LLStyle PRO Spotlight: Rehabbing, Refurbishing, Reselling….And Doing It Really Well

Jeremy and Gia Zimmerman, the husband-wife remodeling and real estate investment team, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, don’t have a typical remodeler background. Defying type suits some people just fine.

Jeremy, a software engineer by trade, purchased his first property some 20 years ago. Since then he has followed this model to build a portfolio of 120-plus rental units:

buy, rehab, rent, revitalize...repeat.

His work in computer science has continued throughout.

In the beginning, Jeremy—who is self-taught in basic carpentry, electricity, and plumbing—did all the handiwork, but in recent years J&G has brought on contractors to grab the hammer. Gia meanwhile leads with her passion: the creative design work.

“I love working on flips because I can design for myself and research what buyers want,” says Gia. “I want to create a feeling with my spaces, whether it’s coziness in the kitchen or relaxation in the bathroom.” 

J&G Property Solutions successful “flip” formula has a proven recipe, which includes evaluating a home’s post-renovation value to determining a realistic sale price. This includes having a keen eye on their local market’s home pricing insights. Another big piece of the puzzle is running a renovation budget to list every detail of the home improvement plan and the estimated cost, factoring all carrying costs, transfer taxes, insurance and more.

“We only work in and around Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, so we are versed in our local market and any fluctuations,” says Gia. “It’s not unusual for us to offer far below list price, because our renovation budget is often far higher than most home flippers, primarily because we use high-end materials and don’t buy materials in bulk or use other tricks of the trade to increase profit.”

Recently, J&G had the opportunity to show off their skills in a big way, with big risk.

On a drive through a high-end area in Lititz, Pennsylvania—which Gia knows from the rehabber community as “driving for dollars”—the couple came across a large home sitting on a couple of overgrown acres of land. They took their shot with an offer, won the bid and were off to do the work: a total remodel which included gutting all five bathrooms to the studs, stripping down the kitchen, adding a new patio, installing all new lighting, and more. In all, the 4,000-square-foot home took eight months of work.

Did we mention they needed all new flooring throughout?

That’s where they turned to LL Flooring and the LL Flooring PRO service dedicated to builders, remodelers, contractors, etc., to help find the right floors.

“We were in a time crunch for flooring,” says Gia. “A big box retailer had left us hanging and we had tried smaller companies, but it wasn’t working. Jeremy visited our local LL Flooring store, and they were a dream to work with. The big bonus was getting assigned a regional pro representative, Rob Johnson, who was there by our side to guide us, show us our options, what was available and more. Plus, the installation crew was phenomenal.” 

The result was the selection of Winchester Oak Engineered Hardwood, a 7.5 in wide, rustic White Oak, which Rob had recommended to run throughout the home. Gia said this floor brought together the balance of modern and traditional with the perfect color match.

“This floor was perfect as we wanted warm material, rustic feel,” said Gia. “I’m drawn to warm tones and real textures, and this floor did it all,” says Gia. “When people come into the home, they give so many compliments about the flooring.”

As a follow-up to this project, J&G has a small 1950s bungalow that the team plans to take back to its original Craftsman style, updating all the mechanicals and giving it a full cosmetic overhaul.

And one thing is for certain: they are going to call Rob at LL Flooring.

The Formula for Flipping

J&G offer these tips and insights for businesses in the “flipping” industry:

Build Trusting Relationships

“We've learned it’s imperative to partner with professionals who know their craft well and build trusting, sincere relationships with those folks.”

Choose Quality

“Rather than having buyers reach out to us later disappointed in failed products, we choose quality from the start. We advise anyone starting out to go the extra mile and take the extra steps to make sure your properties stand out from the average home flipper.”  

Know the Trends

“Follow current trends in interior design, anticipate what buyers in your area are seeking, keep a constant pulse on your local market, and put effort into making each home unique.”

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