When people ask me what house flipping in Australia really is, my answer is simple: it’s about buying the right property, making smart, fast improvements, and selling to the right end buyer for a profit. That’s it. But as any experienced property flipper will tell you, the “right property” and “smart improvements” are what make or break the deal.
My name’s Emily Greenaway, co-founder of Fast Flip Formula. I’ve flipped more than 45 homes across the country, and I teach everyday Aussies how to do the same through our property flipping course. In this blog, I’ll walk you through one of my favourite projects: a cosmetically challenged duplex on Powell Street in Tweed Heads, and share the exact lessons that can help you succeed in flipping property in Australia, even if you’ve never picked up a hammer in your life.
Quick House Flipping Tips
- The best flips are cosmetically challenged but structurally sound properties.
- Renovate for your buyer avatar, not your own personal taste.
- Stick to “low-hanging fruit” like fresh paint, new flooring, and staging; they deliver the biggest bang for buck.
- Hybrid flooring is my go-to: water-resistant, durable, and always a buyer-pleaser.
- Success comes from following a repeatable formula; that’s what we teach in Fast Flip Formula.
- Anyone can start: you don’t necessarily need money or experience; you need an appetite.
Financial Disclaimer
The information shared in this blog reflects our personal experience as property flippers. I am not a licensed financial advisor. Any tax or financial strategies mentioned should not be taken as professional advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified accountant, financial advisor, and lawyer before making investment decisions.
Understanding House Flipping
For me, house flipping isn’t just about making money (although the profit is fantastic when you get it right). It’s about transforming something tired into a home that buyers fall in love with the second they walk through the door.
The Powell Street duplex looked like it was straight out of the early 80s: cream walls, pink curtains, stained carpet. But here’s the kicker: it was actually built in the 2000s. That’s why I always say, don’t be fooled by décor. Many homes that look “dated” are really just cosmetically challenged but structurally sound. And those are the golden opportunities.
In Australia, property flipping has become increasingly popular as people realise they don’t need to sit on a mortgage for 30 years to make money in real estate. Quick, smart flips can put profits in your pocket far faster than waiting on long-term growth. And yes, flipping houses in Australia is absolutely achievable for everyday people; Azza (my husband) and I weren’t born with a silver spoon. We just learned the formula and stuck to it.
Why It Matters
So why do I care so much about teaching others? Because I know how powerful it is to change your life with a single deal. My first flip came from scraping together $1,000, and I made $300 a week from that property before I even settled on it. If I can do it, anyone can.
But here’s the truth: not every deal makes money. Successful house flippers and property flippers all know three rules:
- The power is in the buying. If you overpay, no renovation will save you.
- Renovate for your end buyer, not yourself. We call this creating a “buyer avatar” a clear picture of who you’re selling to.
- Don’t reinvent the wheel. We follow a repeatable cookie-cutter formula because it saves time, money, and stress. It is tested and it works!
That’s exactly why we created the Fast Flip Formula program: a proven system that anyone can follow, whether you’re starting from scratch or looking for house flipping courses online to refine your skills.
Finding the Right Property
The first step in any flip is buying right. I can’t stress that enough. On Powell Street in Tweed Heads, we spotted what we call a “rare as hen’s teeth” property; a ground-floor duplex that looked and felt just like a standalone home.
- It had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a two-car garage. Better still, it fronted a different street to its neighbour, with only a shared garage wall.
- In an area overrun with apartments and high-density housing, this kind of property was gold for our target demographic: retirees looking to downsize without giving up the feel of a proper house.
From the moment I saw it, I knew it would sell quickly and for top dollar. That’s the key to house flipping in Australia: knowing who your end buyer is before you swing a single hammer.
Structuring the Deal
Now, here’s where a lot of property flippers go wrong: they don’t listen to what the seller really needs. On Powell Street, we were initially told the elderly couple wanted a quick settlement. However, upon speaking with them, we found that they preferred a more extended settlement period to allow time for transitioning into retirement care.
That worked perfectly for us because it gave us breathing space to plan the renovation, line up our trades, and order materials. We even paid the agent’s commission upfront, which made our offer more attractive. That’s what I call a “win-win-win” scenario; the sellers were happy, the agent was delighted, and we got the deal structured in our favour.
Funding the Flip
We often partner with investors because flipping is a numbers game; your money’s always out working on different deals. On this project, we brought in a joint venture partner. They put in the funds, and we shared the profits.
That’s the beauty of collaboration. It’s not just about competing; it’s about creating opportunities for others to win alongside you. This approach has allowed us to take on more deals without relying purely on our own capital. For new house flippers, this is a powerful lesson: don’t let a lack of money hold you back. Partner smartly, and you’ll move faster.
Tackling the Renovation
Kitchen & Dining Reconfiguration
The kitchen was the biggest challenge. There was a weird nook that didn’t quite make sense. We debated for weeks whether to resurface the existing kitchen or start fresh. In the end, we chose to open up the space between the kitchen and dining room.
Our signature feature, a breakfast bar with pendant lights, almost got scrapped because it encroached on the dining area by just three inches. It sounds small, but modelling the future staging with the trestle tables we had on site revealed that it wouldn’t work comfortably.
The solution? We added a small overhang lip at the bench so buyers could imagine stools there, but we moved the actual breakfast bar seating into the nook. That transformed an awkward dead zone into a second sitting area, tying the whole flow of the home together.
Bathroom Fixes
The ensuite was tiny. We opted for an off-the-shelf vanity instead of waiting for custom cabinetry, which meant we lost some storage space. To make up for it, we installed an overhead mirror-shaving cabinet. The mirror couldn’t sit straight ahead, so we got creative, hanging a plant in just the right spot so its reflection made the room feel bigger. A small detail, but trust me, buyers do notice, even if subconsciously.
Other Value-Adds
- Laundry – went from a lonely sink and washer to full cabinetry with a timber benchtop.
- Kitchen pantry – we removed the dated corner pantry (a dead giveaway of an old kitchen) and relocated it. Put the fridge in its place for a modern layout.
- Benchtops & appliances – upgraded from laminate to stone, added brand-new appliances.
Flooring: The Game-Changer
If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know flooring is non-negotiable in our flips. For Powell Street, we went with Inspire XL Hybrid Flooring from Online Flooring Store. It gave us the wider plank look that buyers love, with the durability we needed for a high-traffic family home.
Why hybrid? Simple
- It’s water-resistant, so we can run it through the kitchen without worrying.
- It’s durable and feels solid underfoot; no hollow sound like with some floating floors.
- It’s quick to lay, which means no trades sitting around waiting. Time is money!
- And buyers love it. Trends had shifted away from greys and whites toward warmer tones, and this hybrid nailed the look.
Working with Online Flooring Store makes life easier because they know what’s trending, and they can source stock fast. With flipping, timing is everything; one trade that falls through can delay the entire project. Having suppliers who deliver quickly and reliably keeps everything moving smoothly.
Outdoor Transformations
Curb appeal matters just as much as the interiors. On Powell Street, we added a front deck to create an instant entertaining space. We also installed a boundary fence with an arbour gate. It served no real purpose other than to look pretty, but buyers absolutely fell in love with it. Sometimes it’s those emotional touches that clinch a sale.
Out the back, we faced ugly old pavers sitting over drainage. Ripping them up wasn’t an option, so we laid artificial grass with mesh backing for drainage. Suddenly, the backyard was green, low-maintenance, and inviting. Another quick win for the budget.
Common Mistakes We See in House Flipping
If there’s one thing we’ve learned from doing more than 46 flips, it’s this: people often make the same mistakes over and over. And these mistakes can kill your profit.
Renovating for yourself instead of the buyer
We’ve seen so many new house flippers put in kitchens or bathrooms they personally love, only to realise their target buyers don’t care for it. That’s wasted money. On Powell Street, everything we did was for retirees; single-level living, low-maintenance features, warm tones, and easy-flow layouts. Not our personal dream house, but perfect for our buyer avatar.
Overcapitalising
Just because you can put in marble benchtops or custom cabinetry doesn’t mean you should. For Powell Street, off-the-shelf bathroom vanities and hybrid flooring were more than enough to create a “wow” effect without blowing the budget.
Not doing the homework before buying
The profit’s in the purchase, not the sale. Too many beginner property flippers see a cheap listing and jump in without asking: who’s the end buyer, and what do they want? If you can’t answer that, don’t buy it.
Best Practices for Flipping Houses in Australia
Here’s what we recommend to every one of our students in our property flipping courses online and face-to-face live event programs:
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Create a cookie-cutter formula
Our first deal took six months. Our second took six weeks. Why? Because we stopped reinventing the wheel. These days, most flips take us 3–8 weeks because we follow a repeatable template and only tweak for trends.
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Keep your eye on the “low-hanging fruit”
Paint, floors, and staging; those three alone can transform almost any room. Buyers are visual, and if they see fresh walls, beautiful floors, and well-staged spaces, they’ll pay a premium.
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Stage for emotion, not decoration
You’ve got seven seconds to make a first impression. On Powell Street, we thought carefully about how buyers would use each space. That’s why we moved the breakfast bar into the nook; not just to fill space, but to create a picture in the buyer’s mind of family or friends gathered together.
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Small features pack a punch
You wouldn’t believe how often buyers lose their minds over simple additions like VJ walls, pendant lights, or a barn door. They cost a couple of hundred dollars but add thousands in perceived value.
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Respect the knock-on effect of delays
If one trade is held up, the whole project slows down. That’s why we work with reputable retailers and suppliers; they keep us moving by ensuring the flooring and products we need is available on time.
Lessons Learned on Powell Street
What did Powell Street teach me? That success is in the details, but also in the discipline to keep things simple.
- The breakfast bar drama taught me to physically stage awkward spaces before making big calls. Sometimes the tape measure doesn’t tell the whole story.
- The ensuite mirror trick proved that creative thinking (and even a well-placed plant) can solve tricky design problems without big spend.
- The boundary fence and arbour reminded me that buyers buy with their hearts. Function matters, but emotional connection closes the deal.
Most importantly, Powell Street reinforced that our formula works. By keeping the end buyer in mind, focusing on “low-hanging fruit,” and following a repeatable system, we created a home that sold quickly and profitably.
Tools, Resources & The Fast Flip Formula
We’ve flipped more than 46 properties while simultaneously running two other businesses, and the reason we’ve been able to do it is simple: we follow a formula. That formula became Fast Flip Formula — a program we created to give everyday Aussies the same system that’s changed our lives.
Why We Started
I came from musical theatre, he came from trades and water ski instructing, and we made plenty of mistakes along the way. When Channel 7 featured our early projects on Aussie Property Flippers, people wanted to know how we were doing it. With encouragement from our mentor, we turned our process into a program and Fast Flip Formula was born.
What We Teach
Our house flipping course is designed for people who feel they “don’t have enough” — money, experience, or time. You don’t need any of that. You just need an appetite. We show you how to:
- Buy right by researching areas and buyer avatars.
- Fund deals through joint ventures, money partners, and creative settlements.
- Flip properties you don’t even own.
- Renovate using our cookie-cutter template.
- Stage homes to create an emotional connection in seconds.
- Complete projects in 3–8 weeks, not months.
We also offer online property flipping courses for flexibility, as well as weekly webinars that provide practical learning opportunities to hone in on strategies. Today, more than 1,200 students across Australia are part of our kick-ass community of property flippers.
Keep it Simple
Property flipping in Australia really comes down to three things: buy smart, renovate, and keep the end buyer front of mind. Our Powell Street duplex proved that even a “cosmetically challenged” property can become a dream home with the right upgrades from hybrid flooring and simple reconfigurations to staging that creates an emotional pull.
The biggest lesson is that you don’t need money or prior experience to be a successful property flipper. What you do need is appetite and a proven formula. That’s exactly what we’ve built with Fast Flip Formula: a rinse-and-repeat system that works for everyday Aussies.
