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Christina El Moussa’s New Home Is Full of Surprises: 5 Shockers Hiding in Plain Sight

Christina El Moussa has not only a new show and a new beau, but now she’s also acquired a new chateau. This “Flip or Flop” star has shelled out $4.1 million for a 4,870-square-foot, four-bedroom, four-bath home in Newport Beach, CA.

Up until this pricey purchase, El Moussa had been living in the family home in Yorba Linda she once shared with her ex-husband and “Flip or Flop” co-star, Tarek. There were too many memories in that place, perhaps? Or maybe Tarek’s swanky new bachelor pad in Costa Mesa got her thinking, “Hey, I want a fresh start, too!”

Whatever the reason, El Moussa’s new home is full of surprises—quiet, sneaky curveballs that nonetheless speak volumes about how she feels about her past, and how she’s changed postdivorce. Here are five facts about this purchase that’ll make you wonder: Has she turned a whole new leaf? Check ’em out and decide for yourself.

1. The home’s price is a step up

First things first: The home’s price isn’t just a small step up—it’s a death-defying leap.

“The purchase price of this home was shocking to me: When compared to the El Moussas’ family home and even Tarek’s new place, it’s almost double the price,” says Drew Henry, founder of Design Dudes. Their family home, bought in 2013, cost them only $2 million; Tarek’s current four-bedroom cost him $2.28 million.

Then again, El Moussa does have a new spinoff show, “Christina on the Coast,” so between that and her original hit, “Flip or Flop,” she must be feeling flush.

“Christina was probably more comfortable with a higher price tag with the recent news that she’s landing her own HGTV show,” Henry says. “I’m sure the home will make an appearance.”

Then again, maybe not, because…

2. The house doesn’t need much work

For someone who flips homes for a living and who poured $1.5 million into renovating their family home, El Moussa’s new digs look amazingly move-in ready. In fact, the house was remodeled in 2016, and had won an HGTV design award for best bedroom and bathroom. So, odds are it doesn’t need much upgrading. Won’t this designer be bored to tears?

On the contrary, some theorize that the grueling slog she endured overhauling her family home may have convinced her that this labor of love isn’t worth it. It certainly wasn’t on a financial level, since with the $1.5 million they spent on renovations, they likely sold this place at a loss, particularly given the up-and-coming neighborhood it was in.

“They overbuilt for the neighborhood, creating a ‘forever home’ you’d have to stay in forever until the value caught up with the neighborhood to recoup that investment,” says Texas real estate agent Sheryl English. “They invested so much to make this home the grandest of all, but it’s not.”

Not so with this ex-couple’s new homes. “Clearly in both of their new homes, simplicity was the key and a better investment,” says English. “They’ve given up trying to create the Taj Mahal of the neighborhood.”

3. It’s a whole new style

“This is a completely new and different look for her,” says Florida real estate agent Cara Ameer. “She did a 360 in terms of style. Her previous home was more ornate and feminine, had much more bling. Her new digs are a more transitional style.”

“This home is certainly a clean slate for Christina El Moussa,” agrees Devon Jones Bisognani, a real estate agent in South Carolina. “Her previous place was more stately and grand with a European flair, [but this] new pad has brought her into 2018. It seems more relaxed.”

Or to put it more bluntly, “The El Moussa predivorce family home reeked of a nouveau riche wannabe,” says Florida real estate agent Kelly Parks. “It might appear to the old Hollywood guard as a layman’s attempt at glamour and style to climb the social ladder. The problem is it wouldn’t get a person to the first rung.”

4. The kitchen island is too big

El Moussa may love her kitchen islands, but this one may go overboard.

“The problem with the Newport house is the kitchen,” says Parks. “The large island is a real pain and not very functional. Who wants their young children to be able to rollerblade on the counter?”

5. Christina’s home looks a lot like … Tarek’s

Perhaps most shocking of all is how much El Moussa’s new home looks like her ex-husband’s.

“There are definitely some similarities in style to Tarek’s new pad in Costa Mesa for sure,” says Ameer. “The coastal farmhouse look reigns supreme with Christina’s new home, with a similar exterior to Tarek’s with white along with some darker wood accents, vaulted ceilings, and use of beams and shiplap siding.”

All in all, “I am a bit surprised she went for something as similar in style to Tarek’s home,” Ameer says.

Perhaps these ex-spouses aren’t as different as they might like to think.

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