I tend to be a person who gets educated about the things I am interested in, then I use that education in my own ways. I also strive to continue learning as I progress in my new venture, whatever it may be. Having done about 20 properties in recent years, I certainly don’t fancy myself the overall expert in home renovation. I do know how to set myself apart from the competition though. I think is it important for everyone to realize they can always be learning and helping to make investment real estate a better atmosphere for us all. Here is what I have learned along my journey:

The word “flipping” has garnered a bad reputation among the “lay person”. In general, when you say a house was flipped, people put their guard up, or they get stand-offish, or sometimes angry. I have had potential buyers cuss me out on the phone because they thought I was a “flipper”. There are several reasons for this, with the most obvious, in my opinion, being the worst among us have made it difficult for the rest of us. Like any other venture, you will encounter throughout your life; a few bad apples will ruin it for the whole bunch. Many people get into the different investment aspects of real estate without learning the ropes and they may do unethical things. In real estate, as a licensed Realtor®, we are obligated to put the public interest above all others. We must do right by the customer, even if it means a lower commission, or even worse: Losing the deal. We are bound by a thing called “Ethics”. The same should be true with investors. In the long run, a quick buck is not worth losing your livelihood or taking that livelihood away from everyone else who is willing to do it ethically. I know; not everyone will listen and/or agree.

All too often, in the mostly unregulated world of flipping, wholesaling, contract assignment, etc., it seems these ethics do not apply to everyone. While these types of real estate investment are not currently regulated in the State of Florida, we should all do our best to abide by the same ethics code as a Realtor® would. By doing this, not only are we completing better transactions with the public and improving our image, but we are helping to preserve our investor friendly atmosphere. This suggestion holds true for most of our 50 states around the USA. It really would not take much in the way of complaints from the public to cause a State Legislature to enact laws preventing investors from performing in ways we do now. Don’t believe it? Check with your investor friends in Illinois, Oklahoma & Virginia where it is illegal to wholesale*. (*The Motley Fool; “Million Acres” article: “The Pros and Cons of Wholesaling Real Estate”, updated June 11, 2021.)

Get educated through Bigger Pockets, your local REIA or other reputable real estate mediums. Practice your craft, learn and apply ethics to every situation you are involved in. Don't let others judge you or steer you in the wrong direction to make a quick buck. If we all do our part, the right way, it will be a better business for everyone. Take the high road and put the customer first. Don't "flip it", you're better than that.