HGTV's Flip Or Flop Only Happened Because Tarek El Moussa Sent A 'Random Email'

"'Flip or Flop' started as a crazy idea and I sent a random email to a production company with a dream of flipping houses on tv before I ever flipped a house," El Moussa wrote in a December 2022 Instagram post. The HGTV star went on to explain that he and his former wife Christina Hall had no prior experience, nor did they know anything about making a TV show (though they did work as real estate agents). El Moussa and Hall met while working at a Fortune 500 insurance company prior to their time in real estate. 

As El Moussa acknowledged, "We were just two kids who wanted to learn how to flip houses and take you on that journey with us." The ambitious entrepreneur saw an opportunity to make a profit in 2008 when house prices plummeted. He reached out to friends and family to raise funds to help the couple purchase the first home they wanted to renovate and sell. After a successful flip, El Moussa sent out an email pitching the show. He put together a video and submitted it but HGTV only responded a year later. 

Thankfully, "We built a good brand, the show turned out really, really well — it's fun, fast-paced, exciting," El Moussa told Business Insider. In addition to a successful show, the couple also made huge money. The most profitable project in "Flip or Flop" history occurred in season 7 when they brought in over $200,000.