Are you stuck in the fix and flip trap? Think you need to renovate every property to make a profit? Think again. In this eye-opening video, Brian Busch from Freedom Mentor breaks down real-world deals that prove you can flip properties without the headaches of major renovations. Learn how to evaluate deals, compare the “quick nickel” vs. the “slow dime,” and discover why flipping as-is is often the smarter, faster, and more profitable move.

1. Real deal breakdowns
2. Creative financing strategies
3. Prehab vs. rehab insights
4. How to avoid costly mistakes
5. Why funding isn’t your real problem

What Does It Really Mean to "Fix It or Flip It"?

Do you fix it, or do you flip it? You might be scratching your head at that question—after all, isn’t fixing it part of flipping it? Well, there’s more to it than just terminology, and we’ll dive into that shortly. In this training, you’ll discover the real options available when you stumble upon a great deal and want to turn it into profit. More importantly, you’ll learn how to maximize your returns with far less time, stress, and headaches.

The Default Flipping Mindset

When most people think about flipping a house, they imagine buying a property, fixing it up, and selling it for a profit. You’ve probably seen plenty of TV shows dramatizing this process—complete with contractor chaos, budget blowouts, and last-minute surprises. But is all that drama really necessary? Is suffering through months of renovations the only way to make money in real estate? Spoiler alert: it doesn’t have to be. So, let's compare the options you have when house flipping.

The Traditional Investor Model

Rehabbing as the Primary Value Add

The traditional approach to house flipping centers around rehabbing. You find a rundown, beat-up eyesore and pour months—and tens of thousands of dollars—into renovations. You babysit contractors, juggle unexpected problems, and pray for the day it’s all over. Why? Because in this model, the rehab is where you add value. It’s the core of the strategy.

How You Find These Properties

Typically, these deals come from one of three sources:

1. Auctions: High risk, high cash requirements, and fierce competition.
2. Birddogs or Driving for Dollars: Time-intensive detective work to uncover hidden gems.
3. MLS via Agents: Competing with other investors often drives up prices and squeezes your margins.

The Pros and Cons

This model is tested and proven. Some investors do make money—especially those who’ve learned the hard lessons, built strong teams, and refined their systems. Others treat it as a part-time retirement strategy, holding properties and slowly building wealth.

But the downsides are real:

• Your money and credit are tied up.
• Nights and weekends become a grind.
• You miss out on time with family and life’s other joys.

And when retirement finally arrives, you just hope you’ve got enough energy left to enjoy it.

The Creative Real Estate Model

A Smarter, Leaner Approach to Flipping

Let’s shift gears and explore the Creative Real Estate model—a strategy that can be not only different but often superior to traditional flipping. The biggest distinction? Instead of relying on rehabbing to add value, the focus here is on finding great deals and buying right. When you purchase a property based on the seller’s motivation, you can structure deals that allow you to resell without lifting a hammer—and still walk away with a profit.

This means:

• Faster transactions
• Lower risk
• Fewer headaches
• Less cash out of pocket
• No credit tied up

Creative financing strategies like Subject To and owner financing let you leverage the seller’s existing financing and equity. This opens the door to more opportunities with far less exposure. That’s not to say you’ll never do any fix-up work. But in this model, renovations are strategic, not essential. You only invest in repairs when they truly enhance the deal. That shift in mindset makes all the difference—and it’s simply a smarter way to do business.

Finding the Right Deals

The challenge in creative real estate isn’t the strategy—it’s sourcing the deals. That’s where Freedom Mentor shines. We train our apprentices to attract off-market opportunities directly, and we specialize in crafting creative solutions tailored to each seller’s unique situation. Every deal must be a win-win. If it’s not a win for the seller and for us, we refer it to a trusted agent. That’s our standard. Now, if you’ve got the rehab bug—if swinging a hammer and transforming spaces is your passion—we’ve got you covered too.

This is where we shift into prehab mode:

1. We analyze the deal thoroughly
2. Assess all necessary repairs
3. Evaluate cosmetic upgrades
4. Compare risk vs. reward

And here’s the golden rule: Nine times out of ten, the quick nickel beats the slow dime.

To dive deeper into this concept, check out Hidden Costs of Home Renovation. This video breaks down the unexpected expenses that can derail a rehab project and helps you understand when it’s worth the effort—and when it’s not.

Flip Smarter, Not Harder

At Freedom Mentor, we work closely with our apprentices to maximize profits—because we split those profits. So yes, we want them to succeed. But more importantly, we want them to succeed wisely. The real wisdom lies in comparing the time, risk, and effort required to chase that slow dime… versus how many quick nickels you could earn in the same timeframe. If you can make the same—or even double the profit—with less cash, less time, and less stress, why wouldn’t you? There’s a better way to flip houses. And it starts with thinking creatively.

Case Studies: Quick Nickel vs. Slow Dime

We’ve explored the traditional and creative models of house flipping—but the real test lies in the numbers. Let’s break down four actual deals and see how the theory plays out in practice.

Deal 1: The Tempting Slow Dime

Purchase Terms:

• Total Contract Price: $458,000
• $8,000 cash at close
• $299,000 subject to existing financing
• $151,000 in seller financing

Property Condition:

• Livable as-is
• Estimated as-is value: $525,000
• ARV (After Repair Value): $635,000

Estimated rehab cost: $50,000 (mostly cosmetic + $5,000 roof repair)
Estimated rehab time: 5 weeks

The Decision Point:

• Quick Nickel: Sell as-is and net $25,000
• Slow Dime: Rehab and potentially net $75,000

Outcome:

The investor chose the slow dime. But the 5-week rehab stretched into 8 weeks, and costs ballooned to over $100,000. The property was listed at $635,000 but sat on the market for nearly two months due to layout issues. It eventually sold for $625,000—six weeks later. The final net profit was just $22,000. Despite creative financing and reduced upfront costs, the unpredictability of a major rehab project proved costly. The quick nickel would have saved time, money, and a whole lot of stress.

Deal 2: The Smart Quick Nickel

Purchase Terms:

• Limited access and tight closing window due to seller constraints
• Secured hard money financing to close
• Best cash offer: $145,000

Property Details:

• Rehab needed
• Potential resale value after rehab: $250,000
• Estimated as-is value: $175,000

Estimated rehab cost: $40,000

The Decision Point:

• Quick Nickel: Sell as-is and net $20,000
• Slow Dime: Rehab and potentially net $50,000

Outcome:

Our apprentice chose the quick nickel. After a basic cleanup, the property sold in under 30 days, netting over $22,000 in profit. A wise move.

Deal 3: A Modest Rehab with a Big Return

Contract Terms:

• Purchase Price: $152,000
• $6,000 cash at close
• $146,000 subject to existing financing
• Option to hold long-term due to subject-to terms

Property Condition:

• Livable as-is
• Estimated as-is value: $175,000
• Light rehab ($10,000) could push value to $200,000+

Decision Point:

• Quick Nickel: $12,000 profit
• Slow Dime: $25,000+ profit

Outcome:

The apprentice opted for the slow dime, seeing potential in a modest $10,000 renovation. Despite unexpected liens at closing, they moved forward, completed the work, and listed the property at $200,000. A multiple-offer scenario pushed the final sale price to $215,000, resulting in a net profit of $33,000—a solid return in just a couple of months.

Deal 4: Minimal Investment, Maximum Gain

Contract Terms:

• Purchase Price: $82,000
• Estimated rehab: $80,000
• ARV: $250,000–$300,000
• As-is value: $120,000

Decision Point:

• Quick Nickel: $30,000 profit
• Slow Dime: $60,000+ profit

Outcome:

Rather than diving into a major rehab, the apprentice marketed the property as-is. They created a competitive bidding environment and sold it for $150,000, netting over $64,000 in profit—with only $374 out of pocket. That’s the power of smart strategy and strong mentorship.

What’s the Better Move?

So, what would you choose? Are you focusing your efforts in the right place to add value? Even with creative financing strategies that reduce risk and upfront costs, the hidden variables in a rehab—time delays, budget overruns, market response—can erode your profits fast. That’s why we emphasize smart decision-making at Freedom Mentor. Whether you’re chasing nickels or dimes, the goal is to maximize returns while minimizing stress and exposure. If your strategy revolves solely around rehabbing, you might be chasing the wrong deals. As these examples show, light rehab or no rehab at all can often yield better returns with less risk, less time, and far fewer headaches.

The Real Barrier: It’s Not Funding—It’s the Deal

Many investors believe their biggest obstacle is funding. They think, “If I just had the right lender, I’d be unstoppable.” But the truth is, funding follows good deals. If you’re struggling to secure financing, it’s likely because your deal isn’t strong enough. Learn more in Why You're Failing to Get Funding for Your House Flip, which breaks down the top three reasons investors get rejected—and how to fix them.

The Best Way to Flip Properties

After reviewing all four deals, one truth stands out: each one made money without a full rehab. That’s no coincidence. Too many investors fall into the trap of thinking they must transform every property to turn a profit. But the real skill lies in:

1. Finding the right deals
2. Prehabbing strategically
3. Evaluating multiple monetization paths
4. Comparing the quick nickel vs. the slow dime
5. Factoring in your time, capital, energy, and well-being

In most cases, the smarter move is to flip it as-is. Avoid the rehab trap—it’s rarely worth the stress. To drive this point home, Biggest Mistake with Fix and Flip Houses breaks down the most common error flippers make: assuming rehab is always necessary. This video is a must-watch for anyone serious about maximizing returns with minimal risk.

When Fixing Makes Sense

That said, there are moments when a bit of fixing is worthwhile—but only when the return justifies the investment. Finding that sweet spot takes experience, and at Freedom Mentor, we’ve spent decades mastering it. Our apprentices learn how to identify those rare opportunities and execute them efficiently. But remember: flipping is not one-size-fits-all. It may be simple in concept, but it’s not easy in practice. Without the right knowledge, you can waste time, lose money, or even land in legal trouble.

If you’re just starting out, focus on mastering:

• Finding good deals
• Conducting proper due diligence
• Choosing the optimal exit strategy
• Flipping fast in compliance with local laws and MLS requirements

Let someone else take on the rehab headaches. They may think it’s easy—but it rarely is. There are always surprises. You want to flip it, not fix it.

The Numbers Don't Lie

Hopefully, this has opened your eyes to the real options available in real estate investing. You don’t need to take on massive, migraine-inducing rehabs to generate big profits. In fact, the most consistent returns come from cleaning and flipping. Minor repairs and quick cosmetic updates should be the exception—not the rule. You want to be in and out fast. Take it from our experience flipping thousands of properties across North America: The quick nickel beats the slow dime. You’ll reap far greater benefits flipping it than fixing it.

Every Successful Real Estate Investor Has a Mentor

At Freedom Mentor, we transform our apprentices into world-class house flipping machines. If you’re ready to consistently generate profits and transform your life, apply to our Apprentice Program. Our team will mentor, coach, and guide you to financial success. Learn more here: Freedom Mentor Apprentice Program.

If you have questions for us, text FREEDOM to 305-315-8030 or post a comment below.