Flipping Confidential: The Secrets of Renovating Property for Profit in Any Market

by Kirsten Kemp

Book Overview

Master the art of flipping with KIRSTEN KEMP, host of the hit TV show Property Ladder! "This book establishes a new standard for real estate authors. Kemp gives her readers delightfully written prose packed with her wealth of experiences. She lays out so many profit-generating (and loss-avoiding) ideas that while reading the manuscript my highlighter never got a rest." -- Gary Eldred , Trump University Professor of Real Estate, coauthor of the bestseller...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0470068353
• ISBN13: 9780470068359
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

GREAT book for the novice flipper

I am thankful to Kirsten Kemp for writing such an honest, to the point, and reader-friendly guide to flipping houses. It really is such an easy read, which is important when in the early stages of determining whether or not a career in flipping is for you. Honest and useful outline of the basic process and lots of pitfalls to watch for, including personal stories of mistakes she herself has made. This book really helped me understand what I am getting myself into by setting my sights on the goal of flipping homes as a career. It is NOT as easy as it looks on TV- yes, those shows can make people look so stupid you may be CERTAIN you can do it just as profitably if not more so, but KEEP IN MIND- most shows on now were filmed a year or two ago when the market was ridiculous. It has taken a nosedive and much more pragmatic and calculated investing will be required to make money. Kirsten Kemp does not lie or encourage those who may not enjoy or be able to handle the risks, stress, time and money commitment involved. She is honest with how it has impacted her personal life, even including a somber story of a pregnancy she lost while under extreme pressure during a flip. This is not a job for the weak at heart, and while I'm sure other books will be more helpful in specific cost/benefit analyses, number crunching, and step by step techniques for do-it-yourself aspects of a flip, this is the book to read to help you decide if you are cut out to take the plunge into real estate. There are lists and tips that I'm sure I will be photocopying and using for years to come.

Best Book On The Topic

I've seen Ms. Kemp on TV and felt she was knowledgeable on the subject, so I purchased the book. Having bought and sold several properties myself, I found this book to be exceptionally accurate. It's loaded with useable real-world advice and information. It covers all aspects of flipping a property and is written in plain English. This is probably the best flippng book ever written, no queston about it.

If only the people on her show read this book...

As a fan of the show "Property Ladder" and a home improvement enthusiast, I had to buy Kirsten's book. This book is chock full of ideas on how to get started. A lot of people might argue the book contains common sense. But then again, I doubt everyone remembers all of the tips contained at once. There are also a lot of blatantly obvious details she mentions that I would have never thought about. She also goes over how to plan a realistic budget (including examples of hers), tips for managing the workers, where to spend the money, tips about the actual purchase (which is arguably the best place to try and save money), and more. And it's very entertaining to read. If you're already into real estate or you're not willing to use this book as a spring board to start doing your own further research, you won't find very much use in this book, rather than the anecdotes. This book isn't a magic solution that allows you to instantly become a millionaire. You have to secure money for the work and be ready to take a huge gamble. If you've seen the show, even though they have a lot of guts, many of the people on the show are complete idiots. Some of them don't even have the house inspected when they buy it. But even then, some of them actually make decent money on the sale. If the people on Kirsten's show actually read through this book (or listened to her on the show) they would probably be wildly successful.

Wish she'd written it years ago

A friend recommended this book and I am so glad he did. I am a fan of Kirsten's show, Property Ladder, but I always wondered how much of an "expert" she really is ("reality" TV and all). After reading this book, I have a newfound respect for the show AND its host. I've been interested in real estate for a while, but every book I pick up on the subject is beyond boring and doesn't give you any REAL numbers or information. This book is refreshingly different. It's not only packed with useful information, but the author includes so many personal examples and anecdotes, I couldn't put it down. Kirsten walks you through every phase of a "flip," without talking down to experts or making it unattainable for novices. I'm sure it's hard to write a real estate book that is relevant to "flippers" of all levels of experience, but there is definitely something here for everyone. Read it, laugh, learn and hopefully make some cash.

Great book on Flipping from the Host of Property Ladder

If you like shows about Flipping Houses-- this book is for you. Kemp goes well beyond what the tv show gives the reader and actually gives you the essentials to how to get started in flipping properties for profit. The book has a great personality as Kemp shares her own experiences in fixing up properties and sellng them for a profit. Throughout the book there are tips that are critical to being successful in real estate investsing, including: "You make Your money on the buy", as well as how to assemble a cracker team, and how to find properties. If you are interested in learning more about Flipping, this is the book for you.