Fix & Flip vs. Wholesaling: Which is Faster?

[Jeremy Beland]

Think flipping houses is the ultimate path to real estate riches? I get it. HGTV makes it look sexy—buy a dump, add granite countertops, sell it for profit. But I’m here to share the unfiltered truth.

Wholesaling outperforms fix-and-flip in almost every way—especially if you’re just getting started.

In this blog, I’ll break down the real pros and cons of both strategies, share actual numbers, and explain how we built a business that produced seven figures—without ever swinging a hammer.

Why Real Estate Is Still the Best Path to Wealth

There’s a reason real estate creates more millionaires than any other asset class:
> Leverage
> Cash flow
> Appreciation
>Tax advantages
> Control

But most importantly, real estate gives you multiple ways to generate income—you just have to pick the right one for your current stage.

 Fix & Flip vs. Wholesaling: The Real Pros and Cons

Fix and Flip: Pros
Larger profit per deal (in theory)
Visual satisfaction (before & after transformations are fun)
Easier to explain ("I flip houses" is a cool elevator pitch)
Builds a public reputation (if you do it consistently and well)

Fix and Flip: Cons

Cash-heavy and risky (need capital for down payments, rehab, permits)
Slow cash cycle (90–180+ days to get paid)
Unscalable without a large team
Market fluctuations can crush your profits (remember 2022?)
Permits, delays, cost overruns—it's a logistical nightmare

For the record, I didn’t flip a single house in 2023—and still had a multiple six-figure year wholesaling.

Wholesaling: Pros
Quick cash cycle (often paid within 30 days)
No repairs, debt, or contractors
Much easier to scale (1 deal/month → 4 deals/month is very realistic)
Low capital requirements
Builds elite off-market acquisition skills (the most valuable skill in real estate)

Wholesaling: Cons
Requires strong communication and sales skills
Emotional and complex sellers (you’re solving real problems)
Not as “sexy” as flipping for social media
Takes time and effort to learn comps and evaluate deals quickly

This business is simple—but it’s not easy. Some days you’ll be a therapist, a coach, and a deal-maker—all in one.

Real-World Math: Flipping vs. Wholesaling

Let’s break it down:
Option 1: Fix & Flip
1 flip in 6 months = $30K (if everything goes well)

Option 2: Wholesaling
2 deals/month x $10K average profit x 6 months = $120K
Even with 50% fallout rate → $60K = Still double flipping returns

You can build a multiple six-figure business wholesaling—and cherry-pick the best flips later if you want to.

The Smart Play: Learn to Wholesale First
If you’re serious about building real estate wealth, start with wholesaling. Here’s why:
You learn to find off-market deals (your #1 asset)
You build cash fast with minimal risk
You create options—flip, hold, or assign based on strategy

Once you master this game, you can do anything:
Keep the best deals and flip them for six figures
Build rental portfolios with creative financing
Help people in your community avoid foreclosure while building wealth.

Learn to source deals first.
Everything else becomes possible from there.