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You might know him as the face of HGTV’s Flip or Flop, but peel back the layers, and you’ll see that Tarek El Moussa was just a kid with big dreams and a bigger chip on his shoulder.
Born In A No-Collar Community
Tarek El Moussa’s story begins in the sun-soaked streets of Long Beach, California—a neighborhood that wasn’t white-collar, but not exactly blue-collar either. Born on August 21, 1981, Tarek was brought up by a Catholic father raised in Lebanon and Egypt, and his Belgian-born mother, in a household that shaped him in unpredictable ways.
Divorced; Not Fractured
Tarek’s early life was marked by a split that many kids know all too well: his parents’ divorce. But unlike some fractured families, both of his parents stayed firmly in his life. His mother remained a grounding force during serious health scares. Meanwhile, his father, Bill, always pushes Tarek to aim higher.
MLM IMAGES Los Angeles, Shutterstock
Arrested At 17
The road wasn’t smooth for him. Far from it. At 17, Tarek was detained for attempted murder after a fight ended with him swinging a bat in self-defense. Looking back, he credits that arrest with saving his life. Eventually, therapy and ADHD meds steered his life in a new direction.
The Baseball Dream
Not long ago, Tarek was laser-focused on becoming a professional baseball player, a dream he nurtured all through high school. Then, tragically, during his freshman year, a brutal shoulder injury threw everything off course. And what followed was a steep emotional drop, marked by depression and substance abuse.
His First Big Buck
At 21, he wanted change, so while living in his mom’s garage, Tarek decided to bet on himself one last time. This time, in real estate. The result? $120,000 in commissions, a staggering figure that reignited his sense of purpose and led him to build a name for himself.
Up And Down
With a license in hand, Tarek and Christina Haack (an early ally of his) launched The El Moussa Group. At first, things were promising—they had momentum, sales, and a growing reputation. But then the 2008 housing market collapsed, and everything they’d built evaporated almost overnight. That’s when they decided to flip distressed homes.
Flipping Their First House
In 2010, they bought a rundown home in Santa Ana for $115,000, threw in another $15,000 for renovations, and managed to sell it for a profit in a post-crash housing market. Sensing potential beyond the profit margins, they recorded a DIY video of the renovation process and sent it off to production companies.
HGTV Enters The Scene
When HGTV came back with an offer, it was anything but small. They wanted 13 flips in 10 months for the first season, which was an audacious ask. Flip or Flop premiered in April 2013 with minimal buzz, but viewers quickly latched on, and by 2016, the show had an audience of 17 million!
HGTV, Flip or Flop (2013–2022)
Behind-The-Scene
At the peak of Flip or Flop’s success, Tarek El Moussa was everywhere, but behind the glossy TV facade, he was compressing under the pressure of a growing brand. He began to burn out with each new project, so he started self-medicating, and eventually, the nonstop hustle left him on the brink of a breakdown.
HGTV, Flip or Flop (2013–2022)
The Nurse Who Saved His Life
Things get worse, though. In 2013, while millions were watching reruns of Flip or Flop, one registered nurse noticed a lump on Tarek’s neck. Concerned, she reached out to the show’s producers, and sure enough, doctors confirmed and diagnosed him with Stage II thyroid cancer.
HGTV, Flip or Flop (2013–2022)
Juggling Work And Health
Not long after the thyroid cancer diagnosis, he was also diagnosed with testicular cancer—something he kept under wraps for years. Through it all, he didn’t stop working. Filming continued, even as he underwent multiple treatments. The toll on his body was intense. Later, he even confessed, “I wasn’t the best guy during those years”.
Viewer Notices Cancerous Lump on HGTV Host: 'I'm Glad I Went With My Gut' by Inside Edition
Tarek And Christina’s Love Story
By 2009, Tarek and Christina weren’t just partners in business. They were husband and wife, raising a family of 4 and building a brand. As their fame grew, unfortunately, so did the cracks in their marriage. A widely publicized incident involving a gun and a police call marked their breaking point.
Viewer Notices Cancerous Lump on HGTV Host: 'I'm Glad I Went With My Gut' by Inside Edition
Tarek And Christina’s Love Story (Cont.)
Their divorce was finalized in 2018, but instead of retreating, they kept working side by side, filming Flip or Flop through five more years of post-divorce tension. In their reunion on The Flip Off, both broke down in tears, offering apologies and what felt like genuine forgiveness.
Life In The Halfway House
Following the split, Tarek checked himself into a halfway house because he didn’t trust himself to be alone. Those days were marked by isolation, soul-searching, and reckoning for him because he believed that he had lost everything. It was a low point—but also a turning point.
What Helped Him
The real breakthrough came when he began to confront his mental health. The combination of two cancer battles and relentless professional pressure had taken a toll. So, talking about it became the first step toward healing. Therapy and purpose-driven work helped him rebuild, and today he helps others find their way back, too.
Family Life
Fatherhood has been one of the few constants in Tarek El Moussa’s ever-changing life. He shares two children with his ex-wife, and despite a very public breakup, the two have built a surprisingly healthy co-parenting dynamic. This also includes Tarek’s now-wife, Heather Rae El Moussa.
Second Marriage
Tarek met Heather Rae Young in 2019, then they got married in 2021, and in 2023, they welcomed their son, Tristan. The couple hasn’t shied away from sharing the complexities of building their new life. When talking about Heather, Tarek said, “She’s my reset button…My second chance.”
MLM IMAGES Los Angeles, Shutterstock
Everything’s Looking Up
As his personal life evolved, so did his professional footprint. In 2021, Tarek launched his first solo show, Flipping 101 w/ Tarek El Moussa. The series pivoted from the drama of his own flips to mentorship. With nearly a thousand flips under his belt, Tarek brought hard-earned wisdom and a no-nonsense coaching style.
HGTV, Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa ( 2020–2025)
New Show On HGTV
Then, in March 2023, Tarek and Heather Rae El Moussa, newly married and newly parents, starred in The Flipping El Moussas. Heather’s crisp fashion and emotional intelligence with Tarek’s deal-making made it wildly successful. However, in 2025, the show was cut amid HGTV’s sweeping programming overhaul.
HGTV, The Flipping El Moussas, (2023–2025)
Other Advents
So, Tarek pivoted. Again. In recent years, he has launched TEM Capital, a private equity firm that offers everyday investors a path to passive income. He also rolled out Homeschooled by Tarek, an online education platform with a mission to keep things practical, teachable, and rooted in financial freedom.
Introducing HomeSchooled by Tarek El Moussa by HomeSchooled by Tarek
Life Is Not All Sunshine And Roses
All of this is not to say that he does not have his bad moments. Recently, surveillance footage showed him kneeing another man during a heated casino dispute. Tarek entered an impulse control counseling program, and the case was dismissed with prejudice because his legal team emphasized that he acted in defense of family.
Being An Author
In early 2024, Tarek El Moussa added another title to his already stacked resume: author. His memoir, Flip Your Life, hit shelves in February—part autobiography, part how-to. At its core is a four-step framework of “Evaluate, Emulate, Renovate, Duplicate”. It outlines his method for flipping not just homes, but your entire life.
WNBC, New York Live (2009–present)
Being An Author (Cont.)
Since the book’s release, Tarek has taken to stages across the country. He has been to real estate expos, entrepreneurial summits, and even mental health conferences to share his journey with gritty realism. His message is consistent: second chances aren’t given. If you really want it, you can make it happen.
