What Is Tarek El Moussa’s Net Worth? The HGTV Star Is Not A Financial Flop

Two decades ago, Tarek El Moussa got his start in the real estate business when he was in his early 20s. Once the recession of 2008 hit, that industry shrunk, as many people didn’t have the money to purchase new property, while others were losing them as they couldn’t pay their mortgages. El Moussa was one of them, as per Realtor.com. He and his then-wife, Christina Haack traded their $6,000-per-month mortgage for a $700-per-month rent payment (and even had a roommate). The couple also reportedly couldn’t afford two Subway sandwiches and had to share the $5 foot-long instead.

Around that time, El Moussa began flipping houses, and that would go on to become not just a moneymaker for him but the activity that turned him into a star. After he caught the eye of reality TV producers and HGTV executives, he and Haack launched Flip or Flop, which became a fast favorite among the channel’s viewers. Since premiering in 2013, the show has produced 10 seasons, and both Haack and El Moussa (who are no longer married) have gone on to star in their own programs. Now, he and his wife Heather Rae Young are flipping houses together in their own 2023 reality show The Flipping El Moussas. The show is expected to follow the family while they renovate homes, along with the anticipation of their baby on the way.

El Moussa has also created several businesses, and he remains incredibly busy, adding major money to his bottom line. Read on to learn more about how El Moussa got his start and learn all about the vast real estate empire he’s built on his way to amassing a multimillion-dollar net worth.

3 Ways Tarek El Moussa Makes His Money

1. Flipping Homes & Real Estate

For El Moussa, it all started with flipping houses and making money in real estate. The reality star got his real estate license when he was 21, according to Celebrity Net Worth. While not much is known about how much he’s earned directly from purchasing properties, sprucing them up, and selling them for a profit (hopefully), the TV host and real estate mogul has spoken about his first venture into that world. In an interview with Realtor.com, El Moussa said: “I clearly remember my first house flip: It was May of 2010, when Christina was five months pregnant. Located in Santa Ana, the house was up for auction. We bought it for $115,000, poured $15,000 into renovations, and sold it for $169,000. We made a profit of $34,000, which felt like $34 million back then!”

It was this home renovation that El Moussa had filmed, and that eventually became a demo tape that got into the hands of producers and HGTV. The rest is history.

2. TV

El Moussa and his then-wife Haack were reportedly paid $10,000 per episode for the first season of Flip or Flop, which aired in 2013. With 13 episodes featured in that initial run, the pair took home around $130,000, but that was to be just a taste of what was to come. Apparently, by Season 3, their salary was raised to $40,000 per episode or more than half a million dollars per season.

Before Flip or Flop wrapped in March 2022, El Moussa had already secured his next show, which didn’t feature his ex-partner. Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa premiered in 2020, and he was reportedly paid $50,000 per episode for his solo program, per Reality Tidbit.

In addition to Flip or Flop and Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa, the renovator, real estate titan, and TV personality has also starred in the shows Flip or Flop Follow-Up, Tarek’s Flip Side, and Tarek & Heather: The Big I Do. In March 2023, The Flipping El Moussas premieres on HGTV, starring Tarek and his Heather. Her net worth is reportedly $3 million, and though it isn’t clear what they’re getting paid for the show, it will likely add to their bottom line.

3. Business Ventures

El Moussa hasn’t just brought his flipping talents to the small screen, he’s managed to create a real estate conglomerate, launching a number of businesses that rely on his celebrity and know-how in the industry for success. What the star earns from these ventures isn’t publicly available, but with so many different offerings out in the marketplace, El Moussa has extended his brand in several different directions.

The HGTV star is involved with or runs all of the following businesses:

• The Agentcy/eXp Realty: eXp Realty is a modern-seeming real estate agency, while The Agentcy is a separate but incredibly connected company that aims to bring agents into the eXp Realty fold. The firm’s website says that “eXp is one of the world’s fastest-growing real estate brokerages,” and the focus seems to be on content creation and digital marketing.
• Tarek Buys Houses: There are a number of companies across the United States that offer to buy homes from sellers who need to unload their property fast, as they may be in dire need of funds. These are people who don’t have the resources to fix up their houses and get them ready to sell in a traditional manner, so they sometimes sell them to these firms for under-market value. Tarek Buys Houses is branded with El Moussa’s famous name and face, which sets the venture apart.
• TEM Investments: El Moussa’s company TEM Investments (his initials) describes what it does as such: “a multi-strategy commercial real estate investment firm that sources, underwrites, funds, and operates properties in the most desirable markets producing a superior risk-adjusted return for our partners.” In simpler terms, the company attracts those with money who want to be in real estate but who don’t want to do all that work. The focus is on buying apartment buildings and making them more appealing, and thus more profitable.
• Homeschooled by Tarek: Yet another real estate-focused business, Homeschooled by Tarek helps people learn about real estate and investing in the industry. A two-step approach includes a four-part “crash course” in all things real estate, followed by one-on-one coaching as students move forward in the business.

In addition to his many operating businesses, El Moussa has previously run companies like Homemade Investor, Tarek El Moussa Build Firm, and Tarek & Associates; made a podcast called Life By Design; and he and Haack even published a book in 2018 titled Flip Your Life: Turning Obstacles Into Opportunities — No Matter What Comes Your Way.

What Is Tarek El Moussa’s Net Worth?

$15 MILLION

Looking at all of his real estate dealings, his businesses, and his numerous TV shows, Celebrity Net Worth pegs El Moussa’s net worth at $15 million. As The Flipping El Moussas hits HGTV, the reality star’s net worth is likely to grow.