John Gettle spent 2009 to 2015 fighting MMA, going 6-1 with every win by submission or knockout, before deciding that flipping houses paid better and came with fewer ACL replacements. His last fight was October 13, 2015, around the same time his real estate business, started in 2015 with an online county auction account, was taking off. The credibility he built buying distressed properties sight-unseen at auction is what landed him a season on the A&E show Flip Wars, though he says the show's economics did not survive past one season once producers realized how long real renovations actually take.
Today his business runs mostly on wholesaling rather than renovation: Gettle contracts a distressed property from a motivated seller, then assigns that contract to one of his investors for a fee, sometimes five figures, without ever touching a hammer or putting up renovation capital. He estimates he has closed somewhere between 800 and 1,000 deals over his career, averaging one to two closings a week.
When deals go sideways
Gettle is candid about the downside of the business. He describes a Tampa property he almost walked away from that cost him nearly $50,000 after squatters moved in days before closing, forcing him to negotiate a cash payment just to get them out, and a separate hoarder house so extreme that residents were digging holes in the backyard rather than using plumbing that had been shut off for over a year. He now teaches those lessons, including the mistakes, through a paid mentorship called Flipping for Dummies, which splits profits 50/50 with students on their first five deals before they go off on their own.
Boats, roundabouts and a mystery guest
Gettle takes a rare hard line against Sarasota's roundabouts, arguing they are too small for boat trailers navigating routes like 10th Street, where a 30- to 40-foot trailer can end up occupying two lanes. He says roundabouts would work if drivers understood right-of-way rules but calls them a boon mainly for personal injury attorneys and auto body shops. He also teases a future guest: an unnamed Sarasota-based aluminum manufacturer who holds a hurricane-rated pool cage patent used across much of the state and built a company he estimates is worth around $200 million.
What you'll take away
- Gettle fought MMA professionally from 2009 to 2015, going 6-1, before transitioning full time into real estate wholesaling
- His business model centers on wholesaling: contracting distressed properties from motivated sellers and assigning the contract to investors for a fee, without renovation capital or risk
- He estimates 800 to 1,000 career deals, averaging one to two closings a week
- His Flipping for Dummies mentorship charges students upfront and splits profits 50/50 on their first five deals to ensure commitment
- Gettle strongly dislikes Sarasota's roundabouts, arguing they are too small for boat trailers common near local boat ramps
“I'm not losing five grand.”
“It's it's you're better than the banks coming in and taking their house back.”
Places mentioned: North Port, Desoto Acres, 10th Street boat ramp, Tampa