Knocking Down Walls and Expanding Bedrooms

Here we are on the second floor of one of my latest renovations located in Onset, Massachusetts.

Unfortunately I forgot to mention to cameraman Ryan that today's property was not in the best of condition.  You really had to watch your step as the top floor was loaded with dog poop and plenty of other "things" you would not want to step in.

Obviously not ideal terrain for Ryan's flip-flops!  From now on, wearing work boots when entering a new property will be one of my top house flipping tips.

The situation on the second floor of this property was rather dire.  Currently there are three bedrooms on the second floor.  To access the blue bedroom you must first pass through the red bedroom which is not ideal and must be changed.

After consulting with my contractor and architect we decided to knock down the wall that is currently separating the blue and red bedroom.  This is not a load bearing wall and I could probably knock it down with my own two hands if I wanted to.

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Flip and Grow Rich | The Master Mind Principle

This flip and grow rich principle can insulate you from failure.

You can accomplish twice as much in a year flipping houses using this principle.

It has been used by every hugely successful industrialist or businessperson in the past 200 years including Andrew Carnegie, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Henry Ford and even Steve Jobs…

Even the United States of America used this flip and grow rich principle to write the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

Flip and Grow Rich with Other Like Minds

When most people think about going into business for themselves, they usually think of rugged individualism, self determination and a renegade "do it my way" attitude of independence and self-sufficiency.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

To flip and grow rich flipping houses, the key is to partner with people who have similar definiteness of purpose.

Sure, you may need to split the profits with them. You also may need to give up a little control. You may need to compromise. You may need to swallow your own ego a bit at times...

However, when like-minded individuals with complementary skill sets are Continue reading

When to Hire an Architect

It is very important to rely on experts in certain situations.  We don't always call in the experts but we do use architects and engineers on certain house flipping projects when we have to.

I decided to hire an architect to help assist with a floor plan for this particular house flip property located in Onset, MA.  I probably did not have to use an architect for this project, however the current floor plan is a little funky and having the help of an expert will make life a lot easier down the road for my contractor and I.

Right now this home has a small bathroom that does not fit well with the overall floor plan of the home.  There is a skinny and congested kitchen towards the back of the house that also needs some TLC.

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How to Flip a House Successfully: A Beginners’ Guide

When first learning how to flip a house successfully, some would have you believe its a simple process.

I'd LOVE to tell you that house flipping is super easy and you'll make a pile of cash on your very first flip...but chances are...you won't.

Does it get easier the more house flips you do? Absolutely.

Is it easy when you first start out? No way.

But it is very possible to learn how to flip a house successfully very early on in your house flipping career. Enclosed is a brief overview of how to do your first house flip in very broad terms.

Of course, there are always more resources and tips here to help you in more detail.

How to Flip A House Successfully...A Brief Overview

Knowing how to flip a house successfully involves an extremely complex process of multiple steps and check offs that need to be done in a very precise order to ensure maximum execution. But don't be intimidated because the fun thing about house flipping is that Continue reading

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.

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So needless to say we had some landscaping work to do!

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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 by Napoleon Hill.

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.

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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.

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