Real Estate Rookie I Quit My W2 Job After a “Home Run” First Deal (With No Money or Experience)
Nov 3, 2025
Chris Reichenbach, an ambitious early-stage real estate investor, shares his journey of quitting his W-2 job after a triumphant first flip. He dove into multiple deals, raising private money and forming partnerships, only to face rookie mistakes that derailed his progress. Discover how he learned to estimate renovation budgets, handle unexpected delays, and manage partnerships wisely. Chris emphasizes the importance of taking action, avoiding common pitfalls, and relaunching his business cautiously with valuable lessons gleaned from his experiences.
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First Flip From An Airbnb Connection
- Chris found his first flip by spotting a low-priced MLS listing in his neighborhood and walked it with an agent.
- He raised $35,000 from an Airbnb host he'd stayed with and the contractor finished the job in 12 days.
Create A Room-By-Room Scope First
- Build a scope-of-work checklist room by room before meeting contractors to get accurate quotes.
- Use that scope to compare contractor quotes and validate your ARV assumptions.
First Deal Is The Foundation
- The first deal builds the foundation: systems, contractors, and confidence for future deals.
- Once you have processes and lenders, quantity scaling becomes easier than finding the first deal.
