vicki irvin's (virvin) Blog

Countertops can make a big difference. If there is not a lot of counter space, you can achieve a very expensive look without spending a fortune. There are companies that will cover old counter tops with granite or you may wish to use tile where there had been a laminate surface. If it is a house ...

So what should you do to make the house as valuable as possible? It is common knowledge that kitchens and baths are the primary selling points of almost any house, so you should start there. What you do should depend on the other houses in the neighborhood. The ideal situation is for your propert...

Plumbing is another area where buyers have basic expectations. They want to have sufficient water pressure. This can be a problem in some older homes. Septic systems are also a concern; a system with problems needs to be dealt with. If the house is hooked up to a sewer system, you need to be sure...

The first things that you need to deal with when flipping a house are the basic systems. Homebuyers have certain expectations of any property that they are considering. They expect that the plumbing works, the electrical system meets an acceptable standard, the heat works and the roof is adequate...

Prior to beginning any work you should check with the local building department. Some of the work may require permits and inspections by the municipality. If you do work without the required permits the job could be stopped and you may be required to remove work that has already been completed. A...

There is another possibility that can also work out very well. This is to partner with a contractor. There are many contractors who would love to be involved in flipping projects but lack the money or the knowledge of investing in real estate. If you partner with someone like this, you could wind...

With all of the old material out of the way it's time to start putting in the new. Things need to follow a logical sequence, you don't want to do something and then wind up having to remove it because you should have done something else first. Start with things like plumbing and electrical work, ...

If you are doing a major renovation with structural changes, you may want to consult an architect. A professional in this area can offer advice as to what works best and draw up plans that will help you to acquire the necessary permits. Most flipping projects do not go this far, they just involve...

If you are going to hire a contractor, how do you find a good one? The best way is to get recommendations from other people. Before hiring one of these referrals, you should see their work and talk to them to be sure that you are comfortable with them. Communication is very important; you need to...

After figuring the scope of the project, you need to create a timeline. If you are working with a contractor, he will be able to help you to do this. Creating a proper timeline is an extremely important part of any flip project. You need to coordinate different aspects of the job so that everythi...