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Real Estate Flipping Tips: Walls 101

Real estate flipping tips cover everything from kitchen renovations to updating lighting fixtures. Of course, if you’re rehabbing properties, one of the most important things to focus on is the walls. If you get the walls wrong, you may miss out on making a sale. Next time you’re rehabbing properties, follow these simple real estate flipping tips to make sure your walls are picture-perfect:

• Look for obvious signs of damage. Before you get started, go through the entire house looking for signs of damage. Any large cracks in the walls should be checked to make sure they’re not a sign of structural damage. Brown stains, particularly near the ceilings or windows, could be a sign of water damage – so keep an eye out for the source. Spots of mold or mildew are particularly common in bathrooms.
• Repair any cracks or holes. Small cracks and holes are fairly easy to fix yourself. Small nail holes and cracks can be fixed with spackle, while larger cracks may need tape and joint compound. Larger holes will typically require a piece of sheetrock and a sheetrock saw to ensure complete coverage.
• Check the texture. Walls and ceilings with a particularly ugly texture may require some TLC. Popcorn ceilings are often hiding cracks or other damage and may need to be scraped off to uncover the ugly truth. Textured walls can be covered up by applying joint compound, then painted over.
• Wallpaper woes? If you’re rehabbing properties and you discover truly terrible wallpaper, you have two choices: tear it down or paint over it. While tearing it down may take more time, it will ultimately result in a more appealing wall. However, some wallpaper simply refuses to come off (or is covering up dozens of layers of paper). In that case, consider painting over it.
• Contemplate your color. While white is always a safe choice, you can feel free to expand into the entire world of neutrals. Traditional real estate flipping tips will tell you to stay light – and they’re right. Dark or overly bright paint can make your house look dull or clownish. Neither gives off the impression you’re hoping for. Sticking with neutrals will allow your potential buyers to imagine themselves living there and incorporating their own style – rather than yours.

Walls make up a huge part of a home. Making sure they’re in good condition and appealing to buyers can go a long way in helping your flipped home sell. Next time you’re rehabbing properties, make sure you follow these real estate flipping tips for walls.