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Fixing and Flipping Homes: Your First Day Rehabbing a House
Some of this will be a review from another article of mine but the first day of rehabilitating a property definitely deserves its own article. The main objectives of a productive first day are home security, delivery preparation, a smart walkthrough, worker preparation, and gift-carding. Covering all of these areas will ensure a safe and smooth rehab operation.
Securing the property is an absolute must. Install new locks and test all of the windows to make sure they lock properly. Install a lockbox on the front or back door and keep a key to the house inside the lockbox - Realtors use these so other Realtors can show their properties. Your lockbox will be useful in that your workers and other hired help will be able to access the property without you having to be there.
Thereafter, you'll want to prepare a space somewhere in or around the property to store materials once they're delivered. The garage is an ideal spot since it's out of the way of the work area and it's secure. It would be a good idea to also plan and/or clear out an area where you'll store items and garbage that will be removed from the house.
Next, you should grab a clipboard, some paper, and a pencil. Time to walk through the entire house, making notes of items you want to repair/replace/enhance in each and every room. Replacing outlet and switch covers? Take a tally of how many you'll need of each. Take these notes and any other plans you may have made during previous inspections and you should be able to formulate a good timeline of tasks.
You will want to create a comfortable work environment for yourself and others. First, take some cleaning supplies plus anything else necessary and make the bathroom clean and usable. Store plenty of paper towels and toilet paper there as well. Second, if there are any issues with the temperature, address them immediately. Finally, create a checklist of "exit tasks" that you and other workers can reference when finishing up a day on the job. Some tasks you might want to include are "make sure all doors and windows are locked", "turn off all lights, leave front room light on", etc.
The last thing to do for a smart and productive first day on the job is to make a stop at the nearest home-improvement store. Purchase a gift card for $100-$200 - this card will be used as a "company credit card". This card can be given to worker of yours who, during the rehab process, may need to pick up something from the store such as extra screws or special tools. This will save you the time of having to pick up these items for them.
When you finally get home, celebrate a good first day! After securing the house, preparing for deliveries, demolition, and workers, walking through the house again and making notes of what you want to do or what you need, and purchasing a "company credit card", you should feel confident that you have prepared yourself for a smooth rehabilitation operation.
For more free articles and previews to The Field Guide to Flipping Homes, visit the official site at www.homeflippingfieldguide.com
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