What Rehab Mistakes Should New Investors Avoid?

Question

For the experienced rehabbers here, what are the most common mistakes you see new flippers make?

Anything you wish you could go back and tell your younger self?

Julie Yarnall · Answer

#1 Not treating the project like a business.
Every decision costs time or money — sometimes both. I used to try saving $500 by buying all the materials myself… and then lose five hours chasing orders and deliveries. Now I weigh the time-to-value ratio instead of just the dollar amount.

#2 Weak contractor communication. “Assuming” the contractor will handle things is where budgets go to die. What works for me is a strict communication rhythm: Twice-a-week onsite check-ins with Daily email summaries with running questions, decisions, and next steps — all in one place And I follow up every verbal conversation in writing. It keeps everyone aligned and eliminates the “I thought you said…” moments.

#3 Not getting clarity on scope at the start. New flippers often walk into a project without a full scope or selections. The clearer you are upfront, the fewer budget surprises you’ll have.

#4 NO Finger pointing. This really loops back to communication, but one of the biggest mistakes is blaming your contractor or other vendors when a project goes over budget or doesn’t sell as expected. At the end of the day, you are the project manager and the business owner — the responsibility ultimately sits with you.

When you lead your projects with clarity, integrity, and a solutions-focused mindset, people actually want to work with you. And when challenges inevitably come up (because they always do), your team is far more inclined to go the extra mile — because they know you’d do the same.