Houses to flip over!

• Posted on April 30, 2018
• by mikew
• in Fix It & Use It
• No Comments.

In this market many folks have found investment opportunities fixing up run down houses. As an inspector I’ve entered countless “flips” and there are some things that are good signs, and some not so good signs. I operate from the perspective that we ought to do right by one another – it doesn’t take Biblical teaching to grasp the value and joy of this principle! Yet some investors seem to struggle living this out as they update and sell their investments. Others impress me and prove their commitment to do things right.

Here are three questions to consider that can give you good reason to flip over the house you are about to buy or show to your client:

First, have they hired a professional home inspector to look at their house? It is daunting for a home owner to have someone explore the unseen areas and create a list of issues. While ignorance can be bliss, it is not always a blessing. Whether they allow you to see the copy of the inspection report or not, they must report issues found and you will learn a great deal about the investor by how they handle the needed repairs.

Second, have they cleaned out and made repairs to the unseen areas? Namely, the attic and crawlspace areas. Heat, odors and the very air we breath are directly effected by these spaces. In my opinion, poorly made flips leave these areas untouched for the sake of saving a buck. If these areas are left unaddressed I can pretty much count on additional issues of rodents, wood destroying organisms, insulation, electrical and plumbing problems. Roofing, plumbing (i.e. septic systems) and electrical systems can be other unseen areas inadequately addressed.

Third, are there unfinished items? There is pressure to get houses on the market and the last 5% of every remodel project seem the hardest to complete. However, I’ve been in recent houses so rushed that garbage disposals have no power, outlets receptacles are missing and exterior siding are left unpainted. If things were rushed before, they are rushed even more when a buyer is ready to move in. When there are a lot of unfinished items it is a warning that there will probably be issues.