UPCLOSE & PERSONAL
MARKETING
Photos by John Tesh
Our ‘Secret Sauce’
CREATIVE MARKETING TECHNIQUES ARE AS MUCH A KEY TO SUCCESSFULLY FLIPPING A HOUSE AS THE REHAB PROCESS ITSELF.
by John and Corinne Tesh
I
t’s your first time flipping a house, and it’s almost ready. Nowwhat? That’s a question we hear a lot. While our business model is mostly wholesale proper- ties, we will flip six or eight houses a year and have learned you have to start marketing the properties even before the rehab begins. While the market is good in Greens- boro, N.C., where we own Citygate Homes, LLC, a HomeVestors (“We Buy Ugly Houses”) franchise, it’s not on fire like some areas. Because of that, we try to make our houses stand out from the crowded field, and they usually sell in the first week with multiple offers. HERE’S HOWWE DO IT John is the primary house buyer, and Corinne wears multiple hats as office manager, designer and project manager.
BEFORE
gotten several contracts both on the buy and sell sides just from spending an hour or two in the neighborhood. John’s background as a commercial pho- tographer helps our marketing effort, too. The day we start the project, a “Coming Soon” sign goes in the front yard. John begins by taking tons of photos, both inside and out and at different times during construction. We stage every rehab, so he tries to imagine
That’s more than enough to keep us going seven days a week. We begin marketing our houses the day we get them under contract. We introduce ourselves to all the neighbors and let them know what will be going on during the next two months of con- struction. We also ask if they know any- one who’s looking to buy this house, or maybe sell the one they’re in. We have
104 | think realty magazine july :: august 2016
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