All Forum Posts by: Kim Smith

I totally agree with Kyle on every point he makes. Follow his advice to the letter, and do it this week to go along with your price decrease. I am a flipper/investor who has sold many properties, frequently direct to the buyer. 

Staging would be super helpful. If you are out of money on this, it's time for creativity and elbow grease! This includes detailing the front yard (with no weeds at all!) Staging the backyard with a pristinely clean pool (no photos of the power lines!) and seating so buyers can imagine how they might live in the space. Buyers can't picture this stuff. You need to SHOW it to them. (If you don't have outdoor furniture - borrow it from some friends in trade for babysitting.) In the back yard shaded area near that back door is another area perfect for a chair, a table, a small outdoor rug and a glass of wine next to an apple or some grapes on the table. Like Kyle says, look at how others have staged.  Close ups of the washer, the dryer, the awesome kitchen faucet, the light fixtures, a closeup of the gleam of light along the new counters next to two cups of coffee. Can you capture the sunrise or sunset view? Pictures, pictures, pictures, especially in morning light.

Indoor staging needn't be costly. Perfectly folded towels in the bathroom with a small faux plant. A bowl of lemons on the kitchen counter. A nice looking desk and a chair (Borrowed from your own house) and a faux potted plant in a bedroom that suggests the perfect office. 

All of these small details can increase value and bring buyers for zero dollars. 

If you can't take gorgeous photos, find a friend who can. You definitely need some WOW factor in play here!

Winter weather property dilemma: I am ready to invest in a Level 2 EV charger that can be used by any tenant in my triplex. As is typical in older Indiana properties, there are no garages, only outdoor, off-street gravel parking lots, which are shared by all tenants. (This gravel-parking-lot set up is great for the intense rain, winter snow, high winds, and the large-size pickup trucks everyone drives here.) After a year of researching, reading reviews and speaking with local electricians, I am frustrated that I am ready to deploy the dollars, have the electrical panel capacity, but cannot find a charging solution that meets my needs. Any recommendations?  

Must have: 

1. A great company that will actually service the charging unit in case of problems. 

2. A company with a good end-user experience and positive reviews. (The most advertised names seem to have seriously poor service/customer support.)

3. An outdoor charger that can withstand rain, snow, sun, etc.

4. A charger that is safe to use if you and your vehicle are both standing in the pouring rain, in the dark, after a long day at work, and you need to plug in to power. (No wimpy carport thing will work here. Our winds will easily pick it up and toss that thing across the street and land it on my neighbor's roof.)

5. One charger that can allow for multiple users to each pay for their power usage. 

Agreed. Not just any tenant, but "good" and "paying." Leaving one unit vacant is a smart play right now for a flip. In LA, that's what buyers can afford, a place to live, with 2 rents coming in to help shoulder the mortgage.