It appeared to be a match made in heaven when HGTV star and home renovator Tarek El Moussa and his wife,
Selling Sunset alum and luxury real estate agent Heather Rae Young, teamed up to launch their latest venture on the network: The Flipping El Moussas.
According to HGTV, the show, which launched in March 2023, would not only have viewers watching the real estate power couple flip houses,
but also follow them as they “work together, learn together and grow together with Tarek’s two kids and a new baby on the way.”
Unfortunately, the first season of The Flipping El Moussas wasn’t a success. Viewership for the premiere episode was far lower from the millions who watched Tarek back in 2013 on the highly beloved show, Flip or Flop, which starred his ex-wife, Christina Hall.
It appeared that viewers had mixed feelings about the show’s first season, and fingers all pointed to Heather. From preferring her personality on Selling Sunset to her inexperience designing homes, the reality star was certainly not well liked. Season 2 even seems to be on the line as no updates have been given yet. Was Heather to blame for the failure of The Flipping El Moussas?
Fans Have Mixed Feelings Over Heather Rae Young’s ‘Job’ On The Show
Viewers don’t believe Heather has an eye for design
When Heather and Tarek sat down with E! News to discuss their new show, the renovator explained that his wife would be a huge part of the design aspect of their many flips. “You’re gonna see Heather really jumping in and designing the heck out of some really cool houses,” he shared.
On Reddit, viewers who watched Season 1 of The Flipping El Moussas weren’t too pleased with Heather’s designs or lack thereof. They shared that Heather didn’t include her own personal style when it came to designing homes, which made sense as she’s a real estate agent. Take, for instance, in an episode where the reality star was flipping a stunning 1930s Tudor Home in Long Beach, California. It seemed like most of the inspiration was thanks to the designer she brought in.
- “What really bugs me about this show is they just bring in a designer and throw cash at them. They don’t really seem to have any style of their own,” one Reddit user said.
- “Heather in writing is a perfect addition. She’s in/was in real estate and should know what the customers like and are buying. However, I don’t think Heather actually pays attention to what customers are looking for and why properties sell,” another Reddit user shared.
The Flipping El Moussas Focuses Too Much On The Couples’ Lives
Fans agree that the couple focus more on their personal lives rather than the point of the show
The Flipping El Moussas is unlike Flip or Flop in that the show also focuses on the personal lives of Tarek and Heather. Speaking with E! News, Heather shared, “We’ve had a lot of fun doing this. We flipped 10 homes together. You see the love of our relationship shine through. You see us with the kids, you see the pregnancy, our families and us working together, which is really fun.”
Although some viewers may like the addition of the couple showcasing their life when they aren’t renovating homes, including Heather’s pregnancy journey, others wished the show just focused on the main objective: design and flipping.
All this may have played a factor in the show’s poor premiere ratings. According to US TVDB, the premiere episode of The Flipping El Moussas had an estimated 796,000 viewers, which is nothing compared to the 1.1 million viewers who watched the first episode of Flip or Flop in 2013. Tarek’s ex-wife Christina’s new reality TV show, Christina In The Country, also saw viewership in the 700,000 range when it premiered in January 2023.
- “I tried watching it a couple of times and just couldn’t get into it. Way too much “reality” and not nearly enough home inspiration,” a Reddit user wrote.
- “The show isn’t about real estate , it’s about their relationship,” a user wrote.
- “I wish they would focus on the behind the scenes business stuff and less on their personal nonsense,” another Reddit user said.
To be fair, HGTV did state that the show would be so much more than Tarek and Heather flipping homes.
| HGTV Premiere Episodes | Audience |
|---|---|
| The Flipping El Moussas | 763,000 viewers |
| Flip Or Flop | 1.1 million viewers |
| Christina In The Country | 744,000 viewers |
Will Season 2 Of The Flipping El Moussas Ever Air?
Heather and Tarek appear to be focusing on other aspects of their lives
Despite less than favorable ratings and disgruntled viewers not pleased with Heather (or her voice), there is a second season in the works. In fact, in July 2023, HGTV announced season two would be renewed with even more episodes than the first season, but it remains delayed. The announcement also stated that the second season was set to air in “early 2024,” but viewers are still left wondering what might be the holdup
Heather even took to Instagram that same month to promote the new season. Sharing photos of herself with Tarek in the middle of a renovation, she revealed that viewers would see the couple renovating more challenging homes and taking on a bigger role in the design aspect. Additionally, viewers will see Heather as a new mom and balancing work and home life.
The couple also appear to be focusing on other ventures. In early 2024, Tarek released a tell-all memoir, titled, Flip Your Life. Meanwhile, Heather is keeping busy raising their son, Tristan. However, reality TV isn’t put on the back burner for these two. Both stars will appear in yet another reality show slated for HGTV called The Flip Off, which will see the couple competing against Christina Hall and her husband, Josh Hall, to see who can flip homes for the most profit. The show is set to air in 2025.
Hopefully, the show will focus more on finding, buying, flipping, and selling homes than on the couple’s personal lives.
