Owning a home may be the American dream, but many people are dreaming about making money in real estate. We have all read stories about someone that made millions in real estate. The fact is many people are living out their dreams buying ugly houses and then selling them weeks or a few months later - often for beautiful profits.
But how are some people able to do this, sometimes even the newbies?
Not surprisingly, there are some rules to follow. And the more attention you pay to the rules, the better the chances of you earning some serious money. I got my start in real estate several years ago by "flipping" houses. What is house flipping?
Flipping a house is the process of buying a house in need of repairs, at a price much lower than market value, quickly adding value by making the necessary repairs to get the house to market standards, and then selling the house for a profit. And you do this by using little …show more content…
1. Use The Formula. Buying the ugly house at the right price is crucial in making a profit. You actually make your profit when you buy the house, not when you sell it. You realize your profit when you sell it. Remember that what you get for your house after you fix it up will depend on what similar properties are selling for in the area. It will have nothing to do with what you spent to repair the house.
The following formula has worked well for me and it will work for you:
a. Determine the "After Repair Value" (ARV) of the house you're considering to purchase. Generally, you can determine the ARV by obtaining a list of comparable sales ("comps") in the area from a realtor. If relying on comps, be sure you obtain the actual sales price of houses sold and not the list price. Determining the likely sales price of your house is the starting point.
b. Subtract your total costs from the sales price:
* Closing costs
* Loan
But how are some people able to do this, sometimes even the newbies?
Not surprisingly, there are some rules to follow. And the more attention you pay to the rules, the better the chances of you earning some serious money. I got my start in real estate several years ago by "flipping" houses. What is house flipping?
Flipping a house is the process of buying a house in need of repairs, at a price much lower than market value, quickly adding value by making the necessary repairs to get the house to market standards, and then selling the house for a profit. And you do this by using little …show more content…
1. Use The Formula. Buying the ugly house at the right price is crucial in making a profit. You actually make your profit when you buy the house, not when you sell it. You realize your profit when you sell it. Remember that what you get for your house after you fix it up will depend on what similar properties are selling for in the area. It will have nothing to do with what you spent to repair the house.
The following formula has worked well for me and it will work for you:
a. Determine the "After Repair Value" (ARV) of the house you're considering to purchase. Generally, you can determine the ARV by obtaining a list of comparable sales ("comps") in the area from a realtor. If relying on comps, be sure you obtain the actual sales price of houses sold and not the list price. Determining the likely sales price of your house is the starting point.
b. Subtract your total costs from the sales price:
* Closing costs
* Loan