RichI've definitely seen a continued drop in the market over the past year (about 10% off retail sale prices for the level of houses I'm selling)...but luckily the prices of the stuff I'm buying are falling at about the same rate as our selling prices (average purchase prices are down about $10K over the past year, as are average sale prices), so the profits are staying the same.The big thing negative I've noticed is that there is a lot more investor competition over the past year so we're finding fewer deals; I think a lot of new investors are jumping into the market and bidding up the "easy" projects, so those are fewer and further between.

For rehabbers, it's generally either going to be a good time to buy or a good time to sell, and as long as you have at least one of those, you should be able to make some money.The in-town market here in Atlanta (Decatur, for example) has seen reasonable increase in prices and good transaction volume on the retail side.

You also need to take into account was the flip home a retail home?

175,000 @ 85% LTV would mean the property is valued at 205,000@75% LTV would mean it is worth 233,000So, if it is the later you are getting in at retail value, it is the prior, you are over paying for the asset.

Rather, there is a shortage of legitimately great deals.On the other hand, all of us have come across "deals" that are not good enough for wholesale, but better than retail.

We are getting less REO and listing prices are close to retail price too.

It does require THOUSANDS of dollars to build a successful real estate business, whether that be in wholesaling, rentals, retails, notes, or whatever.

One of them could go FHA, the other would have to be Conventional if it were to get a loan.The one that could go FHA would probably sell to a retail buyer if I was able to hold it for longer than 24 hours and list it on the MLS.

Most real estate agents are comfortable with being a retail or REO real estate agent

As far as finding property with carpet and paint only it will be tough as home buyers compete for those properties too.The home buyers are happy to live in it and get small equity say 10k where you can't do that on your flip plus it's easy for them to get a loan to purchase a property with minimal work.With cash you need to look at properties needing a bunch of work.Try to find the most run down property in a great area.Buy it cheap for cash and fix it up to sell.If you don't want to take yourself away from your main business you already have you might look at wholesaling properties to start.Less risk just getting started and you can learn the ropes.You can use hard money for flips to preserve cash but the hard money takes high interest and points and only gives money for repairs in draw schedules so it drags out your rehab and resale which costs more money with your loan.You could focus instead of whole tailing.Fix the property us some and sell to an investor for cash with a small markup.Since they have cash there will be no loan red tape with a retail buyer.Less margins but more volume.Hope it helps.