Getting started in San Diego — looking to connect with active flippers / GCs

[Juan Esteban sola]

Hey all,

I’m based in San Diego and starting to get into the investment/remodel side - specifically flips and small residential projects.

I’m not here to “learn real estate” in theory. I’m actively trying to understand how deals actually work on the ground - costs, timelines, what breaks, what kills margins.

I’m working alongside an investor who’s open to putting capital into the right opportunities, so I’m approaching this from a very practical angle:

tightening cost assumptions, connecting with solid contractors  and figuring out what actually makes a deal work here

I’m looking to connect with people who are already doing deals in SD -flippers, GCs, or anyone deep in execution. Not looking for fluff, just real conversations.

If you’re in the area and operating, would be good to connect.

Juan

[Michael Nimaroff]

You’re approaching this the right way, especially for a market like San Diego.

At a high level, most people underestimate how tight flips can get there. It’s not just about finding a deal, it’s about controlling your basis and having a very clear understanding of costs before you close. Margins don’t leave much room for error, so the difference between a good GC and an average one can make or break the project.

If you’re already working with capital, the biggest thing I’d focus on is building a repeatable process. Lock down your numbers, get multiple contractor bids, and assume things will take longer and cost more than expected. The deals that work are usually the ones where the operator is disciplined on the front end, not trying to fix mistakes on the back end.

Also worth noting, a lot of successful operators in that market aren’t chasing volume. They’re being selective and only moving on deals where the margin is very clear from day one.

You’re asking the right questions though. If you stay focused on execution and keep learning from people actually doing deals, you’ll get up the curve faster than most.