curb appeal counts! On this house, for instance, he coughed up an exorbitant $2,000 on ornate wooden front doors that Haack insisted would be worth every penny.

“It’ll change the look of the entire house,” she says.

In the end, these doors really did look beautiful, proving that it always pays to make a great first impression.

A grand fireplace often helps to sell a house

While El Moussa continued to rein in spending whenever Haack didn’t kick up too much of a fuss, another feature where he agreed to splurge was the fireplace.

“We currently have this very Mediterranean-looking fireplace, and we’re doing the more Spanish theme, so I don’t think any of this can stay,” Haack explained about the dated eyesore they started out with in the living room.

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They were warned that refinishing this fireplace with new framing and stucco would cost $4,000 to $5,000, but Haack persuaded El Moussa to move ahead. In a house this luxurious, a dated fireplace just wouldn’t do—and in the end, it was clear she was right. The new fireplace made a stylish statement that matched the rest of the house.

Backsplash tile and arches add loads of style

In the kitchen, these flippers picked a contemporary design. The wood-tone cabinets gave the space a rustic look, while the star pattern in the backsplash tile added a bold pop of dark blue.

To add more Spanish flare, these flippers made sure to preserve the home’s original arched doorways. Clearly, not all walls need to be torn down to open up a space.

A palatial main suite makes homebuyers swoon

Upstairs, this flip had four sizable bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a laundry room. While El Moussa and Haack made sure to give everything quick refreshes such as a new coat of white paint, they focused their efforts on the main suite, as they knew this area was always a strong selling point with homebuyers.

In the en suite bathroom, El Moussa and Haack added double vanities and a massive shower with elegant gray tile, providing a spa ambiance.

Outdoor areas are as important as the house interiors

In this post-pandemic world, outdoor space is as important as what’s within, and this house already had a good setup. Out back, there was a large pool (with newly updated tile) and lots of space to dine or entertain.

Meanwhile, the second story sported a large deck out front connecting all four bedrooms. El Moussa and Haack improved this space by updating the iron railing and painting.

All in all, renovations both big and small went into this final flip. And while fans may be sad to see “Flip or Flop” go, El Moussa and Haack’s fabulous renovations will surely inspire homeowners for years to come.

The post Inside Tarek El Moussa and Christina Haack’s Final Flip—and What Makes It So Special appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.