5 Things to Keep in Mind During Real Estate’s Hottest Season

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5 Things to Keep in Mind During Real Estate’s Hottest Season

June 29, 2016

By Tarek El Moussa

Summer is here and the weather isn’t the only thing that’s heating up. Statistically speaking, June is the busiest month of the year for real estate sales, which means that you’ll need to be on your toes if you want to continue finding and buying the best flip houses. There are a few interesting things about this time of year that you should keep in mind. Consider these as you buy and sell your flip properties this summer, and you’ll almost definitely see some very impressive results.

Looser Mortgage Qualifications

Whether it’s because the weather is getting warmer or because so many people are buying and selling houses, both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have loosened their qualification requirements for mortgage applicants. That means that you’re going to have more buyers who are prequalified for mortgages trying to buy houses this summer, so get your flip houses in prime condition to sell right away. This could be the busiest summer in years for home sales, and that’s good news for you—if you’re ready to sell.

Sell the Outside of Your Homes as Much as the Inside

You’ve spent a lot of time, energy, and money on rehabbing your flip properties, and you’ve especially put a lot of work into their interiors. However, this time of year the outside of the home may be as big of a selling point as the inside.

When selling flip houses during the summer, you’ll want to emphasize things like an attractive back patio or a newly renovated swimming pool. Yes, your buyers will be living there year round, but it’s hard to imagine yourself cuddled up by the fire when it’s 70–80 degrees outside. That’s why it pays to give the landscaping, front porch, and back patio a bit more attention for flips that are going to be ready to sell in the summer.

Focus on Summer-Proof Landscaping

Speaking of the outside of the home, you don’t want to plant beautiful flowers, shrubs, and sod if they’re just going to wilt before you can sell the house. Focus your landscaping efforts on plants and details that will survive the summer sun and can even withstand a watering ban if you’re in a drought.

Crank Up the A/C for Showings

While you should focus on making the exterior beautiful, you’ll also want to show that the house is a cool haven where the buyers will be able to retreat from the summer heat. Whether you’ve scheduled an open house or you’re doing individual showings, make sure that you turn the air conditioning on about an hour before you show the house. This will give the place enough time to cool down so that your potential buyers walk in and feel instantly refreshed.

Have Some Refreshing Beverages Available

Finally, remember that the people viewing your house have likely spent all morning or afternoon driving around looking at properties. They’re probably feeling pretty hot and sticky, which won’t put them in the best mood to make an offer on the house right away. You can change that by offering cold, refreshing beverages when they walk in. The cost of a few bottles of water and lemonade will be a small price to pay to get people back in the mindset of buying a house.

Keep these five things in mind this summer, and you’ll be set to not only survive the summer but to see great results and better profits for your real estate business. Good luck!

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Tarek El Moussa

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 a popular real estate TV show. Tarek is known for his determination to get the job done and doing it right.