Brandon & Josh were wrong AKA My first flip

Brandon & Josh were wrong AKA My first flip

Investor · Tampa, FL · Member since 2015 · 13 posts · 36 votes

Dear Brandon & Josh, 

I am happy to tell you that you were wrong! I have been listening to the BP podcast and hanging around here for almost a year now.  I was ready...oh so ready but those little words kept scaring me away "Most people lose money on their first flip". Well I am happy to tell you, I DIDN'T! (ok, we, but mostly I). I have been analyzing, advising and helping others with their real estate investments for a couple years now but I just finally jumped in and did my own end to end flip. YAYYYY.

I closed on the selling end of my first flip on Friday. It was an adorable little Old West Tampa bungalow. I (my llc and a partner) purchased it in September for 37k, spend 32k on rehab, 9k on closing costs/fees/commissions/taxes/holding costs. We purchased with cash and we sold it in February for 120k. Within 24 hours of the MLS listing we had two contracts. We accepted a full price offer with cash close and no contingencies. We had a backup offer for 124k. I know, I know, maybe I priced too low. After all was said in done, the deal made 42k before taxes.

We did it! I dreamed of this moment when I would be telling you all about it.  So as much as I cringed every time I heard "most people lose money on their first flip" I found so much inspiration in all the stories and the many times and ways you guys have said "take action" or "just do it."  

I should also note that I'm also a single mom, I work full time and volunteer for local animal rescues and charities.  After seeing all the feral cats and kittens in the area and my heart breaking worrying about them I also rescued, tamed and adopted out (to loving families) 7 kittens from 2 litters and trapped, spay/neutered and vaccinated 3 adult cats in the process. The neighbors were so happy to have help with them.  I'm sure it also helped the house to not have tons of feral cats everywhere.  

So if I can do it, anyone can do it!!

Oh, and I bought a rental, more on that next time. :) 

Union House (after photos)

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Will BarnardPro Member
Moderator
Developer · Santa Clarita, CA · Member since 2008 · 15k+ posts · 10k+ votes
10y

Love your title of the thread! Congrats on your success.

For all reading this, I want to point out the most important factor in this message which resulted in the successful first flip: @Jessi Hill BOUGHT RIGHT!! Simple as that.

Look at those numbers - $32k purchase, $37k rehab, total of $69k and sold for $120k. That is a 57.5% deal and the reason she slammed a home run on this one. Deals with that kind of spread are not easy to come by but beginners need to know that they must find decent spreads before they pull the trigger.

See this reply in the discussion

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  • Rental Property Investor · Fond Du Lac, WI · Member since 2015 · 261 posts · 78 votes
    10y

    This is great! congratulations 

  • Investor · King of Prussia, PA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 339 votes
    10y

    congrats @Jessi Hill very inspiring. All the best!

  • Sicklerville, NJ · Member since 2015 · 3 posts · 1 vote
    10y

    Thats fantastic! Congratulations!

  • Investor · Saint Amant, LA · Member since 2016 · 20 posts · 5 votes
    10y

    Congrats. That's awesome. Keep it up.

  • Chicago, IL · Member since 2015 · 298 posts · 261 votes
    10y

    Congrats. That is an excellent flip. And being able to do it all cash certainly increased your return. I wish i could flip with Cash in my area. You would need 300-400K to do that here.

  • Investor · Lakewood, WA · Member since 2015 · 3 posts · 1 vote
    10y

    I usually don't post but I wanted to say congrats and how exciting that is!!! Good job! !!

  • Investor · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2013 · 465 posts · 170 votes
    10y

    Cat taxes are the best taxes. 

    Congrats on the flip!

  • Rental Property Investor · New York, NY · Member since 2011 · 956 posts · 510 votes
    10y

    Excellent! hope you didn't sell the cats with it. 

    Congrats!!

  • Dave MeyerPro Member
    Head of Real Estate Investing at BiggerPockets · Seattle, WA · Member since 2015 · 224 posts · 826 votes
    10y

    Congrats! I'm sure Brandon and Josh will be happy to hear they were wrong in this instance :)

  • Realtor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2015 · 95 posts · 31 votes
    10y

    Congratulations @Jessi Hill! Such a cute house! It must be gratifying to turn an ugly duckling into a swan!

  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    10y

    @Jessi Hill  nice work... my take away from this is you worked hard saved your money so you could pay cash to do this deal... more folks should follow your foot steps of working hard saving there cash then jumping in..

  • Will BarnardPro Member
    Moderator
    Developer · Santa Clarita, CA · Member since 2008 · 15k+ posts · 10k+ votes
    10y

    Love your title of the thread! Congrats on your success.

    For all reading this, I want to point out the most important factor in this message which resulted in the successful first flip: @Jessi Hill BOUGHT RIGHT!! Simple as that.

    Look at those numbers - $32k purchase, $37k rehab, total of $69k and sold for $120k. That is a 57.5% deal and the reason she slammed a home run on this one. Deals with that kind of spread are not easy to come by but beginners need to know that they must find decent spreads before they pull the trigger.

  • Real Estate Agent · Austell, GA · Member since 2014 · 232 posts · 74 votes
    10y

    Congrats! Keep it going! 

  • Investor · Palm Harbor, FL · Member since 2015 · 86 posts · 18 votes
    10y

    Congrats!  You're off to a great start.

  • Computer Programmer & Real Estate Agent · Miami, FL · Member since 2015 · 63 posts · 17 votes
    10y

    Congratulations @Jessi Hill way to go!

    I would like to think that when @Joshua D. and @Brandon Turner say: "Most people lose money in their first flip" They are not talking about people who is been around BP for a more than a year Consistently, that I believe is one of the reasons BP is so successful. 

    Keep it up ;)

  • Andrew SyriosPro Member
    Moderator
    Residential Real Estate Investor · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2014 · 10k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    10y

    Congrats Jessi! (And nice kittens too)

  • Real Estate Broker · Gibsonia, PA · Member since 2013 · 828 posts · 260 votes
    10y

    congratz!!!!

  • Real Estate Agent · Burlington, VT · Member since 2015 · 108 posts · 46 votes
    10y

    Nice job! You did some amazing work with paint colors alone. Don't think you priced too low because you got multiple offers and full price. You hit the sweet spot of selling when you drive urgency in your buyers. Much better than lingering on market. 

    I can't wait to see your next one!

  • Real Estate Investor · atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 456 posts · 237 votes
    10y

    Totally awesome - you've already outpaced 50% of the folks here.....most analyze, analyze, analyze and never do a deal....same with the investor groups.  Congrats!

  • Phillip Y.Pro Member
    Birmingham, AL · Member since 2015 · 53 posts · 8 votes
    10y

    Great looking house! Congrats!

  • Investor · Wichita Falls, TX · Member since 2014 · 382 posts · 123 votes
    10y

    Love it! Love it Love it!

  • General Contractor · Chanhassen, MN · Member since 2016 · 15 posts · 2 votes
    10y

    Congratulations, great start!

  • Investor · Asheville, NC · Member since 2011 · 833 posts · 499 votes
    10y

    @Jessi Hill, it looks awesome, well done!

  • Real Estate Agent · Cumming, GA · Member since 2016 · 7 posts · 5 votes
    10y

    Congrats!!! Great story to read as a new pro member and a newbie

  • Kew Gardens, NY · Member since 2015 · 7 posts · 3 votes
    10y

    Congratulations Jessi, that is great work!

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