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Making money with “fixer-uppers” isn’t about repairing drywall or planting flowers. It’s about using the right approach from the start.

A Big Real Estate Mistake

Many people buy and sell a fixer-upper like this: They buy a house, fix it up, then add some amount (say $10,000) that’s in their head onto their costs. Then they put the house up for sale for this price. This is so wrong.

Would you buy a house according to what the seller has into it? Of course not. You look at what similar houses are selling for to determine the value. So if you have $110,000 into a fixer-upper and similar homes are selling for $105,000, how much can you get? It doesn’t have anything to do with what you’ve spent, does it?

The Fixer-Upper Formula

1. Determine how much the house wil sell for when you’re done fixing it up. Ask an appraiser for help, or look at what similar houses have sold for (not list prices). What it’s likely to sell for is the only meaningful definition of value when dealing with fixer-uppers.

2. Calculate all costs: buying costs, including closing, fees, etc.; repair costs; carrying costs, including interest on loans used to buy the house, property taxes, insurance; selling costs, including commissions, fees, title policy, etc. Subtract costs from the expected sales price.

3. Now subtract a profit that makes it all worth the effort. This gives you the highest price you can pay for the house. Walk away if you can’t get it for this price or less. Offer several thousand less, of course, to give yourself negotiating room.

An Example:

You find a fixer-upper, and determine you can get $98,000 for it when it’s done. The expenses of buying will be $2,000. You get repair estimates of $8,000. Carrying costs will be $2,500. The sales commission will be $6,500. Other closing costs will be around $1,500. You figure $1,500 for “unexpected” costs. Finally, you want $10,000 for your effort.

Subtracting all of that from your expected sales price leaves $66,000. This is the most you can pay, if you want a safe real estate investment. You offer $61,000, and walk away if you and the seller can’t settle on something under $66,000.

Always start at the end (the eventual sales price) and work your way back. This is the right way to safely invest in fixer-uppers.

Steve Gillman has invested in mobile homes and other real estate for years. To learn more, and to see a photo of a beautiful house (not a mobile) he and his wife bought for $17,500, visit http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com

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From the mountains to the valley, there are many types of Salt Lake City real estate to choose from.

Cabins:

Cabins nestled into the mountains on the east side of the Salt Lake Valley are a great place to escape for those who have a home in the valley (or nearby). Besides providing a getaway spot, cabins can be an investment.

Many come to ski at one of Utah’s many resorts. Some will stay at the resort itself, while others would like to relax a few miles away from the resort in a cabin. Buying a cabin as an investment may be a good idea, if you have the money for a long-term investment. There are some tax repercussions if you rent out the cabin, so be aware of that. You will also have to clean the cabin between visitors, or pay someone to clean it for you.

If you are relocating:

There is a lot to do in or near Salt Lake City. You can hike and ski in the nearby mountains, or attend one of Salt Lake’s excellent theatres. But before you are able to settle down and enjoy Salt Lake City, you’ll want to find a place to live.

Salt Lake City real estate/residential:

Like most other cities, Salt Lake City offers a variety of residential real estate. The city has apartments, small homes, and luxury homes. There are not many lots for sale within the city itself, but there is still a lot of room for growth in Salt Lake’s suburbs.

To the west and southwest of Salt Lake there are several new and developing communities where you can get a great buy on a new home. If you aren’t interested in a new home, there are many nice homes that have been around for a few years, and others (while still nice) have been around for ages.

Of course, you will have your own preference as to the age of your house. There are other things that will help you make a good decision on the area you choose to live in. A real estate agent will be able to help you find a neighborhood with a low crime rate that is located close to a good elementary, middle, or high school.

If you are relocating you will also want to consider that Salt Lake City is in the process of expanding its public transportation, mainly light rail. If you are interested in using public transportation you may want to move close to the light rail.

Salt Lake City real estate/commercial:

Salt Lake offers many types of office space. There are buildings where you can lease one office, or a whole floor for your company. If you are relocating your business to Salt Lake City, or if your business is already in Salt Lake, but you are expanding, there are several real estate agencies that specialize in commercial real estate.

Finding real estate:

You can look for both commercial and residential real estate in Salt Lake City’s two most popular newspapers, The Deseret News, and The Salt Lake Tribune. You can also contact a realtor who specializes in Salt Lake City real estate.

Inside Real Estate in a network entirely devoted to real estate information. Our staff of nationwide writers has provided a library of over 25,000 real estate articles. Inside-Real-Estate covers several topics from the basic “how to’s” of real estate to city specific real estate information.

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Although the real estate market has cooled off a bit, it is still a hot market in historical terms. As a seller, this is good news when you decide to sell your home.

Things to Consider When Selling Your Home

A year or so ago, selling a residence was laughably easy. In some markets, it was clear that you could list practically anything and get an offer within a week or so. The market was so hot that some homes sold before actually appearing in MLS listings and such. For sellers, it just didn’t get any better.

As the market has cooled, sellers have had to return to the basic premise of selling a home. Homes simply are not being snapped up right and left. Here are a few things you should consider.

1. Can you afford another home? Most sellers intend to purchase another home with the proceeds from their sale. Logically, this makes sense, but real estate is not always logical. One area that can be problematic is the interest rate on loans. Your current loan may have a very low interest rate, but you will probably have a much higher one on a new loan. Will you be able to handle the increased monthly payments? Make sure.

2. Why are you going to sell? Some people rush into the sale of a home and come to regret it. Is there an objective reason, such as relocation, for selling your home or are you trying to cash in at the top of the market? Cashing in is not a bad thing, but it is unnecessary if you intend to stay in the same area for the next 10 to 20 years. Markets will bounce up and down, so you need not be overly concerned about the short term.

3. What is the home worth? This may sound like a simple question, but it is one of the biggest issues you should be addressing. Remember, the value of the home is set by comparable homes and appraisals, not what you personally think it is worth. Getting an understanding of the objective value gives you the ability to determine whether selling is a good idea or not.

The decision to sell is a serious one. It is no secret real estate has dramatically appreciated in the last few years. Whether you should cash in on that fact is a question only you can answer.

Raynor James is with the FSBO site - FSBOAmerica.org - homes for sale by owner.

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