You have seen all of the videos, read articles on what to look for, and got some marketplace finds saved off, but are you truly ready?
If you want to have a fun little adventure, go for it. If you are doing it for the money alone, it’s not as easy as the online hype makes it out to be. There is lots to consider, but we will assume you have it all figured out and you were able to snatch up a ride at a good price within your budget.
Once the car is sparkling clean (hopefully not too rusty) on the outside and more than half decent on the interior, it’s time to take some photos and throw this thing up for sale. We recommend taking the car off of your property if possible to take some clean basic photos of your ride. Just hitting up a small empty parking lot will do just fine, you don’t have to get fancy or have a huge expensive camera, your phone will do just fine. Don’t be lazy when it comes to your photos, if you skimp out here, you could lose tons of sales opportunity.
Before you grab your phone, make sure you are ready!
- Wash the car before your photos
- Clean the interior the best you can
- Remove everything from the car except stock/value added auto accessories
- no unsightly charge cables
- ditch those mismatched floor mats – replace them or remove them for a better overall look
- remove bumper stickers & decals
- Remove distractions from your background if taking them at home, or use ‘portrait’ mode
- Take your primary photos in good bright daylight
Make sure your photos cover at least the following
- Exterior Front/Rear of the car
- Exterior Driver/Passenger sides of the car
- Driver/Rear seat interior
- Trunk/Hatch interior
- Dashboard
- Any other big ticket items you feature in your ad text
If you take a few extra steps to ensure your photos are clean – you will definitely get more traction when posting an ad online. Want some brownie points and even more serious inquiries? Take a super quick video of the car starting up (no need to talk); just start the car from the interior, get out, show the engine running for a few seconds and cut the video. It is that simple!
Yes, you can still get an old school ‘for sale’ sign to stick in the window, but not everyone has neighbors. If you want that cash rolling in as fast as possible, adding a sign for local people won’t hurt after you are done being a photographer.
Once you post the ad online, the real fun begins. Make sure you set time aside to meet with as many potential buyers as possible. If you have a tight work schedule or want to simplify life, try setting up a dedicated date/time slot you will be available to show the car to anyone and everyone that can meet at that specified date, this can help stabilize the last but most important part of the whole flip – the sale!
Good luck, happy flipping!
