Google Maps Tips!

[Andrew Bosco]

Before I touch a calculator on any flip, I walk the neighborhood on Google Maps.

Most investors skip this step. They pull comps, run their numbers, and make an offer — never seeing what's actually around the property.

Here's why I do it differently.

When I walked a distressed NH ranch on Street View this week, I saw something the MLS listing didn't show me: heavy tree coverage, no garage, and a lot that needed serious landscaping work before it would compete with the cleaned-up comps down the street.

That's probably $10K in trees plus another $2,500–$5,000 in landscaping. Right there. Before a single contractor steps on site.

The comps had cleared lots and two-car garages. This property had neither.

Here's the thing — if I hadn't walked that street virtually, I might have modeled a $385K ARV and wondered later why it was sitting.

The Google Maps sniff test takes about 10 minutes. It's the fastest way I know to sanity-check your rehab scope before you commit a dollar.

Three things I look for:

Tree and lot coverage vs. the comps
Garage situation (not having one matters in most NH markets)
Neighbor upkeep and street presentation
What's your first step when you pull a new deal? Drop it in the comments — curious what other people are checking before they run numbers.

Come work through deals like this live at our free monthly NH investor meetups —