Perfect! You’ve successfully purchased your fixer-upper project and it’s time to get to work. The financing is in line, the contractor and his team are ready and you have a timeline to stick to. With all this in mind, many forget about one little factor; the neighbors. When the project is complete and it comes time to list the home, the neighborhood vibe can be an important key feature to help you sell the home fast. Having friendly neighbors giving a welcoming feel to prospective homeowners helps the buyers feel like this can be their new home. On the other hand having neighbors who look the other way or give the stink eye because they are frustrated in how the renovation process went will only hinder your chances of selling the finished home quickly. With this in mind, here are a few tips to make sure your neighbors are still neighborly when the renovations are complete on your fix and flip project.
Communication is Key Even just taking the time to introduce yourself and explain that you will be renovating the home can go a long way in terms of building a rapport with everyone. Be sure to inform them of the scope of your project, the expected time frame, and if you’d like to go a step further you can pass along contact information in case they run into a problem and need to reach you or your contractor.
Keep the Renovation “Clean” Having a clean (as clean as possible) renovation site is especially important to the neighbors who live the closest to the property. Talk with your contractors about cleaning up at the end of every day and have them take a look to see if any debris blew over into the neighbor’s yard and make sure that is cleaned up as well. This act goes a long way especially if the neighbors have small children or pets in helping to keep everyone safe.
Respect Quiet Hours Unfortunately, no matter what you do, the renovations will make some noise. To minimize the annoyance for your neighbors try to keep your contractors on working hours, which are typically Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. You don’t necessarily need to plan your renovations around your neighbor’s time preferences, but it is important to be aware of the inconveniences that might pop up for the people around you, especially when working late into the night or early on weekends.
Invite the Neighborhood to the Open House When the project is complete invite all your neighbors to the open house so they can see the final product. They’ll appreciate the thought of including them and their excitement walking around can create a happy buzz around the open house for potential buyers.
Do you have any other tips on how to be a considerate neighbor during renovations? Share your thoughts in the comments!
As a direct private lender, RCN Capital is here to help you fund your next fix and flip or fix and lease project. Our experienced loan officers and in-house underwriting help the process run smoothly and quickly, and we look forward to working with you.