DESIGN POINT
VALUE ADD
Dining area after
Investing in Community RESTORING AND RAISING HOME VALUES IS PART OF THE PROFIT FOR FLIPPERS
Dining area before
by Michele Van der Veen
W
hen I introduce myself to others as a “house flipper,” one of the first things people ask me is
whether I think flipping houses is a risky business. HGTV shows like “Flip or Flop” give the impression to many people that being a house flipper is all about how much profit you end up with at the end of each flip. Well, ok we do need to make a profit on our flips! But no matter what, the end of each project guarantees you will walk away with the feeling of a job well done no matter what kind of profit you make! When it comes to flipping houses, we can view what we do as not making money but rather investing in communities. The biggest investment for most people will be in their homes. People often save money for years to be able to buy their home. They research the community where they think they want to buy and live. They look at schools, shop-
ping, and parks when deciding on where to buy a house. When they get that home, they might invest more in up- grades, mow their yards, and plant flowers. Homeowners work hard to make their mortgage payments each month. Most are proud of their home and want to keep it looking nice. They can control what takes place with their own investment—their home—but unfortunately can’t control what happens with the other homes on their street. This is where investors come in. I’ve flipped dozens of houses in some of the most dangerous neighborhoods in California and in some of the
82 | think realty magazine :: november 2020
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter