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19:10Tony Javier:They'll absolutely love it. Those that 10%, but that limits the amount of people that would actually purchase a property.

19:17Brianna Amigo:Yeah, absolutely. I think, um, you know, when it comes to short-term rentals, I'll speak on that first, uh, you know, really thinking about how are you going to formulate and create this listing and what are you going to highlight first? What are those spaces? And generally, they're going to be your key amenity spaces, maybe the outdoors. Those are the areas that really need to be focused on when it comes to design. So I see it time and time again, where sometimes investors might over-engineer a little bit. They might be too focused on like, let's break this wall down and reorient the kitchen and do a whole gut rehab in the bathrooms.

19:53Brianna Amigo:And from my perspective, I'm like, I rather look at this from an opportunity to identify what are the low-hanging fruit opportunities that we can tweak. We can do maybe a cosmetic upgrade and not a full rehab because, one, it's going to increase your renovation costs. It'll increase your holding costs for sure. And a lot of the time, that's where things get really held up in the process. It's permitting and et cetera. And so I try to encourage that let's maybe not do all of those things, but let's focus on these things that I think are still low cost, high impact ideas. And that will help get you up and running sooner.

20:30Brianna Amigo:It will still increase your value on your property. And so I like to really focus on that first. But from a rehab or reselling perspective, you don't want to create a design that is going to be off-putting to some. You do want a design that's palatable, that is something that anyone, if your avatar is, you want a family, you know, a brand new young family to move into this home. What are the things that you think will resonate with that avatar in mind? And generally, if you're looking at the pink tile versus the sage green tile, maybe it's something more of like the earthy, clean, serene tones that are going to perform better.

21:12Brianna Amigo:versus the bold pink options that just may not make sense. Maybe they don't have a little girl in their family and that just doesn't make sense to have in one of the bathrooms. So just trying to make those decisions and try to balance them with, you want as many buyers, as many people exposure into this home. That's how you're gonna sell it. And so you want them to be able to click through your listing, go to your open house, and you don't wanna be off-putting at the time of you going live and your listing going live.

21:42Tony Javier:And Brie, I couldn't agree more with that advice, but just one thing I want to call out is that I can tell that you're a professional just based on like the language that you use. Like, you know, like you said, sage green. To me, it's just green, you know? Like, and to me, there's no distinction. And I distinctly remember the first property that we walked together. It was one of the houses in Joshua Tree and there was this rug and you called it a jute rug. And I'd never heard that phrase in my life, you know? So like, even just like not having the vocabulary as a rookie investor means you're probably limiting yourself on what options you put in front of you.

22:15Tony Javier:But if you can differentiate sage green from, I don't know, what's another green, mint green or something like, you know, you can, you can make better, you can make better choices, right? Brie, another thing that I've noticed too, as we've gone along is like, you've brought up a couple of times without us highlighting is the importance of design. Isn't just what rug you should put in the room, what lamp to pick, what light fixture, what wall color, but it's so many more things. It's the landscaping, the design of the outdoor space. I remember I did a project, a new build for a dealership before, and like just the exterior lighting was a whole design element in itself where it all had to be laid out and what fixtures and things like that.

22:55Tony Javier:So I think there's so much more to design than we initially think of just like, oh, what, you know, is going to make this place, like even the flow, the layout, things like that. But what are some tools and resources that a rookie investor can use to actually help them design the property?

23:14Brianna Amigo:I mean, I think rookie investors, of course, look at the market, do your research. I've talked about that. But when you're coming up with that vision, you just want inspiration. Pinterest is a great tool. You're looking at your comparables, looking at the MLS and seeing what's going on in the market from that perspective. But also Instagram, you know, looking at social media as a way of drawing inspiration, drawing inspiration from travel and just going through your personal travels and going into a restaurant or a local bar. And you're like, wow, this is such a cool experience. It's such a vibe in here.

23:45Brianna Amigo:Take pictures of that space, bring it back home with you and really kind of see if that is a good fit for what you're trying to achieve. And then using tools, What we personally use for project management to really collaborate and create a very creative atmosphere for our clients is a tool called Notion. And that's our project management system that we use. And all of our clients use it just to be able to communicate with us. And we share inspiration and mood boards and designs through there. And then design tools, if you don't have the expertise for the Sketchups or the CADs, that's okay. You could use Canva, honestly, when putting together designs.

24:24Brianna Amigo:And so I encourage you to use those resources that are definitely user friendly and, you know, put those ideas pen to paper layer in with Canva. You can layer images and see what you can completely create a room with Canva. So I definitely think that's like probably the optimal tool to use if you're just kind of getting started.

24:44Tony Javier:Let's talk a little bit more more tactically, because, you know, obviously, you know, the big parts of a home are, you know, things that everyone focuses on. But what are maybe some of the call it like under$100 items that elevates maybe guest experience or that you've seen just like makes a space look more more luxury or the people are maybe overlooking? I'm thinking of the Target finds when you first walk into Target's like their dollar savings thing. What are those types of things that we can incorporate?

25:13Brianna Amigo:Yeah. From a short term rental perspective, we love this. We love the little things because we think they do really count and bring such an experience to the space. So little things could be branded elements. And we are really keen on incorporating branded elements throughout our property. So if you have a branded welcome book or branded mugs in the kitchen or branded cornhole set in the backyard, those are really low cost items that just really remind and resonate with your guests. a musical element is always something that we try to incorporate in every common space so a vinyl record player which you can't get any better than that so having a vinyl record collection there's so many cool like bluetooth speakers now that you can incorporate into a space that have a vintage feel and have that like sense of nostalgia um and you know simple things to book collections when we have our um spaces curated we'll put really curated coffee table books on the table that really draw and tie back to the market that they've invested in or cookbooks in the kitchen that tie back to the style or the colors or the local cuisine in the market.

26:21Brianna Amigo:Just being super thoughtful. Elevated coffee bars is really key for us as well. So making sure you have all the mechanisms to make a cup of coffee. So if that's a drip option, a pour over, a French press, just making sure that you are providing everything that a guest would be looking for at their fingertips. And having some locally ground coffee options that are from the local market just shows that you as a host are being thoughtful and are supporting your local community, which I think is amazing. And then from a flip and renovation perspective, little things like hardware can go a long way in a flip.

27:03Brianna Amigo:That's kind of like they're small tweaks that you can add to a kitchen. so maybe if you're doing a colored cabinet maybe opt out of the uh brushed nickel that everyone you see do and maybe do something brass or matte black that just really will help stand out um lighting goes a long way in in a flip and so making sure that you have some statement pieces that feel like a little bit more intentional less builder grade um sometimes that will creep up a little bit over a hundred but it's worth the investment because it just helps curate a little bit more of a custom feel when you're walking into a home.

27:37Tony Javier:All right, guys, don't go anywhere because after the break, Bree's going to share some DIY design traps that kill profits and the design that stopped her in her tracks as a designer. So we'll be right back after this. There's a point where basically every investor realizes traditional financing stops scaling with you. At first it works. You qualify with your income, your job, your tax returns. But as you grow, that model starts to break. Now, it's not really about your personal income. It's about the income from your properties. That's where DSCR lending comes in. And it's why a lot of investors end up working with lenders like Host Financial.

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28:57Tony Javier:That's honestly the best thing about Shopify. You don't need a free weekend and a computer science degree to get something live. My go live day is still one of my favorite memories. I picked a template, dropped in some photos, and Shopify's AI tools basically built the bones of my site for me. It looked like something I actually paid a designer for. And when a customer is ready to buy, Shopify checkout keeps it simple. Their info is saved. They checked out in one click and you get to hear that little cha-ching before you've even finished your coffee. If you're on the fence, here's my advice. Stop waiting for the perfect moment.

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32:04Tony Javier:If you want to do the same, visit biggerpockets.com slash retirement to learn more. All right, guys, we're back here with Bree. Now, Bree, what do you see? And we touched on this a bit already, but what do you see most rookies get wrong when they try and DIY their own design?

32:19Brianna Amigo:Yeah, I think, you know, some common mistakes, which I feel like we've hit on is just not understanding their market and their competition. But another that I think is really important to keep in mind is that these are not your personal homes. They're not your primary residence. None of this really should tie back to your personal preferences. You really have to look at these investment properties as a business, and you have to understand what the marketability that you need to create, the experience that you need to create. And that may not align with your personal style. And so that needs to kind of, there needs to be some differentiation and separation there.

32:56Brianna Amigo:So I do tend to see a lot of rookie investors get too hung up on like, well, I wouldn't want this in my space, but that may be okay because your guest avatar or your buyer avatar may want that in their space. So you just have to really kind of separate yourself a little bit from the investment.

33:15Tony Javier:I can say from my own experience as a rookie designer is that one mistake I've made is thinking that, you know what, this will be fun. I would really enjoy to design, but not recognizing that I am not good at it. The last slip I did, me and my kids literally stood in the Home Depot tile aisle for over an hour with me just asking my kids, what do you guys think? does this look good together? And them telling me no. And us just going back and forth and not being able to make a decision. And then finally me texting my contractor, do you think this will look okay? Does this work? So I would say that was a big rookie mistake of my own is wanting to do something just because I think that I would enjoy it, that it would be fun, but not recognizing that I wasn't good at it.

34:04Tony Javier:And then it did not become fun for me having to take forever just to pick out tile and actually delayed our project because I could not make a decision. And I just went back and forth and, you know, procrastinated on making the decision. And it like came down to the wire and the tire tile that I actually picked, it wouldn't even come in time. So then I had to change it all again because it wouldn't be there in time when they were ready to lay it. So huge lesson learned. I am not good at design and I definitely need some kind of assistance. And my, my contractor on that job was a great help with that and helping me, you know, pick out a lot of the finishes and tying it all together too.

34:45Okay.

34:45Tony Javier:So let's, let's go back to listings and this could be even long-term, short-term, midterm rentals, or even, you know, properties that you flip that you're putting on there. What is like the last, let's do with the Airbnb first. Like what's the last Airbnb listing that stopped your scroll? Like what set it out, made it different than anything else?

35:07Brianna Amigo:I think photography is so, so important when it comes to short-term rentals. So finding a photographer that could really capture the intimate moments and the intimate vignettes that you created within the design, lighting within that photography. And so when I look at listings, I see listings every day that have the same amenities stuck. And that's kind of the name of the game right now. You all have to have the same amenities, but who can do it better? Who can do it where it's, you know, you're capturing a story throughout the design. You're speaking to me through the photos. I'm almost envisioning the experience with lifestyle photography, with maybe models in the actual home, partaking in some of the activities and experiences that you've put together in the design.

35:56Brianna Amigo:And we just want to make sure that when we're looking at listings like that, that we're telling a story, we're evoking emotion. And through photography, I think that's a great way to stand out amongst your competition is who's that photographer that you're going to use to position your listing a little bit differently. And taking photos during all times of day. So having some day shots, some night shots, some shots where the sun is coming down and the twinkle lights and the string lights are up, the fire pit is going, making sure the property is fully staged. Those are the properties that really stand out to me because they've taken the extra step to really market to position that design in the most optimal way.

36:37Tony Javier:Our photographer actually recommended to come back to our property to take another set of photos because we're in a four seasons market. So we now have, you know, we don't have all the seasons yet, but like we got fall photos with the pretty cut changing colors of the leaves all around it. And then we had winter photos where it looks so cozy, you know? So that was like a big thing too, is being able to capture the property in all seasons and having those photos available. Brie, let's fast forward to 2035. What are the design shifts or the trends you're seeing that rookie investors should start preparing for today?

37:18Tony Javier:10 years from now, you're expecting to make that? Maybe make it five.

37:23Brianna Amigo:I had no idea. I'm a fortune teller here. No, but I think we're already seeing the shifts right in the market, even as we speak. So I think the investors that have approached this with kind of throwing it together, DIYing are already struggling, and we'll probably see a lot of those properties be offloaded over the next five years, just because they're not just, they're not going to be able to maintain them. They're losing money at the end of the day. So the ones that are potentially not doing so well are going to be offloaded. And the ones that are going to continue doing well are the ones that have really invested in the properties from a design perspective, a guest experience perspective, amenities, and they've really treated this as an investment.

38:07Brianna Amigo:So they're going to continue to add to the property, continue to move the needle a little bit as the competition shifts in the market, and those will continue to do well. But design has just become incredibly important. So it's almost going to be table stakes at this point, I think, especially in five years from now, I can't really imagine a lot of investors probably wanting to DIY their design because there's going to be too much writing on it. And so we'll see more professionally designed properties, more amenity stacked properties. And so the main thing is how are you going to do it differently and create longevity behind your design so that you're not having to tweak it and change it every three to five years because we don't want to position any of our clients to have to do that.

38:49Brianna Amigo:So that's where I really see the market going. And I see a lot of more investors realizing that instead of maybe having such a diversified portfolio with so many different size properties, they're maybe investing in that one big property and putting all of their efforts behind it. And so we're seeing a lot more of our clients come to us with five to six bedroom homes that have all of the amenities from a game room to a theater to a pickleball court, and they're really trying to curate this resort-like, one-of-a-kind experience. And the way they're doing that is that they're targeting multi-generational avatars with families, adult groups, with 14 to 16-plus guests.

39:31Brianna Amigo:And that's something that you're able to really achieve really high increased ADR and revenue because of the amount of people you're essentially able to sleep. So I'm seeing a lot more of that as well over the next five years come up.

39:46Tony Javier:Yeah. And you even speak to like a shift that we're trying to make in our portfolio is consolidating down to a few or more premium properties as opposed to a lot of properties that are like, you know, middle of the road because, you know, less management overhead, more revenue per property, right? So I think there's something to be said there. But I think the million dollar question, because I feel like this was the the design trend that was all the rage, the White House with the black trim, the black windows. Is that still the move for rookies to make? Or is that in the rearview mirror from a design perspective?

40:18Brianna Amigo:I think there's always a time and place to do that. It just depends on the home and the architecture of the home, if that makes sense to do. But I think what you're starting to see more is that we're almost kind of going a step back in time a little bit, like the aspect of like new versus old nostalgia is really coming into play. So a lot of like older vintage elements being added to properties and having moodier spaces, darker tone woods, a lot of layers and curves in the furniture. Like that is really coming up a lot in design trends right now. And so I think you'll continue to see some of those monochromatic looks.

40:58Brianna Amigo:But I think what you're going to more so see is just the layering of colors, moody, moodiness. that has been kind of missing from the market before. So, yeah.

41:07Tony Javier:Yeah, like my Instagram feed is filled with where somebody's painting the walls and the trim the same color, or they're painting the trim like a blue or a green and then wallpaper. And I like this design and I feel like the design is shifting to this. And I'm thinking of doing this in my live and flip in some of the rooms right now, but I also don't know, is this actually a design or is just my algorithm focused on this type of property? So it's only

41:38Brianna Amigo:showing me this type of design. I guess it depends on the type of investment property. So I think the color drenching theme and trend that you are seeing through your feed is something that you will see a lot in short-term rentals right now. So we are color drenching rooms. We are painting ceilings. We are painting baseboards and trim all the same color. It's a 360 kind of immersive experience when you walk into a room. But when it comes to a flip, that might be a little bit too much of a bold option. And so what I would encourage is like, maybe you do like a little bit of a contrasting trim and a different color door that is still in a kind of earthy, neutral palette.

42:17Brianna Amigo:So we, even in our home today that we just moved into our new house, we did that here because I feel like it's, it's still like a little bit of an elevated design choice. It feels custom, but at the same time, it's not like off-putting and it's not something I'd get tired of in the next 10 to 20 years. So you have to kind of put yourself in the shoes of your buyer too. If you lived here, would you want to see a blue color drenched room for the rest of your life? Maybe not. So I would maybe just do a few pops here and there and maybe like do a colored cabinet somewhere or colored vanity, something that's kind of like low risk, but still high impact.

42:56Brianna Amigo:And it isn't a lot to change for that future buyer if they weren't keen on it. Yeah.

43:01Tony Javier:Awesome. Thank you so much. Like even one thing you had said earlier was like, you know, the girl tile stuck with that forever. Like I have all boys, so it would probably be all blue trim, you know, or all green or whatever. So like a buyer coming in with all girls, they would have to completely, well, in some cases have to completely paint all that to match whatever color the girl wanted or whatever. So yeah, great point there. My last question here before we kind of wrap up is how does the pricing and the hiring work of a designer? Is it a flat rate? Is it hourly? Is it based on the project?

43:36Tony Javier:Is it based on the cost? And I guess one question I have too is like when you're hiring the designer, do you give them the budget up front? And how do you even decide what your budget is going to be for design?

43:52Brianna Amigo:Yeah, I mean, there's a wide range of how designers essentially charge for their services. So that's going to vary quite a bit, especially with the type of designer. Residential, there's usually, yes, a percentage on top of the cost of all the materials and furnishing elements that is added to the overall fee structure. But for us, and I can speak for us, is that what we like to do is full transparency to the investor. We want them to go into this deal knowing this is the cost to furnish the property, this is what it would be to invest in our design services, all up front so that they know what they're getting themselves into and that they're allocating enough budget to do so.

44:33Brianna Amigo:So we do a flat rate, and that's based off of scope of work, size of the property, square footage. and we come up with a custom quote that makes sense. And we personally, as far as procurement, we use a third-party vendor that supports our clients with all of the procurement. And so we don't add any additional commission or percentage on top of the items. Essentially, the only way you're kind of paying for the design services is through our fee.

45:01Tony Javier:Well, Bree, thank you so much for joining us today on Real Estate Rookie. where can people find out more information about you and see some of the projects that you've done? Absolutely.

45:11Brianna Amigo:Well, follow us on Instagram. Brianna Michelle Interiors is our Instagram handle. And BriannaMichelleInteriors.com is where you can reach out and set up a consultation call with me. I personally take those calls. So you'll be able to jump on a call, free consultation with me, and we'll talk about your project, what your goals are. And we do everything. We design primarily short-term rentals, but we've helped Tony with flips and we were flippers ourselves. So renovations, rehabs, primary residences, we've done commercial projects. So we have, you know, a wide variety when it comes to our expertise, but our bread and butter is short-term rentals.

45:48Tony Javier:And look at the great advice that Brie already gave me about color drenching too. And who knew it was even called that? Yeah. I'm Ashley and he's Tony. Thank you so much for joining us on today's episode of Real Estate Rookie. I didn't like what you said, Odin pauses, about the future. This is the love story of real hinge couple Odin and Edward, written and read by me, Curtis Garner. Listen to the free audiobook now.

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