HGTV's 'Flipping Showdown' Hosts Ken and Anita Corsini Have the Cutest First Date Story

In HGTV’s newest series Flipping Showdown, renovators compete for $100,000 and the chance to launch their own flipping franchise. But to win, they’ll have to impress the judges: husband and wife Ken and Anita Corsini.

You may recognize the Georgia couple from Flip or Flop Atlanta. The dynamic and adorable duo has been a part of the HGTV family since 2017. Here’s everything we know about them.

Ken and Anita have been married for over 21 years. They met in college through Ken's roommate, according to HGTV. He was working with Anita on a group project, and Ken took full advantage of the situation.

“When Anita would call our apartment to talk to my roommate, I was diligent in making sure I picked up the phone first, so I could get a few minutes of ‘phone flirting’ in before passing the phone over to my roommate,” he told the network. “Keep in mind we’re old. This is before college kids had cell phones."

Fortunately, Ken’s smooth-talking paid off. They had their first date picking strawberries and have been attached at the hip ever since.

Anita explained: “I kind of knew exactly what I wanted in a guy, but couldn’t always find a complete package. Enter: Ken. He, of course, is tall, dark, and handsome, but he was also very funny, knew how to have a good time, and shared my values. Winner, winner, chicken dinner.”

The pair wedded in the year 2000.

Ken and Anita have two daughters and a son, Rocco, who was diagnosed with cancer at only 3 years old. “In July of 2015, our then 3-year old son, Rocco, was diagnosed with cancer. Cancer, it almost pains me to type the word. I never expected to hear those words, especially about one of my kids," Anita revealed in an open letter.

Rocco was said to have Burkitt's lymphoma, which results in a fast-growing tumor that can be deadly if untreated.

Ken isn't just a builder — he's also a writer. In 2020, he penned the book Profit Like the Pros: The Best Real Estate Deals That Shaped Expert Investors where he shares the best tips and tricks he's learned about generating a profit after interviewing 25 seasoned investors across the country.

Prior to becoming a flipper, Anita Corsini was a high school math teacher and "proud nerd" as she told HGTV. "I really am a kid at heart and love being with people, so teaching was a great fit for me,” she said, adding "those kids had me in stitches every day."

She taught until 2007, when she found out she was pregnant with their first child. From that point on, she joined Ken in his real estate ventures (Ken started Red Barn Homes in 2005 after leaving his corporate job).

“So the teach went on and went to summer school, belly and all, passed her real estate exam and still had plenty of time to prepare the nursery for the baby,” Anita told the network about her exit from education.

While Anita is fully immersed in the home reno industry today, she's still got a little bit of teacher left in her. “I always have snacks with me, for the kids, of course (wink wink), and about 10 different colored pens in my purse,” she continued. “If you’ve known me for a long time you will know that I have always loved pens and have a bazillion of them. I guess that is the teacher in me … old habits die hard."

That's for sure! You can catch Ken and Anita Corsini on Flipping Showdown, which airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST on HGTV.