My first flip at 26, a woman, ZERO construction skills.
I closed escrow on the sale of my very first flip back in January. Craziness of life got in the way and I never got around to posting about it here. However, I figured it was time. I SERIOUSLY credit BP for some of the success here. I probably could not have made it happen without this site and J Scott's book. I have not been a very active poster (which I am trying to remedy!), however I have spent a lot of time on here reading and absorbing everything I could.
The process of the deal and the steps to get there were a long one, starting at the end of 2013 getting my real estate license. I did this just so that I could get MLS access and the freedom to run my own comps and look at properties on my own schedule. Saving 6% is great too.
So my flip was financed through a private loan at 6%. I purchased a 1,580 sqft 2/1 fannie mae foreclosure, built in 1948 in Phoenix. I'm (or, was when this started) a 26 year old woman who knew nothing about construction. No pressure. I converted the house into a 3/2. Re-did basically everything except the roof. Including the framing of a master suite and bathroom in the existing footprint of the house. I sure jumped in with both feet, ha.
Did I make mistakes? YES. Did I overspend? PROBABLY. Was it perfect? NO. I would do so many things on this project differently the second time around. But I am SO glad I did it, and made it happen. You can read all you want, but you just don't know until you are in the middle of the process (wanting to cry, pull your hair out, sweating profusely because it is phoenix in the summertime and 116 degrees and what were you thinking flipping a house?!) that is when you learn what you are made of, toughen up, get creative, and get it done. Whatever you think you know about getting it done, you just don't know until you do it.
The toughest part was learning to manage subcontractors. I did not use a general contractor. I definitely got taken advantage of twice. This was expensive, and I was NOT happy about having to pay someone to rip out and fix crap work. However I needed to learn that lesson. Now my paperwork is tight and my tolerance for their BS is non existent.
I purchased the property for $104,000. Sold the property for $210,000. Before you get too excited, my profit was only $19,000 after expenses, holding costs, closing costs, and getting ripped off by subs. HOWEVER this was my FIRST deal, and I did it all alone. Start to finish took me 6 months. So this project took longer than I thought, cost more than I thought, but I still made money, because I bought right. You really make your money upfront. Here are a few photos, and at some point maybe I'll come write a more detailed post of the highs and low of this experience and add some more pictures. Still, go out there and make it happen, if I can do it, you can do it. I did a second property in Scottsdale and now I've moved back to California and I hope I can get something big rolling.
Before: Don't be fooled by the "rock" exterior. It was plastic and cracked all over and hideous in person.
Nice A/C duct work there, though an open window. Pretty Fancy.
ok the couch looks hideous. It was all I had! I did just give it away, I wont stage with it again I promise, lol.
The former kitchen opened to a giant empty room in the back, that you accessed by walking into a large closet?? I sold the retro oven.