Flipped Around

Flipped Around A Day in the Life of Howard Rihm

At 67 years old, Howard Rihm is proving that it's never too late to start working on your dreams and goals. For most of his life he's been a barber, but about three years ago he decided to take a chance and start something he'd always wanted to do: flipping houses.

"Years ago I said I always wanted to get into it, [house-flipping] but I had full time job so I didn’t really have the time. I cut back hours as a barber to make the time. I knew that at my age if I don’t do it now I won't ever be able to do it," he shares.

Howard's favorite parts of the process include, "Making money and selling them. I try to do everything I can without a contractor…cabinets, flooring, painting, carpentry, plumbing, electrical--as much as I can do myself--the variety of it, I guess."

Rihm takes a break to talk to his wife, Sonia Rihm, on the phone. Sonia is his partner in all things. "She’s the boss," he laughs. "She picks out designs, paint color and anything that has to do with decorating it [the house]."

Trying not to get too much paint on the trim of the wall, Howard finishes painting the last corner of a room.

Howard decided he still really loves being a Barber even though he's mostly flipping houses now. "There's a balance because I get fed up with one and then it’s time to go back to the other. I enjoy cutting hair and the people I interact with and I enjoy the 4 days week of flipping the house. It works out very well," he says.

Howard works on the electric in the remodeled kitchen of his current flip.

Howard shares that he acquired his skilled hand from his father, "Growing up my dad was always a handyman and I did everything with him. He did a lot of stuff on the side and I picked it all up from him. He was a jack of all trades."

Howard drills a new outlet into the hole he cut in the wall.

Tools lay on countertops as Howard cleans up a days worth of messes and effort.

The feelings of finishing a flip according to Howard: "Relieved. Satisfaction of knowing what you did. Seeing the before and after and hoping you did well enough that it sells."

At the end of a day of flipping, Howard enjoys his favorite beer while admiring his day's work.

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Flipped Around A Day in the Life of Howard Rihm

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