Fixing Investment Houses: Flooring Tips - By Jeanette Joy Fisher

Rehabbers who specialize in fixing investment houses geared towards a sale to first-time home buyers have many flooring choices. If you're a rehabber, you'll want to keep up with new interior decorating trends so you create a home that buyers will pay top dollar for. In today's changing real estate market, it's more important than ever to make wise flooring choices.

Flooring Information for Fixers

The key to your profit margin: spend less for the materials and at the same get the up-to-date look buyers demand. As a seller, you desire low-cost flooring for your fixer that will stand above your competition when you sell. Although today's homes feature walls painted in market colors, you want your flooring to offer a neutral base or to harmonize with existing colors in the home.

For bathrooms and kitchens, consider better quality linoleum, instead of opting for the lower cost vinyl. Savvy home buyers know that vinyl flooring, made from chlorinated petrochemical materials, may contain toxins. Linoleum, on the other hand, is made from linseed oil combined with wood flour or cork dust, ground limestone, and color pigments, over a burlap, jute, or canvas backing. Linoleum is also very durable and can last up to forty years, even in tough, high-traffic commercial situations. If you're an environmentalist, linoleum wins over vinyl, hands down. It's made of completely renewable natural materials, and no toxins are released into the environment during its manufacture. Highlight these benefits to people looking for a new home.

To save money on carpeting, look for a carpet outlet that carries roll ends. Carpet that normally sells for $38 per yard can be found for only $14, installed. Roll ends may not match exactly with different dye lots, but if you use one peace in each room, buyers will be thrilled to have new carpeting and most likely won't even notice the transition from room to room because of lighting changes.

Another flooring choice, laminate flooring, resembles wood flooring and may cost more than carpeting. However, take a look at your competition. If you have new houses selling nearby for similar prices, visit the model homes. Home shoppers compare new houses to resale houses and love to see similar features in an older home. Adding a flooring upgrade might, as Emeril says, "Kick it up a notch!" Make your home stand above others in the buyers' eyes.

Your fixer house will appear larger if you use the same flooring throughout. If you have an entry landing or entry hallway, using the same flooring from the connecting room will make the entire space flow and seem bigger.

The happier your buyer feels in your home, the more deliberation they give to your house. Select your flooring with a little extra thought, and you should get an offer that makes you and your wallet happy. Then, you'll be on your way to your next fixer investment house!

Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

Get started today making money fixing investment houses--without worries about the "pending real estate crash." Free real estate investing business plan from Jeanette Fisher and free ebook, The Truth about Making Money Flipping Houses: http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com

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