amhoem11

Very nice of you to explain your project, though you didn't have to. Your original post did not give me the impression that you were going to cut corners or rip people off. Shame on those who read it that way. I am excited to see the complete project. Land and views look wonderful. Please don't let the "assumers" deter you for participating here, looking forward to seeing your vision become a reality. ....actually one of the harshest threads that I have read on houzz :( .

Thank you very much! It's funny to us, really. But we love the website and the generally positive feedback. We'll post more as we progress!! :)

get rid of the asphalt, concrete or pavers. looks like there is a window air conditioning unit, ditch that and go with central aire. the siding looks pretty bad, concrete lap siding, or shingles. and maybe a metal roof. and new cladded windows. and obviously landscaping. and paint it up.

You might consider starting a new thread with more photos and without using the word "flip" if you'd like more comments directed at the remodel possibilities.

Oh I've participated in worse. I've considered removing MCM and the color orange from my lexicon. But anyway, I too look forward to seeing what you do with this house and its landing strip!

Thank you for all your ideas! The window AC unit is definitely not staying, especially since the house already has central air. We are keeping the cedar siding, just stripping the old paint, then repainting. We will replace any cedar that needs it, but it's generally in good condition. Just years of bad paint. If we put in any dormers, we will maybe go with shingles on those...? The picture doesn't show the driveway well enough, but it is a circular drive that we will clean and repave if it needs it. We are thinking of going with a Northwest Craftsman style.....? Also, replacing all windows with vinyl because they are all aluminum. And, if a metal roof were in the budget, we'd love to go with that! However, we will likely go with a composition roof after replacing all the sheathing..

lol, you got to stir the pot some times. I've gotten in a few arguments on here. it makes it interesting. plus it keeps a lot of useless information, like paint colors from being brought up.

I love the style you're looking at, but also could see a simple dormer- all clerestory windows, cathedral ceiling. Pergolas.
To me the amount of pavement really detracts and I'd invest in another material for that if possible. Big job ahead of you!

LOL. Stirring the pot can be fun, I agree. And I leave things like paint color decisions to my wife. She is the decorator and has always had amazing taste in decor. Never had any complaints on her finishing touches..... In fact, that's what always sells the house! People don't ever say, "The roof is beautiful!" or "They did an incredible job with the electrical work." They say, "The tile work in the master bath is amazing!" or "I love the way the hardwoods compliment the kitchen cabinets!" LOL!!!

yeah, lol well I look at the roof and the electrical first. and the tile and paint last. but that's me I like to be dry and not have my house burn down.

I have seen some really nice updates done on small "periwinkle" homes in Florida. They involve a porte cochere extending across the driveway (you would have to make your driveway more narrow). The porte cochere has a elevated roof line a la Frank Lloyd Wright.

Naturally I love the Northwest contemporary pics I posted earlier in this thread, but thought I would check to see if there is an alternate to beige or gray :)

Here is a bright siding color with a couple of very small gable additions and wood accents that might work too


And one more that has a lot of charm with the pergolas and bright red door


Whichever direction you choose, please use large windows :) and come back here to post the results in the before and after section. Personally I believe there is a place for the investor that does what you are doing (with permits, attention to detail etc). Not everyone has the vision or the cash to turn a neglected home into an asset for the neighborhood. I would say that the people that visit this site have much more vision than the average buyer (or they wouldn't be on this site). JMO.

Any flipper who asks for ideas on curb appeal is already one step ahead of the game! Currently I'm seeking my future downsizing house so I visit lots of the properties when they hit the market and some are definitely poor quality work. But, I have seen some nice work as well. I try to avoid the houses being worked over by companies which have a 2-3 month turnaround for a whole house gut job. Many of those houses are reasonable quality of work but they have no character or personality- new spec house work in an old shell...who wants to work on or live in a place like that?

As one of those horrible flippers, I would like to express my confidence that the work I do in the properties I own is at or above the quality of most other middle-of-the range contractors. I don't really have an interest in doing expensive additions and major remodeling projects for the open market. I like working on a small scale, using unusual materials, doing my quality of work and improving my own community one house at a time. My last project was within walking distance of my own house...of course I'm going to do nice quality work as it's my own neighborhood I'm improving. As much as anything, it's my version of community development.

I believe in using quality midrange materials. I use tile, not acrylic shower surrounds or marble...many flippers in the price range of $80-120K houses use surrounds, cheap faucets, and leave all the existing pipe unless it is already leaking. I refuse to put in junky laminate floors; if the existing floor is beyond salvage I'll cover it with carpet if necessary.

Yes, I have been known to do work without permits. My personal theory is that work that takes an hour or two, doesn't require any more tools than I can carry in one trip, and materials cost less than a permit, I'm not going to buy that permit. I'm not going to hire a licensed electrician to pull a $65 permit to change out a 25 cent outlet. I do scan for code violations and fix as appropriate - I'm not going to do major work like move a panel but if I see relatively minor issues, whether bad DIY or lazy contractors, I make sure they get fixed.

hey Linda, good to know.

and my problem with the flippers in my area are the ones that, buy house go through and install a new kitchen with home depot cabinets, and not address any plumbing or electrical issues, and repaint inside and out and put some sod, using laborers off the wall that they pay in cash to turn around and raise the price up 200k, while not fixing real issues and most of the time they get permits but not for everything, just enough to get the job done.

There is a house not far from me that is a flip. The house was butt ugly and needed a lot of work. It now has a new roof, new siding new electrical, new landscaping, kitchen and bath and is now actually cute. They are asking too much for it but they clearly knew what they are doing. My parents bought a house owned by a do it yourselfer. Now that house was scary.

I know a lot of people do not like what I have to say, and this is not against diyers, this is against the unlicensed people that pay labor in cash, to evade taxes, and then do a general face lift all to sell some one a bill of goods that's really just a repainted piece of crap, so lets get that straight, so there should be a new term made up let flippers have that and people that actually, go through and address everything and pay everybody on legit scale. that's all I am saying.

I want to see a rancher turn into a Craftsman...I'm sure the vinyl windows will be extremely authentic....

I am a real estate agent and I work with several flippers. I am also a buyer specialist, and if there is a "flip" to look at in an area where I have buyers, we always at least go look. Your average home owner selling is only going to do the most basic maintenance leading up to selling. It is like pulling teeth to get them to do any updating, whereas an investor who is redoing a house is putting in the MOST desirable things a buyer may want. So to me the whole idea that a flip is bad, is a load of hooey. In some areas, Flippers have completely turned around neighborhoods that were falling into disrepair. Many, many of the flippers around here do it over and over in the same areas and their houses are highly desirable because everyone knows they do an amazing job. Not to mention, they often have to do things like brand new HVAC because it is missing, and new roofs in order to sell to all kinds of buyers (FHA, VA, etc.).

Undoubtedly, real estate is local and maybe it is different in your part of the country, but here, flips are often the best buys.

@bungalowmo, you can do a lot if you have the vision!! We turned a spanish bungalow into a craftsman once and it flew off the market for 3x what we bought it for. Especially if you are putting a new roof on and it's a basic, cookie cutter house with absolutely no architectural charm whatsoever. This house would be a cake walk to turn into a northwest craftsman.. And if you look at craftsman houses now, they have updated to vinyl windows, as they're energy efficient. There are thousands of different looks you can get with vinyl windows.....

Amen, Cindy!!!!! That is how our agent and lenders and investors feel!!! Besides, we have built a reputation as flippers and everyone who does business with us knows we are going to turn out amazing homes. We had a house sell for over asking price within 10 hours of listing and the sign never made it into the yard and the directions online were wrong. When you do things right and do them well, it always pays off!

I would enlarge the windows, unless a very hot climate. Nothing wrong with parking. Refaced the concrete with stamped concrete. Grey nomads love a place they can park the caravan, then there are people with boats or trailers. Do some nice landscaping. Redevelopers are fine. Only thing I worry about is their health, dealing with lead and asbestos etc. ,in the long term they take a risk. They often work very hard too. There are bad eggs in any industry.

You must get rid of that concrete. And the shutters. This house lends itself to a mid century sort of face lift. At least put a wide swath of earth between the parking area and the home!

Not sure about budget, but I think the roof shape and windows will be the biggest impact, besides landscaping. In a northwest climate a standing seam roof would be a good idea.
Here a few photos...
If you pull out the roof far enough over the driveway, you could turn it into a port cochiere type entry, in such a rainy climate an appreciated feature, especially if there is no garage.
Personally love the celestory type windows with the heightened roof. Will help with the proportions of the house and give more light to the interior, without skylights.

That was supposed to say porte cochère.Apologies.

@mveasey Lol! I had to look it up but now I know what a porte cochère is. Great idea! that was one of the first things I thought of when we first saw this house.

WHen buying a house to "flip", its a good idea to know before the purchase what you are going to do, otherwise unexpected expenses will eat up your profit. When you make your offer to purchase you should have already considered all repairs, costs, unexpected oops behind walls you didn't account for (generally speaking a 10% overage), holding costs, and of course, your profit. Paint, shrubs, a pop of color on the front door for a focal point , window boxes are inexpensive, etc. Good luck on your project

What about cutting a whole in the roof above the entryway and putting in a slatted roof. It would add sunshine and light to the front porch, bring emphasis to the front entrance as break up the long heavy roofline. Something like this:

imo, needs a porch and landscaping

Fascinating argument here! I had no idea what a "flipper" was but now realise you must have meant a "developer" (here in England where we speak English!). In any case, I was surprised to read the vitriol aimed at "flippers". Generally in England they are hailed as good business people who do a lot to improve a property/area.

Aaaanyhow, just wanted to say that I have a bungalow which is every bit as unprepossessing as this. Not a flipper, this is actually our home. A 1952 brick clad prefabricated bungalow which is ugly as sin, but in a delightfully private and large garden. Its value is limited because of the problems with mortgaging properties like this, but we know we couldn't afford anywhere near this much space anywhere else locally (conveniently 5 miles south of Cambridge, 35 miles from London). So, just as I would recommend with this bungalow, we are replacing the high positioned, horizontal windows with slightly lower placed, vertical windows, evenly spaced along the building, building an attractive porch with veranda to the side over the front door, and creating a hexagonal bay window with French doors in place of one of the picture windows to give access to the rose garden. Installing pale grey/green siding with broad white accents will give what I hope will be a "Cape Cod" effect, while still fitting in with the local English vernacular (which is, of course, where Cape Cod style originated). Can't wait to get started.

Ploppied, A "flipper" is basically a person who rehabs a property, usually In need of more work than the average retail buyer is willing to do. A rehabber (aka flipper) will get the property undervalue ( they have to - they are not going to live in the house they are not the end buyer - their purpose is to take an undesirable property rehab it to make it retail ready and sell it, and of course, make a profit, because no one works for free.) This Is how they make their livelihood.

amhoen11 wrote "And if you look at craftsman houses now, they have updated to vinyl windows, as they're energy efficient."

TOTAL MYTH! ....data below to backup my claim...

http://napc.uga.edu/Popular%20Window%20Replacement%20Myths.pdf

http://www.revivalenergygroup.com/topenergymyths

http://www.ncshpo.org/current/pdfinitiatives/SHPO%20windows%20proof.pdf

I will admit that regarding the house you're working with, those windows have no historic or redeeming qualities, but wooden windows from the early 30's & older....to replace them with vinyl is a mistake, a joke & should be avoided.

One last point and then I won't belabor the issue any more. The average buyers has little money down, especially the first time buyer. So they will need to do an FHA loan of one sort or another. In order to buy with an FHA loan, the house will need to be in good working order, safe, and livable. The only way that these buyers can buy a house in disrepair is to use a renovation type of loan, of which there are many; however, most of those loans require more money in the bank and higher credit scores, because of the obvious risks involved. So quite often if a house is in even moderately bad shape, the ONLY person who can buy it is an investor of one sort or another.

Well said Cindy. Certainly true in my market

I love what this person did to the front of the house. And you have a lot of options being that you are roofing as part of the renovation. I actually like what a lot of people would refer to as faux Craftsman details, we are even seeing them incorporated into new builds here. Everything that is old is new again, haha. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/curb-appeal-my-house-got-a-facelift-dsvw-vd~475161

[houzz=]

Adding a higher pitch and dormers like this, since the roof is being redone, could add a ton of interest.

[houzz=]

Something as simple as this could at "enough" interest.

I like house renovator, not house flipper. All good ideas cindy

I disagree slightly with Shannon Mather's definition of a flipper. Very few flippers actually buy a house for under its value. By definition, market value is the price a willing buyer pays a willing seller in an open market. So, the only way to get a property undervalue is to buy it before it hits the open market. I have seen some of those deals in my area - a property is listed on the MLS at 20-30% below expected price and immediately listed as "under contract" instead of "active"

The ideal house to flip is a distressed property that requires extensive work to become a desirable property. Those houses sell for a low price because of the condition, not because they are undervalued

I also disagree with the contention that a buyer should know what they intend to do to a house before they purchase it. In my area, when a house that needs rehab hits the market at a reasonable price, investors know to get their offers in quickly. If you are serious about a property, you need to see it within 48 hours of the listing hitting the market, preferably the same day, and be prepared to make an offer immediately.

Adding a new open gable front entry porch would be good start. Many different
treatment options could set the tone to introduce a whole new style to the exterior.

I disagree with Linda's disagreement of my statement. :-) Actually your statement seems a little "splitting hairs" to me. 1- No rehabber is going to pay full market value for a house in need of work - they have to make a profit, otherwise they wouldnt do this in the first place. 2- a rehabber absolutely would go see those properties first as you say yourself, in order to help them figure out a ballpark estimate of repairs needed, and research or know their niche area so well that they have reasonable idea how long that neighborhood tends to sit on market, to determine their holding costs, 3- You are referring to "pocket listings" - that is not what I meant 4- Plenty of rehabbers get their properties either from wholesalers, Fsbo's, and yes, off the MLS as well, although that's becoming more challenging to do with the heated competition. 5- and Yes I have rehabbed" ugly houses to retail ready" as well. I personally dont care for the term "flipper" because I feel it carries a negative connotation, but, to each their own. 6- unfortunately, every field has its bad apples. Flipping has gotten a bad rap by those in the field that have done inferior work and arent straight up with the seller. It is a niche that serves a purpose. Investors have helped get the R.E. market back on the road to recovery, have helped take rough neighborhoods and make them into transitioning desirable places to live, and revitialize, while making a profit, because, let's face it, no one works for free. And they shouldnt either.

Cindy Quinton I like those pics you suggested - realistic for the house in question - I wrote earlier about using some pavers instead of asphalt that is there now and your picture shows exactly what I was thinking of. Very nice and probably doable. (can we get off the arguing please - houzz is about ideas and lovely things)

If paint's in your budget, get a brighter color. Bright shutters if paint's not in your budget.

Jackhammer up some tarmac and put in foundation plantings, preferably long-flowering bushes. Put a different color path (I like the paver idea) to the door to make an entry. Repair the cracks in your driveway, which you should make smaller.

I could go on at length, but I think not having the house sit on a wasteland of asphalt, bright flowers and pictures taken on a sunny day would go a long way to improving that dreary house.

Cut organic shaped grout lines in the drive and fill with gravel or stones or grass

amhoem11 ~ wish you so much success with this project, wish I was as adventurous as you, inspiring. Would love to see before and after pics when it is done - maybe on a separate thread or double posted. Switching off notifications of this one as it has turned into something entirely else, going to follow you!

Seeing some more pictures would help a lot. I would painting it, add some new shutters. landscaping for sure, new roof, and windows. Depending upon what your budget is on the project. Best of luck:)

OMG this is hilarious! So much arguing, learning, defending! @amhoem11 OK, so where in Seattle is this place. The greater Seattle area has about 4 million people. Fess up, where are you, because flipping a house in Edmonds or The Highlands if very different than flipping a house in South Seattle or Kirkland. This makes a difference.

If demo'ing the asphalt/concrete is too great an expense, why not use artificial grass? You can create some great patterns with smooth large rocks and artificial grass, and it will also help keep the grass in place. You already have the smooth foundation in place for the turf, and using more infill or rubber mats underneath can great a lush lawn feel in areas you prefer to have an actual lawn.

I also recommend using a lighter paint tone towards the inside of the entrance to brighten up the "cavelike" entrance. Use a bold paint color to also draw the eye in. Hope these ideas help. -- I like the third option idea for the front door: https://www.houzz.com/magazine/how-to-choose-a-front-door-color-stsetivw-vs~6861936

I do not know if anyone else has suggested this, but I would do away with the side of the drive that is next to the house and plant some grass, trees, and shrubs to create some atmosphere. I also would suggest you add white siding and longer windows and shutters that match the roof. The recessed entrance way could be enclosed to make a foyer and add to the square footage and storage, such as a coat closet.

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