Turning Raw Land into Gold: Building and Flipping in Skagit County with Rose Raivo.

Skagit & Island County Real Estate Podcast

Rose Raivo shares her 25-year journey building and flipping six homes in Skagit County, revealing strategies for finding value in overlooked properties and turning challenges into equity-building opportunities.
• Finding deals by looking for land that others avoid due to complications like wetlands or required additional surveys
• Writing letters directly to landowners to find off-market opportunities, which resulted in successful land purchases
• Building on various properties from quarter-acre city lots to seven-acre rural parcels
• Recognizing that properties with challenges often sell at discounts that create immediate equity once issues are resolved
• Shopping discounts and materials more aggressively when building specifically to flip
• Using manufactured homes as investment properties for faster turnaround times (under six months vs 9-12 months)
• Walking land at different times of day to determine optimal home positioning and design features
• Leveraging construction loans to finance projects after thorough feasibility planning
• Working as a husband-wife team with complementary skills in construction and design
• Examining properties for potential views, light exposure, and unique features to maximize value

You can reach Rose at [email protected]

Chapters

1. Welcome to Skagit Real Estate Podcast (00:00:00)

2. Building Six Homes Over 25 Years (00:00:41)

3. Finding Raw Land Opportunities (00:02:30)

4. Overcoming Challenges for Greater Equity (00:05:35)

5. Flipping vs Long-Term Home Design (00:09:33)

6. Manufactured Homes as Investment Strategy (00:15:50)

7. Key Takeaways for Land Buyers (00:19:51)