Flipping Fellers April 2023 Newsletter

Amy Feller
Jan 2, 2024
4 min read

Updated: Dec 30, 2024

Project Update

by Amy Feller

In April 2022, we did a 1031 exchange on one of our duplexes to purchase a short term rental property. We purchased a cabin just south of St. Cloud on the Mississippi River - we call it Feller Haven.

We’ve been busy working on other people’s projects over the last year and finally carved out a little time to complete the interior renovations on this one. Our main goal in this property was to intentionally update - blending old with new to keep the cabin feel. A neighbor shared with us that this house was built by a local college shop class.

We updated lighting and gave the whole place a fresh coat of paint. In the main living room with the large wood beams at the ceiling, there were at least 3 types of flooring. We installed LVP flooring throughout to make the space feel larger, less broken up and shortened a pony wall at the main entrance. We also updated the fireplace, removing the old mantle and trim and painting the tile black.

In the basement we painted the wood paneling in the hallway along with the ceiling grid. There is a large room that had some water damage from the bathroom above. We removed a closet to add another 4 feet to the room for a future bar area and pool table. We redid the basement bath to incorporate a larger vanity. In the basement living room, we added an 11’ dry bar complete with mini beverage fridge and chose to keep the wood paneling on the walls for cabin vibes.

I mentioned earlier we bought this property in a 1031 exchange. A 1031 exchange is a tax strategy that allows you to swap one investment property for another of equal or greater value without paying capital gains tax on the sale. If you are interested in doing a 1031 exchange with an investment property - feel free to reach out and find out more about how we did this.

New deck coming this spring! We will continue to share updates as they happen and keep you posted when you can rent this one on AirBNB.

***Furniture designs by Grey Duck Staging & Design

Contractor's Corner

by Dusty Feller

We like refurbishing or keeping the old where possible – like the unique look of the grooves on the wood paneling or the tile at the fire place or a textured wall. There’s something to be said about resurfacing instead of removing.

In this house, we used this primer on everything - walls, shelves, fireplace & wood paneling.

My painter, Phil Koffel with PRK Painting recommended Smart Prime and it’s my go to primer.

I previously used oil based primer on difficult surfaces where paint adhesion and coverage was a concern.

Oil based primers contain heavy metals, harmful chemicals and VOC's which are dangerous to your body and the environment. SmartPrime does everything an oil based primer can do but it also keeps your job site safe and promotes a healthier world to live in. On the wood wall paneling and fireplace tile, the adhesion is fantastic.

We also used this product on some older textured walls and walls in rough shape. There was no bleed through and it really made the walls look their best.

The lack of fumes is so important when you are working around the area and trying to keep a fast-paced project moving. Check out Smart Prime for your next painting project!

Feller Fun

by Amy Feller

Mississippi Pot Roast

In honor of our Mississippi river cabin I thought I would share one of my favorite slow cooker recipes. This Mississippi Pot Roast is the most delicious pot roast you will EVER eat!

Ingredients

1 (3-4 pounds) chuck roast

1 packet ranch dressing mix

1 packet au jus gravy mix

1/4 cup butter

4-5 pepperoncini peppers ( I do a little extra and get the SPICY ones)

Instructions

Place roast in the slow cooker and sprinkle the top with the ranch dressing mix and the au jus mix. Place peppers on top of the mixes, and add the butter.

Cook over low heat for 8 hours. Serve with noodles, rice or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Meet the Flipping Fellers

Hi There!

If you don't already know us, we are Dusty and Amy Feller. We are the Flipping Fellers. We are real-estate investors, flippers and a realtor/general contractor team! We love to share our own projects. We also work with homeowners like you.

Dusty is a General Contractor who basically grew up on a jobsite. He uses his construction and manufacturing experience to run organized and streamlined projects. Amy is a Realtor and Real Estate Investor. With a background in commercial construction project management, she also helps Dusty run Feller Contracting.

We have 2 little girls and a chocolate lab named Yogi that keep us busy outside of work. We love the outdoors, skiing, biking, hiking, camping and all things Minnesota has to offer. Thanks for following our crazy journey!

-The Fellers