Creative Vision + Good Advice = A Successful Flip

  I met Brian Bain about 25 years ago, and several years later, went on to learn the ins and outs of the real estate business from his father-in-law, Louie Velez. Since that time, I’ve helped Brian and his wife Julie (one of my oldest, dearest friends) buy their first home in Lakeview, sell a renovation/flip Uptown, buy and sell their second home near the Freret St. Corridor, and buy another home Uptown. Along the way, I also worked with Brian and his business partner Jake Springfield to buy their Mid-City office building on Tulane Avenue. Throughout those 20-something years, Brian and I, in some form or fashion, have been Saints season ticket holders together. With a twinkle in his eye, Brian calls me “a die hard fan who literally never gives up. And a great person to have on your team.” Most recently, I was Brian and Jake’s agent and source of advice for design trends, finishes, and functionality as they bought, renovated, and sold a down-to-the-studs, double shotgun to single camelback investment property at 5508 Annunciation Street. While Brian and Jake co-own a TV commercial & film production company, they’ve each completed renovations and flips individually and together, with their own homes and other projects. Brian sums it up this way: “When we bought our building on Tulane Avenue and renovated it to be our new film production offices, we had an awesome team of folks and a great experience. Doing a renovation is in many ways similar to film production – at its core, it’s a creative endeavor, bringing into action many of the same processes — like planning, scheduling, organization, team work, and a creative vision. Fortunately, we have amazing teams working with us in both construction and in film production. So when the opportunity arose to do this renovation as a flip, we were excited to jump on it — knowing that we could manage it while running the day to day business of our production company.” I worked with Brian and Jake when they bought the property, as the listing agent to sell it, and consulted throughout the entire renovation process.  Check out some quotes from Brian and Jake about what it’s like to work with me. “Tracey’s a straight shooter who’s tenacious and always makes herself available. If she doesn’t know the answer to a question, she’s going to find it.” Brian Bain “Should we go with a tankless water heater? Do we need to install handrails on the front porch? What color stain should we use on the floors? These were just a few of the questions we threw at Tracey. She knows what’s out there, what’s selling, what buyers are looking for, and the quirky little things that can trip them up. She’s been checking on our progress and making suggestions throughout. And that’s been tremendously valuable.” Jake Springfield Get a step-by-step snapshot of their renovation:

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