Flip Your Life: How to Find Opportunity in Distress―in Real Estate, Business, and Life

by Tarek El Moussa

HGTV star real estate investor Tarek El Moussa—known to millions of people worldwide who continue to devour episodes of F lip or Flop, Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa and The Flipping El Moussas —reveals how the grounding principles that make him such a successful house flipper are also applicable to improving our personal lives.

Tarek El Moussa is everywhere, with 1.3 million engaged social media followers and numerous hit HGTV shows including  Flipping 101 w/ Tarek El Moussa  as well as the new HGTV docu-series The Flipping El Moussas,  where he combines his passions for real estate and family in every project. With over a decade of experience, flipping close to 1,000 properties, selling over 1,000 houses, owning multiple apartment buildings and self-storage facilities, El Moussa is a successful entrepreneur, real estate expert and investor. He has a personal rental portfolio of over 200 properties, a wholesale real estate company, a fix and flip real estate company called Tarek Buys Houses, a private equity investment firm called TEM Capital, a production company called Homemade Productions, a real estate education company called Homeschooled by Tarek, and a solar company called Solar Vision.
 
It will surprise Tarek’s fans to learn that it wasn't an easy road to the top.  After seeing a promising baseball career end before it even began with a devastating shoulder injury, a young and aimless Tarek had no clue what he wanted to do with his life. So, he drank. Finally, one night, Tarek decided  not  to drink, and instead stepped outside to look at the night sky for the first time since he could remember. That was when he decided his life needed to change—a lot. And fast.  

In Flip Your Life , Tarek uses his story—that of a lost young man trying to find his way in the world— to take us through the steps of how we can achieve our own goals. Whether in real estate or life, Tarek reveals his proven four-step In chapters such as “Enlist Your Crew” and “Renovate Relentlessly,” Tarek walks us through how to identify our goals, find the people to help us accomplish them, and then make those first steps with confidence.  Along the way, he immerses us in personal and intimate moments that reveal the man behind the beloved HGTV persona, and sheds light for the first time on pivotal moments in his life. From the very early days of  his real estate career, including tremendous financial highs followed by devastating lows, filming  Flip or Flop  with his ex-wife Christina, to his earth-shattering bouts with thyroid and testicular cancer, a crippling back injury, his subsequent addiction to steroids, and his long and hard-earned path to recovery. A natural coach and teacher, Tarek offers us a candid look behind the camera, making Flip Your Life a practical,  easy-to-use guide to help readers everywhere learn how to turn their lives from desultory, unhappy "flops" into focused, meaningful, hugely fulfilling success stories.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Self Help

240 pages, Hardcover

Published February 6, 2024

About the author

Tarek El Moussa is a real estate investor and television personality. He is best known for co-hosting HGTV's Flip or Flop.

Reviews

[Kirsten · Rating 1 out of 5]

At first, I was excited to read this book because I had watched interviews of Tarek talking about it… but several chapters in, I had to DNF. The entire thing is mediocre real estate metaphors and cliches with no real background or information. Maybe it gets more interesting later on, but I couldn’t get there.

[Go · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of “Flip or Flop” so I was excited to read this. It is inspiring. However, I could’ve done without the little bit of swearing. The overall takeaway—have a strong mindset and bet on yourself. Tarek is persistent in trying to get what he wants out of life and he is a hard worker. The translation of his name was so fitting. I have loved all of the house transformations he has done over the years. I have watched his series over and over again for inspiration as we have started flipping our own houses.

I have gained more respect for all that he has accomplished having read this. He suffered a lot and always got back up again. It’s unfortunate that his marriage fell apart amidst medical traumas and their HGTV whirlwind. Honestly, I was expecting more of a mention of his ex-wife Christina and their relationship and all her years of support. It seemed like they genuinely cared for each other.

I enjoyed learning about his upbringing with immigrant parents who made a better life possible for their family. I always wondered if he really was good with math or if it was just for show. What a great talent, especially in the flipping business. I had no idea he had so many physical ailments to overcome. Two cancers and severe back problems. Things could have been different had he been given the right medications. It’s sad how lost and depressed he became at times. Purpose in life is everything. I love how he makes his ADHD work for him instead of against him—it is his source of energy. He turns the negative into positive in life and business. I admire that he has integrity. He wanted to work with people with good moral values. He also makes houses safe first and takes care of the important issues on the inside before putting in the finishes for buyers.

I would agree with Tarek about the need for patience in real estate investing. The learning phase is time consuming. Being patient is one of the hardest parts for me. As much as I enjoyed this book, part of me was disappointed because I wanted a literal step-by-step guide on how to flip houses from start to finish. He started with nothing and he’s still going strong. Come on Tarek, it’s your next book.

I have to say in “Flip or Flop” they make his friend, Pete, look like such a dope. It sounds like in reality he is very smart. He is good with math and investing as well. I think Tarek redeemed him for me. I liked his part of the story concerning his parents’ divorce. He was a good son as he helped tutor his mother in math so she could pass an exam to become a teacher. So sweet.

Tarek has definitely gained wisdom through the years. I love that he started reconnecting with his kids, specifically his daughter. He said she had become his best friend and was always encouraging him. It is very sweet and refreshing.

“Strong foundation thinkers are people who engage the world with attitudes in the second list, these people tend to be happier at work, enjoy better health, and have more influence in the world than people who blame external forces for their problems.”

“Know who you are and what you stand for, you respect yourself, you recognize your need to have other people in your life and you’re able to connect with those people in ways that are good for you and good for them.”

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book as my husband and I were big Flip or Flop fans (Fans more of him than his ex wife).
I love how he takes the hard knocks he has been through and talks about coping/changing your life around the context of flipping houses. This book was well written and I had a hard time putting it down. It also has quizzes in the appendix of the book so you too can see where you are in regarding each chapters theme/lessons learned.
If Tarek put out another book I would be very excited to read it.
Tarek has a lot of wisdom and is an example of persevering despite life knocking you down.

[Requel Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book!

After learning about his life challenges I do understand why his first marriage didn’t make it. They went through a lot together, like a lot a lot and it’s kinda like it’s no one’s fault it was just a very heavy load with two children in the mix. Exhaustions is real. I love how they both have success families and were able to experience love again.

The real estate jargon I love but if you are not a fan you may get a bit lost.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe closer to 3.5 ⭐️ You will enjoy this book more if you were a fan of his shows and/or are interested in real estate and house flipping. First 100 pages were a bit slow, but overall a decent book.

[C.G. Twiles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd never heard of this guy but enjoy reading about real estate and fixing up homes. Tarek El Moussa was lively, likable, and intelligent and he brings the reader not only through building his successful house flipping company and subsequent television show, but gives tips on remodeling your life. Sometimes the analogies between house flipping and fixing your life were so forced they were a bit comical, but all in all, a fun self-help book.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read.

[JJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and a pleasant surprise. After reading this I know house flipping is not for me.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're interested in Tarek then read this book.
It's all about how he was brought up, how he lived, what major events happened to him and how he overcame his falls.
It also has a bit to do about becoming a great real estate agent and/or investor/flipper but not as much as I thought there would be.
It's more so an autobiography of Tarek with a touch of flips in there.
Some important valuable lessons he's learned in here. And his POV on struggles is inspiring.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Flip Your Life, Tarek El Moussa breaks down 4 key areas he chooses to live by: evaluate, emulate, renovate, and duplicate. These rules are the rules he lives by and how he flips houses for a living.He shared his birth and how he was born frail and jaundice. He developed weird tics and the doctors believed that he has some kind of palsy. He was made fun of by others kids and even some adults. One coach would ask him in front of everyone if he would like a million dollars just so kids would laugh he had a weird tic. He struggled with ADHD. He was even slammed against the wall by one teacher because of hyperactivity. He explained how when he graduated from college he began to gain weight and he had always been an athlete. He felt his life was a disaster and he didn’t know the direction he wanted to go in life. He turned to alcohol and smoked. In the book, he shared how he was diagnosed with cancer. He had two different types thyroid and testicular cancer. He later experienced horrible back pain. He had his share of challenges he had to deal with. He also went through a divorce. He also explained how he flips a house. He first evaluates the property to determine it’s worth including it’s strengths and weaknesses. He next compares houses and he referred to it as comps. It’s an idea of what could be. Then finally renovates the property. This lead to a tv show, Flip or Flop on HGTV that details the entire process of renovating a home.


One of my favorite sections was about your healthy self and what all that looks like. These included you respect yourself, know who you are, okay with expressing emotions, and much more. He also looked at the unhealthy self and what all that entails. He also shared how readers can be persistent in their momentum and how critical it is to choose our crew carefully. He explained how his crew helped him through his experiences in life and how men especially struggle with connecting deeper with other men. We have to be willing to ask for help which most of have trouble with. He realized how the helped him to reach his career goals and to become a house flipper. He enclosed a helpful section on some characteristics to look for when building a team.

I would recommend this awesome book to anyone who is ready to flip their life around. I loved how he shared some behind the scenes of how he conducts and decides how to flip houses. I immensely loved the discussions on mindsets and what we believe about ourselves has a profound effect on whether we will succeed. He was very transparent in how went through a divorce and eventually got remarried. Along the way also experiencing health challenges that changed his life. The cancer being so back to back was shocking and readers will be able to see what he faced. This book will assist you in finding new opportunities and to flip your life.

[Michelle Tuite · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading 2024
Book 43: Flip Your Life: How to Find Opportunity in Distress―in Real Estate, Business, and Life by Tarek El Moussa

I have watched every episode of the show Flip or Flop with Tarek and his ex-wife Christina. When this book came on my radar, I had to listen to the audio book for any nuggets I may have missed on behind the scenes of the show.

Synopsis: HGTV star real estate investor Tarek El Moussa—known to millions of people worldwide who continue to devour episodes of F lip or Flop, Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa and The Flipping El Moussas —reveals how the grounding principles that make him such a successful house flipper are also applicable to improving our personal lives.

Review: While I enjoyed the parts of Tarek’s book that dealt with his personal life and even some of how he got started in his businesses, I did not care for the self help parts. The book was a quick listen, my rating 3.5⭐️.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I "read" the audiobook version of this. The end of the book felt rushed and glossed over very lightly in his personal life and felt more like an ad of all of his different businesses. While I get that it is how to find opportunity it would have been nice to have learned how Heather changed his life as he says. Some of the information in the book was repetitive. It was nice that he did acknowledge his ex at the very end in the acknowledgements. There may be a few things that one could apply to their life but the biggest learning point is no ones life is perfect and keep trudging through and don't give up when the going gets tough. Flip Your Life: How to Find Opportunity in Distress―in Real Estate, Business, and Life

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I watched Flip or Flop from the beginning and was always more interested in Tarek, especially when he underestimated costs of repairs and then did his moaning while I yelled at him for not knowing better from my tv screen.
I knew some of his difficulties but the book reveals some of his lowest lows.
It skims over his first marriage without a lot of depth which I expected.
He offers a lot of pump-me-up advice, which can be handy for those who need it.
I think the most important thing he emphasizes is keep going. We all have to keep going no matter what life throws in our paths. To stop means to quit and that’s not a viable option.
So flip through this book if you’re a fan of his shows.
Thanks to hachette books for the advance copy.

[Melissa Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was balanced perfectly. Interesting stories, major highs and lows, and practical advice taken from real-world experiences.

I've never watched the show so I'm unfamiliar with who his ex-wife is, but it was nice that he took full responsibility for how their marriage ended and was honest about the despair he felt after losing her. That's humility.

In fact, the whole book was written from a place of humility and gratitude.

His level of grit and drive is inspiring, but it also made me tired. I could have benefitted from this book in my twenties. I would have done some things differently, and I most definitely would have seen myself as capable of finding success.

Honest and well-written.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not familiar with the author's shows, not really someone who watches home-renovation shows in the first place, and normally not thrilled with self-help / memoir hybrids... somehow this worked for me. I'm not any more interested in any of the above than I was before reading, but the writing style is engaging and it was very hard to put down.

(Disclaimer, I received a free copy of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.)

[Joy Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tarek El Moussa narrates his well-written life story of dips and triumphs, valleys and hills, hitting rock bottom and finding the will to get back up.

Using real-estate terms about flipping lives as well as houses Tarek El Moussa delivers a dynamic story. I was engaged for page one.

Also, please do not skip the Appendix and author notes.

[Doreena Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I watch the HGTV show Flip or Flop so I was curious as to what a book he would write. His real estate life, very interesting and informative on how he got to where he is. His personal life, his childhood, struggles with neighborhood gangs, His two-cancer diagnosis, his two wives and children. I must say it was a good read.

[Nicole Bonfante · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall an interesting book about Tarek’s career. 3.5 stars. At times it was very very repetitive. If you want to play a game, count how many times he says “comps.” Little to nothing about his personal life - it’s not one of those biographies.

I listened on audible (as I do for all celebrity bios) and he was nearly intolerable. I had to turn the speed up to 1.4x because he talked so slowly.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a wonderful surprise for me as I’ve never liked Tarek on Flip or Flop as I thought Christina had much more talent. I have definitely changed my opinion after reading this. It’s amazing how far he has come despite the obstacles he has dealt with. He has written a clear eyed view on how he achieved success without trashing his ex-wife or anyone else that stood in his way. Well done!

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked up this book because I am a fan of the show. Overall, I enjoyed reading about his life. Some of it didn't feel incredibly authentic but then again this is a self-help book and not a memoir. The advice was positive and had a good step-by-step on "flipping" your life. Overall, if i was in need of a "flip" I would suggest this book.

[Jes Pappalardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Tarek and enjoyed listening to him narrate his story. I was impressed with how ambitious he was and how he got started. I thought it might be a turn off that it was about real estate but that wasn't an issue, it made it more interesting.

[Christy Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook, and liked that Tarek was reading it. However he’s got a monotonous meter of between 3-5 words at a time. Very different from the energetic persona he’s cultivated on television.

[Mikhaila]

Read after listening to him on the skinny confidential podcast. I’m surprised there aren’t more reviews for this book since his show has been so popular for so long. Skimmed over most of the “advice” sections, but his life stories were interesting.

[ms.petra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I enjoyed learning a bit about Tarek. He has an amazing work ethic and is a really down to earth person. He was extremely respectful regarding Christina and did not get deep into what happened. A lot of respect there.

[Shalaka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tarek is such an interesting guy who overcame a lot of setbacks. With a personality and career so different from mine, I can't necessarily follow his advice to the letter but the spirit of persistence and looking to the side for opportunities when the path ahead of you is blocked are great lessons.

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Tarek is one persistent and hard working guy. The work ethic he has is unmatched and the way he always finds new opportunities despite the setbacks. This is the kind of success story I want to hear. No victim blaming and no hostility toward his ex-wife. Great story. Mad respect for Tarek.

[Vanessa Perez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be entertaining. It was fun to learn about how Tarek got to where he is today. His rise from many failed attempts is encouraging and his energy is contagious. Nice family man and career driven.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I love Tarek and his TV shows, this book was a little boring and too long for me. I appreciate him sharing his real estate tips, but what I most enjoyed was reading about his personal life and the struggles he overcame. Those were the best parts of the book, IMO.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with information. Funny at times.