Heather and Tarek El Moussa are partners in flips and in life! Whether it be their shows — The Flipping El Moussas and the upcoming series The Flip Off — or teaming up with Visit Anaheim, working together has strengthened the HGTV stars' relationship.
"We collaborate on all of our projects, and I think it strengthens our relationship because we're a team, and we do everything together, and we work together, we grow together, we learn together and we have a lot of fun together," Tarek told HELLO! in an exclusive interview.
Heather added, "At night, we sit down and we talk about our day, what's happening tomorrow, our future, our past, and we really go over like what we can do to be better. I feel like we're having a lot of fun doing it. And we don't fight actually, which is crazy," clarifying with a laugh, "Like when we're working."
When it comes to their work, Heather is "definitely the boss" and has "final say for everything." While the Selling Sunset alum laughed that her husband is "not allowed to go against" her, she admitted that she's learned a lot about flipping houses from Tarek, whom she dubbed "the best." Heather pointed out that numbers are one of her husband's strengths. Although Tarek remarked, "My biggest strength is I listen to my wife."
The real estate power couple has been married since 2021. The pair welcomed their first child together, son Tristan, in 2023. Tarek is also a father to daughter Taylor and son Brayden from his first marriage to Christina Hall. The kids are already showing an interest in following in their family's design and flipping footsteps. Continue reading to find out what Heather and Tarek El Moussa revealed about Brayden in Season 2 of The Flipping El Moussas, plus why Anaheim is the dad of three's favorite city to flip houses.
What made [teaming up] with Visit Anaheim a great fit for you guys?
Heather: So many things. I was actually born in Anaheim and he grew up around the area, as well.
Tarek: I grew up in Buena Park, California, but I've been in Orange County my entire life, and I think of Anaheim like the kitchen of a house, right? So if you think of the heart of the home, you think of the kitchen. If you think of the heart of Orange County, you think of Anaheim. And it really is the heart of Orange County because you have the amusement parks, you have the sports parts, you have the new OCVibe coming, and we had the most epic day a couple weeks ago.
Heather: We had so much fun. We came with the kids, and we did like a great staycation, 24-hours here. We stayed at the Westin... We had the view of- the Incredicoaster, and that was Brayden's first time going on a loop-de-loop. So, it was a very special day for us.
Tarek: Yeah, and it wasn't just a normal Disney tour. Something special happened because we got really lucky, and we got the Disney VIP tour, so we had access to the rides in a much faster way. It was easier getting around. And then, of course, we were blown away by the Westin Anaheim.
Heather: Oh my gosh. Beautiful. Luxury. It was really special. The food was incredible. The baby was running around the room, playing with everything like absolutely had the best time. And we got to do something really special. We were invited to go to Club 33 at Disneyland, which we've never been before. So it was really special to enjoy that with the kids.
Tarek: So thank you visit Anaheim.
Heather: Yeah, thank you [laughs].
Are you a big Disney family?
Heather: Oh my gosh, yes.
Tarek: Yeah. I mean, honestly, we're a big Anaheim family. We go to all the sports games at Angel Stadium. We go to all the hockey games at the Honda Center.
Heather: We love it.
Tarek: We are so excited for OCVibe that's coming in 2028, so we are definitely an Anaheim family.
Heather: Also our office is in Anaheim, so we're here a lot, and his sister has two salons here, so I get my hair done in Anaheim. So, we're in Anaheim, I mean, multiple times a week.
Tarek: Every day. And we also flip a bunch of houses in Anaheim.
Why are family getaways important for you [both]?
Tarek: I mean, why are we here? At the end of the day, you know, we're here for family, and we think it's important to create memories and cherish those moments with our children, and what better way to do it than having a lot of fun.
Heather: Yeah, we don't get a lot of time to like go away from work and spend time with the kids, so when we do, it's quality time, and it has to be special, and that's why like even getting a staycation like we got with Visit Anaheim is really special for the kids.
Switching gears, The Flip Off comes out next year... Whose idea was it for the two of you to team up with Christina [Hall] and [Josh Hall]?
Tarek: You know The Flip Off, it is coming out next year, but before The Flip Off is Season 2 of our show, The Flipping El Moussas, and we are just so excited about that show. And there actually are a few properties that we did in Anaheim, so you guys are gonna get to see those.
You've teamed up with Visit Anaheim and have your shows, The Flip Off and The Flipping El Moussas, what's been the most rewarding part of collaborating and working together?
Heather: Gosh. I mean, we've grown together so much. When we first started dating, I was doing Selling Sunset and he was doing Flip or Flop still, and then his other show, and I feel like now getting to work together, we get to brainstorm. We get to flip houses together. We get to create together. And it's been like such an amazing experience, getting to flip houses. I'm learning from the best. He really is. So I've learned so much. I'm now designing, and we just get to spend more time together, which is really great for us.
Tarek: Yeah. Another fun fact on Anaheim: I have flipped almost 1,000 houses, and Anaheim is probably my favorite city to do it.
Why is that?
Tarek: Honestly, super high demand for people wanting to buy. The homes sell fast. The cities are fairly easy to work with, and it's a very healthy real estate market.
Heather: Yeah, we're flipping an incredible house right now in Anaheim Hills with a view. It'll be done in about a month, and we're doing like a Spanish-style home. It's really sought after in Anaheim Hills, so we're hoping that we can get a really good price for that one.
Tarek: Yeah. It's been pretty incredible watching Anaheim grow, honestly, over the 40 years I've lived in the area because the Anaheim today is not the Anaheim of yesterday, and it's just so different with the luxury hotels and the expansion of the amusement parks and the sports venues. It's just really come to life.
What strengths do each of you bring to the table, and how do you think you complement each other when working together?
Tarek: Well, my biggest strength is I listen to my wife.
Heather: I'm definitely the boss, so I have final say for everything. He has really big strength with numbers. So, he knows like flipping numbers. He sleeps, breathes, eats it... You could give him a number and [he] just knows everything. So, he's really good [at] buying houses at a low price. That's the most important thing in flipping. I've really become pretty good at design.
Tarek: Really good at design. Really good at design.
Heather: I don't want to toot my own horn. I was hoping he'd step in there, but I came from the luxury real estate business, so I know luxury and I brought that into our flipping business.
How do you think collaborating on projects has strengthened your relationship?
Tarek: Wow. We collaborate on all of our projects, and I think it strengthens our relationship because we're a team, and we do everything together, and we work together, we grow together, we learn together and we have a lot of fun together.
Heather: At night, we sit down and we talk about our day, what's happening tomorrow, our future, our past, and we really go over like what we can do to be better. I feel like we're having a lot of fun doing it. And we don't fight actually, which is crazy, like when we're working [laughs]. We get along-
Tarek: When we're working [laughs].
Heather: When we're working [laughs]. You might see a little few tiffs-
Tarek: I get in trouble. That's what she's saying.
Heather: I'm like, "Why'd you say that and go against me?" So he's not allowed to go against me [laughs].
Tarek: Eh. I'm a husband.
Do the kids show any interest in following in [your] design, flipping footsteps?
Tarek: Absolutely.
Heather: Definitely.
Tarek: So right now, the most excited I would say is Brayden. So him and I, we look at fixer uppers for sale online. He's actually written some offers with me.
Heather: And invested in one of our flips.
Tarek: He's invested in one of our flips, actually, in Season 2 of The Flipping El Moussas and he does hard money loans with us. So he's learning a lot about the investment world, and he's nine years old.
Heather: And Taylor has a really great design eye. We've designed a few places together, and we lay out the tile and the wallpaper and everything. And she has a really good eye of putting things together.
Love that. Now Heather, you recently celebrated a birthday. Happy belated birthday! What are you most looking forward to in this new year?
Heather: Oh my gosh. Well, Tristan turns two in January, which is so crazy to even say. I want him to stay a baby forever. But, you know, the new show [is] coming out, and then also The Flipping El Moussas, that's huge for us and-
Tarek: Everything. Life.
Heather: Life. Yeah. We're looking to move and buy a new house. We live at the beach right now, so we're looking to move to something with a backyard because we're kind of tight space right now... We don't know what's to come. 2025 is going to bring a lot of new things for us, so we're just excited to embrace it.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
