THE BEST HOME FLIPS IN PHOENIX

When you think of the land of opportunity, is Phoenix, Arizona the first place that comes to mind? This desert city is entering yet another growth cycle, with one of the best job economies in the country, with the average salary 20 percent higher than the national average. At the same time, median home prices are below the national average—at least for now. 

Phoenix is poised for another real estate boom, which points to rising home values. Real estate company Tomo analyzed the top home flips in the United States and found that Phoenix is a standout in multiple categories. With major tech companies and new residents eager to call Phoenix home, this is an attractive time to update and list your property.

Keep on the sunny side

The Phoenix metro area draws people from across the nation. Fortune 500 companies and small businesses alike put down roots in this growing city. Top employers in Phoenix include Banner Health, American Express, Amazon, and Walmart—all of which are in growth cycles of their own. With a projected job increase of 48.2 percent over the next ten years, job seekers will continue to flow to Phoenix.

Many newcomers are arriving from larger cities like San Francisco, New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Austin. These ultra competitive real estate markets make home ownership impossible for most working people. In Phoenix, however, buying property is a real option. The top five flips identified by Tomo shared all the elements of perfect starter homes:

• Renovated interior

• Low maintenance landscaping

• Access to freeways and public schools

• New weather proofing and appliances

• Great value and a fair price

Tomo found that the most successful home flips in Phoenix, AZ made the most of the properties’ attractive qualities. All these homes were complete home renovations. The top flip increased its sale price by 233 percent. In total, all five flips generated an increase to sales price of $1.2 million, and were flipped in as little as five months.

Put your best foot forward

Managing a successful home flip can feel overwhelming. However, identifying your property’s potential may be key to closing at more than double your purchase price. Open floor plans, new HVAC and interior climate control options, new windows, and other features attract buyers who want the most value for their money. Curb appeal is second to common sense in this market, especially when it comes to the weather.

Phoenix is a desert lover’s dream, with gorgeous sunsets, great restaurants, and constant sunshine. However, the climate can be intense for people who aren’t familiar with the Southwest. Summer temperatures make indoor comfort non-negotiable. Smart flips take this into account. You don’t have to install a solar panel in the front yard—but it might pay off!

The most valuable flips included brand-new renovations and installations that can handle 100-degree summers, but still keep cozy during the mild winters. Here are the top 5 listings that made our Best Flip list:

#5 1757 East Chambers Street

When style and solid design intersect, it’s a beautiful thing. This flip captures the best of both with brand-new hardware, a new air conditioning system, a new water heater, new windows, and more. A new roof and new exterior stucco add energy-saving elements as well. Inside, classy grey cabinetry, a gourmet kitchen with a backsplash and stainless steel appliances, and custom tiling throughout the home make this comfortable 3-bedroom property feel luxurious and roomy. With only a five-month renovation, this flip increased its value from $155K to $377K—a change of 143 percent.

#4 1823 East Harvard Street

Love the architecture of bygone decades? This 1930s home is pure Old Hollywood glamour, with black and white accents that showcase its vintage features. Originally purchased in 2023, the property underwent an extensive and total renovation, selling eight months later for $616K. The home’s fully upgraded interior plays to the black-and-white theme, with white quartz countertops and white subway tiling in the showers. A new roof and stucco, new windows, new air conditioning system, and covered parking took this classic beauty into the modern age.

#3 514 East Charleston Avenue

This fully renovated manufactured home offers plenty of room to grow, both inside and out. Located in a quiet, well located North Phoenix neighborhood, this flip features a spacious split master floor plan and two-car garage. A new HVAC unit, dual pane windows, and a large fenced yard offer privacy and protection—not to mention abundant space for trailers, boats, and slab parking. New stainless steel appliances and a new roof are the cherry on top. This home sold in 2022 for $142K. Post-flip, its price tag was 146 percent higher, closing at $350K.

#2 208 West Wier Avenue

The price tag on this charming flip only sweetens the deal. This 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom home is perfect as a first home or investment property. Purchased for $110K in 2023, this home sold only five months later for $300K. The house has been painted in classic Southwest colors in and out. It sits inside a spacious fenced yard. The interior is fully renovated, with new tile flooring, two new full baths, and an all-new kitchen with new cabinets and backsplash. New air conditioning, new ceiling fans, and new windows with sunscreens help summer-proof this adorable home.

#1 2506 East Allan Street

While it may look humble from the sidewalk, this fully renovated home is incredibly classy inside. Its open living room is filled with natural light. The key word for this home is new, with brand-new floors, fresh paint, recessed lighting, ceiling fans, kitchen, bathrooms, and more. Best of all, the backyard showcases stunning mountain views of South Mountain. This home sold in 2023 for $90K, but after its flip, more than doubled its purchase price. Only six months later, it sold at $300K-233 percent above its initial purchase price.

Are you contemplating a total renovation? Want to make the most of Phoenix’s booming economy and overall growth trends? Now might be the time to flip. New buyers in Phoenix are looking for fully renovated homes with summer-smart upgrades that are built to last. 

Research the best neighborhoods in Pheonix for flipping to make the most of your investment. Want to see what not to do when flipping a home, check out Tomo’s House Flipping Flops. Or, want to get into the flipping market and not sure how, learn more with Tomo’s tips in House Flipping 101.

FREEZING FAMILY MOMENTS WITH BAYLEY JORDAN PHOTOGRAPHY

I need to share this awesome Arizona Find. We had Bayley Jordan Photography for a family photoshoot at our library. First off, she made us feel super comfortable right from the start. It felt more like a hangout session than a photoshoot! And let me tell you, she's got a knack for bringing out the best in each of us. Our goofy moments turned into pure gold!

The library setting added a unique touch to the whole shoot. With outfits picked from our own closets, roughly ironed, we met before our first cup of coffee for that golden hour; and also before it got too hot for an Arizona July morning.

If you're looking for a photographer who knows how to freeze the moments that define your family, Bayley Jordan is the way to go! She's got that magic touch, and our photo album is now filled with cherished memories.

Go check out the podcast episode we did right after and then book your shoot with Bayley!

XoXo Britt

MISSION CLOSET REORGANIZATION

They say one of the keys to a successful marriage is not sharing a closet- well we went 1 year following that rule, but now with the nursery taking over, my closet room, I am learning to share. Wish us luck as we come up on our first year wedding anniversary.

Jose was blessed with a walk in closet since we moved into the house and took to sharing very nicely. Our key elements going into the reorganization are we wanted to stay organized, size down and make sure it was esthetically pleasing. After a few weekends of work and binging the entire season of Get Organized with the Home Edit on Netflix we now have a success husband and wife closet. Here are a few tricks we followed to smooth out the process. Whether you are sharing or not here is how to live your best closet life.

1.       Eliminate- Whether you follow Marie Kondo’s “does it spark Joy?” rule or not, we went through our entire closet and asked ourselves: When is the last time you wore it? Does it fit? Is it practical? As a new mom I need to make sure I am updating my wardrobe getting rid of the trendy sweaters and graphic T’s and making full use of a wardrobe I can wear. After compiling several boxes and trash bags of donations we were able to eliminate quite a bit.

2.       Categorize- Once we had what we were keeping, we started organizing by style- shirts with shirts, pants with pants, jackets with jackets, etc. Even accessories matter too- hats, belts, shoes. It not only makes it easier to find things but also organizes for seasonal wear and an added plus, it is esthetically pleasing.

3.       Make it look good- If your closet looks good, it is a place you will enjoy being in; picking out something to wear or folding laundry wont feel like a chore when it is a place that bring you happiness. You don’t have to break the bank by hiring a third party closet organization company- instead #DIY. Two biggest tips are matching hangers and bins. The velvet hangers fit more and look great, we picked ours up from Costco, but Amazon has a great deal too, check it out here. Storage bins allow you to not have the perfect fold or throw things you don’t normally fold in like socks or ties. We picked up these from Walmart- V budget friendly.

Hope this brings some inspiration to your closet. I would love to see some before and afters in your house. As we prepare the baby room, these tips will definitely carryover and we hope to continue to keep the peace in our shared closet.

XoXo

Britt

HOME UPS- QUICK & CHEAP REDESIGNS IN QUARANTINE

Finally, Arizona issued a Stay at Home Order this week. Although, as essential personnel this means the same for us. Jose is now #Workfromhome, but once I return, after I de-clothe and shower we become home bodies. April 1 we celebrated our 3rd year as home owners and wanted to share a few Home Ups we did to protect our budget and our sanity as we Shelter in Place.

Living Room- The first piece of furniture we invested in our living room was a new couch. It took a while to find the right sectional for our space. We love comfy couch sessions and could see us doing that with a normal sofa. Luckily Living Spaces had the right size within our budget! Once that main piece was in we worked on accessories. Between Ikea and Walmart we found these gorgeous gold frames and had our favorite wedding photos printed in black and white to showcase in the entryway. I also was looking for a great full-length mirror that would not break the bank, to balance the other side of the TV and Way Fair had #JustWhatINeed. Lastly, I went around the house to the other rooms to re-purpose trinkets, books, knickknacks, candles and crystals that would fit the theme. I even used a rug from another room to warm the space’s concrete floors. This room proves that you don’t have to go out and buy all NEW items for a room makeover.

MASTER BATH – This was and is my favorite room in our house. So much pink and potential. It was originally added to the home in the 70’s for the owner’s wife, as it’s the only part of the house ADA approved. Three things we did here and for less than $100. First, the original wood vanity mirror we painted black. Second, we switched out the light fixture. Geeze, the things you realize are so expensive when you get older: rugs, lights, nuts, etc, blog post to come? We scored a great LED light on Amazon, I bought, Jose installed. Our latest VLOG will show you the BTS of that. LOL. Lastly, I got a frames at goodwill, painted black and printed free, fun bathroom sayings: I like your butt, and more! You can print your own from my Pinterest page here.

KITCHEN/PANTRY- Our kitchen is next on our home remodel. We recently had to make a major investment into our plumbing as we had the original cast iron pipes from the 1949 build collapse. As we continue to save back up for the kitchen cabinets, counters and hardware we made a few arrangements that make our house a home. The biggest and best change I made was turning our bar cart into a coffee cart! We don’t really drink alcohol, anymore, so this re-purpose was necessary. Instead of dragging out my Keurig to our limited counter space every morning, I rolled our bar cart into our pantry, added our carousel of k cups and ordered a quick Frida print on Amazon. Now my pantry is more than just a walk through, it’s a walk in.

The purpose of this blog is to show you during Q-tine you don’t have to be bored. You don’t have to spend money you don’t have. You don’t have to live in a space that doesn’t bring you joy or spark creativity. Take these tips into the weekend and let me know any room redecorating you’re doing.

We plan on filming a Cribs Vlog next weekend and I can’t wait to show you what we have done and what we plan to do with our forever home space. Stay safe and stay home.

XoXo Britt

So Scottsdale Finds Finding Arizona Podcast

Okay, so you’re practicing “social distancing”, ordering Uber eats and sharing the latest IG post from your favorite local business. Whether you are working from home or hustling to support the community I wanted to share a happy story, a milestone, an amazing accomplishment from the Finding Arizona Podcast. In March of 2020 we were featured in So Scottsdale Magazine for our impact on the community.

We have been honored to be featured in Voyage Magazine, Phoenix Magazine, and the Know Book. With each opportunity comes great relationships and opens doors, not just for us, but for our guests as well. Recently we had the amazing opportunity to share our story in So Scottsdale Magazine. Not only did we get to look back on our accomplishments, but we also explain our visions for the future of the podcast. My favorite was the photo shoot in our home studio and outdoor space. This photo not only reminds me of our strong ability to work together as a couple but also the love we share- it is the space we held our wedding.

Okay, enough spoiler alerts- READ IT HERE. Share it and share with us your thoughts. Also, if you are an Arizona Business who has yet to be featured on the podcast, then reach out. Now more than ever, we have to work on supporting each other, our community, in the right direction.

XoXo

Britt

GUEST ROOM REDESIGN ON A DIME

It only took us over a year to fix up the guest room, but we did it! First, it was storage, then WInter’s Dog Room, and now a proper guest room for our future stays! I cannot be more excited about the first guest staying in the room, but before that, I want to share all the details of this design on a dime guest room.

When we first moved in and painted every room in the house I immediately used this room to practice an ombre wall. Blending blues for hours and hours I was very impressed by my work of art and have even used it for several photo backdrops. We used the blank walls to hang my Monet prints collection. Other than that this room was easy to clean up to prep for a makeover. A little paint to touch up the base boards that our wonder full puppy chewed up and the room was ready for furniture.

We wanted to go with a futon for function and sticking with the midcentury trend keep the style of the furniture like the house. A futon allows us to maybe put a bed in later or adjust the use of the room altogether. We also wanted to put in a credenza. Not a dresser and not a tv console, but both, and our guests can put snacks in their too! These two pieces are bold in color and purpose but we are happy with the outcome and function.

Thriting and repurposing was where the rest of the details came from. My favorite orange rug from Ikea is a simple and inexpensive way to add color and change up a room. I love the shag to it! Great for bedrooms! Speaking of Ikea this clock shelf was in my office for the last 6 years, and I still love to this day, which is why Ikea still carries it! The statement chair was a set of two from Costco 6 years ago as well and Costco doesn’t even carry things from 6 months ago so good luck finding that! Finally I thrifted this Ikea blue table at a Goodwill 50% off day and scored it for $3.

I would like to think I am pretty good at “Staging a Bookcase.” All you really need are: Books (lol), candles, plants (real or fake), art, photos, crystals (something unique). Make sure to balance each shelf meaning if you did a book on the right, a few shelves down, add book on the left. Always share photos of great memories and change them out from time to time or different seasons or guests. And finally, put some crystals in there. Cleanse the energy and give your guests something to admire.

A few candles and throw pillows from target’s clearance section and we are ready to put some fresh linens in the cabinet and have our first guest enjoy her stay. We are book through July and Last week in August, but message me and we can see whats open for the other summer dates.

XoXo

Britt

PLANTING THE SEEDS

Time for an episode of This Old House with Brose. If you have been watching my weekend insta stories then you know we have been tackling a project every Saturday and Sunday. February, being a wet month, helped and hurt us in the home renno section. It helped because we were able to actually dig and get through the tough soil, but hurt because the rain soaked everything. But, overall, the month of February was dedicated to our front yard curb appeal Phase I: Winter Grass.

I'll be breaking down our step by step guide from hot mess to no stress when it comes to sprinklers, tilling, and seeding. All you need is an afternoon, a couple tools, and grit.

We purchased a tiller on Offer Up, which we highly recommend as homeowners on a budget. Why buy new when you can negotiate from someone who maybe only used what you need only one time? Grass seed, lawn food and a hand held spreader are reasonably priced and sprinkler heads are just a few bucks. We purchased one bag of rock and two bags of manure, but you can easily find for free on Craigslist and used our compost dirt from our own backyard to top top it all off!

After the materials were laid out we began the work. First, we removed all the weeds and pulled any current shrubs we wanted to move or remove.

PRO TIP: Any plants you don’t have a space for, replant in a large pot and save for later. It’s also great to have to mobility and flexibility of beautiful foliage.

Next, we mapped out the sprinkler system. We were fortunate to have purchased a home that already had it installed, but we had to replace the heads and make sure the pipes were level and had proper drainage. After hand digging around each head I added rocks and replaced with new heads. Jose began tilling the entire yard while I replanted our rose bushes for a more welcoming entryway.

PRO TIP: If you have a plant overgrown, like a succulent, dig out smaller plants and roots and replant indoor or outdoors. We turned one large agave into 6 smaller curb appeal plants lining the house.

Honestly, tools like the hand help spreader made seeding the grass effortless. We also did the research to get the proper seed that didn’t need to be aerated and also won’t just be bird feed. We purchased the Scotts Heat Tolerant Blue Mix Grass Seed. After spreading it we added grass food and manure. Then, we took our compost mixture from our backyard and spread all the throughout the mix.

Now we wait. Watering every 3 days in the winter and making sure the frost doesn’t kill us is our biggest struggle now, but we are literally just watching grass grow. Less than $100 and a weekend later we have the seeds planted for a beautiful front yard. Our next phase includes adding planters and pavers to really create that curb appeal. Stay tuned.

XoXo

Britt

THE DINNER PARTY SERIES

The dinner party series was a project started by Jose and I back in late 2018 as conscious effort to connect with some of our favorite people. As adults approaching 30, okay will be 30 this year, we wanted to create a get together in our new space once a month with a few of our favorite couples to catch up and, of course, gather over a delicious home-cooked meal. We believe connections made face to face, like dinner parties, are often priceless. Whether we are inviting new friends to meet up or renewing friendships the dinners we host are about so much more than eating.

No formal invitations or dress code is required. Table settings provided by local thrift store finds featuring antique coral plates and Ball Mason jars, Walmart flatware and World Market cactus linens finish it off. I always make sure to have a glass carafe filled with a seasonal fruit to flavor the water. The menu is usually catered to our guests, gathering inspiration from Joanna Gaines Magnolia Table Cookbook and of course some of my own personal favorite family recipes, which I’ll be sharing more throughout this blog, but we’ve all also gotten creative when it comes to diet requirements and restrictions. But you better believe we’re all sharing something sweet and savory by the end of the night.

No games no agenda we talk about what we want to talk about not what we have to talk about. We are raw, we are real we are just being adults. No kids, no pets, no stress we want to just get away mentally for a few hours and we invite you to join us.

As 2019 continues, so does the dinner party series. We have even extended the dinner party to a our book club for a collaboration that will be so much fun! But,  of course,  as you know we’re planning the ultimate dinner party for October 12. So whether you’re on the invite list for any of those, or not, we would love to gather over a delicious meal and just be real.

XoXo

Britt