Is House Flipping in Boston Still a Viable Strategy for New Investors?

[Tyler Munroe]

I see a lot of newer investors getting into the market thinking flipping houses is easy money. TV shows and social media make it look like a fast track to financial freedom—but in reality, it's a tough game, especially in a market like Boston.

Even if you have a down payment, you're likely using hard money loans at 10-12% interest for the purchase and rehab. That means on a $500K single-family flip with a $200K rehab budget, you're paying $40K-$50K in carrying costs alone. And that's before factoring in competition from seasoned investors who often have the cash reserves to avoid these costs entirely—allowing them to outbid you and still make a solid profit.

If you don’t have significant cash reserves or can’t find a true off-market diamond in the rough, I wouldn’t recommend flipping as your first real estate strategy in Boston. You might get lucky, but chances are, you’ll spend a year or more just trying to find a deal that actually works.

Curious to hear from others—have you successfully flipped in Boston as a newer investor? What strategies have worked for you?