In case you don’t know – most customers make up their minds to buy or rent properties driving by about 30 miles an hour. Street appeal is what sells first, All your marketing and rental ads are not worth a tinker’s damn if the property looks like a “dirt bag” when your potential customer drives by.

I harp on this subject quite often it seems – but everyday I still see people spending countless sums of money installing lovely new carpets, kitchen fans, new cabinets and attractive wallpaper. At the same time, an old dark blue station wagon is still stripped down – just sittin’ in the driveway. You can see the motor dangling on a rope, tied off to the fruitless mulberry tree. The corner post on the patio is still busted where the former tenant kept his well-mannered pit-bull tied up. Take my advice; please fix up the outside first!

Investors who intend to make any serious money fixing up rundown houses must constantly police themselves against “over-fixing” – or fixing stuff that don’t count for much! For example: Don’t waste time changing the wallpaper or redesigning the hallway. It’s not cost effective! It’s easy as pie to fall into the over-fixing trap and it’s about the quickest path I know of going to the investor’s poorhouse.

Successful house fixers must learn to concentrate their time and money on things that clearly have some proven pay-back value. Improvements made on the basis of personal taste are generally not worthwhile. You must never forget – It’s your customers (tenants or buyers) you’ll need to satisfy!