Flipping Houses For Dummies (eBook)

Ralph R. Roberts is a real estate expert, investor, and author. He has sold over 10,000 homes, and focuses on affordable housing. He wants to help everyone become a homeowner! Ralph is the author of the previous edition of Foreclosure Investing For Dummies, as well as many other publications.

Introduction 1

Part 1: Getting Started with House Flipping 5

Chapter 1: Brushing Up on the Basics 7

Chapter 2: Devising an Effective Flipping Strategy 19

Chapter 3: Building Your Dream Team 31

Chapter 4: Securing the Funds to Fuel Your Flips 47

Part 2: House Hunting with an Eye for Flipping 69

Chapter 5: Scoping Out a Fertile Neighborhood 71

Chapter 6: Hunting for Houses in Your Target Area 87

Chapter 7: Closing In on Foreclosure Properties 103

Chapter 8: Scoping Out Properties in Special Markets 125

Part 3: Evaluating Properties and Crunching Numbers 141

Chapter 9: Researching Distressed Properties 143

Chapter 10: Inspecting the Property and Estimating Rehab Costs 163

Chapter 11: Calculating Your Profit and Best Offer 181

Chapter 12: The Art of Haggling: Negotiating a Price and Terms 193

Part 4: Fixing Up Your Fixer-Upper 207

Chapter 13: Building and Managing Your Rehab Team 209

Chapter 14: Prioritizing and Planning Your Renovations 221

Chapter 15: Giving Your Property a Quick Makeover 235

Chapter 16: Perking Up the Curb Appeal 249

Chapter 17: Dazzling the Crowds with Updated Kitchens and Baths 265

Chapter 18: Tackling Moderate Makeovers 281

Chapter 19: Reconfiguring Spaces and Other Structural Overhauls 291

Part 5: Cashing In: Realizing Your Profit 303

Chapter 20: Considering Your Options: Cash or Cash Flow? 305

Chapter 21: Marketing Your Home 317

Chapter 22: Negotiating the Sale to Maximize Your Profit 331

Chapter 23: Trudging through Some Taxing Issues 343

Part 6: The Part of Tens 353

Chapter 24: Ten Ways to Find Dontwanners 355

Chapter 25: Ten Signs of a Great House Flipping Opportunity 363

Chapter 26: Ten House Flipping Blunders 369

Index 375