Potential for Full time Flipping to replace 9-5 income
I'm weighing a move into full-time flipping and I'd like a reality check from people actually buying in this market.
Where I stand: $100–150k in savings, currently collecting unemployment after being laid off — second time in a row. Between the two, I have roughly a year before I need this to produce real income. I'd rather build something I control than keep betting on corporate stability, so I'm seriously considering making this my primary work rather than a side pursuit.
My question is about timing. Is the current market conducive to someone entering flipping now and actually making money at it? I know rates are elevated and could climb further, and I assume that compresses margins and stretches hold times. What I don't have a feel for is whether deals are still penciling for newer operators, or whether the spread has mostly been squeezed out.
My bar is modest. When the runway runs out I need roughly $60k a year to live on. I'm not expecting big numbers early. The goal is to scale into six figures over the following few years. I'd also expect to BRRRR a portion of what I buy rather than flipping everything, keeping some units for cash flow and a long-term base.
I'd rather hear the honest version than the encouraging one. If the answer is "no" I want to know that now, and why, while I still have the runway to change course.
Most Popular Reply
Honestly, I think flipping is too risky to rely on as your primary income source in the beginning.
Flipping can be a great way to build capital, but even if you’re well educated, you’re going to make mistakes—especially when you feel pressure to find a deal because you need the money to live. That’s when people start forcing deals that they normally wouldn’t buy.
If I were in your position, I'd keep a part-time job or some other source of income and build the flipping business on the side. Use flipping to grow your capital, and BRRRR some of the better properties when it makes sense.
Once you have enough experience, reserves, and a track record of successful deals, then you can consider making it your primary income. I just wouldn’t put that pressure on yourself from day one.