Every Sunday morning I take my kids to Morgan’s Restaurant in Wynwood for brunch. That’s where I recently met Karen, a contract lawyer dreaming of a career change. She sat alone at the table next to us and I couldn’t help but notice her studying the real estate section of the Miami Herald. Real estate investing is my passion, so I started up a conversation.

It turned out that she hadn’t made partner at her firm after putting in 17 years and was ready to start a new business of her own—investing in real estate. But, she wasn’t sure where to focus. I’ve been buying, rehabbing, and selling distressed houses all across the Sunshine State for years and I’ve seen it all, from successful investors to the ones who weren’t so lucky. So, I told Karen all I knew about the most promising areas for flipping houses in South Florida.

Flipping Houses in South Florida: Where to Find Investment Properties

Housing markets across Florida have regained value since the housing bubble burst, but that doesn’t mean every area is primed to yield equally strong returns. In Miami, for instance, home prices tend to be much higher than incomes, which can make it hard to sell a house if you buy at the higher end. Because Karen was a budding investor who might not have the resources to hold on to a property while waiting for a slow sale, I told her to set her sights elsewhere. Here are the areas I suggested she search for opportunities to buy her first investment property.

Port St. Lucie

Just north of the congested tri-county area, Port St. Lucie is a hot investment area for beginners. It’s just a short drive away from just about everything, including Walt Disney World, Tampa, and Miami. This small city has beautiful Atlantic Ocean beaches, while the St. Lucie River is excellent for fishing and boating. It’s a popular town for baseball lovers as spring training happens yearly at First Data Field. With an affordable cost of living and excellent schools and universities like Indian River State College, it’s no wonder why selling a renovated house is highly likely in Port St. Lucie.

Port St. Lucie is still somewhat up and coming, which is why it’s a great place to look for investment property. It has a large inventory of foreclosures to choose from, showing the opportunity to buy from distressed South Florida homeowners. And, since housing prices have been on a steady upward trajectory for the past few years, the sell side looks more promising than ever. If you buy at the right price and set reasonable expectations for your sale price, selling an investment property should be no problem. Riverview is the most popular neighborhood in town and Fountainview is the most affordable. Look for deals in these areas.

Naples

Naples has miles of west-coast beaches, and beach parking is free for residents. There are all sorts of watersports, including fishing, paddle boarding, and kayaking. And it’s a golfer’s paradise, as the city has over 50 golf courses! Home to friendly people who’ve relocated from all over America, Naples is a likely choice for selling a renovated property.

This beach town has historically been a strong market for high-end homes, but there’s increasingly more opportunity on the lower end of the market lately. While the most expensive homes are taking a long time to sell as demand tapers out, lower-priced homes have really gained a lot of traction—and this is where you should set your sights. Naples has a strong job market, meaning you should be able to find many qualified buyers for rehabbed property. This boom in job growth is changing Naples from a once-seasonal market to a year-round place to buy.

Punta Gorda

Located on the west coast of Florida just north of Naples lies the beautiful little city of Punta Gorda. It has all the benefits of warm Florida weather and a waterfront lifestyle without the congestion of southeast Florida or the remoteness of the Keys. The Peace River is also a beloved destination for locals who want to spend a relaxing weekend canoeing on the calm waters. Punta Gorda has great restaurants, friendly people, and there’s always something to do on weekends, from farmers’ markets to car shows.

Currently a seller’s market, prices are likely to rise even more as the supply of houses continues to decline. Because seasonality affects this area, you’d do well to buy during the low season and sell in the high season for the best potential ROI. Overall, if you have a strong real estate investing lead generation strategy in place that lets you find deals even in a tight market, the potential for selling here looks good.

Whether you want to start flipping houses in Port St. Lucie, Punta Gorda, or anywhere else in South Florida for that matter, your potential for solid ROI starts with getting qualified leads on opportunities. Luckily, for Karen, I was able to tell her how to do that, too. HomeVestors is not such a big secret, after all.

Minimize Risk Flipping Houses in South Florida by Following Qualified Leads

As an independently owned and operated HomeVestors® franchisee, I can rely on getting consistent, qualified leads from the nationally known and trusted “We Buy Ugly Houses®” marketing campaign. It’s a brand backed by a proven track record for reaching distressed homeowners looking for “solutions to ugly situations®.” It’s been so successful, in fact, that HomeVestors® franchisees, like me—and now Karen—have bought over 140,000 houses nationwide since 1996.

Don’t start flipping houses in South Florida without gaining access to qualified leads on some of the best investment opportunities. Call HomeVestors® today and follow your dreams of owning your own professional real estate investment business.

Each franchise office is independently owned and operated.