The Importance of Boiler Location
I could ramble on for a long time about house flipping tips relating to creating open space, as you may have already realized.
However creating open space is very important when it come to successfully flipping houses.
At this property, the original boiler/oil heater was located on the first floor in what is now the guest bedroom. Having the heater on the first floor just did not make sense, so we made the decision to move the heating unit into the lower level.
By doing this we freed up a ton of space on that room on the first floor, which of course adds value to the property.
We installed a direct vent boiler on the lower level. The unit is small yet very capable of efficiently heating the entire house.
The house will now feature three distinct heating zones - two zones on the first floor on one zone on the second. This is very important in a house of this size, especially considering how cold the weather can get in New England during the winter.
If we went with a larger unit we would have had to "stack" the unit somewhere in the lower level which would not have been ideal.
The home also had an old chimney that was not up to code. I did the research and it would have cost us a lot of money to bring the chimney up to code and get it in working order. Not worth the time, hassle and money in my opinion so we went ahead and took it down.
I'm excited about this new boiler setup because it will definitely save the new homeowner a lot of money on his heating bill. The ability to control the heat in three distinct zones is very appealing to home buyers and is a big selling point.
Thanks for checking out this house flipping tip and be sure to leave a comment or two below.
Thanks and see you at the top!
Mike
Water View Wareham Property | Before and After
This property overlooks a tranquil pond in Wareham, MA. The house had a lot of potential, however we knew right off the bat that it was going to require a lot of work to get flip this house and get it ready to be sold.
The first thing that struck us about this home was the exterior. There were certain parts of the house that were, quite literally, falling apart.
[flagallery gid=2 name=Gallery]
So needless to say we had some landscaping work to do!
Before and After Photos – Wareham
I really enjoy the entire process of flipping houses. Whether it is finding new investment opportunities, tearing down walls or negotiating a final purchase price - I really do love it all.
One of the most satisfying aspects of flipping houses is looking back at what a renovated home used to look like. I am consistently amazed at the transformation that takes place once my team and I get to work.
Over the years I have taken many before and after pictures that help to document the dramatic changes many of our properties go through.
Every once in a while I find it beneficial to take a look at these photos. Sometimes when I feel slightly overwhelmed, viewing these before and after pictures brings me back down to Earth. It's a nice reminder of not only the income I have been able to generate for myself and my team, but it also reminds me that I am helping to create a comfortable living space for a family or individual.
Creating new living spaces is really what is going on here. We're taking houses that are in many instances, unhealthy places to be living, and transforming them into beautiful spaces where people want to live. It's good for me, it's good for the new homeowner and it's also good for the surrounding community.
That is what flipping houses is all about.
When I view my career from this perspective, it makes it easier to deal with unexpected issues and "problems." For example, I may have an easier time dealing with a permitting problem, once I remember that someday an ordinary guy like myself might be raising a family like mine in this house.
If your goal is to flip houses for a full-time living, then it is important that you too adopt a mental attitude that allows you to deal with unexpected issues in a positive and constructive manner. It really is important to continually work on developing a house flipping mindset.
And these photographs continually help me to do just that!
As this blog continues to grow I'll be sure to add in more before and after links below.
Water View Wareham Property
In the meantime I hope that you are able to find some inspiration viewing these photos!
Take care and see you at the top!
Mike
Flip and Grow Rich | Definiteness of Purpose
Contrary to what many people may think, the single most important factor in house flipping success is not finding the right property...nor is it negotiating the sales price...nor is it containing your rehab costs, nor is it avoiding "the bad deals"...
Although those are all important, the most important factor to house flipping success by far is having the right house flipping mindset.
Although "The Secret" hits on many important aspects of house flipping success, it was not the first book of its kind to discuss the importance of mindset when achieving success. In actuality, "The Secret" borrowed most of its concepts from many other books, including the ones mentioned here.
One of the greatest books I have ever read on mindset and how to flip and grow rich at the same time is Think and Grow Rich
This book hugely influenced my house flipping career - so much that I still refer back to it on regular basis to review its basic concepts to reinforce to me exactly how to flip and grow rich.
Flip and Grow Rich...With Definiteness of Purpose
In the first of what will be a series of "flip and grow rich” posts, today we will be reviewing the first step in this process and how it relates to the house flipping mindset - to set you on the path to ultimate house flipping success.
“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe...the mind can achieve”
-Napoleon Hill
It is amazing to think that anyone of us put on this earth can achieve incredible success and do amazing things just as long as we Continue reading
Creating Open Space
Flipping Houses Tips
I talk about creating open space in the flipping houses tips section of this blog, and to be honest, it is hands down one of the most important house flipping tips I can share with you-especially now in 2012.
Folks these days commonly search for a home with an open floor plan. A layout that flows from one room through to the next. This is especially attractive if the house is situated near the ocean, a lake, pond or other nice view.
Sometimes creating an open floor plan is a challenge. More often than not the house flips we do are, initially, full of small hallways and walls that really shouldn't be there to begin with.
Designing an Open Floor Plan
Open Floor Plan Flipping Houses Tips
Flipping Houses Tips You Can Use Today
Successfully flipping houses in today's market requires ingenuity and creativity. One of my favorite designs is the open floor plan.
We have been going with open floor plans in our houses basically whenever possible. I'm finding that people these days really enjoy having the extra space gained through an open floor plan design - as opposed to having a labyrinth of halls and rooms scattered throughout their home.
How to Get Started Flipping Houses | Building Your Team
Many house flippers get into house flipping thinking that it’s solitary process, just you against the world, making money hand over fist.
Even Vanilla Ice is getting into house flipping and he advocates the value of building a solid house flip team as well. Who would have thought?
When people ask me how to get started flipping houses, one of the first things I tell them that flipping houses is a TEAM sport, not a solitary one.
The house flipping team you assemble is one of the most important steps when you get started flipping houses. In fact, second to Continue reading
Boosting the Value of a Kitchen
Flipping Properties | Creative Kitchen House Flipping Tips
Creating an awesome kitchen space is one of the most important aspects of flipping properties. People love attractive kitchens so why not give them one?
We boosted the value of this kitchen by first installing quality cabinetry. We chose stained maple cabinets because it is a very "in" type of cabinetry. To get stained maple we had to spend a little more than if we went with oak (about $1,000 more), however the extra expense is 100% worth it.
We also installed a full overlay door so you can't see the trim on any of the cabinets. All the draws have a soft close feature that prevents slamming. The draws also feature dovetail construction instead of the cheaper stapling method.
When showing the home to a potential buyer it is important to point out all of these custom features.
Creating Killer Water Views in the Bathroom
House Flipping Tips
We recently finished up a water front renovation that is chock full of helpful house flipping tips you can start using today.
When it comes to flipping houses the kitchen and the bathroom are two of the most important spaces in the entire home. It is really important to create dynamic and appealing kitchen and bathroom spaces. Therefore we usually end up gutting both the kitchen and the bathroom on most properties.
In the bathroom we typically do not install windows. Bathroom windows generally require a fair amount of maintenance work to avoid mold and wood rot. However in this bathroom we decided to install a window to capitalize on the water views.
Installing windows in strategic spots in order to provide the future home buyer with a view of the water is definitely a house flipping tip that I highly recommend.
I was thinking that giving the future home owner a water view while showering would be a really unique and attractive selling point.
Flipping Houses 101: How to Start
In order to learn how to get started flipping houses for a generous pay day, you need to keep some basic flipping houses 101 lessons in mind. As is the same with any business, the key to success is knowing and perfecting the basics, which is what we review today.
Flipping Houses 101 Rule #1: Research
If there's one thing that is critical to your success in flipping houses, it’s doing exhaustive research on the geographic areas prior to implementing your house flipping plan. If you buy a property in a run-down area with little historical price appreciation, then your target buyer is going to most likely offer below market price.
Market research is the most important aspect of flipping houses 101.
This can leave you with an extremely tight budget, especially if it's a "fixer-upper" property, where you Continue reading