Page Turner of ‘Fix My Flip’ Reveals the Secret to Selling a House in a Slow Market

On Season 2 of “Fix My Flip,” Page Turner shows just how much harder it is to sell house in today’s high-interest-rate market—but she also proves that it’s still possible to make a profit if you know exactly what buyers want.

In the episode “An Unsellable Dilemma,” Turner meets flipping partners Ken and Reggie. They’ve done plenty of flips but never one in a down market. Now, they have a 1956 build in Whittier, CA, that needs a lot of work before it can (hopefully) attract a buyer.

Here’s how Turner helps this flipping duo turn things around, recommending upgrades that appeal to today’s buyers without breaking the team’s budget. Check out what Turner teaches these two, and the rest of us, about how to refresh an old house.

Add a statement color to your front door Before: This old home had a dingy exterior.

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Turner knows that this home’s exterior needs some freshening up and modernizing, so she paints the stucco white and removes the midcentury rock feature in favor of soft gray siding.

To finish the exterior, she makes the “bold and risky” decision to paint the front door pink.

“It will appeal to buyers looking for something truly unique,” she explains.

After: Page Turner picked a blush pink for the front door.

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When the home is finished, the pink door does look special. It adds character to the exterior and complements the midcentury architecture.

A modern kitchen must be open (or partly open) Before: This kitchen was closed off.

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Midcentury kitchens are often small and closed off, and Ken and Reggie’s house is no different. Turner knows that she’ll need to change the layout to make this room ideal for a modern buyer.

She knocks out the pass-through, a popular feature in midcentury homes, and removes a door to make space for cabinetry. However, she’s unable to open up a second wall since it’s supporting some structures.

Watch: Exclusive: Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent Open Up About Their Own Struggles With Design

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Yet while Turner isn’t able to make this kitchen completely open, she removes as many walls as she can and makes significant progress. Combined with updated cabinets with gold hardware and a pretty pink backsplash, this kitchen passes as open enough to appeal to contemporary buyers.

After: This kitchen looks brighter and lighter.

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Even if tile is in good shape, it may need to be replaced Before: Turner liked this old shower tile but knew it had to go.

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The green shower tile in Reggie and Ken’s guest bathroom is in “perfect condition,” according to Turner.

“I love this tile, it’s just so cool,” she continues. “But even though it’s original, I worry that buyers won’t see this as cool and vintage, but as old and dated.”

After: The glass tile has an updated look.

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So she rips out the tile and replaces it with another green tile. Turner says that by using this color, she “pays respect to the original green tile” while upgrading the bathroom “to be sleek and elevated.”

Wallpaper is still a hot design choice Before: Turner saw great potential in this shed.

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It’s no surprise that Turner needs to remove some wallpaper from this midcentury home. However, Reggie and Ken might not have predicted that Turner would want to put new wallpaper back in

Turner wants to decorate the shed in the backyard, so she decides to cover the interior with wallpaper, a feature she says “has made a huge comeback.”

After: This new wallpaper adds character.

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“I want to use a design that’s playful but versatile so the shed can be used as a studio, an office, or even a playroom,” she says.

Turner selects a bold flamingo design. The pattern is daring but fun, adding to the home’s throwback vibe.

Consider the whole design when choosing new floors This flooring is bright and beautiful.

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When Ken and Reggie show Turner the dark flooring they usually use in flips, she’s not impressed. It doesn’t work with the fun, midcentury look Turner has put together.

“For the design we have here, it’s going to be clashing too much,” she says. Turner goes on to say that the darker sample would be great for a house filled with black, white, and gray, but not for her largely pink and green design motif.

Turner suggests a lighter, brighter flooring sample that she says will keep the design looking “calm.”

It’s an important lesson that flippers and homeowners alike can learn: When replacing floors, think of the overall design.

Does Page Turner fix this flip?

After buying this house for $565,000, Reggie and Ken agree to spend $75,000 on the renovation and pay Turner a $20,000 consultation fee.

After a four-week renovation, they accept an offer of $730,000, leaving them with $70,000 after Turner’s fee. That’s an impressive windfall, and proof that money can be made in a down market.