DemographicsNational Housing Market Outlook

It Is a Great Time to Be a Flipper

JodyKahn_web
AlexanderThomas_web

Jody Kahn

Alex Thomas

March 4, 2022

We are proud to introduce the Burns Fix and Flip Market Index (FFMI), in collaboration with our partners at Flatiron Realty Capital and Sundae. The FFMI is a diffusion-based index driven by our proprietary Fix and Flip survey of 400+ flippers across the country. The index gauges the overall health and sentiment of the national fix-and-flip business environment.

The FFMI is an index driven by a proprietary survey that gauges the overall health and sentiment of the national fix-and-flip business environment.

The index debuts at 78 out of 100. (0–100 scale where below/above 50 = contracting/expanding)

Here’s what we learned from 500+ market ratings from flippers this quarter:

  • It’s a great time to be a flipper. Finished flips are being met by solid demand from entry-level (40% of purchases) and move-up (31%) buyers. Rental investors, both big and small, accounted for 20% of flipped home purchases in 4Q21.
 
  • Costs are rising… Inflation is everywhere, and flippers are spending an average of $54K on renovations per home on materials and labor.
 
  • …but profits are soaring! 43% of flippers sold their homes for MORE than the initially estimated after-repair value expected due to rapid home price growth (and just 5% sold below).

    • After-repair value refers to a property’s estimated market value after renovations.
 
  • Competition for deals is fierce. Two-thirds of flippers report more competition for homes to purchase than normal seasonally.
 
  • Inventory is a challenge. With all the competition for deals, a lack of inventory is the #1 obstacle for flippers looking to expand their business.

The bottom-line: Fix-and-flip businesses are benefitting from the same basic fundamentals we’re seeing across the broader housing market: high demand and low supply. And like the housing market at large, affordability will be the watchword going forward. We will continue to monitor supply, demand, and affordability trends across the country to bring you the most timely and accurate real estate market insight.

Here are 3 opportunities for you:

  • Are you a fix-and-flipper? Now is your chance to weigh in every quarter and receive free market-level data to help accelerate your business. Fill out this form here.
 
 
  • Do you want to see the whole report every month, along with the rest of our research, so you can make the most informed decisions possible? We have a whole suite of paid subscriptions that can cater to your needs. Contact us here.
 
    • National, regional, and metro-level data and analysis covering the new home market for 100+ metros
 
    • National and metro-level data and analysis covering the single-family rental market for 99 metros
 
    • National and product-level data and analysis covering building products and repair-and-remodel spending
 

Flatiron Realty Capital is a tech-enabled real estate portfolio lender.

Sundae connects homeowners looking to sell their house, no matter its condition, to one of the largest networks of investors to ensure the highest possible offer. Sundae holds real estate brokerage licenses in multiple states. A list of their real estate licenses and other regulatory information are available at sundae.com/disclosures.

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About The Author

Jody Kahn
Senior Vice President, Research
Jody delivers timely and accurate insights on housing market trends at the metro, regional, and national levels. She combines statistics and commentary from JBREC’s independent surveys with data trends, forecasts, proprietary indices, feedback from consultants, and decades of housing experience to give clients insights that support business decisions.
Alex Thomas
Senior Research Analyst
Alex assists our research team in tracking macro-level economic and housing trends and data. He also helps cover the fix-and-flip space, the apartment sector, and 8 Northern and Central California markets.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about our services or if you would like to speak to one of our experts about we can help your business, please contact Client Relations at clientservices@jbrec.com.

Products and Services Mentioned

Fix and Flip Survey

The quarterly fix and flip Survey provides a new pulse on the fix-and-flip sector, combining data and sentiment to generate the Fix and Flip Market Index.

Research Membership

Our research services enable our clients to gauge housing market conditions and better align their business and strategic investments in the housing industry. We provide a thoughtful and unique holistic approach of both quantitative and qualitative analysis to help clients make informed housing investment decisions.

Real Estate Consulting

Our experienced team of consultants helps our clients maximize the connections between land uses. We thrive on their success and work with many clients over multiple years and numerous projects.

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