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"Blow 'n Go" or Color?

Flipping Houses in Color

by Jeanette Fisher

One of the things I try to teach would-be home flippers in my classes and seminars is not to "blow and go."  Too many people think the best strategy for making quick investment profits is just to go down to the local home center, by a bunch of white paint and beige carpet, and then get in and out of the remodeling job as fast as possible. I couldn't agree less with that philosophy, and here are some of the reasons why:

First, plain white walls are boring, boring, boring! Remember, regardless of what you're trying to sell anyone, and especially when you're trying to sell them something as expensive as a house, you're trying to appeal to their emotions. In most people's minds, white walls make a room feel sterile and uninviting.

When most people walk into a room, they want to see color, and I'll tell you a little secret about painting rooms: No matter what colors you add to a wall or a room, the wall or room will look better than it did before. Why? Because the new paint will be fresh and it will have no mars in it.

Another tip: if you find a color you like on a swatch at the local paint store, take a moment to reconsider and buy a lighter color than the one that first caught your eye. Why? Because colors tend to look darker once it is put on a large space like a wall.

You don't have to spend a huge amount on paint, even though it's generally one of the least expensive (yet most effective) things you can do to rejuvenate a home. When we need paint, we visit ReStore, which is the building material outlet for Habitat for Humanity. You can mix paint you get from them and save yourself literally hundreds of dollars on your painting needs for a flipper. For example, you could spend up to $25 for a gallon of good paint at the hardware store, but ReStore sells their paint for around $2 a gallon. With savings like that, you can afford to paint every room of the house and the exterior for under a hundred dollars. That's hard to beat!

So if you're new to the flipping game, don't yield to the temptation to blow and go. You'll sell your house quicker, and for more money, if you use color in your remodeling project.

Make Money Flipping Houses

Mark Mason, Faux Contractor, adds color wash to plain wood. The walls are sage green over copper, a technique which adds visual depth, making the room seem larger.

Habitat for Humanity's ReStore