How accurate are TV shows about house flipping? - Question on Quora.com

House Flipping TV Shows are very deceptive and convince the average person they can flip a house in a few weeks and make a small fortune without lifting a finger.

My biggest gripe with the house flipping TV shows is they fake the numbers and don’t tell you all of the Other Costs it takes to to flip a house. The TV shows only show the Resale Value & then deduct the Purchase & Repair costs…but they don’t show all of the other hidden costs it takes to flip a house, such as the Buying Costs, Holding Costs, Financing Costs, or Selling Costs.

Bogus Math & Fake Profit Numbers

Here's some of the bogus math and fake profit numbers I typically see on the house flipping TV shows, which ignores all of the hidden costs:

Profit = $300,000 Resale - $200,000 Purchase - $50,000 Repairs

Fake Profit = $50,000

Real Profit Numbers

In reality if the TV shows included all of the hidden costs to account for the buying costs, holding costs, selling costs & financing costs, there would be a very slim profit margin left in the deal.

Profit = $300,000 Resale - $200,000 Purchase - $50,000 Repairs - $3,000 Buying - $6,000 Holding - $24,000 Selling - $12,000 Financing

REAL PROFIT = $5,000

Dave Robertson
February 19, 2019
5 min read
Our blog

Other Recent Blog Posts

New Features

Mobile App: New Project Update Drafts Feature

The FlipperForce mobile app now automatically saves your in-progress Project Updates as a Draft, ensuring you never lose your work if you're interrupted on the job site.
Dave Robertson
October 8, 2025
5 min read
New Features

New Thumbnails for Uploaded PDF Documents & Receipts

We have upgraded our file system to automatically generate visual thumbnail images for all PDFs in your Document Manager and Receipts area, allowing you to instantly recognize contracts and receipts at a glance.
Dave Robertson
October 7, 2025
5 min read
New Features

Mobile App: Get Directions & Open in Web Browser

We've added new project shortcuts to the FlipperForce mobile app to open in web app and get directions.
Dave Robertson
September 11, 2025
5 min read
New Features

Increased File & Photo Upload Limits

Increased file size limits to 30MB each, and removed 1 GB storage limit per project.
Dave Robertson
August 25, 2025
5 min read
New Features

Mobile App: Create Projects on the Go!

Now you can create and add new projects directly from the FlipperForce Field mobile app, with address autofill and instant syncing to your account.
Dave Robertson
August 15, 2025
5 min read
New Features

Mobile App: New Photo Carousel and Descriptions!

New photo carousel for easy swiping, plus the ability to add and dictate photo descriptions
Dave Robertson
August 5, 2025
5 min read

Ready to Take Action?

Sign up for a free trial and join over 1,000 house flippers and real estate investors that have taken their business to the next level!
We’re hiring!

We’re looking for talented people

Our philosophy is simple — hire a team of diverse, passionate people and foster a culture that empowers you to do your best work.
Product Designer
Design
We’re looking for someone motivated and experienced to join our team.
Remote
Full-time
Engineering Manager
Software Development
We’re looking for someone motivated and experienced to join our team.
Remote
Full-time
Customer Success Manager
Customer Success
We’re looking for someone motivated and experienced to join our team.
Remote
Full-time
Meeting