We are going out to eat again, traveling, and taking our first vacation in more than a year.

comes to mind.Now flash forward about two years to where we are now, and the purchase price of a fix and flip in FS is going to be a considerable amount more in most cases than it was just two years ago- the numbers here might not make as much sense then in this case (it's certainly going to eat away quickly at your ROI).There are some 'younger siblings' of FS that I would consider more enticing right now for various reasons.

4) Pay for it, eat it up as a cost of doing business?

Since everyone including your painter, plumber, roofer... has a camera in their phone and perhaps they get cranky with you... don't expect to simultaneously retain your cake and eat it. 

It's easy to think you are making money when in fact inflation is eating your lunch.        

The fat sweaty guy with the gas can is locking the exit doors.

Get a second job, eat Ramen Noodles, sleep on my mother's couch until I had the rest of the money to make it happen. $1k doesn't even cover closing costs on a property.

@Ron Singh The tenant cannot have their cake and eat it too.

The winter is a good time to buy as things slow down and people are inside getting fat!

I’m newer to the community and have been eating up the podcasts, blogs, and books so far.