The Flip: The Exterior, Then & Now

After I showed you guys all the before and afters of the inside of the flip, I realized that I never gave you a proper before and after of the exterior!

Here’s how it looks now . . .

The Flip: Day 96

. . . and here’s how it looked when we bought it at the end of September:

The Flip - Exterior

The very first thing we did was have the ginormous dead tree cut down, and we also got new shutters and a fab new oak front door – the swirls and curls on the original door just didn’t fit in with the clean lines we were going for with this house (and I’m very jealous of the new door, since our front door is almost identical to the old door that got the boot).

The Flip: New Front Door

Along with new hardware and lighting, the old metal post was replaced with a stained wood post, and the front porch (which was kind of an icky aggregate) was tiled with some sleek new slate.

The Flip: The Exterior, Then & Now

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

The Flip: The Exterior, Then & Now

The Flip: The Exterior, Then & Now

I always kind of lose steam when it comes to the exterior (I’m definitely an interior gal), but I think the little changes made a big difference in the curb appeal of the flip and took this house out of the 70s and into this decade.  What do you think?

P.S.  This is my 400th post!  Yowzers!

P.P.S.  You may have noticed that I’m tweaking the look of the blog a bit – I still have a few more tweaks, but what do you think so far?

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The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

You guys, things are happening!!  I can hardly even recognize the flip anymore there’s been so many changes in the past few days.  It actually looks like a real house that someone might actually want to buy – heart be still.

Okay, this is pretty much how things looked the last time we talked, right?

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

The bamboo floors are all dirty and nasty in these pictures, but today the flip was cleaned from top to bottom so they look oodles better (sorry, no pic of a clean flip yet!).

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

Lighting has been installed . . . loving how this sleek pendant looks in the dining room!  We originally ordered a pendant with a drum shade but I fell in love with this linear version – no worries, the drum shade went into the master bedroom.  :)

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

The patio is in the process of being scored and stained – hence the caution tape.

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

Can we pause for a moment and talk about how awesome my mom is?  Look at these leaded glass panels she made for the kitchen cabinets!!!  We asked for the same style as the panels she made for our house, and we think they really add something special to this kitchen.

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

Oooh, and the pendants were hung in the kitchen!  Remember the debate over how many pendants to have, and our saga when each different pendant we fell in love with was back-ordered?  Well, all that drama is behind us now and we’re super psyched over these pendants.  As you can see, we went with four of them and they’re basically a mercury glass look (more so when the pendants are on).  They bring a splash of black/dark gray to the kitchen that breaks up all of that white – something I didn’t realize it needed, but it looks great!

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

We discovered a little seam in the drywall on the ceiling near the fireplace, so the drywall guy whipped up this little plastic cocoon while he fixed it.

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

Here’s the drum shade in the master bedroom!  Personally, I like to sleep with a fan on in the bedroom, but I like the elegance the chandelier brings to the room – hopefully buyers will, too!

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

The master bath is finally finished!

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

I’m debating whether I like the shower or the tub better -  the shower is actually huge, which you can’t really see in this picture, but it extends about two feet further to the left behind the closet.

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

Mmmm, I think I would like every wall to be tiled in this marble/onyx mosaic tile.

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

Ooh, and the chevron patterned tile in the jack ‘n jill bath!!  Every time I see it I swoon a little bit more.  Each piece of tile was hand cut!  It boggles my mind.  In addition to every wall being tiled in that mosaic tile, I want every floor tiled in this chevron pattern.  Pretty please.  :)

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

And dual flush toilets!!  We’re feeling so very eco-friendly.  :)  Oh yes, and we plan on doing this, too.

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

The front door!!  I’m so glad we went ahead and replaced the old one.

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

This is the door after its first coat of stain – I’ll have to show you a picture later of how it looks now that it’s totally stained and sealed – soooo gorgeous!!

Oh, side note.  The new front door handle has now been installed.  I know this because we went by the flip late last night to turn on the alarm and we couldn’t get in.  Why would that be?  Because the guys installed the handle and then locked the keys inside.  Oh yes, good fun for all.  We thoroughly enjoyed the two hours we spent with the locksmith at 10:30 at night.

The Flip: Ch-Ch-Changes

Anyhoo, we got new shutters, too!!  Even though it’s not even remotely architecturally correct, I decided to add shutters on either side of the bay window.  The nerve!  I think it looks better, but hopefully we won’t have any architecture buffs scoping out our little rancher.  :)

So that’s the latest update!!  How’s it looking to you?

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Before & After: Excellent Exterior

Back when we were looking for another house to flip, we ran across this little number:

Not too cute, is it?  {And trust me, it was even less cute in person.}

We didn’t wind up snatching it up but another investor did.  It’s back on the market now and I am in love with the exterior transformation!!  Check it out:

Here are some of the changes that jump out at me:

  • Adding shutters made the windows appear larger, more important and more in scale with the size of the house.
  • A neutral gray/brown paint color & coordinating new roof reduces contrast and makes the house appear larger.  The white trim is so fresh and really pops {and those new windows certainly don’t hurt}.
  • The addition of a railing around the porch makes it feel friendly and invites you to sit down and stay awhile.
  • New carriage style garage doors are a vast improvement over the old doors that were literally falling off their tracks.
  • Tidy landscaping in contrasting colors shows off the house, and the topiaries framing the house on the left add some much-needed symmetry to the home.

What do you guys think of the transformation?  Would you have done something differently?

P.S.  I’m not sure why my bulletpoints have transformed into stars.  Hmm…

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