Should I list a Flip in the Winter in Northern Climates

Should I list a Flip in the Winter in Northern Climates

Member since 2019 · 3 posts · 0 votes

I am looking at buying a flip using a conventional mortgage on the property and paying for rehab out of pocket. The basic numbers are:

Sale Price: 230k

Rehab Cost: 65k

ARV: 400k

Total Cash in before holding costs: 77k

Holding Costs per Month: 2,500

If I purchase this house I am looking to do some major cosmetic work and sell. Closing would be August 26 and estimate that rehab will take 3 months. This puts me at a position where the house could be put on the market sometime end of November or beginning of December, but the house is located in the snow belt of Ohio. I have had recommendations to hold the house until end of Feb and list then; this will increase my investment into the property by about 10k. The final numbers I am looking at then look like this:

List in the December:

Cash In: 92k

Profit: 50k

ROI: 54% (6 month)

This deal for me is about borderline due to the large cash investment

List in end of Feb:
Cash in: 102k

Profit: 40k

ROI: 39% (10 month)

This is a no-go for me due to ROI and how long my cash is tied up.

I am looking at a few other deals and this one has some other issues such as locking down an exact ARV so I am pretty sure I am going to drop this one, but wanted to check with those that have a lot more experience than me in this. Do you guys list houses in the winter in northern climates or hold them until spring?

Thanks in advance for your responses!

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  • Rental Property Investor · Upstate, NY · Member since 2012 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    7y

    We listed & sold ours mid winter, snow on the ground, because a partner bailed & delayed the completion by 3-4 months. Buyer came in close to asking so we did well.

  • Flipper/Rehabber · Louisville, KY · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    7y

    There are better times and worse times to sell but I think the "rules" about this are far overhyped.

    I sold on of my homes on Chirstmas Day to an indian family. Received the offer, negotiated and signed all on Christmas Day. For them, it was a work day.

  • Rental Property Investor · Member since 2019 · 407 posts · 267 votes
    7y

    Think of it this way...in the Spring you have more buyers, but more competing listings. If someone's looking at houses over the holidays they're pretty serious and you have less competition. As long as pricing and exposure is good, you can sell a house for top value at any time.

  • Rental Property Investor · Cleveland, MN · Member since 2017 · 518 posts · 354 votes
    7y

    It's kind of a crap shoot. Depends a lot on your market and what is out there. I agree with @Seth Ferguson that if yours is the only good one out there at the time then you might get lucky. I'm in MN and the holding costs would be tough. I just finished and listed a flip. I closed on the purchase Feb. 1, so I got a great deal buying Dec. 1. I hope it goes soon because heating with propane over the winter is going to cost me!

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