All Forum Posts by: Willow T.

@Lauren N Sellers Thank you! Congrats on your first flip--very exciting stuff. 

I was lucky with this house in that the wife literally wanted everything. So I listed what would be excluded, threw out a price for the other things, and was amazed when they accepted without negotiation (should have priced it higher..haha!). 

I keep all houses staged completely for as long as possible, and I never remove anything prior to the final walk. That means it's staged through showings, offer acceptance, inspection, appraisal, etc. I want to keep the buyer(s) excited about the house for as long as possible, and I have found concrete evidence that, despite their best efforts and training, a staged home always ends up being more palatable to an appraiser. 

During open houses (if I have any), I make it known that everything is for sale. I keep a list of interested buyers and, in the event there are things the buyers don't want to purchase, I reach out to those people to sell to them in time for the final walk. Otherwise, I post items on Craigslist and local FB groups, have a big garage sale, and donate the rest. I have some good friends in each area where I flip so if I've moved onto the next project and no longer live there, I'll pay them to hold the sale and/or arrange pickups with anyone who purchases something. Most of them refuse the money but I always at least stash some gift cards around their houses before I leave :)

@Brandon Taylor Thank you! I do travel to each location, and I live in the house until it's ready to be listed. The last project I'm just wrapping up was a nightmare (I'll have quite the post once it closes!), so I lived with local friends for a while. It keeps me on my toes to always be moving around so much. 

I'm actually closing on my most recent AZ project on Friday! A sweet little townhouse in Tempe that netted me about $32k. I'm on the hunt for the next one already!

And I'm in the process of launching a blog...should be ready by mid January. 

@Carley M. Congrats on successfully utilizing NACA! I know a bunch of people who have gone through the classes but nobody has closed on a property yet. Sounds like you hit it out of the park with your purchase!

@Ranjit Wasu Ask away! :)

@Wendy Fritz I find most of my materials on Craigslist and FreeCycle. You'd be amazed what people get rid of! Also, estate sales seem to be a treasure trove. I picked up all of the tile for the kitchen floor for $50 at one! The biggest expense of this house was all the new beadboard and then the PEX, but even that wasn't terribly expensive. I did luck out in that the buyers didn't demand new windows. The BB hole panes were replaced by a professional (forgot to include that in what I hired out) but it was an older gentleman who did this in his retirement. He was so "tickled" to see me restore this house that he gave me an incredible deal. I think I paid something like $30/pane for 6 of them (I gave him $250). Way too good to be true in some ways but goes back to what I was saying about making friends with the neighbors. The next door neighbor owns her own State Farm office and she knew him somehow through the insurance world. I was VERY lucky to get incredible referrals for this house! 

@Dolores Waldron Thank you! Ever since I can remember, I've absolutely loved everything involved with designing, decorating, and staging. I took a few community college adult ed classes, but I learn most things from magazines and blogs. I am fortunate to have a natural eye for color, so I play off that strength as a base for each room's look. As much as I love DIY and renovation, I have to admit that I'm always looking forward to the staging phase of each house!

@Bob Norris In Pittsburgh, Construction Junction is a must. Imagine a Habitat for Humanity ReStore on steroids. It's phenomenal!

I scour Craigslist, FreeCycle, neighborhood free/barter groups on Facebook, local classifieds and other local avenues for materials. I am a regular at garage and estate sales, too.

I also barter services which allows me to have more for pricier materials or to hire necessary professionals. I'm very good at tiling and installing hardwood flooring, so I've bartered with some contractors. I'm always on the hunt for deals, and I love a good bargain/finding something old and making it new/beautiful again!

@Eric Geyer I'm a sucker for big, old houses. Think Nicole Curtis only in Pittsburgh. The price certainly helped, too. One thing I don't think I've shared yet is the house was originally listed for nearly $50,000. I negotiated down to the $31,500 thanks to a newly minted structural engineer that was hungry for work and inspected the property for a mere $200. The original back porch was falling off the house (I knew I'd replace it regardless), and it helped us get down to a more palatable number considering my budget.

I don't do a traditional home inspection on these properties because I know most everything has to go, but I always, always have a structural inspection. Not only is that type of work way beyond any capabilities I'll ever possess, but it's a surefire way to blow even the best planned budget!

@James Rodgers To the buyers! They were smitten with the staging and the wife wanted everything. We actually negotiated back and forth because some of the furniture and pieces are mine that I inherited from family and couldn't bear to part with. 

@Michael Lee Thanks for sharing all of this! I agree with you, but I feel more comfortable doing my flips in cash because of their risky nature. That said, I do finance my rental properties. And I'm proud to say I acquired 4 properties while working on this one. It was a crazy, yet very motivating time. :)

You're right on the money about doing what the neighborhood dictates, which is why this house's kitchen looks the way it does. In my most recent project in Arizona, I took out walls to make an open concept kitchen/dining/living room and installed high-end granite & fixtures because that's what the market dictates. Different strokes for different folks!

@Rickey Garcia I'm in the camp of "go for it," but I say that with the assumption that you'll do your homework before signing any paperwork, you'll have contingencies in your budget, and you'll be prepared to handle the stressful nature of a flip. I had an absolute blast with this house, and I really think anyone can enjoy their experience as long as they're smart about their expectations, goals, and abilities. Best of luck to you!!