Kristen Bredehoeft is a single mother of three, but these days her hardest job may be controlling two brothers in the A&E show “Flipped Off.”
Bredenhoeft, a Pearland, Texas, real estate agent was tapped for the first season of Flipped Off, a show that’s led by Russell Hantz, the “Master Manipulator” from three seasons of Survivor. In the show, Hantz, along with his brother Shawn as project manager, set out to be the kings of house flipping in Houston.
Kristen Bredehoeft photo courtesy A&E
Besides providing her expertise in the Houston real estate marketplace, Bredehoeft’s role is to often “slap some sense into the Hantz brothers when their egos get in the way of making money,” according to the show.
Now at the midway point in the show’s first season, Bredehoeft was kind enough to take some question from us.
Pearland, Texas’s 10 questions for Flipped Off’s Kristen Bredehoeft:
Pearland, Texas, FB: Tell us about you and your Pearland ties.
KB: I grew up in Pearland. Other than college at Sam Houston State University (SHSU) after Pearland High School, I have always lived in Pearland. In August 2011 my kids and I moved to Montgomery, TX with my parents. Although an hour and half away, I still make it back to Pearland almost weekly. With my real estate office there and all of my best friends, it is a necessity to come back.
Pearland, Texas, FB: What has been your career and career track — what’s on your LinkedIn profile?
KB: I have been a real estate broker for more than five years now and an agent for a few years before that. I owned a real estate company in Friendswood. For most of my 20’s I was a stay-at-home mommy and ran my real estate company with a kid on each hip. After my divorce, I went back to college fulltime (18 hours a semester) and landed an internship at Houston’s ABC 13, KTRK, with intentions of being a news reporter, which is what I went to school for at SHSU. And of course, still practicing real estate as it has always been a passion of mine.
Pearland, Texas, FB: How did you get approached to do the show?
KB: A friend of mine from high school works at the apartment complex that the production company lived in while filming here in Houston. One of the producers of the show told my friend that they were looking for an agent good on camera. The stars just aligned for me. I was contacted and hired immediately.
Pearland, Texas, FB: What is the show all about — premise, locations, etc.?
KB: Russell Hantz (the most well known Survivor contestant) and his brother are flipping houses here in Houston. I am the real estate broker on the show. But, if you have seen the show it is clearly isn’t just a real estate house flipping show. There is drama, drama, drama.
Pearland, Texas, FB: What’s your typical shoot day (week?) like?
KB: We are officially wrapped up for season one now. We filmed season one for an entire year. My typical work week consists of a very nontraditional way of working. Usually I would receive a phone call from either the producer or director a day or two before filming, and they’d tell me when they needed me. For a whole year, I never told them no. I made it happen no matter how hard it was. After about five months of filming, they asked me to be a member of the cast and not just the real estate broker. I, of course, accepted this role and my hours went from about four hours a week to about 15 hours a week.
Pearland, Texas, FB: How many episodes have/will air and when does it run through?
KB: There are seven episodes total in season one. There are three left to air. We are still unsure if we will get picked up for a second season, but I fully trust that it’s ALL in God’s hands. If we do not get picked up, I know in my heart that He will lead me to where I need to be.
Pearland, Texas, FB: Have you kept your day job? Has the show helped your day job?
KB: During filming for season one, a dear old friend of mine, Ozzie Ramirez, with Trustmore Realty offered to partner up with me and create my own team within his company. Kristen Team Realty formed and Ozzie has taken huge strides to prepare for all of the leads that have come our way since the show has aired. So, because of the show, my real estate career has taken off as we are receiving a lot of exposure from Flipped Off.
Pearland, Texas, FB: What has been the best/worst part of this experience?
KB: Best- The look on my children’s faces when they see me on TV. Since my divorce I have had my time with them minimized due to being a full-time college student, intern at a news station and then the TV show. So, it is such a proud moment for me to finally see the benefits of all of my hard work on their faces as they watch mommy on TV. Worse- Uncertainty. I have no idea where this will all lead. I have been offered small movie roles, magazine covers, interviews, which all seem very exciting but every decision I make is a decision for Kristen and three kids. Not just Kristen. And I want to always make sure it’s right for them first.
[Editor’s note: After this interview, KB was offered to be on the Howard Stern show and his “Hottie of the Week” segment.]
Pearland, Texas, FB: Do you see yourself transitioning into entertainment?
KB: I am actually working with a manager in Los Angeles now. I have been offered a few gigs, such my own reality show, but it all depends on Flipped Off and if we get picked up for a second season. If we do not, I will most definitely look into other TV opportunities.
Pearland, Texas, FB: I’ve asked you nine questions, but what is the most obvious question I’m forgetting? And then answer it!
KB: HOW DO I HANDLE RUSSELL HANTZ??!!! How? A lot of patience! He is known as the “villain” from Survivor. I have gotten so mad at him I couldn’t see straight but a few prayers and deep breaths, along with knowing that this is ALL worth it, I managed to get through a year of working with him. And in that year, he has kind of grown on me. Like family now.
A&E’s “Flipped Off” airs Saturdays at 10 p.m. CDT. Locally, A&E is on DIRECTV channel 265; Comcast channel 23; and on AT&T U-verse channel 132.
Previously aired episodes can be seen at http://www.aetv.com/flipped-off.
Tags: A&E, Flipped Off, Kristen Bredehoeft, TV