‘Fix My Flip’ Page Turner Reveals One No-Brainer Upgrade Every Bathroom Should Get: Massachusetts HomeOwnerhsip HomeBuyers

 On her new show, “Fix My Flip,” Page Turner helps turn run down houses into gorgeous homes that sell for a sizable profit. Yet as easy and fun as it might look on TV to renovate properties, Turner knows this is the exception rather than the rule. “I’ve seen the costly mistakes flippers make,” she says. “And they keep losing money.”

 In the episode “Two Bros With Tujunga Woes,” Turner comes to the rescue of Los Angeles brothers who have gotten themselves into a real fix. They paid six hundred and fifty thousand dollars an incredible seventy two thousand dollars over the asking price for a sight-unseen house. The one thousand three hundred square foot, three bedroom, 1.5 bathroom property is a “diamond in the rough and I do mean rough,” Turner says.

 What’s more, the brothers Anthony, a full-time real estate agent and part-time flipper, and Anton, the project manager need to get the house remodeled and sold in thirty days, because hefty loan payments are due on the property. They have a budget of fifty five thousand dollars for the renovation, which Turner thinks is adequate since there’s no deep construction that needs to be done.

 She tells them that, when they’re through, they can get at least eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the house. Her cut will be a percentage of anything they make over that figure. The brothers negotiate that percentage down from fifty percent to thirty percent, and then they’re off to the races, with Turner dishing out smart renovation advice along the way that you might be surprised to learn, too.

Beware of hard money loans

 To buy this house, the brothers have borrowed money from a hard money lender who charges them five thousand and six hundred dollars per month until they sell the house hence the thirty day rush. A hard money loan can also give the investor some say in how the project progresses. In this case, it was the investor who required the brothers to negotiate Turner’s cut.

 Turner doesn’t say there’s anything wrong with hard money lenders, but viewers get the impression that a lot more pressure is involved with this type of loan. It’s important to not get in over your head.

Consult pros for a quick flip

 With only thirty days to renovate this shabby property, time and skill are of the essence. So Turner knows these brothers need a team of go-to professionals they can count on. “Part of my success comes from the team that I trust and respect,” Turner says, referring to her designer, Francesca Grace, and her contractor, Mitch Glew. They go through the house with her and make suggestions even she hasn’t thought of.

Always turn a half-bath into a full if you can

 Turner believes that adding a shower and tub to the tiny half-bath will make a world of difference to buyers, so she persuades the brothers to take a little space from the adjacent oversized laundry room to add a shower and tub. “There’s a half bath, we have plumbing, we have space,” she declares. It’s a no-brainer and sets the stage for a more profitable flip.

Luxury vinyl planking is a flipper’s MVP

 Anton suggests they replace the flooring with luxury vinyl planking. “It looks like real wood but is less expensive, more durable, waterproof, and good for pets,” he explains. Page absolutely agrees. “I see million-dollar-plus houses putting in this type of flooring,” she says.

Don’t do white on white

 When Anthony suggests going white on white with all the finishes because it’s less expensive and appeals to a broader range of buyers, Turner balks. “We can do something special in there and not make it so bland,” she says. “If we can add a little bit of spice, it might just make it a little more appealing. We’re not going to create a basic flip. Buyers want to see that you have really put some thought into this house.”

 So, as they look at tile and counter samples, the brothers end up accepting blue cabinets and lovely print tile for the bathroom floors. Once installed, they make these spaces look more special and less cookie-cutter.

Don’t overbuild for the neighborhood

 Since the home is located in a more natural area without a lot of manicured landscaping, Turner suggests they keep the front yard and backyard simple. “We’re in Tujunga. We’re right against the beautiful mountains, and I want to really play off that, instead of hardening that space up with concrete,” she says.

 “It’s such a cool house, but we don’t want to overbuild for the neighborhood. When you start adding pools and too much to the house, we’re outpacing ourselves for the neighborhood. You just let the next buyer do what they want to do and just give them a nice, clean slate to work with and just make it pretty.”

Don’t forget to budget for staging

 Sellers often forget the importance of staging and the cost. “As a rule, I budget one percent or less of the home’s purchase price for staging,” says Turner. Since the brothers purchased the home for six hundred and fifty thousand dollars, they end up spending six thousand and five hundred dollars on staging. That might seem like a lot for a one thousand three hundred square foot house, but it makes all the difference.

Does Page Turner help fix this flip?

 Tujunga real estate agent Arbi Sarkissian comes over to see the finished flip and is very impressed. He says he has buyers right now who will happily pay over eight five thousand dollars for it. “Bring them over,” says Turner. He does, and they do.

 The brothers end up selling the house for nine hundred thousand dollars. After deducting all the expenses, the flippers make a one hundred and eighty thousand dollars profit. Turner’s cut (thirty percent of the fifty thousand dollars over eight hundredand fifty thousand dollars) is fifteen thousand dollar plus bragging rights, of course!

The post ‘Fix My Flip’: Page Turner Reveals One No-Brainer Upgrade Every Bathroom Should Get appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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