Woodstock residents Ken and Anita Corsini are the stars of HGTV’s ‘Flip or Flop Atlanta,’ which premiered July 20. The Atlanta version of the “Flip or Flop” franchise is one of the first to debut after the success the series gained with Tarek and Christina El Moussa flipping houses in Southern California. A Las Vegas version currently is airing, and shows set in Fort Worth, Nashville and Chicago will premiere in 2018.
With Anita’s real estate and design expertise and Ken’s know-how as a licensed contractor, this reno-savvy duo is set to tackle the Atlanta market, one that Forbes magazine ranked among the top 10 for real estate investment.
Anita tells us how she and husband Ken were discovered, along with a few other insider details.
How did you connect with HGTV?
About two years ago, a production company reached out to us to see if we would be interested in filming a house flipping show. Being on a show was certainly not on our radar at the time. One afternoon, Ken came home and said, ‘Hey — you want to do a Skype interview for a house flipping show with me?’ My response was, ‘Sure, no problem, you only live once and who’s gonna put us on TV?’ We didn’t sugarcoat who we are or what we do in our business, and apparently it was attractive enough to take the next step. The Skype interview led to a sizzle reel (which is basically a very polished five-minute version of who we are), which led to a pilot episode and eventually a series. Our pilot aired under the name ‘Flipping the South,’ and, when HGTV decided to franchise ‘Flip or Flop,’ they asked us to be a part of that, and we were thrilled!
How long have you been flipping houses? How involved is HGTV in that process?
Ken started the business in 2005. As the market changed, so did the business. When the crash happened, there was a TON of opportunity to purchase homes and rehab them. As with anything, you morph and shift to what is happening in the market around you. In real estate, flexibility is the name of the game.
HGTV is involved in the production and promotion of the show. Basically, they document what is happening in our business and showcase the good, bad and ugly on the show. I have to say, it really is a fun show to watch … especially when you see some of the dumpster fires that we purchased that are transformed into sparkly gems!
Are you looking for the best deals or strategically mapping your way around metro Atlanta? Any plans to flip in Cherokee County?
We are always looking for the right houses to flip, and I can tell you that we look at A LOT of houses to eventually purchase the handful of properties that fit our criteria. We flip houses all around metro Atlanta and don’t necessarily focus on one area. One of the joys of this business is the challenge of working on and designing such a wide variety of homes in and around Atlanta.
We have flipped a handful of houses around Cherokee County over the years, but, in all honesty, with such a strong real estate market, it’s difficult to find houses at a deep enough discount in this area. However, over the last few years we’ve had a lot of success in Cherokee County with new home construction and development.
How many episodes are in each season? Are you committed to multiple seasons?
We filmed 13 new episodes for this season and these will air for 13 consecutive weeks after the July 20th premiere date. As far as multiple seasons go, that is up to you! We need lots of participation in watching the show so we can pick up more seasons to share with you.
How far ahead do you film?
We filmed Season 1 of ‘Flip or Flop Atlanta’ from July to December 2016.
What is your favorite part of “Flip or Flop Atlanta”? The biggest surprise?
I think we have two favorite parts. First, is the opportunity to share what our business is all about and taking distressed properties and transforming them into something beautiful. It’s a win-win for everyone, because neighborhoods are improving and someone gets a really great house. Second, and specifically on the show, the walk-throughs are my favorite part. We walk through some crazy — I mean crazy — spaces and find lots of treasures and trinkets along the way. I will leave it at that and let you tune in to see what I mean!
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The biggest surprise has been how much fun we have doing this together. It’s been a great ride for us. We’ve met some amazing people and, all in all, we are just grateful.