A savvy person will be able to exploit the city for that.

I have heard rumblings that some people have ways around the rules of not being able to use retirement funds for ones own investing - but I think they are exploiting a razor thin edge. 

Seems to me that there is a niche to be exploited there.  

If you are inexperienced in real estate and flips in particular you can get exploited very quickly.  

Insurance companies try their hardest to dig up any little thing to weasel out of paying things they know they are liable to pay so don't think for a second that if there is something they have a legitimate leg to stand on to get out of writing you a check they won't exploit it.Best bet is tell the GC that you demand a permit be pulled and it is their job to pull it so if they don't wish to do things the right way in all aspects of the job than thank them for their time and move onto another GC. 

Being a good capitalist robber baron means exploiting the most you can out of every resource and damn the communal cost.

You aren't exploiting a seller's desperation for your own profit.

I'm tired of Detroit bailiffs coming out and gouging $1000 and 2 dumpsters at $350 a piece while taking all day and letting the hood rats run around breaking **** and causing a scene while they are getting put out.One of the biggest reasons Detroit has such an atrocious tenant base is because the city has trained them to exploit a broken system. 

Do your best, develop your business plan further exploit niche markets. 

All of that being said: There are still good flips with good margins left, there are still good flips with okay margins left, and I think there is a niche in the market which many people are trying to exploit but I haven't seen done very well to this point.