Saw a house on my street flip in 6 weeks and now I question everything

I walked past a bungalow on Logan Ave that sold for $520k in March and by mid April it was listed for $799k with just new paint and kitchen counters. The buyer never even fixed the cracked driveway or the old furnace that I know was rusting out from the last inspection. How do you even compete with flippers when they're taking shortcuts that'll cost the next family thousands down the road?

3 comments

3 Comments

margaret_jackson7328d ago

You checked the permit history on that place yet? Most flippers skip pulling permits, so you can report them to the city and force them to fix the furnace and driveway before they sell. Also, get a home inspector who's not buddy-buddy with the realtor and make them check for unpermitted work - that's your leverage. If they lied on the disclosure about the furnace being new, you can sue them for the full replacement cost plus your legal fees. Just make sure you document everything with photos and the old inspection report before they cover it up with more quick fixes.

phoenix2920d ago

Oh man, isn't that the truth. It's like the whole flipping industry runs on the honor system, and we all know how well that works out. Reminds me of how people cut corners everywhere now, not just in houses but in like, everything from fast food to car repairs. Everyone's looking for the quickest way to get paid without doing the real work. And @phoenix331, your garage story is exactly the kind of thing that happens when you start digging - you find out nothing is as it seems. It's exhausting having to double-check every little thing just to keep from getting taken for a ride.

phoenix33128d ago

Last time I checked permits I found out my own garage was technically a treehouse.