InvestorGrrl

Hunting down houses for rehab? Here’s a list of do’s and don’ts.

Wonder how are you gonna to sell the house from the minute you pull up into the driveway for the very first
time. Look for a house that the majority of “normal people” would want to call home.  Approximately 85% of the buying population wants at least 3 bedrooms or bigger.

Tough to sell:
1. Small houses-850 sq. ft. or less than 2 bedrooms, 4 & 5 bedrooms are in high demand!
2. Small master bedroom- has to be 12×12 or bigger
3. Busy street
4. Bad location/war zone
5. Functionally obsolete- bad/strange layout, low ceilings, handy harry adds
6. No garage or no off-street parking (depends on the neighborhood, when nobody has a garage in that area/range, it’s acceptable)
7. Bad/strange lot
8. No commercial/ mixed use
9. Junkie neighbors

Even if the numbers in the buying formula are great, we don’t wanna consider a house that has one of the above mentioned warning signs, since that will make the sale hard. In short: Look at the exit before you buy, you want a quick and easy sell.

Easy to sell are:
1. Spacious homes” 1800 Sq. Ft. & up
2. Homes that have a formal dining room, an office, an in-law setup, bonus/family room for extra living space.
3. Big level yard.
4. Great location, low crime, area with the best schools
5. Low traffic or dead end street
6. Kitchen with tons of cabinetry in mint condition & a beautiful master bathroom
7. Clean!
8. Nothing to do but move in!

The house must have more bells & whistles, wows, amenities, & higher quality materials to convince buyers to buy in a slow market. Buyers are picky, especially in today’s market!

The list of the top WOWs:
The two most important rooms in the house are the kitchen & bathroom!

WOWs in the kitchen
# Brand new cabinetry
# Deep 8 inch double bowl sink
# Goose neck faucet
# Higher quality counter tops (Compared to other homes in its price range)
# Brand new appliances
# Lightening underneath cabinets
# Built-in microwave

WOWs in the bathrooms
# Jacuzzi whirlpool tub with a 2HP motor
# Designer ceramic tile-Not the basic white tiles
# Upgrade medicine cabinet & light fixtures

Additional WOWs
# Good quality carpeting with 6lb. padding
# Nice light fixtures
# 3 different colors of paint for the ceiling, walls, & trim
# Crown molding- chair rail
# Mini blinds in all windows
# Staging for kitchen & bath
# Nice front door- ½ moon glass
# Gold numbers/ New mail box
# New outdoor fixtures to light up entrance
# Six panel white closet doors- not cheap hollow wood core doors!

Happy hunting!!!