Realtors Use Social Media to Flip Shoreline Home

Home flipper Mike Riccio and realtor Nicole White are trying a new method of marketing a home makeover.

"I know that 90 percent of our consumers are coming from online," said White of William Raveis Real Estate in Madison, "But I also know how many people voice their desire to flip a house or enjoy watching homes being flipped."

White came up with the concept of relying on Facebook users to pick all of the renovations from the cabinets to the colors in an Old Saybrook home Riccio bought in December.

"When she brought it up I was like woah, that’s a cool idea, I’ve never heard of it before," said Riccio, owner of Rebuilt Homes in Southington.

White created the Facebook page, The House That Social Media Built, which has more than 500 likes.

Every Monday, the page shares two to three options for different design elements in the home. Voting works by commenting on the post and then on Thursday White or Riccio announces the winner with a video message.

"They’ll pick kitchen cabinets, appliances, flooring, bathroom tile, everything, all the way through and we’re going to let them flip the house," Riccio said.

NBC Connecticut’s camera was rolling Thursday afternoon as a demolition crew worked on gutting the interior of the Dutch Colonial style house built in the 1980s.

"What we’re doing is taking the existing floor plan and modernizing it to an open concept floor plan," Riccio said.

With the buzz they are generating on social media, White and Riccio hope to find a buyer before the re-building is done in May.

"You’re getting to watch this house progress, but then at the end you’re also able to buy the home," said White.

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