How to Find Fix and Flip Investors Near You (Fast)
Fix and flip investors are the bread and butter of wholesale disposition. They buy distressed properties, renovate them, and resell at a profit, which means they are always looking for their next deal. If you can build a list of active flippers in your market and consistently bring them well-priced properties, you have a disposition machine. Here are the fastest ways to find them.
Method 1: Pull county records for recent flips
The most reliable way to find flippers is to look at what they have already done. A flip shows up in county records as a pattern: the same entity (person or LLC) bought a property and sold it within 3-12 months at a significantly higher price. By searching county deed records for this buy-sell pattern, you can identify every flipper who has been active in your market in the last 1-2 years.
How to do it
You need two pieces of information from county records: the buyer on a deed (who purchased the property) and, within 3-12 months, the seller on a subsequent deed for the same property (the same entity selling it). The price difference between the two transactions represents the gross profit on the flip (before renovation costs).
Most county assessor and recorder websites allow you to search by address. Property data services make this much easier by aggregating deed records across all counties and allowing you to search by transaction pattern. Look for:
- Properties purchased and resold within 12 months
- Resale price significantly higher than purchase price (indicating renovation was done)
- Cash purchases (indicating an investor, not an owner-occupant with a mortgage)
- Buyer names that are LLCs or that appear on multiple transactions
Once you have a list of names and LLCs, skip trace them to get phone numbers and email addresses. These are proven flippers who have already demonstrated they buy, renovate, and sell properties in your specific market. They are the highest quality buyer leads you can find.
Method 2: Attend REIA meetings
Real Estate Investor Association meetings are where active investors congregate in person. Most cities have at least one REIA that meets monthly, and larger metros may have several. At these meetings, you will find flippers, landlords, wholesalers, hard money lenders, contractors, and other real estate professionals.
How to maximize REIA networking
Show up with a clear introduction: "I'm a wholesaler and I find off-market deals in [market]. I'm looking to connect with flippers who are actively buying." This immediately tells people whether they should talk to you. Bring business cards and, if you currently have a deal, bring a printed one-sheet with photos and numbers.
Do not just attend the formal presentation. The real networking happens before and after the main event, during breaks, and at any social gathering afterward. Collect contact information from everyone who identifies as a flipper. Follow up within 24 hours with a text or email reintroducing yourself and asking for their buy box (what they buy, where, and at what price).
To find REIAs in your area, search "[your city] real estate investor association" or check meetup.com and Facebook for local real estate investing groups. The National REIA directory at nationalreia.org lists member organizations across the country.
Method 3: Ask property managers for referrals
Property managers work with investors every day. They know which landlords are buying aggressively, which flippers are active in the area, and who has recently asked about acquiring more properties. A single property manager might work with 20-50 investor clients, many of whom are also flippers or know flippers.
How to approach property managers
Call or visit local property management companies and introduce yourself. Explain that you are a wholesaler who regularly finds off-market deals and that you are looking for active investors to add to your buyer list. Offer a referral fee or simply offer to bring them future management business: "Every investor I sell a deal to needs a property manager. I'd be happy to recommend you."
This creates a mutually beneficial relationship. The property manager gets potential new clients (every investor you connect with might need management services), and you get warm introductions to active buyers who are already vetted by the PM as legitimate investors.
Method 4: Network through contractors
Contractors who specialize in renovation projects work directly with flippers every day. General contractors, roofing companies, HVAC installers, and plumbers who focus on investor properties know who is actively flipping in the area because they are the ones doing the work.
How to tap contractor networks
Drive through neighborhoods where renovation activity is visible. Look for houses with dumpsters in the driveway, workers on ladders, or fresh exterior paint on previously distressed homes. Stop and introduce yourself to the general contractor on site. Ask who owns the property and whether they do multiple projects with that investor. Contractors are usually happy to make introductions because more deals for their investor clients means more renovation contracts for them.
Another approach: visit your local hardware stores and lumber yards, particularly the pro desks at Home Depot and Lowe's where contractors shop. Ask staff if they have a bulletin board or know which contractors work on investment properties. Some stores have contractor referral programs that can connect you.
Hard money lenders are also excellent referral sources. They finance the majority of fix-and-flip projects and know exactly which investors are active, funded, and closing deals. Call local hard money lending companies and ask if they have a borrower directory or if they are willing to introduce you to their clients who are looking for deals.
Method 5: Use online platforms and tools
Technology has made finding investors significantly faster than it was even five years ago. Several approaches work:
Investor identification platforms
Platforms like Deal Run let you search for active investors near any property address. The platform analyzes public records to identify landlords and flippers who have been buying in the area, then provides their contact information through integrated skip tracing. This turns what used to be a manual process (pulling county records, cross-referencing LLCs, skip tracing individuals) into a single search that takes seconds.
Facebook groups
Local real estate investing Facebook groups are full of flippers. Search for "[your city] wholesale real estate" or "[your city] real estate investors" and join the active groups. Pay attention to who comments "interested" on deal posts, especially those who provide proof of funds or ask detailed rehab questions. These are likely active buyers. Send them a direct message introducing yourself.
BiggerPockets forums
BiggerPockets has city-specific forums where local investors discuss deals, share experiences, and network. Search the forums for your market and look for active posters who discuss flip projects. These people are self-identifying as flippers, and many are happy to connect with wholesalers who can bring them deals.
Driving for dollars apps
While driving for dollars apps like DealMachine are primarily acquisition tools (finding distressed properties to buy), you can use the same approach in reverse. When you spot a property being actively renovated, use the app to identify the owner. If it is an LLC or investor entity, you have found an active flipper. Add them to your buyer list.
Qualifying flippers before adding them to your list
Not everyone who calls themselves a flipper is a reliable buyer. Before adding a new contact to your active buyer list, verify these basics:
- Transaction history: Have they actually closed a flip in the last 12 months? County records do not lie. An investor who bought and sold a property recently is active. Someone who "plans to start flipping" is not a buyer yet.
- Proof of funds: Can they show a bank statement, hard money pre-approval, or line of credit? Funded buyers close. Unfunded buyers waste your time.
- Buy box clarity: Can they tell you specifically what they buy (location, price range, property type, condition tolerance)? A vague answer like "anything that's a deal" suggests inexperience.
- Speed to close: How quickly can they close once they decide to buy? Experienced flippers with established lender relationships can close in 10-14 days. Beginners may need 30+ days.
- Contractor relationship: Do they have a reliable contractor or crew? Flippers without contractor relationships struggle to execute projects on time and budget, which can affect their ability to continue buying.
Building long-term relationships with flippers
Finding flippers is the first step. Keeping them buying from you repeatedly is where the real value is built. Here is how:
- Send only relevant deals. If a flipper told you they buy 3/2s under $150K on the west side, do not send them a $250K property on the east side. Respect their buy box and they will keep opening your messages.
- Price accurately. Flippers know their numbers. If your deals are consistently well-priced (ARV and repairs are accurate), they will prioritize your deals over other wholesalers'. If your estimates are consistently off, they will stop responding.
- Be transparent about property condition. Disclose known issues. Provide honest photos. A flipper who walks a property and finds exactly what your marketing package described will trust you. A flipper who finds a surprise foundation problem you did not mention will never buy from you again.
- Close what you promise. If you say the deal is available, it should be available. If you already have another buyer under contract, say so. Nothing damages a relationship faster than a wholesaler who markets a deal that is already sold.
A single active flipper who buys from you consistently can be worth $50K-$100K per year in assignment fees. Finding 5-10 of these relationships transforms your business. The methods above will help you find them. Consistent professionalism will help you keep them.