Deals are out there, it takes some effort to find them but more importantly it takes an understanding of what the rehab will entail cost wise. You can get into analysis paralysis trying to see if a deal makes sense and if it does, it will probably go to someone that is faster at pulling the trigger. Don't read this as saying you need to jump on a deal only to find a major issue in the rehab but be able to get pretty close with your estimate quickly. We have done a number so we can go through a property, takes notes and photos and in an hour get a spreadsheet that will be pretty close to the final number. Make sure you ALWAYS have a contingency built in as it willl almost always be needed and it avoids surprises at the finish line. The contingency is not only money but time as well. That permit or CO you need to wrap things up will always take longer than expected. That custom feature will always be back ordered or arrive damaged (that is why we avoid custom touches). Always over estimate everything. We also spend a good deal of time in Lowe's and Home Depot seeing what is available when we are picking other items up. Never know when you find a closeout item you can use or an idea that can be adapted to your project. Finally, know your area. I know people make money flipping long distance but we have found it is hard enough doing it locally to try and find quality trades 1,000 miles away. Learn what direction specific neighborhoods are heading, where people are moving, what prices are doing. Check with the zoning office and see if there are any projects on the horizon that you could leverage home sales in. Be happy to share any more information if interested,
I’ve been digging deeper into fix & flips lately and trying to get around more active deal flow.
Most of what I see online is either outdated or not very actionable, so I’m curious.
Are any of you in legit group chats (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.) where people are actually sharing real deals or discussing numbers?
Not looking for spammy groups, more like smaller circles where people are actually active.
If anyone’s open to sharing or pointing me in the right direction, I’d appreciate it.
Mine come from living, working & interacting in the neighborhoods. Lots of driving, handshakes & referrals. A couple off the MLS, even 1 off craigslist lol.
IMHO & as a small biz owner if I wanted alot of deal flow id want people coming to me. Websites, landing pages, blogs, networking etc. Just gotta find what works best for you.
Deals are out there, it takes some effort to find them but more importantly it takes an understanding of what the rehab will entail cost wise. You can get into analysis paralysis trying to see if a deal makes sense and if it does, it will probably go to someone that is faster at pulling the trigger. Don't read this as saying you need to jump on a deal only to find a major issue in the rehab but be able to get pretty close with your estimate quickly. We have done a number so we can go through a property, takes notes and photos and in an hour get a spreadsheet that will be pretty close to the final number. Make sure you ALWAYS have a contingency built in as it willl almost always be needed and it avoids surprises at the finish line. The contingency is not only money but time as well. That permit or CO you need to wrap things up will always take longer than expected. That custom feature will always be back ordered or arrive damaged (that is why we avoid custom touches). Always over estimate everything. We also spend a good deal of time in Lowe's and Home Depot seeing what is available when we are picking other items up. Never know when you find a closeout item you can use or an idea that can be adapted to your project. Finally, know your area. I know people make money flipping long distance but we have found it is hard enough doing it locally to try and find quality trades 1,000 miles away. Learn what direction specific neighborhoods are heading, where people are moving, what prices are doing. Check with the zoning office and see if there are any projects on the horizon that you could leverage home sales in. Be happy to share any more information if interested,
My sources have been from networking with clients, title reps, realtors, wholesalers and local investors. Probably more sources too. Financing companies, hard money lenders...
Wholesalers . . . they are a mixed bag with more lemons in the bag than gems. Too many people have gotten into wholesaling being sold courses that say it is easy money. Often they have no idea what a true ARV is or what the rehab costs are and hope to sell their "deal" to flippers. The deals do not close and the seller is left to dry. That is why many states are cracking down on wholesaling. On the flip side, if you find a good one, they will get you some killer deals. Reach out to some of the bandit signs or other advertising sources to see what is out there and what they have. Be prepared to move quickly if a deal comes up (but see the previous post I made on being certain the deal is a deal) as it will be gone if you have analysis paralysis.
We have gotten some great deals from a wholesaler in our area but went through 20 that were clueless and asked us questions to help them get going. Find a good one and be prepared to close a deal if it meets your criteria.
You really have to do a deep dive on your area, from testing PPC-PPL and more! These things are truly a market to market specific situation. I did radio ads for a couple years, and it did not work!!! But there were guys in other markets that would do just radio ads and that would be the only way you get deal flow. Many other ways, letters, mailing, cold calls, and more!
You have to fit it into your box for your area, and some people don't like the cold call route so they do to mailers and so on. It also is something that you like doing because if you don't like cold calling you will never do it and never get leads to convert. I hate cold calling, but do well on the phone and make that my source of business when a lead comes in.
Check your area after doing some different marketing streams then jump on the one that is working the best! And do one that you will actually follow through with too!
I've found that some of the best deal discussions happen in smaller groups where people have built relationships and trust over time.
Through the co-investing club I help run, we review and discuss investment opportunities regularly, and one thing I've noticed is that the value often comes as much from the conversations and due diligence as it does from the deals themselves. Hearing how other investors evaluate opportunities can be incredibly helpful.
I'd also encourage you to check out local meetups and investor groups in your area. Some of the best connections I've made over the years started with simply showing up and getting involved.
Wishing you the best as you continue building your network.