'Flip to a Million,' an upcoming HGTV house flipping series, stars husband-and-wife team Jason and EJ Williams. They co-own the Chicago-based real estate firm Ultimate Real Estate Group and will now co-host the brand new HGTV series with another husband-and-wife team, Jon and Dani Wrobel.
Jason and EJ Williams take delight in transforming Chicago's South Side one house at a time. They've flipped a lot of houses – more than 200 in all. They landed on HGTV's new social experiment flipping show 'Flip to a Million' because of their renovation skills. What is the concept? To convert Dallas houses into million-dollar residences with limited resources, that too from hundreds of miles away. Read on to discover more about them before witnessing their efforts come to life in the short series.
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Who are Jason and EJ Williams?
Since 2006, Jason and Esther Williams have been rehabilitating houses. Jason worked hard to achieve whatever objective he set for himself, despite having over 13 years of expertise in sales and marketing. Meanwhile, Esther has worked as a sales and marketing professional in the Greater Chicagoland region for over 15 years. While he first worked on homes part-time, Jason began rehabilitating full-time in 2009 and launched Ultimate Real Estate Group shortly thereafter. Ultimate Real Estate's mission is to seek the acquisition, development, and rehabilitation of modest residential properties. Jason is a broker who belongs to the Chicago Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors.
Jason and Esther's purpose in rehabilitating buildings around Chicago's South Side is to regenerate areas in their hometown. The Cook County Land Bank Authority (CCLBA) directed Jason and Esther to Chicago Community Loan Fund as a resource for finance and technical support when they were looking to purchase a property on South Winchester in the Auburn Gresham area. Jason and his wife were the first successful developers to buy property via the CCLBA, and the property on South Winchester Ave is their fifth.
While Jason generally works with banks for funding, he was overjoyed to be authorized for financing by CCLF due to their flexibility and understanding of his unique aims and operations. Jason purchased the property on South Winchester Ave shortly after receiving clearance from CCLF. Originally, the single-family home had four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Jason was able to add another bedroom and bathroom during the remodeling process, making it a 5-bedroom, 3-bath house. He also completed the basement, adding an entertainment and wet bar area, and a freshly constructed garage will be placed in the back. The increased space makes the property suitable for a big family. The property's building and rehabilitation will help preserve affordable housing in Auburn Gresham.
When Jason purchases a new home in a neighborhood, he ensures that he meets with everyone on the street before beginning restoration and construction. Neighbors are pleased with his work since it improves the beauty of the neighborhood. He even lets them inside the house before it goes on the market. When it comes to selling the property, the neighbors are a valuable source of references.
The duo's home-flipping experience
EJ and Jason, like many others, find solace in their after-hours rituals. After they married, they settled into a rhythm of coming home, cooking dinner, snuggling up, and watching HGTV, with 'House Hunters' becoming their particular favorite. After watching HGTV flips for years, EJ and Jason decided to convert their hobby into a business. To do this, they contacted EJ's high schoolmates, who were brothers, instructors, and, as it turned out, flippers.
Even though EJ and Jason were both working in sales, they thought they could make it work. They started their first flip with the support of their buddies. They chose to continue because it was a huge success (they made approximately $60,000). That momentous flip happened 16 years ago. Everything was chronicled, and they learned a lot along the way. It's difficult for them to fathom how much they've changed in 16 years of wearing so many hats in this field. They are passionate about real estate and the many sectors in which they work.
Jason's understanding of building, project management, and his talent for discovering discounts, along with EJ's eye for design, efficient layouts, and smart marketing, has proven to be a successful mix for the pair. They each know what they are good at and do their best to stay in their lane. EJ and Jason like making opulent designs seem approachable. In terms of design, they share quite similar tastes. Most of the time, this makes choosing design finishes and materials exciting. They enjoy designing places with sophisticated, opulent, timeless finishes that are yet utilitarian.
EJ and Jason's objective has been to better their town and encourage future flippers since they started their family company. Their endeavor has touched not just them, but also their neighborhood by beautifying the landscape and teaching potential investors.
17 years of togetherness
EJ and Jason were enjoying themselves individually at a Freeway performance in 2002 when EJ drew Jason's attention. Jason stopped her on her way to the restroom. They talked for a few minutes before he asked for her phone number. When she returned to her pals, she pointed him out and was surprised to learn that they had known Jason since high school. Jason also happened to know EJ's younger brother, Joseph, from college. They recently celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary.
The latest limited series will premiere on HGTV on Monday, August 1 at 9/8c and will also be available to view on discovery+.