When my husband and I retired from our jobs, we weren’t sure what to do with ourselves.
We didn’t want to simply sit around, wasting our time. We preferred to keep active and be productive. Since my husband and I are both quite handy and enjoy renovation projects, we decided to start flipping houses. We watch for homes that are in good or up-and-coming neighborhoods that are available at a reasonable price due to neglect. Very often, these properties have lots of really great features but require so many repairs that they aren’t all that marketable. My husband and I have no problem replacing electrical lines, plumbing pipes, water heaters and light fixtures. We enjoy tearing down walls and ceilings, insulating and putting up fresh drywall. Gutting bathrooms and kitchens, installing new appliances, new windows, laying tile and painting are great ways to add value to a house. Before purchasing a home, we always invest into a home inspection. We go a step further and hire a licensed and certified HVAC contractor to thoroughly check out the heating and cooling system. Whether the property is equipped with a furnace, air conditioner and ductwork or something less conventional, we make certain all components are in good working order. We aren’t qualified to install a new heating or cooling system, and we don’t want to get stuck with the expense of hiring the job done. Heat pumps, boilers, ductless configurations and all types of heating and cooling equipment are very costly as well as super important. While upgrading to a new unit significantly increases the value of the home, it’s often not worth it.