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Maybe you know somebody who buys and sells houses and makes as much money on a single transaction as you make in a year. Or perhaps you caught an episode of one of those house flipping TV shows that demonstrate just how easy it is to buy a house for $250,000, fix it up for another $75,000, and sell it for a half million bucks in a matter of days. Now, you want in on the action. You want your slice of that capitalistic cannoli.

But where do you start? You can’t imagine where you’d be able to get your mitts on the cash you’d need to finance a flip. You have no idea where to start looking for undervalued properties, and even if you could find a suitable house to flip, your expertise in the field of home repairs is limited to plunging the toilet. Surely you’re not qualified to invest in the complicated world of real estate.

Well, it’s time to stop all the negative self-talk and start reading Flipping Houses For Dummies. I started out with $900 that my grandmother gave me in the early 1970s. From the ripe old age of 19 to the present day, I’ve flipped one house after another and earned millions of dollars along the way. It wasn’t easy. Some of my flips flopped. I didn’t profit from every transaction. I did, however, have a plan in place and the sticktoitism (pronounced stick-to-it-ism) to successfully execute it. By following through, I was able to succeed, and so can you. (By the way, sticktoitism describes the determination and dogged perseverance required to build wealth in real estate. I could use stick-to-itiveness, which actually appears in the dictionary, but I like my word better.)

About This Book

Unlike other books, TV shows, and late-night-TV gurus, this book doesn’t promise an easy, risk-free way to score quick cash by flipping houses. Instead, it takes an honest look at the practice of flipping houses.

In this book, I reveal what I’ve learned in more than 40 years of flipping houses and working with buyers, sellers, and other real estate investors and professionals. I show you how to do everything from building a team and securing the cash you need to finance your venture to finding undervalued homes and negotiating the price and terms that improve your chances of selling at a profit. I guide you through making renovation decisions that promise to deliver the most bang for your buck, and I show you how to spruce up a home to draw in more potential buyers.

I don’t want to see you get in over your head or blow your entire life savings on a failed real estate investment, so throughout this book I provide plenty of time- and money-saving tips, cautions to help you avoid catastrophe, and pointers to keep your projects within budget and on schedule. I steer you clear of risky, unethical, and illegal ventures and encourage you to wade out slowly and remain well within your comfort zone. After you successfully flip a few easy properties, you quickly become aware of when you’re ready to take on bigger projects, and by that time, you no longer need my advice.

My goal is to help you decide whether house flipping is for you, and, if it is, I provide you with the knowledge and insight you need to succeed. Flipping houses can be one of the most rewarding and profitable ways to invest your time and money. This book shows you how to do it right, minimize risks, and maximize your potential profit.

Although I encourage you to read every single word of this book from start to finish, you’re welcome to skip around to acquire your knowledge on a need-to-know basis and to completely skip the sidebars (in shaded boxes). Although the sidebars may be too fascinating to ignore, they’re not essential.

One brief note: Within this book, you may note that some web addresses break across two lines of text. If you’re reading this book in print and want to visit one of these web pages, simply key in the web address exactly as it’s noted in the text, pretending as though the line break doesn’t exist. If you’re reading this as an e-book, you’ve got it easy – just tap the web address to be taken directly to the web page.

Foolish Assumptions

If you’re reading this book, I assume you’re a homeowner. I wouldn’t buy a car from a car salesman who didn’t drive, and I wouldn’t buy a house from someone who rents an apartment. When you own your own place, you pick up some street smarts about the value of a home, its emotional effect on people, its value as an investment, and the work required to properly maintain it. If you’re not a homeowner, sell this book and put the proceeds toward a down payment on a house. Come back in a couple of years. I’ll be waiting for you.

Other foolish assumptions I’ve made include the following:

❯❯ You’re of sound mind and body. You can be a little kooky and out of shape, but if you can’t make rational decisions or talk coherently on the phone, house flipping may not be for you.

❯❯ You’re interested in residential, not commercial, property. Assuming you’re new to this house flipping thing, focus on the type of property you would buy as a homeowner. Later, when you’re more experienced, you can venture into the world of commercial real estate.

❯❯ You’re prepared to learn from your mistakes (and mine). I can’t guarantee that you’ll profit from your first flip, but I can guarantee that you’ll make mistakes. Consider them an essential part of your education. This book was made possible by all the mistakes I’ve made. Without those mistakes, I’d have little wisdom to impart. The more you take away from the mistakes I made, the fewer mistakes you have to make yourself.

❯❯ You want to flip properties legitimately. Con artists often flip properties to scam buyers and lenders. I’m not a con artist, and I denounce illegal, unethical flipping. By flipping legitimately, you stand to earn much more than a low-life con artist ever will, and you keep your reputation and integrity intact.

Icons Used in This Book

Throughout this book, icons in the margins highlight different types of information that call out for your attention. Here are the icons you’ll see and a brief description of each.

I want you to remember everything you read in this book, but if you can’t quite do that, then remember the important points flagged with this icon.

Tips provide insider insight. When you’re looking for a better, faster way to do something, check out these tips.

“Whoa!” When you’re buying and fixing up a house, it’s easy to get a little carried away and blow your entire budget on garden gnomes. Before you get too carried away or engage in any riskier-than-average house flipping endeavor, read the text marked with this icon for advice on when and how to proceed with caution.

Beyond the Book

In addition to the abundance of information and guidance on flipping houses that I provide in this book, you also get access to even more help and information online. Go to www.dummies.com and search for “Flipping Houses For Dummies Cheat Sheet” for a free cheat sheet that accompanies this book. It includes a checklist for revamping a quick-flip property, offers tips for financing flips – and more.

Where to Go from Here

Think of this book as an all-you-can-eat buffet. You can grab a plate, start at the beginning, and read one chapter right after another, or you can dip into any chapter and pile your plate high with the information it contains.

If you’re looking for a quick overview of house flipping, check out Chapter 1. Before you even start house hunting, check out Chapter 4 to discover how to build a strong support network and Chapter 5 to find out how to finance your flip – you need cash and plenty of it to flip a house. Chapter 12 helps you determine how much you can afford to pay for a property to increase your odds of walking away with a profit. And the chapters in Part 3 are indispensable in helping you track down potentially profitable properties and negotiate the purchase. Wherever you choose to start, you’ll find plenty of useful information and guidance.