So, getting a real estate investment loan in El Paso is easier than you thought. What now? So you look for the next opportunity that calls your name. And right now the El Paso real estate market is pretty active. So, what do you look for when searching for the next best home to flip?
There is no single correct answer. After all, being a real estate investor is all about vision, creativity, and what we like to call that ‘inner hustle.’ It’s not a slow man’s game. When it comes to real estate flips, you have to move quickly but strategically, take risks but weigh your options, know the ground game, understand the market, have the right team of contractors, and move swiftly towards the end goal. Many of the United States’ home sales were a result of house flips. According to Investopedia in 2019, about 6.2% of all home sales in the United States were house flips.
The Ultimate Checklist for the Best Flip — Keep These 5 Tips in Mind
Just because a home looks a little run down and is calling your name doesn’t mean it’s the right one for you. Television makes house flipping look like a walk in the park. There are plenty of homes out there that could use some renovations, but your best flip will meet one or some of these criteria:
- Make sure the neighborhood has potential. When someone buys a home, they are likely buying more than just the lot and structure. They are committing to the neighborhood and locality in which it sits. A lot of time a neighborhood’s popularity is related to local schools, nearby amenities, or surrounding parks. Finding one of the smaller homes in the big neighborhoods can prove a big investment. That’s because the high value of the neighboring properties makes the smaller home more accessible to a larger buyer pool.
- See beyond the lack of curb appeal. You are a house flipper. Think like one. That means seeing what something could be and not what it is. It’s all about finding the quickest road (no shortcuts) to the destination— i.e. looking at how to get to a desirable home from the conditions of the home you see. Is it going to take landscaping? A new driveway? A new front door and a couple of trees? Etc etc. A renovation doesn’t mean you have to install a whole new floor or do a full kitchen remodel. It might mean being strategic with these renovation options and using what you have and working with it.
- Don’t forget to take a quick look at the neighbors. Find a great house in a good neighborhood, but have a crazy cat lady as a neighbor? This might be a problem. Eccentric is not always a great quality in the real estate market, so if you find a home that appears to have neighbors that are on the fringe and are keeping bees, or have ten chickens, goats, and a mini pig, take that into consideration.
- Stay away from busy streets or heavily trafficked streets. A lot of really nice older homes will often be located in unfortunate subdivisions that were somehow chewed up by modern development. A home that sits right next to a busy street that sees a lot of traffic and noise, will always sit on the market for a long time. Consider staying away from these properties unless there are other characteristics that outweigh this downfall.
Three Quick Warnings: Stay Away from These Common Mistakes
Just like there is some general advice to follow, there are also a few mistakes that can be avoided with just a little background information. The 70% rule known to a lot of real estate investors states that an investor should pay no more than 70% of the after repair value (ARV) of a property minus the repairs needed.
Mistake #1: Belly flop into the first deal without doing your homework. Research financing options and make sure you know which one is right for you and your circumstances. Remember to factor in the costs of repairs, as it is the only way to make sure you’ll make a profit.
Mistake #2: Assuming that it is a part-time endeavor. It can be for experienced real estate investors. If you are just starting out, it might not be the best approach to do this as your side-gig. At least, not for your first property. Finding the right property, researching value and market, plus the acquisition, take time. That is not counting the time it will take supervising contractors.
Mistake #3: Losing patience and jumping the gun. This piece of advice can apply to many endeavors. Real estate takes patience and some prowling. Get familiar with the kind of property you want to flip and jump on it when the time is right.
Found the Right Property? Now Get a Quick Real Estate Investment Loan and Get to Flipping
Getting a hard money loan will be faster, easier, and will not present obstacles to the acquisition of your right property. Call Entrust Capital and get the money you need to flip today.
Want to find out more about hard money loans for real estate investment? Call Entrust Capital in El Paso and learn more.
