When you think of Ellen DeGeneres, words like ‘smart’, ‘funny’, and ‘famous’ come to mind. But would you ever add ‘real estate’ to the mix?

According to a recent report in Los Angeles Real Estate News, The Real Deal, DeGeneres and her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, have closed at least $152 million in eight real estate trades in California since 2017!

While she has been called a ‘home flipper’ in the past (where you buy properties with the aim of renovating and re-selling for a profit), DeGeneres actually rejects the term. In a 2014 interview, she said “I always say ‘This is it. I’m never moving.’ People laugh at me now.”

Do you enjoy buying low-cost properties in desperate need of repair, then fixing them up to sell for a profit?

Or are you a House Rules fan and thought about giving home renovation a crack?

If you answered yes, DeGeneres is your new role model!

How Ellen DeGeneres makes a profit in property

While we don’t all have millions to spend on massive Californian properties, anyone thinking about buying ‘fixer-upper’ housing could learn a thing or two by the talk show host.

Over the past 25 years, DeGeneres has bought and renovated nearly a dozen homes. And she’s written a book about it.

In her book called ‘Home’, the celebrity (who once dreamed about becoming an interior designer) documents her experiences and learnings, as well as provides ideas on how to beautify your living quarters.

DeGeneres’ property styling tips

Here are some gold nuggets of advice offered in her coffee table book.

Use neutral colours

"I like neutral colours with stronger colors in art, pillows, or a nice throw. Big colour statements on walls or furniture can be fun, but limit the possibility of changes."

Keep it simple

"When finishing a room, I find it's often useful to take one thing away. I always want to make sure it doesn't look overdone or fussy."

Light up your life

"Every room needs more than one light source. Lighting can be harsh or insufficient if you just rely on ceiling lighting. I like soft, even lighting, and I think floor and table lamps are essential to creating the right mood."

Vintage is the new black

"Vintage fabrics can help personalise your home. They can be used for throw pillows, upholstery on a headboard - even a dog bed."

If you need some further assistance on styling your home for sale, ask your agent for their property styling contacts.

We're here to help

We're always happy to help with all the dramas and stressors of house buying and selling.

And if you're particularly tired of house-hunting, we've even partnered with buyer advocates who can check out homes for you and organise sales assessments and negotiations.

Our off-market and pre-market marketplace gives you VIP access to properties so you can get in first.

Just sign up at Listing Loop or download our app.

*Excerpted from the book “Home" by Ellen DeGeneres. Copyright (c) 2015 by Crazy Monkey, Inc. Reprinted with permission of Grand Central Publishing