A&E Already Seeking New Cast

The following email has been sent to a number of real estate & investor lists around the country. 

Wanted: ‘Star Flippers’
If you buy and sell numerous houses each year and work with incredible, dynamic people while you’re doing it, or if you know someone who fits that description, “Flip This House” wants to hear from you.

The producers of the hit A&E series are seeking high-volume “house flippers” to star in the show’s fourth season. Each episode follows people who buy homes cheap, make alterations big and small to give the house added value, then sell at a profit.

“Flippers should have real estate in their blood,” according to Joshua Koffman of Departure Films, the producer of the show. “They can be strong personalities. We want people who flip homes regularly — say 10 or more a year — because we want to follow the same people for multiple episodes.”

While the “flipper” is the main character the show, “Flip This House” also includes other members of his or her “team,” such as project managers, Realtors/brokers and contractors, etc. This season, A&E is specifically seeking an area in the Northeast and hopes to feature “classic” homes, although it is open to following the flip of any type of residential property. It is that search for “classics,” Koffman said, which makes New Hampshire so attractive.

The producers can usually allow two to six weeks per flip, depending on the work that needs to be done.

If you think you or someone you know would be right for the series, please respond to Joshua Koffman at Joshua@departure-films.com, to receive a complete questionnaire and further instructions.

Hat tip to Ashleigh’s Mom at TWOP who received this email from her New Hampshire-based real estate list.

Melina Montelongo of SA Cast’s Website

Melina Montelongo (or someone posing as her) just posted a comment here on FlipThisLawsuit, and included the URL of her website.  It seems to be a really well done site, and seems to be geared to a part of her experience that we don’t see on Flip This House Season Two.  Those of you who are new or expecting mothers might want to check it out. 

Melina Montelongo Seeks Actor for Flip This House

I guess we’ve got a Texas Auction scene to look forward to in an upcoming episode:

Reply to: mommamelina@sbcglobal.net
Date: August 25,2006 5:41PM CDT

“Flip This House,” a national reality show on the A&E network, is currently in production in the San Antonio area. We’re casting for extras to be a part of a real estate auction. A sense of humor and a can-do attitude are a must. Looking for men and women from ages 21 and up.

This is an unpaid, temporary position – lasting 1 day(September 6,2006 from 5pm to about 7pm) – but whoever we cast WILL be featured on national television.

Must be able to provide your own transportation.

Email us and tell us why YOU should be on TV! (Please attach resumes in the body of your email, and send a headshot or current digital photo if available.)

The Auction will be located at (house) 14111 Bob White on North East side of San Antonio, TX 78217 -Map Quest for directions.

__________________
Melina Montelongo
“Live With Passion”

Hat Tip: drlith for finding her Craigslist Posting.

Clearing the Air

I need to clear up an issue that seems to be cropping up in some of the comments. 

This website, FlipThisLawsuit.com, is not owned or operated by Trademark Properties or anyone affiliated with them. Further, is it not affiliated with A&E or any of the replacement casts. 

Your humble webmaster is Mark Lyon, a law student and fan of the show who was quite disappointed in A&E’s sudden change in cast, lack of notice to viewers, and lockdown of the message boards when viewers posted there that they were unhappy with the replacement cast.

I encourage all points of view here.  If you disagree with one of my postings, please feel free to express that disagreement in a comment.  Unlike A&E, I’m happy to let you have your say.

Samuel P. Leccima’s License Revocation Documents

The Georgia Real Estate Commission finally sent me information about Samuel P. Leccima’s real estate license and the reason that it was revoked.  First, let’s look at his certification.  He got his license in 2002, and except for a few periods of inactive status, he remained licensed until September of 2005.

But then there’s the revocation.  I will let you read it for yourself, but it appears that Mr. Leccima had several problems throughout his career as a real estate agent that involve some seriously questionable dealings. 

In one 2002 deal, a purchaser’s earnest money was not returned when the deal didn’t go through.  The administrative court found that Mr. Leccima altered the contract after the deal was signed, and was involved in some curious financial dealings. 

In 2003 there was another property that failed to close.  Mr. Leccima claimed to be working for a real estate company that he was not actually affiliated with.  The administrative court found that Mr. Leccima failed to deliver the sales contract to the purchaser.  Once again, earnest money was not returned when the deal didn’t complete.  The administrative court further found that Mr. Leccima added the language “After inspection, earnest money is nonrefundable” to the sales contract without authorization or consent after it had been signed.

Additionally, the administrative court found that in 2004 Mr. Leccima represented on a website that he was affiliated with a real estate firm that he was not then affiliated with. 

Mr. Leccima didn’t respond to the Georgia Real Estate Commission’s examination of his actions, and his license was revoked.  I’ve contacted Mr. Leccima via email and asked him to comment on his license revocation and received no response.

On Flip This House, Mr. Leccima hasn’t represented that he is a licensed Real Estate Agent.  Many, however, have been quite curious about the new cast – perhaps A&E should have more carefully screened its new cast members  as a number of individuals look up to the successful businesspeople who appear on shows like Flip This House.

Richard & Trademark Deny A&E’s Counterclaim

Both Richard & Trademark responded to A&E’s counterclaim.  They denied the substantive parts of the counterclaim, which is addressed more fully in an earlier post.  The pertinent documents:

• Docket as of 08/27/06
• Answer to Counterclaim by Trademark Properties
• Answer to Counterclaim by Richard Davis

From Ginger Alexander: Team Trademark Update

Hey Yall!

I cannot tell you how much your continued support means to everyone at Team Trademark!  It has been unbelievable.  I just wanted to update everyone!  We are still filming and things are going great!  The new show is still unnamed but we will let you all know the details the moment we get them.  I just want to ask everyone to please continue to make your comments on http://www.imdb.com/ under the “Flip This House” page (you can search for it on the homepage). This is where we are getting the word across with the most emphasis!  All of the networks look here so it is where support is needed the most! 

Ya’ll have been awesome, we honestly have been speechless–which is hard for all of us–over the kindness and loyalty from each of you.  We plan to repay you with lots of great entertainment in January! 

Many of you have been to the Crab House or by our office, but I would like to make sure everyone knows to please stop by the office and say hello if you are ever in Charleston, it means the world to us when you do! 

Thank you all so much and we will continue to send updates as we have them! See you soon!

Ginger
 
PS. Jack is doing great and actually listens to me now for those of you who are wondering! 🙂

A few good posts

Several other sites have noticed the events going on with Flip This House.  You might want to check them out as well:

• “Two A-Holes Flip A House”
• TV Squad Blogger Anna Johns

A&E Demolishes Flip This House

An interesting article in the “Houston Real News” – a publication for Houston Real Estate Investors.

A&E, whose Flip This House’s second season premier revolted countless viewers, further enraged their audience by removing the FTH page and threads from the Network’s Web site. The FTH message boards became inoperative as of mid-day July 25.

Viewer complaints about Network “censorship” first arose three weeks ago as FTH, featuring San Antonio’s Montelongos, was broadcast. Message boards claimed that A&E deleted pages of negative comments that flooded the FTH boards.

“As Mulder would say, the truth is out there. And no matter how many posts from numerous members A&E deletes, at least they know that we know how horrible it was. Delete away, we’ll just keep posting new messages,’ wrote All Flip and No Lip.

Season 2, Episode 4

This week we find ourselves back in ATL with Sam Leccima and his team.  They pick up a rather nice house in Atlanta’s West End.  They whip it into shape and turn out a decent product with much less of the scripted drama.

Of course, I’d be careful walking anywhere.  The construction supervisor almost went through it right before the open house.

I’ve yet to discover why his wife feels the need to wear blue jeans with the button undone and the fly open.  Don’t they make pants for pregnant women, especially those who know that they are on TV?