Christina’s Design Tips for Rehabbing Kitchens
By Christina El Moussa
A lot of people think that house flipping is all about finding a great real estate investment, getting a deal on it, and rehabbing it to bring it up to market value. Obviously, that’s all mandatory if you want to sell your flip houses, but that’s just the beginning. To seal the deal, get to the closing table, and make a profit, you need to have a great open house, which means knowing how to talk to your potential buyers.
Greet Them at the Front Door
To start with, be ready to present the house and welcome each potential buyer as they come in the front door. People tend to be shy when they walk into a stranger’s house, even if it’s an open house for a house that’s on the market. That’s why you need to welcome them and draw them in.
As you welcome them, hand them a printout that details all of the relevant information about the house and the property. This should have your asking price, the square footage of the house, the size of the lot, and a list of attractive upgrades and features.
Of course, you can’t let the paper do all the talking. Don’t hover or follow your visitors too closely—let them explore the house on their own—but be available to answer questions whenever they occur.
Eliminate Distractions
You want potential buyers to be your main focus during an open house. If you seem distracted or unwelcoming, they’ll be less likely to ask you questions and get to know the property. So eliminate all distractions.
Make sure that you have your phone with you but on silent or vibrate so that it isn’t constantly ringing. Lock your purse or briefcase in your car or have it with you, but make sure that you’re not leaving personal items all over the house. This is for your personal security, and it makes you look a lot more professional.
Remember when my car got stolen from in front of one of our flips in Long Beach? Luckily, that didn’t happen during an open house but imagine if it had? A theft right in front of the house would have seriously cooled our chances of selling it and would have distracted us from our potential buyers. Make sure you do everything you can to keep your personal property safe so you can focus on what matters.
Don’t Talk About Repairs
You might think that your work speaks for itself, but that’s because you saw what the house looked like before you started. You know everything that’s gone into it and what a Cinderella story it is. You might be tempted to use that as a selling point, but don’t do it!
A lot of homebuyers are skeptical of flip houses because they fear that you’ve just thrown a fresh façade on a house that’s crumbling underneath. You need to give them confidence in your work and show them that they’ll be making a wise purchase and that they’ll love the house if they move in. That means you can’t focus on where the house has been or how much work you needed to put into repairs.
Do Discuss Upgrades
Instead, show them that they’re buying a like-new home that’s up to code in every way and that has all of the latest updates and upgrades. A smart real estate investor showcases their flip houses by featuring their attractive qualities and all the updates and upgrades that they make while flipping houses.
About the author
Tarek and Christina El Moussa have over a decade of professional real estate experience and have been featured in national print publications, online media outlets, and HGTV’s Flip or Flop. Christina is known for her exceptional design and aesthetic talent.
