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For ‘The Goldbergs’ Star Hayley Orrantia, Flipping Houses is a Family Affair

Hayley Orrantia is best-known for her starring role as Erica Goldberg on “The Goldbergs,” the hit ABC sitcom recently renewed for its 8th season, but acting is just one of Orrantia’s passions. The Texas native first made her mark as a singer-songwriter, and was discovered by Simon Cowell, on a 2011 episode of the “X Factor.” She was subsequently placed in a country-pop group, and has since continued to record solo music and tour; last year, she released “The Way Out” EP.

The third string to Orrantia’s multi-talented bow is perhaps the most unexpected. In her spare moments, the part-time Nashville resident enjoys a successful career as an undercover house flipper, and the 26-year-old already has several projects under her belt.

There are other onscreen celebs who have forged legitimate side hustles by renovating and selling homes, of course — Ellen DeGeneres and Jennifer Aniston come to mind — but in Orrantia’s case, she doesn’t merely write the checks and outsource the rest of the process to a design team. It’s all a very personal family affair, and while Orrantia might not yet be a Joanna Gaines-level guru, she’s passionate about making older Nashville homes shine. She discussed her fervor for flipping with Dirt, in a virtual Q&A.

How did you get in to house flipping?

Orrantia: My great grandfather was a builder in Montana and that’s where the family legacy began. He built entire homes by hand by himself at times. Every now and then my father, Dan, and my uncle, Peter, would lend him a hand on projects. That’s where their passion grew for it and ever since, Peter has been doing custom woodworking and Dan had started his own real estate business, flipping homes since 1995. More recently, as I’ve discovered my love of interior design, I hopped on board to start this business with my family flipping and building homes in Nashville, Tennessee.

With a busy filming schedule how do you and your dad divide your time and responsibilities? What role do you play exactly?

Orrantia: Filming “The Goldbergs” does take up a good amount of time which makes it difficult for me to travel to Nashville to oversee projects. Dan acts as the contractor on our projects so he is generally the one to be in town and manage everything. My job is mainly discussing and planning the design with my cousin, Matt, who is also Peter’s son. Matt is a master architect, so he is responsible for creating the new design or layout for homes we flip and I come in with style choices from cabinets, colors, fixtures, tiling, etc.

The Nashville market has appreciated massively in recent years. How do you find deals amid so much competition?

Orrantia: It’s been wild to see the change in the Nashville real estate market in the last five years! But, as I have lived there on my hiatuses between filming, I’ve learned a lot about the area and the up-and-coming neighborhoods. That’s where we place our focus, developing the parts of town that we believe are on the rise. The competition is heavy, but there’s opportunity for everyone, and we are so excited to leave our legacy in such an iconic city!

What is an ideal and realistic flip for you, numbers wise? Ie. Purchase price, rehab budget a sales price?

Orrantia: That’s a tough question because of the variables for each project. Of course, we go in looking to make a profit, but depending on neighboring, varied cost of land alone makes each project a challenge. Once you dive into a house, you never know what cost overruns will happen. My dad tries to plan accordingly, but they are all different.

Have you have done flips where you’ve lost money?

Orrantia: Dan and I came together on this more recently and we have been very lucky to have successful flips so far where we can turn a profit. But, like any business, you’re going to come into obstacles, so while I am putting into the universe nothing but success for us, we are aware that can’t always be the case.

How would you describe your design style?

Orrantia: My design style fluctuates quite a bit. I’m inspired by so many different things. I love everything from traditional farmhouse to mid-century modern to bohemian to industrial. I love to challenge my design style often. I think I’ve always been that way, even within fashion. I never knew what I wanted to be or settle on, so I figure why not all of it?! One thing I’m looking forward to is expressing all of these styles in different flips, depending on the character of the neighborhoods I am familiar with in Nashville. While 12 South may call for a more homey farmhouse design, I’d love to work on a funky, mid-century modern design in East Nashville.

Are there any TV house flippers that you model your style on? What is your favorite flip show?

Orrantia: I am so inspired by Chip and Joanna Gaines. While they are known for their shiplap farmhouse style, I’ve loved watching Joanna’s designs evolve overtime into more modern looks. Just seeing how they’ve built an empire out of their small Waco-based flip company is incredibly inspiring. I watch a few different flip shows but their personalities and style resonate with me the most.

Would you like to star in your own house flipping show?

Orrantia: I would love to have my own home flip show! I think that the family dynamic we have in our company where we all play such a different role would be entertaining. My mom being a realtor, my father the contractor, my uncle the builder, my cousin the architect, and me the designer makes for a family packed, whacky flip show. Who knows? Maybe it will happen!

What do your cast mates on “The Goldbergs” think about your side hustle?

Orrantia: My cast mates on “The Goldbergs” are incredibly supportive of my endeavors! We all know that acting isn’t always stable and it’s smart to invest where you can. While I hope to continue acting after the show, I do want to take time to follow my passion for interior design. For now, I juggle both!

Are there any other actors that flip houses that have given you advice or have inspired you from afar?

Orrantia: I do know of some friends in the acting world who have started invested in real estate, but I’d say my mom and dad have been the ones to inspire this the most. We’ve always worked together in some way or another, so it feels natural to transition into real estate together now.

Launch Gallery: Inside Hayley Orrantia's Nashville Flips

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