By the time a dated house is listed, the seller's agent has priced it to the market and five other flippers are bidding.
For fix-and-flip investors
Find your next flip before it's listed, and buy it at a price that works.
The best flips are dated homes with long-time owners and plenty of equity, and they rarely hit the MLS at a price that leaves room for a rehab. Spur finds those houses, reaches the owner directly, and sends a respectful letter that starts a conversation on your terms.
Free forever plan · No card · 20 property searches a month
USPSFirst-Class
Gerald Pruitt1140 Oak Hollow CtAtlanta, GA 30319Scan for an as-is offer
Gerald P. scanned your postcard · 12 min ago
AI-written for this owner · Mailed in 2 days
Year builtand ownership filters for dated homes
Equitybands to find sellers who can take your number
2 daysfrom approval to USPS first-class
The problem
Listed flips don't leave room for the rehab.
Buying from wholesalers works, but their assignment fee comes straight out of your profit.
"Needs work" isn't a filter on most sites. You need age, ownership length, and equity together.
How it works
From list to mailbox in one workflow.
The same five steps every time, set up for fix-and-flip investors.
app.usespur.com
Plays for Fix & Flip
Flip plays you can run in Spur today
Original-condition houses whose owners have lived there for decades.
Built pre-1985Owned 20+ yrs
Owners in larger homes who may want something smaller.
3+ bedsOwned 18+ yrsEquity 70%+
Heirs who may not want to renovate or manage a property.
Estate ownerAbsentee
See the full play →Worn-out rentals whose landlord would sell as-is.
AbsenteeOwned 15+ yrs
Owners who need a quick close more than top dollar.
Pre-foreclosureEquity 30%+
Properties with room to add value beyond cosmetics.
Lot sizeSingle-family
See it in Spur
A flipper's search in Spur
Sample results for dated, long-held homes with high equity. Names are partly masked.
Zip 30319Built before 1985Owned 20+ yrsEquity 70%+
- Gerald P.1140 Oak Hollow CtBuilt 1971 · owner-occupiedOwned 32 yrs100% equity
- Estate of J. Moss2702 Caldwell RdBuilt 1964 · mailing in MaconEstate100% equity
- Patricia & Lou H.3398 Woodrow WayBuilt 1978 · owner-occupiedOwned 26 yrs84% equity
- Calvin R.1517 Hearst DrBuilt 1969 · absenteeRentalOwned 21 yrs
- Nora S.4021 Ashwoody TrlBuilt 1982 · owner-occupiedOwned 24 yrs77% equity
AI draft for Gerald P. · 1140 Oak Hollow Ct
Hi Gerald,
I'm Ana, and I renovate older homes here in Brookhaven. I noticed you've owned your house on Oak Hollow Court for over 30 years. That's a long time in one place.
If you've thought about downsizing but don't want to spend months fixing things up, staging, and doing showings, I'd be happy to make you a fair as-is offer. You can pick the closing date and take your time moving out.
No pressure at all. Scan the code if you'd like a number to think about.
Ana Reyes · (404) 555-0119
Sample data for illustration. Your results depend on your market and filters.
Playbook
How to find fix-and-flip properties off-market
A profitable flip is decided at purchase. If you buy at a price that covers the rehab, holding costs, selling costs, and your margin, the project has room for surprises. If you buy at retail, it doesn't. That's why experienced flippers try to buy directly from owners before a house is listed.
The houses that make good flips usually share three traits: an older build or long gap since the last renovation, an owner who has been there for a long time, and enough equity that the owner can accept an as-is price and still walk away with a meaningful check. Searching for those three together is far more productive than mailing every homeowner in a zip code.
Tone matters more in flip mail than almost anywhere else. These sellers are often long-time residents who are proud of their home. Letters that call the house a "fixer" or imply it's run down get thrown away. Letters that respect their time in the home, acknowledge that updating a house to sell is a lot of work, and offer a simple alternative get calls.
Many of these sellers take months to decide. Budget for repeated touches over a season, and keep the conversation going with anyone who scans or calls even if they're not ready yet.
68×return on a year of Spur Team from one $40,000 flip
Buying direct protects your margin.
- Spur Team: $588/yr billed annually
- 300 targeted letters on Team at $1.39 each = $417
- One flip with a $40,000 net profit = 68× your annual subscription
Example math. Flip profits depend on purchase price, rehab, and market. Run your own numbers →
One tool, not four
Spur vs. how most flippers find deals
What you needThe usual waySpur
Finding the houseMLS alerts, wholesaler email lists✓ Built in
Reaching the ownerSkip tracing service, door knocking✓ Built in
Writing the letterOne generic template for every house✓ Built in
Knowing who's interestedWaiting for the phone to ring✓ Built in
Long-term follow-upSpreadsheet reminders✓ Built in
FAQ
Questions from fix-and-flip investors
How do I find houses that need renovation?
Use year built and ownership length together. Homes built decades ago with owners who have held them for 20+ years are much more likely to be in original condition. Add an equity filter so you're reaching owners who can sell as-is.
Should I buy flips from wholesalers or direct?
Both work. Buying direct with your own marketing lets you keep the assignment fee and build relationships with sellers, but it takes consistent mailing. Many flippers do both.
What should a flip letter say?
Keep it personal and respectful: who you are, that you buy homes as-is, and what makes selling to you easier than listing. Spur's AI drafts it around the owner's situation, and you approve every letter before it's mailed.
Can I use Spur for BRRRR deals?
Yes. The same searches that find flip candidates also find buy, rehab, rent, and refinance properties. Filter for neighborhoods with strong rents instead of strong resale values.
What does it cost to start?
Solo is free forever with 20 property searches and 3 owner enrichments a month. Letters are $1.99 and postcards $1.69 on Solo, and get cheaper on paid plans.
Keep exploring
Related roles and guides
Start in minutes. No card required.
Buy your next flip from the owner, not the MLS.
Search dated, long-held homes in your target neighborhood and send your first as-is letter today.
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