I'm reading tons of threads and articles on Fix n Flips...I'm still not understanding the numbers.Look, I like to keep things as simple as possible...I feel like, we as humans have a huge problem making things more complex than they need to be.Let me give you a mock up example that I pulled from a fix n flip thread right here on BP...these are the end results:" Sale Price=$265,000Rehab Costs=$44,000Closing Costs=$15,000Holding Costs=$5,500Purchase Price=$156,000Net Profit=$44,500  "This is one of many cases  I'm seeing around - I don't understand....if...u put in 66k...but profit 44.5k - it sounds to me like you just lost about 15k after all your hard work and efforts to flip the house. 

The homeowner replies and you go and view the property... you like the property and want to buy.... is it common to get real estate agents involved at this point?

@Brenden Mitchum  I can fill you in on the Realtor's point of view. 

View report*This link comes directly from our calculators, based on information input by the member who posted.

View report*This link comes directly from our calculators, based on information input by the member who posted.

View report*This link comes directly from our calculators, based on information input by the member who posted.

Like someone else mentioned if they let you just write this off you could travel the US for free and write it off just by viewing a couple properties on each trip. 

View report*This link comes directly from our calculators, based on information input by the member who posted.

@Joe VilleneuveWorks beautifully when u put 5% appreciation.

I wrote a BP blog discussing all the true costs of a flip and how to build your own calculator, but I don't think I'm allowed to post here (it would be viewed as self-promotion).