How to Flip Houses for Beginners: The 2023 Guide | Oberer Homes (2024)

House flipping is an investment strategy focused on buying, renovating, and selling a property as quickly as possible in order to turn a profit.

The financial opportunity has been significant for those who are able to implement a smart house flipping strategy in the right place at the right time, and in 2023 more people are trying than any other time in the past 5+ years.

By the middle of last year, flips accounted for nearly 10% of all home sales. Momentum for flipping continues to grow as people look for new and creative ways to earn additional income post-pandemic.

How to Flip Houses for Beginners: The 2023 Guide | Oberer Homes (1)

But it’s important to note that taking on house flipping without the right knowledge and plan can lead to serious trouble — including financial loss. Anyone can learn to flip houses, but newbie flippers must take time to learn the ropes, prepare their finances, and build the right team around them before taking on their first project.

In the next section, we’ll walk through a step-by-step guide on how to flip houses for beginners — including the right steps to prepare, who you need on your team, and how to maximize profit on your investment.

Quick Takeaways

  • Take time to research your market and comparable property values in your target area.
  • Attend industry networking events (like meetups and conferences) to meet and learn from experienced house flippers.
  • Follow the 70% rule — never pay more than 70% of after-repair value minus repair costs for a new investment property.
  • Build a solid support team that includes a real estate agent, general contractor, plumber, electrician, designer, and home stager.
  • After you make your first purchase, develop a renovation timeline and stick to it in order to maximize profit.

How to Start Flipping Houses in 2023

Get to know your real estate market

The beginning of your house flipping journey should be spent doing research on the housing markets where you plan to purchase property. You’ll want to become an expert on property values in your target areas as well as short- and long-term market trends (local and nationwide).

Spend time on listing sites like Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com, where you can look at comparable properties to the ones you’d like to flip and get an idea of what’s in your budget. Research the house flipping market, too, and zero in on areas where demand is high and time on the market is short. This varies a ton from city to city and even area within a certain municipality.

By the way — our very own Dayton area was recently rated the 9th best market to flip houses in the United States, ahead of any other metropolitan area in the Buckeye state!

Talk to experienced house flippers

There are some things that can only be learned through experience, and talking to seasoned house flippers is the best way to learn those things for yourself. By doing so, you can avoid many of the common growing pains and mistakes made by beginners.

Here are some tips for finding and learning from successful house flippers:

  • Attend networking events and conferences (check out these meetups hosted by Real Estate Hackers and conference events by Think Realty).
  • Get active on online message boards for real estate investors and house flippers (like this Real Estate Investing Beginners forum).
  • Reach out directly to talk about mentorship. Many experienced flippers will be willing to offer advice and even let you visit their own active properties to see how it happens firsthand.

Organize your own finances and set a budget

House flipping always involves financial risk, so it’s critical to have a clear understanding of your personal finances, what you can afford, and your options for financing upfront costs of acquiring your first property.

A common rule of thumb in the house flipping world is the 70% rule — an investor should never pay more than 70% of the after-repair value (ARV) of a home minus the cost to repair it. The calculation looks like this:

How to Flip Houses for Beginners: The 2023 Guide | Oberer Homes (2)

To accurately estimate ARV, you’ll need to look at comparable properties in the area. Estimating repair costs likely requires insight from your contracting team (more on that next), who can provide expertise on the exact expenses involved in a given renovation plan.

But before you start diving into ARVs and home repair costs for particular properties, you’ll need to know what you can afford personally and how you intend to fund your purchase.

Many investors prefer to pay cash for their properties, but you may not be able to do that until you turn your first profit. When you’re getting started, you may choose to finance your purchase through avenues like traditional bank financing, home equity lines of credit, or personal loans.

It’s important to keep in mind, however, that the more debt you take on for your house flip, the riskier your investment becomes.

Build your team

Your support team is a big factor in whether your house flip will succeed. Make sure that yours includes:

  • A great real estate agent with knowledge of the house flipping process who can help you find great properties to buy and resell them successfully after they’re renovated
  • A general contractor to help you set your renovation budget and execute repairs, and a reliable plumber and electrician
  • A designer and home stager to prepare the property aesthetically for potential buyers.

Determine the skills you have yourself to help you determine who you should hire on your team (for example, if you’re a general contractor yourself, you might choose not to hire one).

As a general rule, though, don’t try to tackle parts of the renovation you’re not truly qualified to handle without help. Doing so can lead to costly mistakes and longer-than-planned renovation times that dig into your profit.

Search for a property and make a purchase

Once you’ve done your research, set your budget, planned your finances, and built your support team, it’s time to finally look for your first property. Your real estate agent can guide you through the search process. Most real estate investors intending to flip a house look for homes that have been foreclosed and thus will have lower list prices.

You can find foreclosed homes on regular real estate listing websites (the same ones you used to research your markets) or at sheriff’s sales, where local law enforcement hold auctions of repossessed homes. Sheriff’s sales can be competitive for house flippers because they offer so many high-potential properties at low cost. Put your bidding hat on before you get there!

Develop a timeline and plan for your flip

Once you’ve purchased your first property, develop a timeline and plan for your renovations and resale. Most flips take anywhere from 6-12 weeks, depending on the level of repairs needed. Making and sticking to your plan is critical to managing costs and maximizing profit on your flip.

Be sure to share your plan with your renovation team, monitor progress closely, and build in some flexibility for inevitable unexpected challenges along the way so you can still meet your deadline.

Make your sale

Now for the fun part — it’s time to make your sale. Turn to your designer, home stager, and real estate agent to make your listing successful. They’ll have insight into what buyers are looking for, and their work makes a serious impact on your sale price potential. The National Association of Realtors says home staging alone can increase sale prices by 20 percent!

Choose the next house to flip!

Your first flip is the hardest — once you’ve made your first sale, you’ll have your own firsthand knowledge and experience of the process, lessons learned, a solid team, and a profit to put toward your next investment. You’ll be ready to find your next great property (or two or three) and grow your new house flipping business. Best of luck!

Moving to the Dayton area? The team at Oberer Homes can help you find (or build!) a home you love. Contact us today to learn more and start your search.

< Prev PostBack to BlogsNext Post >

How to Flip Houses for Beginners: The 2023 Guide | Oberer Homes (2024)

FAQs

How to Flip Houses for Beginners: The 2023 Guide | Oberer Homes? ›

Flipping houses has been extremely profitable for the past decade, but 2023 should see the market tightening up quite a bit. With demand sagging, rehab costs going up, and days on market doubling or even tripling, house-flippers have a little tougher path to profitability than before.

Is 2023 a good year to flip houses? ›

Flipping houses has been extremely profitable for the past decade, but 2023 should see the market tightening up quite a bit. With demand sagging, rehab costs going up, and days on market doubling or even tripling, house-flippers have a little tougher path to profitability than before.

What is the 70% rule in house flipping? ›

The 70% rule can help flippers when they're scouring real estate listings for potential investment opportunities. Basically, the rule says real estate investors should pay no more than 70% of a property's after-repair value (ARV) minus the cost of the repairs necessary to renovate the home.

Is 2023 a bad time to invest in real estate? ›

Despite what some may think, 2023 is still a good year to invest in real estate, thanks to advantages like long-term appreciation, steady rental income, and the opportunity to hedge against inflation. Mortgage rates are expected to decline, but the housing market is likely to remain competitive due to low supply.

Can you still make money flipping houses 2023? ›

Is House Flipping Profitable in 2023? Yes! If you get the basics right, flipping homes in California is easier in 2023 than flipping homes in 2021's competitive market.

What is the hardest part about flipping houses? ›

What is the hardest part of flipping a house? Finding the right property (at the right price), budget management and unforeseen structural issues are often considered some of the biggest challenges that house flippers will have to face.

How much cash do I need to start flipping houses? ›

Typically, you should expect to spend around 10% of the purchase price to fix & flip a property.

What is illegal house flipping? ›

A con artist buys a property with the intent to re-sell it an artificially inflated price for a considerable profit, even though they only make minor improvements to it.

What are the red flags when buying a flipped house? ›

Check for obvious mistakes in the renovation.

During the showing, take note of loose outlets, drafty gaps in doors and windows, or fixtures in strange places; these could be red flags when buying a flipped house. It's also a good idea to turn on all the major systems and appliances and ensure they're working properly.

How do I pay myself for flipping a house? ›

If you're flipping full-time, you could choose to keep 10-30% of the profits for yourself, which is how some flippers choose to operate. Alternatively, you could work out what your living expenses are, just keep that amount back, and reinvest the rest, but keep in mind that this will slow down your growth rate.

How can I flip my house with no experience? ›

Tips to Flip a House with No Experience
  1. Look for the Right Property. You can't start flipping if you don't have the property to flip. ...
  2. Ask For Referrals. Reach out to people and if they're not interested in selling their property, ask them for referrals. ...
  3. Build Your Team. ...
  4. Invest in a Business. ...
  5. Find a Lender. ...
  6. Set a Budget.
Nov 15, 2022

What skills do you need to flip houses? ›

The reason that so many house flippers are professional builders and other skilled professionals is because they have the right skills to be able to fix and flip houses. People who already know how to do things like woodworking, plumbing, painting, and so on, will know how to flip a house better than people who don't.

How hard is it to flip houses? ›

Flipping houses is a business that requires knowledge, planning, and savvy to be successful. Common mistakes made by novice real estate investors are underestimating the time or money that the project will require. Another error that house flippers make is overestimating their skills and knowledge.

Is 2023 a good year to buy a house? ›

They expect home prices to improve in Q3 & Q4 this year, over in 2023 they expect the medium home will delince 5.6% compared to 2022, to $776,600 in 2023 ($822,300 in 2022). They had predicted a median 2023 price of $758,600 forecast last October.

How to make money in real estate in 2023? ›

  1. House Flipping. Fix and flips are one of the most popular methods of making money in the real estate market. ...
  2. Rental Properties. Another way to invest in real estate is to buy property directly. ...
  3. House Hacking. ...
  4. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) ...
  5. Online Real Estate Crowdfunding Platforms.
Jan 11, 2023

What are the real estate challenges in 2023? ›

Top 10 Issues Affecting Real Estate 2022-2023
  • Inflation and Interest Rates.
  • Geopolitical Risk.
  • Hybrid Work.
  • Supply Chain Disruption.
  • Energy.
  • Labor Shortage Strain.
  • The Great Housing Imbalance.
  • Regulatory Uncertainty.

How long should a house flip take? ›

The average time it takes to flip a home is around six months. Several factors can affect this, including market fluctuations, asking price, condition of the house, and others.

Do people who flip houses make a lot of money? ›

ATTOM has measured house flipping activity since 2005 and found that the practice was most profitable, in pure dollars, in 2021 — when investors pocketed an average $70,000 per property. Investors profitted the least amount in 2008, racking in a mere $30,000 per flip.

What is the average house flip profit? ›

The profit per flip in California may not be as high of a percentage as in some other states, but California flippers can still make a substantial profit. The average flipper in the state had a gross profit margin of about 16% and a profit of $92,500 in 2022.

Is 100k enough to flip a house? ›

$100,000 is plenty for the rehab, closing costs, and other fees that come along with real estate investing. You'll need a hard money lender for the bulk of your project, but you can flip homes for much less than $100,000—even less than $5k when done right.

What state is best to flip houses? ›

Utah and Missouri establish themselves as the best places to flip houses in terms of low remodeling costs. New Jersey, meanwhile, has the lowest rental vacancy rate. West Virginia boasts the highest homeownership rate in the US and the lowest housing costs.

Is flipping houses a good side hustle? ›

Flipping houses part-time can be a great way to generate extra income on the side while you have a full-time job. It can also allow you to 'dip your toe in the water' to see if flipping houses is for you before you quit your full-time job.

Can I flip a home with 50k? ›

Flipping a home is another option for investing 50k. To do this correctly, you need to buy an existing property with the plan of reselling it at a higher price within 12 months or less. This is an excellent option if you have time and money to put into it.

Can you flip a house with 10k? ›

You absolutely can. Research your market, come up with a flip strategy (what type of house you will want to purchase, how you plan on finding this property, what area you want to purchase, how you will come up with financing), find the property that fits this strategy, secure the financing, and close on the deal.

Can you become a millionaire flipping houses? ›

You could make $1 million a year flipping houses, but it is not as simple as it may seem. To run an operation large enough to flip low-margin houses, you will need a team and a lot of help. There are many costs involved that eat into that profit.

Why house flipping is bad? ›

House flipping has some serious downsides

Here are just a few reasons you might want to steer clear: You'll need a lot of money to flip houses: You need to spend money up front to purchase the home, to buy materials and pay laborers to fix up the property, and to pay carrying costs such as property taxes and insurance.

How do I avoid taxes on flipping houses? ›

How to Minimize Taxes on Fix and Flip Investing
  1. Maximizing Tax Deductions. Always include all your soft costs, labor, material, and renovation expenses as tax-deductible. ...
  2. Holding the Property for Over a Year. ...
  3. Live in the Property. ...
  4. 1031 Exchange Exemptions. ...
  5. Offset Losses with Profits. ...
  6. Knowledge Is Key.

Can you flip a house alone? ›

House flipping cannot be done alone – there's just too much involved for you to know everything about all aspects of real estate investing. This is why you'll need to build your own team of specialists who you can rely upon for expert advice and expertise to ensure maximum profits.

What questions to ask when flipping a house? ›

11 Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Start Flipping Houses
  • Which is more important, purchase price or sales price? ...
  • How will you find the best deals? ...
  • Should you get an inspection? ...
  • Which improvements can you tackle? ...
  • Who's going to help you? ...
  • What's your timeframe — and is it realistic? ...
  • Does the market matter?
Dec 9, 2020

How many houses should you flip a year? ›

It depends on your finances, time management, and the availability of homes in your area. The average real estate investor flips 2 to 7 homes a year. You may flip more or less – depending on your capabilities, experience and time availability. So what determines how many houses you can flip in a year?

How can I flip my house with no money and bad credit? ›

How to Flip a Home with No Money and Bad Credit
  1. Work With a Private Lender. When you have bad credit, a private lender could serve as a great source of funding for investors. ...
  2. Try a Hard Money Lender. ...
  3. Consider a Home Equity Loan. ...
  4. Try Wholesaling. ...
  5. Team Up With Another Flipper. ...
  6. Keep Your Profits With an Experienced Local Agent.
Feb 3, 2023

Can you flip houses without cash? ›

If you want to flip a house without any money, your options are: 0% down loans (for a live-in flip), hard money lenders, private lenders, wholesaling, and seller financing. Read more about how to flip houses when you're strapped for cash.

What else can I flip besides houses? ›

Top 20 Flip-Worthy Items
  • Antiques. Antiques are among the most profitable items to flip because the demand for them is generally high, and there's usually only minor restoration involved in the process. ...
  • Collectibles. ...
  • Sports Jerseys. ...
  • Concert T-Shirts. ...
  • Vintage Sportswear. ...
  • Sneakers. ...
  • Lego Sets. ...
  • Watches.
Apr 20, 2023

Can you live in a house while you flip it? ›

As the name suggests, a live-in flip involves moving into a fixer-upper while you update it. When you finish remodeling, you can then sell the property for a profit. Or refinance it to pull your money back out, and sign a long-term lease agreement with a tenant (the BRRRR strategy) .

Is house flipping stressful? ›

Remember that flipping is a job. There is nothing passive about flipping a house. It's a job often an intense, demanding, and stressful one. It's a ton of work and you need to know that going in.

How long does it take to learn flip? ›

If you practice routinely and make sure that you're getting all the moves down correctly, you can learn a flip in approximately 6 to 8 weeks.

What is the flip rule? ›

The FHA 90-Day Flip Rule

If the timeframe from the new home sale contract and the ownership of the property is less than 90 days, FHA lenders will likely decline the mortgage approval. Therefore, as an FHA home buyer, you must wait at least 91 days before you can sign on the dotted line for your property.

What is the 70 rule in house flipping? ›

Put simply, the 70 percent rule states that you shouldn't buy a distressed property for more than 70 percent of the home's after-repair value (ARV) — in other words, how much the house will likely sell for once fixed — minus the cost of repairs.

How do I become a full time house flipper? ›

Steps to Become a House Flipper
  1. Set your goals and create a business plan. ...
  2. Establish relationships with contractors, home inspectors, accountants, and attorneys. ...
  3. Decide on a budget and timeline. ...
  4. Scout out the best locations for your budget. ...
  5. Find a real estate agent or become one yourself.

What is the formula for flipping houses? ›

When buying a home to flip, investors need to estimate how much they believe the property could sell for after it's been renovated. They can then multiply that amount by 70% and subtract it from the estimated cost of renovating the property.

What are the risks of real estate in 2023? ›

Continued inflation, overall higher interest rates, a potential recession and geopolitical tensions will force 30-year and 15-year mortgage rates up throughout 2023, and will bring the two rates closer together as short-term risks rise,” says Dennis Shirshikov of real estate website Awning.com.

What is the outlook for flipping houses? ›

House-flipping gross profit and return on investment

In 2022, the average return on investment (ROI) for house flipping was 26.9%, and gross profit was $67,900, according to Attom. Popular as it is, house flipping has become less profitable over the past several years.

Is it still profitable to flip houses? ›

ATTOM has measured house flipping activity since 2005 and found that the practice was most profitable, in pure dollars, in 2021 — when investors pocketed an average $70,000 per property. Investors profitted the least amount in 2008, racking in a mere $30,000 per flip.

Will the real estate bubble burst in 2023? ›

Demand for homes remains high, and there are fewer home sellers than there were in 2022. And while the market is cooling, experts don't expect an actual housing crash or a housing bubble burst in 2023. Will there be a housing market crash in 2023? It's highly unlikely that the housing market will crash in 2023.

Will house prices go down in 2023 usa? ›

Although home prices are expected to improve in the second half of the year, the California median home price is projected to decrease by 5.6 percent to $776,600 in 2023, down from the median price of $822,300 recorded in 2022.

Why buying real estate in 2023 could be a smart idea? ›

2023 is a balanced year for housing supply and demand. This is ideal for retail purchasers and rental property investors. No longer a “seller's” market. Rising interest rates raise the monthly mortgage payment, which reduces homebuyers and lowers property values.

Will 2023 be a good time to buy a house? ›

Homebuyer.com data analysis indicates that, for first-time home buyers, June 2023 is a good time to buy a house relative to later in the year. This article provides an unbiased look at current mortgage rates, housing market conditions, and market sentiment.

What is the biggest challenge in real estate? ›

19 Problems of being in a real estate industry [With solutions]
  • Not having enough listings.
  • Lead cost is high as compared to the conversion ratio.
  • Not having an established sales process.
  • Not knowing where the deal is in the sales process.
  • Failing to leverage technology.
  • Failing to leverage on referrals.

What is the real estate trend in Chicago 2023? ›

Chicago, IL MSA: The forecast for the Chicago MSA suggests a moderate increase in housing prices. In May 2023, prices are predicted to rise by 0.3%, followed by a slight growth of 0.1% in July 2023. However, the most significant increase is expected in April 2024, with prices projected to rise by 1.5%.

What is the hardest part of flipping houses? ›

Risk #1: Lose Money!

The most obvious risk of flipping houses is losing money. The worst thing that can happen on your flip (besides someone dying or being severely injured), is that you spend 4 to 6 months rehabbing a house only to wind-up losing money on the project.

What is the average profit on a flip? ›

How much profit should you make on a flip? On average, a rehabber shoots for a 10 to 20% profit of the After Repair Value, but it varies depending on the market and the specific project risks. A 10% profit would be on the lower end, and a 20% profit would be considered a 'home-run' by most rehabber's standards.

How to flip a house in 2023? ›

How to Start Flipping Houses in 2023
  1. Get to know your real estate market. ...
  2. Talk to experienced house flippers. ...
  3. Organize your own finances and set a budget. ...
  4. Build your team. ...
  5. Search for a property and make a purchase. ...
  6. Develop a timeline and plan for your flip. ...
  7. Make your sale. ...
  8. Choose the next house to flip!

How long should it take to flip a house? ›

The average time it takes to flip a home is around six months. Several factors can affect this, including market fluctuations, asking price, condition of the house, and others.

How much do you need saved to flip a house? ›

Typically, you should expect to spend around 10% of the purchase price to fix & flip a property.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Terrell Hackett

Last Updated:

Views: 6053

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (52 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Terrell Hackett

Birthday: 1992-03-17

Address: Suite 453 459 Gibson Squares, East Adriane, AK 71925-5692

Phone: +21811810803470

Job: Chief Representative

Hobby: Board games, Rock climbing, Ghost hunting, Origami, Kabaddi, Mushroom hunting, Gaming

Introduction: My name is Terrell Hackett, I am a gleaming, brainy, courageous, helpful, healthy, cooperative, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.