Carpenter looking to go rogue

[Bryan Zdroik]

I'm a carpenter who's looking to branch off into the flip/real-estate game, but am not sure exactly what route would be the best for me to take. My wife and I bought a house over 2 years ago and I'm nearly done with all the renovations (hopefully by mid to late summer). Our goal is to refinance (tons of sweat equity) our house and use that money to buy our next home and then rent or sell our current house for yet another place. But I have 2 hold-ups 1) we're about to have a baby (end of August) and 2) I'm working full time as a carpenter and am definitely not as productive on our house when I get done with work. I still have redo our siding, do a bathroom remodel and put in a new, but small, front entry deck. Since I get my insurance from my wife and I don't make much money anyway, especially when you take inflation into account, starting my own business seems more and more like a possibility.  I figured I could use the new flip as a way of showcasing my work (via YouTube/Instagram) as well as give me the flexibility to take on the jobs I want, instead of feeling pressured to take every job I can. But if I did this I'd have a real difficult time getting a bank loan since I'll be throwing my W2 to the curb. Does anyone know a way to still make this work? I forgot to mention I'm about to re-up my contractors certificate. There's so much more I could share regarding this, but this at least gets the ball rolling. Hope all are well and sorry for how rambly this is, clearly I got lots on my mind. Thanks!

[Dwayne Poster]

I had worked with several builders for years, and during those good years, every trade had their own spec home on the go. Your problem is your 'I'll do it myself' approach. Establish your relationship with the other trades and put them to work, while helping them on their projects.