Key takeaways
- Overpaying at acquisition is unrecoverable.
- Overbuilding to your taste kills resale.
- Slow rehab burns margin via carrying costs.
- Skipping permits creates resale issues.
- Listing without staging slows the sale.
Core concepts
Acquisition errors
Inflated ARV, missed rehab scope, no walk-away point.
Execution errors
DIY past skill, vendor disputes, no project tracking.
Exit errors
Wrong price, weak marketing, no staging.
Step-by-step framework
- 1Audit every offer against 70% rule.
- 2Track rehab against weekly milestones.
- 3Price at comps, not aspirations.
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Common mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the cash-on-cash check.
- Hoping the market saves you.
- Refusing to drop price after 30 DOM.
Frequently asked questions
When to lower asking price?
Day 21 if no offers; day 30 reduces aggressive 3–5%.
DIY worth it?
Past basic finishes, no.
Permits — can I skip?
No — sale always discovers.
Best fix for overbuilt?
Lower price; finishes don't recover cost.
Action checklist
- ☐70% rule.
- ☐Permits filed.
- ☐Staging.
- ☐Price review at day 21.
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