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Flipping Houses: 4 Fall Hazards to Avoid

Flipping houses isn’t easy to begin with, but it only gets harder if you wait until the fall to start your major renovations. While you can still turn around that real estate investment for a profit, there are some seasonal hazards that you should watch out for. Here are a few:

• Cold Weather. Depending on the condition of the property, dropping temperatures could mean a real hassle when trying to get the home ready to sell. If your home still needs heating and insulation work, then step on the gas to make sure that it’s still a tolerable workplace when the weather gets cold.

• Inadequate Lighting. As the days begin to shorten, you’re going to be faced with more and more night shifts if you want to get your real estate investment ready to sell in time. If you haven’t installed lights in the property yet, now’s a good time cross that project off your list. After all, there’s nothing worse than trying to tack up drywall by the light of a lantern.

• Seasonal Trespassers. Crimes against property rise significantly in the fall and winter, so make sure that your exterior doors are installed and fitted with locks. Furthermore, if you’ve been leaving your tools in the house every night, consider taking them home with you from now on. A thief could be tempted to break into an otherwise uninteresting home if they spot expensive equipment or supplies lying around.

• Falling Branches. While the changing leaves make for good sightseeing, it’s only a matter of time before the branches they rest on get brittle and succumb to the cold. You can remedy this situation by taking a break from rehabbing properties and removing any overhanging tree limbs before they become a problem.

Fall can be a hazardous time to flip houses, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be profitable. If you keep your head about you and take the necessary steps to ensure that your work is as safe as it is productive, you’ll have a score of buyers queued up to see your newly renovated home.