Newbie looking for Hartford, CT Market Help/Insights
Hi all,
My name is Justin. I am new to real estate investing. I am located within the Hartford, CT market. I am looking to start out doing some fix and flips with the goal of transitioning into buy and holds. Two of my troubles I am having in my market is acquiring a deal, and finding flipping friendly GC's. These problems are circular as it makes it harder for me to get a deal because I do not have a contractor to perform a statement of work for the hard money lenders. And I can't get a contractor because I don't have a deal. Does anyone in this market have any suggestions for these two problems.
Thanks,
Justin
Most Popular Reply
Hey Justin,
Welcome to the game, you're already ahead of many by asking the right questions early.
Hartford, CT is a market with solid potential, especially for fix and flips in neighborhoods seeing revitalization like Parkville, West End, and South End. But like many emerging investors, you're hitting that classic catch-22 between finding a deal and locking in a GC.
Here’s what works in your situation: start building relationships with contractors now, even before you have a deal. Attend local real estate meetups (REIAs), investor-friendly contractor events, or use platforms like Thumbtack and HomeAdvisor to vet a few GCs who’ve worked with flippers. Let them know you’re serious and have funding plans in place, they're more likely to engage when they see your intent is real.
On the deal side, focus on pre-foreclosures, probate, or tired landlords. Drive for dollars and use tools like PropStream or DealMachine to find motivated sellers. You might also consider JV'ing your first deal with a more experienced investor who already has a GC on board there's a lot to gain just by being part of a full cycle.
Once you secure even a loose partnership with a GC who can ballpark renovation costs, you’ll be in a much stronger position with lenders, even a rough SOW can get you to the next step.
Feel free to reach out if you want to chat more about strategies or market trends in Hartford.
Drago