When flipping a home for a profit, it’s important to combine a few affordable design elements with an occasional “pop” of extravagance to capture higher offers. Some of the interior design trends for 2017 require some creativity and ingenuity but not a lot of money. According to a piece by houstoniamag.com, one trend is to re-purpose items such as using rugs as ottomans. A mix of modern and vintage is also trending, which means finding historic furniture pieces updated with contemporary materials. In addition to finding striking pieces to stage a fix-and-flip investment property, it’s also good to use on-trend interior paint colors and attractive flooring.
Focusing on the kitchen
When fixing up a home to sell quickly, spend more money in the kitchen. Most buyers accept carpeting in the bedrooms, but want a kitchen with all the upgrades. Some investors use ceramic tile throughout a home because they get a deal, while others opt for laminate in the major living areas. If you spend less in the bedrooms, you can often pick a more expensive porcelain tile or laminate for the kitchen. Opt for larger tiles in large kitchens and expansive spaces. To save money, replace cupboard doors if the framework is good. Paint the kitchen a strong mood color such as yellow or earthy green. Depressing gray is no longer on-trend for kitchens. Other kitchen trends that continue from former years include stainless steel appliances, granite, composite sinks and kitchen islands.
Forgetting about the neutral paint
In the past, home sellers heard it’s important to go with neutral colors throughout the home. When flipping a home, potential buyers want homes that rival the ones they see as new home models or on television. Paint colors grab the buyer’s attention. According to a piece by builderonline.com, gray is still the new neutral. However, other on-trend colors include soft calming baby blues, dark dramatic blues, soft eggplant, and light and airy yellows. Jade green gives a refreshing look to a kitchen or bath especially if paired with white cabinets and accessories.
Putting your foot down
If you aren’t sure how much money to spend on flooring, you aren’t alone. Many couples who flip homes together debate about whether to buy thicker, more expensive laminate. When budgeting for flooring, consider whether you are working on a starter home or luxury home or step-up home somewhere in between. Some of the 2017 flooring trends include large format tiles. Investors often buy ceramic tile in large format or plank tiles. Larger and thinner tiles, rectangular shapes continue to sell. With ink jet technology, you can find large rectangular planks of tiles that resemble wood grained floors. For the patio and bathroom, you can play around with brick-looking tiles. Marble looking tiles work well in more luxurious bathrooms, while cement-looking tile is perfect for a modern, urban loft. For 2017, experts say neutral flooring is out. Go with bold looks in a fix-and-flip in 2017 by using creative tiles laid out in geometric patterns.
Although every room in your investment property does not need to capture a potential buyer’s imagination, it’s important to have a few exceptional areas. Using subway tiles for all of the walls in a bathroom is a design trend you might not embrace for budget reasons, but add some flair with mixed width tile or unexpected design feature and colors. At Center Street Lending, we help our clients obtain loans to buy and flip homes in major housing markets including California, Florida, Arizona, North Carolina, Virginia, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Texas, and Tennessee. We are a private money-lender that offers a quick turnaround. For more interior design trends and tips for improving your investment property, please contact us.
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