Income Property Flips to Sell

See how some motivated home sellers renovated a kitchen and bathroom in less than three weeks. 

HGRM-House-Counselor-Income-Property-beauty_s4x3

Photography by Daniel Collopy

Photography by Daniel Collopy

For years, Josh Crosby and Amy Swift-Crosby held on to the Santa Monica, Calif., townhouse Josh bought in 2004, when he was still a bachelor. It served them well as income property while they raised their two daughters in the Venice, Calif., home they'd bought together, and built their own businesses.

After a few years, the couple had grown tired of being landlords. Moreover, both of their businesses were flourishing: The Indo-Row workout Josh had developed was taking off, and Smarty, the educational and community-building organization Amy had created for entrepreneurs, was thriving. Both businesses would benefit from the cash the sale of the townhouse could provide.

So the couple decided to put the townhouse on the market. There was just one problem: Because their renter was still living there, they couldn't make the repairs the townhouse would need to attract the right buyer. But when the renter unexpectedly moved out, they saw it as the perfect opportunity to fix the place up. They immediately called home renovation expert Laurie March.

March's first words of advice to the couple: Don't overinvest, and don't overdesign. "When you invest money in a house before you put it on the market, you don't want to overdo it," March said. "You're not designing for yourself. You want to take everything back to a clean, classic place, make it a clean start for the new buyer."

After walking through the property, March decided to focus on two areas: the kitchen and bathrooms. The spaces were original to the townhouse, which was built in 1981, and made the place look and feel dated.

Before and After: Remodeling to Sell

See All Photos

Shop This Look

Starting in the Kitchen

Crosby and Swift-Crosby hired a friend, Todd Mallis, as the main contractor for the renovation. He and March first surveyed the kitchen to see what could stay. The cabinets were in good shape but needed a facelift to give the room a more modern look. With just a fresh coat of paint (white for the ones on top, light gray for the ones on the bottom) and brushed silver hardware, they were ready to go.

HGRM-house-counselor-income-property-before_s4x3

BEFORE

BEFORE

HGRM-House-Counselor-income-property-kitchen-sink_s4x3

AFTER

AFTER

March chose butcherblock countertops and white subway tile for the backsplash, to give the kitchen a modern feel. To complete the look, Mallis installed a new sink from Ikea with a tall, sleek U-shaped faucet, along with all new stainless steel appliances.

A small carpeted room adjacent to the kitchen also got some much-needed attention. March and Mallis transformed it into extra storage space, with built-in shelving for wine bottles and dishes.

Next Up: Bathrooms

March went to work on the bathrooms. Both the guest and master were filled with peach-colored tile that looked "really dated," she said. But tearing out and replacing the tile would have been too expensive to make sense, so instead she decided to have the tile refinished in a custom-mixed light gray shade.

She also replaced the creaky, dated vanity with a sleek gray vanity for a more modern look.

HGRM-house-counselor-income-property-bathroom-before_s3x4

BEFORE

BEFORE

HGRM-House-Counselor-income-property-bathroom_s3x4

AFTER

AFTER

Is this Townhouse Buyer-Ready?

Three weeks later, with the renovations complete, Crosby and Swift-Crosby put the townhouse back on the market. And although potential buyers came through and raved about the updated kitchen and bathrooms, the couple still wasn't getting any offers.

That's when March brought in Connie Tebyani of Platinum Home Staging. Tebyani walked through the townhouse with March , and Josh and Amy's realtor, Kelly Sutherland, and discussed why she thought the place wasn't selling.

"People were still confused," March said. "The place has this open floor plan, and it was hard to tell how you might live in the space."

So Tebyani furnished and decorated the townhouse, sticking with a grey and white color scheme with a few green and blue accent pieces, to reinforce the beachy feel afforded by the home’s coastal location. She also kept the furnishings clean and modern, to appeal to the type of person Sutherland thought would buy the place: a young, newly married couple, or a young single person.

The plan worked: Within two weeks, the townhouse sold, giving Josh and Amy's businesses a welcome infusion of cash.

"People don't want to have to remodel a place they just bought; it's intimidating," March said. "This renovation was a total success."

Next Up

Income Property Flips to Sell

See how some motivated home sellers renovated a kitchen and bathroom in less than three weeks.

Remodeling for Twins

Homeowners renovate a master bathroom, nursery and outdoor space in preparation for the arrival of twin baby girls. 

Build a Flip-Down Kitchen Table

Got a small kitchen? Try this easy do-it-yourself project with step-by-step instructions on building and installing a flip-down table for two.

How to Cover an Old Tile Backsplash With Beadboard

If your kitchen backsplash is ready for a facelift but your budget isn't, consider beadboard paneling as an affordable option. It can be installed right over your existing tile, and it's easy and affordable.

Budgeting for a Bathroom Remodel

Get tips for figuring out how much you can spend on your renovation project

Types of Bathrooms

Explore the different types of bathrooms, and begin your bathroom redesign or installation with all the info you'll need.

How to Choose the Right Tile for Your Home

Learn all about the different types of tile and slabs that can be used on floors, walls and countertops including ceramic, porcelain, cement, marble and more. Plus, we’ll explain PEI rating, glazing and which tiles are easiest to install.

Kitchen Remodeling: Where to Splurge, Where to Save

Get tips on where to spend money in your kitchen remodel and where to cut back

How to Choose the Best Light Fixtures For Your Kitchen

Check out these pro tips for layering the four types of lighting in your kitchen redesign.

What Is the Average Cost to Remodel a Kitchen?

Looking to remodel your kitchen but don't have a clue what it will cost? Find out what a kitchen remodel will typically cost and how to save money on your new dream kitchen.

More from:

The House Counselor

Go Shopping

Get product recommendations from HGTV editors, plus can’t-miss sales and deals.

On TV

Follow Us Everywhere

Join the party! Don't miss HGTV in your favorite social media feeds.