Are brick houses a good option for flipping/renting?

[Account Closed]

Hello, I am from the city of Corpus Christi in Texas, I am new in the Real Estate world but looking forward to learn as much as possible with the help of the people from this great community. I have been reading and listening to some topics and books on investment properties and I find them very attractive, now looking forward to investing on my first property with the useful tools and topics discussed here. A year ago hurricane Harvey did a lot of damage to houses around the area, my question is, does anyone here has any experiences with selling or renting brick houses? not only brick walls but also strong foundation? real solid houses like the ones from other countries. Do people look for this houses for buying or renting? and as an investor, is it good to invest on these properties since they don't wear out as much as wood houses? Thanks in advance. 

[Jim Cummings]

@Account Closed. 

Welcome to BP - you've come to the right place for questions and answers.

I'm somewhat familiar with Corpus Christi - where I would guess most of the homes are "Brick Veneer" meaning the home has a Brick Exterior. 

The actual Brick adds little or no structural integrity to the home. We use Brick or Rock in Texas because it looks good, it's plentiful, and it reduces the cost of exterior upkeep.  Behind the Brick is the framing - usually made from what is called in the building trades SPF lumber (Spruce, Pine, Fir). This is the structural part of the home, along with the foundation.

Whether the home exterior is Brick, Rock, Hardie-Plank, Shiplap, Aluminum or Vinyl siding in Texas it's most likely all the same underneath. 

So, unless you are looking for a Personal Home, don't worry about the exterior covering - you could change it out if necessary.  

For investment property - it's all ultimately about the numbers: 

1. What Can I Buy it for?

2. How much fix-up does it need?

3. What can I rent it for or how much can I sell it for?