Husband and wife duo Jason and EJ Williams know a few things about flipping houses. The Chicago natives have flipped over 200 homes and are pretty good at it.
In fact, HGTV was so impressed with their renovating expertise that they landed on the network’s new social environment series, Flip to a Million. It premieres Aug 1 at 9/8c.
In Flip to a Million, HGTV will conduct an edge-of-your-seat house-flipping experiment never seen before. The six one-hour episodes follows two couples who are both successful house flippers in their respective markets: Jason and EJ Williams of Chicago, Illinois, and Jon and Dani Wrobel of Long Island, New York. During the series, narrated by HGTV star Alison Victoria, the two couples will be dropped in an unfamiliar city—Dallas, Texas where they will set out to prove that, in the world of real estate, it’s possible to start out with almost nothing and turn it into a fortune.
After years of watching House Hunters (still a personal favorite), they decided to turn that passion into a real-life undertaking. Working sales jobs, they both knew they could make it work. With the help of some high school friends, their very first flip was very successful. Recently celebrating 17 years of marriage coupled with years of hard work, sacrifice, and diligence, they are now Dallas residents, and are co-hosting Flip to a Million.
Specializing in affordable luxury, they each bring their unique skillset to the table. EJ’s eye for design, functional layouts, and effective marketing pairs perfectly with Jason’s knowledge of construction, project management, and knack for finding deals.
N’DIGO is excited to get to know this dynamic duo and “flipped” when the Williamses were able to fit this interview into their busy schedules.
N’DIGO: Let’s begin by telling N’DIGO readers a little about yourselves.
EJ Williams: I was born and raised on the far south side of Chicago. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I’m a real estate investor and broker, that prides myself in improving both the landscape and well-being of communities through home ownership. I have 16 years of experience in developing homes for highest profits.
Jason Williams: I was born in Chicago and raised in the south suburb of Hazel Crest, IL. I have a degree in Marketing and I’m a licensed real estate broker with more than 16 years of experience rebuilding neglected properties and increasing their value.
We are the co-founders of Ultimate Real Estate Group, a boutique brokerage firm and Ultimate Homes Chicago, an investment and development company.
We have a beautiful 14-year-old daughter and her name is Gabrielle Faith.
How did you meet each other?
EJ: We met at a concert in summer 2002. I was headed to the restroom and Jason stopped me. We chatted for a few minutes and he asked for my number, and have been together ever since.
Jason: Yes, and it turned out I knew EJ’s younger brother, Joseph, from college.
What is “house flipping”?
House flipping is one way to invest in real estate by which you buy a property, make repairs/renovations and then sell the home for a profit.
How did you get your start?
EJ: I got my real estate license right away once we decided we wanted to start flipping homes, so that I could represent us in our transactions. I was also a realtor for other clients as well.
Jason: I got my managing broker’s license a few years later so we could open our own real estate brokerage, Ultimate Real Estate Group.
Do you remember the first property you flipped? What makes it memorable?
Yes, for sure. It was a Chicago bungalow on 68th & Indiana in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood. It needed a total gut and it was a big project for our first flip. However, it was memorable not only because it was our first one; it was very profitable (made $60K), and we learned how much our individual strengths complement each other.
Which requires the most knowledge, selling or flipping houses?
EJ: Being a licensed Realtor, helping people buy and sell, is very different from being a real estate investor and flipping properties. Both require a lot of knowledge, research, and hustle!
I’m always fascinated how people become involved with HGTV and how the network finds its hosts for their shows. So tell me how you got involved with the Flip to a Million.
Jason: HGTV contacted EJ directly to share this opportunity with us. I’m sure they discovered us from our social media platforms.
What makes Flip to a Million unique?
Flip to a Million has a unique social experiment concept where two couples of seasoned house flippers are dropped in a new market with only $1000 and a six-month timeline to turn it into a $1 million home sale.
Making a nice profit quickly by flipping a house looks easy on TV. What are the biggest mistakes house flippers can make?
TV has certainly tricked people into thinking doing a “fix and flip” is quick/easy money. It’s far from that. Mistakes can be costly and devastating to your project. Some common problems house flippers have are hiring bad contractors, not doing the right research on the home to gauge its profitability, and choosing cheap finishes/making poor design choices for the property.
Are there any “typical” days in your line of work? How do you prepare for the “unexpected?”
No day is the same in our line of work. However, a day in the life can include many tasks: checking in at the project site, meeting with contractors, shopping for materials, prospecting new projects, meetings with city officials, etc. Outside of an emergency fund, you can’t prepare for the unexpected. You will need to know how to problem solve quickly once issues arrive and pivot when necessary.
If you had to pick one business role model, who would it be? What about them inspires you?
Jason: Jay-Z is a dynamic self-made businessman. He’s very savvy with how he has diversified outside of music into different sectors. I also admire how he has helped to elevate his inner circle and provide opportunities for them as well.
EJ: I have always admired Oprah Winfrey. I love her passion, authenticity and ability to evolve and build an amazing empire. I’ve always been inspired how she’s encouraged women to take up space as well as her humanity and philanthropic heart. I aspire to impact people’s live outside of real estate.
What do you miss most about living and working in Chicago? What don’t you miss?
We miss many things about our beloved home Chicago! We’ve lived there our entire lives outside of the years we were away in college. Our parents still live there along with most of our siblings and lifelong friends. Food is a very close second!! We believe Chicago has the best food in the country. We were Bronzeville residents for over 15 years; we miss living among some great local African American owned shops and restaurants that we enjoyed for years. And of course, living right off the most beautiful lakefront, we miss going to the beach for exercise and relaxation along with the harbor and boating.
We did not miss living in Chicago this past winter. After a lifetime of enduring snowstorms and freezing temps, we thoroughly enjoyed the mild Dallas winter.
Which city has the best pizza?
Hands down, no competition, Chicago!! Our favorites are Williams Inn and Lou Malnati’s.
Have you discovered any Dallas Dallas restaurants or foods that rival Chicago’s best offerings?
Dining out is one of our favorite things to do as a family. We like trying new places and cuisines. We have been so swamped with filming we haven’t had many opportunities to explore in Dallas. However, nothing still compares to home. But we have to give an honorable mention to the world class service and hospitality we have experienced while dining out in Dallas. We’ve even exchanged contact information with our waiter from our recent anniversary dinner. Best service ever!
What affirmations do you live by?
EJ:
I am who God says I am.
I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
I am enough.
Jason:
I operate in a spirit of excellence.
What are your business goals for the next five years?
Jason: Build new construction multi-unit communities and add at least 100 luxury units to the portfolio.
EJ: I’d like to dive deeper into more interior design and speaking opportunities while simultaneously adding to my portfolio of investment properties. Impacting my community and helping others build wealth through real estate will always be a part of my work. I’m presently focusing more on women and young adults with interest in real estate.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a business in flipping properties?
We would advise them to research the market, build a solid team (realtor, attorney, contractor), understand there are different funding options, hire a mentor, and have a liquid emergency fund.
Flip to a Million will premiere on Monday, Aug. 1, at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on HGTV and will also be available to stream on Discovery+.
Connect with Flip to A Million at HGTV.com and to interact on social media by following @HGTV and using #FliptoAMillion on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.
Sylvester Cosby is the Digital Editor and a Contributing Writer for N’DIGO.
