Fixer Jay’s Mom & Pop Millionaire Blog

Since almost every problem can be patched up, repaired or replaced by skilled mechanics, it’s necessary to further qualify fix-up work in terms of the economics, “How much will it cost?” This information will help you decide how much work is too much and when it’s best to simply pass over the deal and move along to the next one. The fix-up investor must be concerned with fixing for profits. Not just fixing. This is a very important concept. The two worst mistakes for beginning fix-up investors are over fixing and fixing the wrong things.

Changing the looks always adds value the fastest. It’s not by accident that I always begin my fix-up projects with the front yard. I’ve seen professional appraisers value identical houses $10,000 less because of plain old filth and junk on one property. In other words, a clean house is worth $10,000 more simply because the owner hauls away the trash and keeps the house looking nice. Think about that for a minute! That’s a lot of money for ordinary clean-up skills. Suppose it takes a whole week (40 hours) to haul away garbage and clean up a property. That’s $250 an hour, or nearly as much as a brain surgeon gets’ on his days off!

Tags: Success Secrets by FixerJay
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I discovered there is no inexpensive method to turn older houses into new houses. Many amateur fixers try to accomplish this task only to find their bank account disappears faster than the house changes. Herein lays the most important difference between what I do and what remodelers and renovators do. Believe me, it’s a very expensive difference.

Often remodelers will replace entire plumbing systems. Sometimes they have the entire house rewired. They tear out old flooring and replace floor joists and girders. They replace wood windows with new metal frame styles. Some will even jack a house up to level it. That means they must also fix all the cracks and often redo the stucco exterior. Don’t do fix up this way. Unless money is not the object, you’ll lose your shirt.

Since older houses are not the same as newer ones, don’t try to make them so. Instead, try to capitalize on the marketable features not found in the modern day construction. Older houses quite often radiate charm. High ceilings, wood.. Work, large porches, yard space, old windows (dressed up), evaporative cooling with separate heating, storage’ sheds. Separate garages, and mature shrubs and trees. Add a freshly painted white-picket fence after everything else is cleaned and spruced up and you’ll have lots of customers: renters or buyers, depending on your investment plan.

Tags: Success Secrets by FixerJay
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Jobs are scarce for everyone, but for young folks – especially the soon-to-be graduates, it’s like a giant Easter egg hunt with very few eggs to be found! For the 50 and older bunch; laid off or simply can’t find another job, it’s almost impossible to “pick up” and start again. Many traditional or the so-called “bread ‘n butter” jobs have either been transferred overseas or they’ve simply disappeared into thin air!

Today’s job seekers, both young and old, find themselves in most troubling times. It’s not the way it used to be – nor is it likely to ever return the way we all remember! It’s like we’ve come to a giant fork in the road! You can either remain dependent on the whims of an employer – or chart a brand new course and appoint yourself as captain!

When you invest in income-producing real estate that earns you spendin’ money every month – you’re no longer at the mercy of an unsympathetic employer, or a topsy-turvy economy – you’ve joined the other side! Your personal labor is no longer a trade-off for income. It’s now your assets that will bring home the bacon! And like other changes in your life – the hardest part is always at the beginning when you’re laming a new set of
skills. Successful investors will never need to job hunt again.

Tags: Vision of Opportunity by FixerJay
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There are those who incorrectly believe that fixing houses is a job that only experi¬enced carpenters or contractors can do. Nothing could be further from the truth. Almost anyone can do this job. In the final analysis, it matters very little who performs the physical “fix-up” work, so long as the right things get done.

Owners doing their own fix-up work will only enjoy a money-saving advantage, if they fix the right things at the right time. Both are important. Knowledge is what makes the big money. Swinging a hammer or swishing paint brushes will merely earn you average wages or save a few bucks in the short run.

As a general rule, no licenses are required by owners who fix up houses for themselves. However, if you do it for someone else, e.g. as an employee or independent contractor, it’s very likely you will need a license.

Having fix-up skills can certainly be an advantage because it’s one less thing you’ll need to learn about. But, big paydays do not come from fix-up skills; they come from real estate skills and specialized “how to” knowledge.

Tags: The Big Picture by FixerJay
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