Why Most People Think Flipping Houses Is Easy (And Why They’re Wrong)
Jorge VazquezBusiness Member
Real Estate Broker · Tampa, FL · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 692 votes
Graystone Investment Group517 Reviews
Why Most People Think Flipping Houses Is Easy (And Why They’re Wrong)
Most Popular Reply
Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
1yQuote from @Jorge Vazquez:
Turn on HGTV or scroll YouTube and you'll think flipping houses is a magic money machine. Buy ugly, swing a hammer, add subway tile, and boom… $50k profit in six weeks. The truth? Real flipping in 2025 takes way more grit. Sure, you can make $60k on a deal, but most flips land closer to $25k to $30k, and plenty barely break even. The MLS is still king if you move lightning fast. Wholesalers are back in action, and the 70% rule still matters, though many deals close closer to 75% to 80% ARV these days. Here's what the highlight reels don't show: the holding costs, the blown timelines, the surprise contractor drama, and the fact that speed, systems, and consistency matter more than one big home run flip. After 20 years in the game, I've learned that cosmetic flips beat full guts, singles and doubles build wealth faster than swinging for unicorn deals, and stacking steady $30k wins can get you way further than chasing the one in a hundred $100k flip.
What’s been your biggest surprise about flipping—was it harder, easier, or just different than you expected?
Its TV, of course it is not as easy as it is on TV. Been in construction and real estate for almost 30 years. What surprises me is the amount of unethical people in real estate and trying to find good partners.
I literally spent two weeks negotiating a contract with a vendor recently and they have completely gone dark now the week before we start and never signed the contract. I go out and bring on a new subcontractor and after 3 weeks of not responding to emails, phones and texts they aer like "when can I start"... Sorry but the contract went to someone else because you were non responsive.... I could share 1000's of stories
7e investments53 Reviews
5 Replies
- Tulsa ok · Member since 2025 · 84 posts · 60 votes1y
I started by flipping properties in 2003 and it was so easy and quick to make money with the way banks where lending. I was like why doesnt everyone do this! Then 08 hit and I couldn't sell any of my flips so i had to change strategies to survive, to long term holds and cashflow became my strength. The one thing I hate about flips are taxes eat away alot of the profits. I dont flip any more but know people who love to turn their money over quickly. I prefer cashflow, appreciation, and depreciation and if I need a big chunk of money refinance a property and take my cash tax free. For me flipping was easy, then impossible, and now i really have no interest in it. - Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes1y
Quote from @Jorge Vazquez:
Turn on HGTV or scroll YouTube and you'll think flipping houses is a magic money machine. Buy ugly, swing a hammer, add subway tile, and boom… $50k profit in six weeks. The truth? Real flipping in 2025 takes way more grit. Sure, you can make $60k on a deal, but most flips land closer to $25k to $30k, and plenty barely break even. The MLS is still king if you move lightning fast. Wholesalers are back in action, and the 70% rule still matters, though many deals close closer to 75% to 80% ARV these days. Here's what the highlight reels don't show: the holding costs, the blown timelines, the surprise contractor drama, and the fact that speed, systems, and consistency matter more than one big home run flip. After 20 years in the game, I've learned that cosmetic flips beat full guts, singles and doubles build wealth faster than swinging for unicorn deals, and stacking steady $30k wins can get you way further than chasing the one in a hundred $100k flip.
What’s been your biggest surprise about flipping—was it harder, easier, or just different than you expected?
Its TV, of course it is not as easy as it is on TV. Been in construction and real estate for almost 30 years. What surprises me is the amount of unethical people in real estate and trying to find good partners.
I literally spent two weeks negotiating a contract with a vendor recently and they have completely gone dark now the week before we start and never signed the contract. I go out and bring on a new subcontractor and after 3 weeks of not responding to emails, phones and texts they aer like "when can I start"... Sorry but the contract went to someone else because you were non responsive.... I could share 1000's of stories
7e investments53 Reviews - 1yJaron WallingPro MemberRental Property Investor · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2018 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
@Jorge Vazquez @Chris Seveney The TV shows are very miss leading by design.
Back in 2018 when I got my finances in order, aimed to BRRRR, and bought my first property I tried to buy my landlords property. We couldn't agree on a price (shocker) so I bought a distressed property for < half the price in C/C+ neighborhood. He ended up selling it to Discovery Network (aka HGTV) and his property (the last rental I lived in) got transformed into a massive house. It was Dream Oasis sweepstakes give away. Absolutely stunning property.
Long story short living in the property for 5 years, and knowing the neighborhood showed me how bad these TV shows are. On a bike ride I popped in chatted with a contractor. They literally had NO BUDGET. They travel the county remodeling these the give-away properties. Dream job for a contractor I suppose. No investor would do this remodel real life. Houses on the same street are half the square footage. The neighbors house is tiny and photoshopped out of photos. It's all sponsor driven, advertisement focused, allusion.
- Investor · Lackawanna County PA · Member since 2016 · 36 posts · 25 votes1y
Thank you for bringing up this topic of your experience in flipping houses, this info is so helpful for so many people.
I started flipping about a year ago and I gained already a lot of experience, for instance 1 flip I bought it with out a driveway on a busy main street, and the sellers agent showed me that on the left side I could make a driveway, but in the real world I wasn't able to do the driveway because the left side was the neighbors property, and I had to sell it for 25K less than it should go, only because I didn't do my due diligent correctly.
And vetting the right contractor is so important, I believed people who showed me pictures of work they supposably did and the pictures were great, but their work was actually sloppy, and I couldn't sell it for the right price, so it's so important to vett your contractors really hard.
- Member since 2025 · 72 posts · 45 votes1y
From an investor as well as a GC the biggest downfall is spreadsheet tunnel vision. Most people hear sq ft pricing or see pictures of a place and automatically assume the budget without getting someone in there to take a look at it or having enough fluff in there offer to account for unknowns. I don't know how many blind wholesale deals I have been a part of where the investor didn't account for 10-30k worth of repairs because of blind faith from the wholesaler or agent...
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