You should not think that that you are going to do something illegal when you decide on how to flip a house. It basically gets a bad name due to dishonest investors who use unscrupulous ways to make some quick money. However, you should not fall in this trap. Honesty pays in the long run especially if you are planning to make a long term business out of it.
Before starting with any project make sure that you have plenty of credit or cash available to complete a project. You could think about using the option of rehab financing. This covers the costs for purchase or remodeling. It also does not put undue pressure on you.
You could also find home owners who want to get rid of their property quickly. A sales contract can be created which in turn can be resold to a real estate investor or developer. Another thing you could do is buy a house that needs to be fixed up and repair it accordingly and then sell it at a price above its original market value.
You should familiarize yourself with the different aspects of the property you are purchasing. Always focus on one targeted locality instead of many. This will give you added advantages, the primary reason being getting a better knowledge about your market. You could also put in some more research to find out more information on real estate values and options that will help you in getting a better deal. Find out what features buyers typically look for in that area. You must also know the average costs of homes in that area. The more you research the easier it will be to make decisions when the time comes to sell.
It is an extremely good idea to spend the most amount of money on the exterior and the landscaping in front of the house. It is the first impression that matters. If your buyer does not like the appearance in the first few seconds, then in all probability he has decided against buying the house. Therefore the exteriors have to be immaculate otherwise prospective buyers will lose interest even before they view the house from the inside. Shiny and clean door knobs, coach lamps, door knockers and nicely done up address numbers will add to the impression. In fact if certain extra features do not match cosmetically with the house then those should be removed at once.
If you want to make house flipping into a long term venture then you should think about acquiring two or three properties simultaneously. The potential income is limitless if you have more than one house in the remodel stage and one or more houses that have already entered the process of sales.
If you want to be successful in this business then take time to understand the basics of how to flip a house.