Update at the Flip House Dec. 5, 2014

One of the most important things I have learned over the years in business management is that in order to be successful in any business you have to work hard.  This is especially true when you own your own business.  Even when you think you are working hard I guarantee there is someone out there working even harder doing the exact same thing you are.  In order to set yourself apart from other businesses (or employees) you have to make sacrifices.  These sacrifices may seem hard at the time but in the end I promise you they will pay off in spades. 

I've always prided myself on my work ethic and my willingness to put one hundred percent effort into everything I do.  So many employers make the mistake of paying someone else to do the work that they could and should be doing themselves.  For example, we could be paying a contractor to come in and do all the repairs to the house like most investment companies and still make a decent profit on this house.  However, there is so much we can do ourselves and paying someone else to do those things cuts into profits and what is the point in that?  If I can work harder in order to make a bigger paycheck at the end of the day then that's what I'm going to do.  

Of course working so hard also means you may have to work nights, weekends, and holidays which is just what I had to do over Thanksgiving weekend.  The temperature was so nice here on Saturday and Sunday that I had to take advantage of it and finish painting the trim at the flip house, at least the trim I could reach.  It took me both days to finish and after I was done I was so exhausted I could hardly move, but it was well worth it and the hard work will pay off in the end.  Here are some before and after pics.    

Before:

After:

Here's a side by side comparison:



Over the weekend I mostly worked on second and third coats (it takes a lot of white paint to hide brown) and I painted the fascia on the front porch and the trim around the front door.  Also the living room shutters on the east side are now done and the top of the front window trim is done.  We still have to paint the upper trim white along the roofline and the second story window trim but that's going to take a much taller ladder and a much braver person than myself.  At least what mom and I could reach is now done since I don't know when the next day will come where it will be warm enough to paint outside again.  Here's what it looked like a couple months ago in case you don't remember:

The street this house is on is very active with people who walk their dogs, ride bicycles, or walk/jog by which is so nice to see.  When I was finishing up trim on Sunday a couple walked by at the moment I came out of the house.  I saw the woman looking over at the house so I smiled and went back to work.  She walked over to me and said she really enjoyed watching the progress on the house and commented on how good it looked.  It made my day and I just love it when people take the time to say such kind things to strangers!



A Little Bit of Randomness:

• I have a new sister and her name is Fiona Lucille.  Sorry for the blurriness, this pic was taken on my mom's camera.  

 

• Usually the colder months drag on for me but for some reason this year they seem to be flying by.  I'm not sure why but it must be because I'm so busy.  In fact, I can't believe it's Friday already...it seems like the week just started!

• I still haven't received a thank you letter from the trash guy.  I'm wondering if he's even noticed that I have been putting out the recycling bin the correct way now.