Sawand Belcher was working long hours as a car salesman, needing to make 15 sales every month just to earn $7,500. He felt like he was working twice as hard for the same pay. Then suddenly, his commissions were cut in half.
He now needed 25 monthly sales to make that same $7,500. Sawand knew he needed to take control of his income, but wasn't sure how. That's when he stumbled upon wholesaling real estate.
Wholesaling 101: Flipping Houses for Big Profits
Wholesaling involves finding discounted investment properties, getting them under contract, and then selling the contract to real estate investors for a profit. Sawand learned that with just one successful wholesale deal, he could potentially earn a finder's fee over $20,000! He decided wholesaling was worth a try, given the huge profit potential and low barrier to entry.
Sawand started studying wholesaling, making his own "roadmap to the sale" based on online training videos. He drove around his neighborhood looking for run-down houses in need of rehab. One day he noticed overgrown grass at a vacant home and managed to catch the owner mowing the lawn. After introducing himself as a neighbor, Sawand put in an offer to buy the property.
The initial negotiation didn't go well. The seller wanted $45k but Sawand offered $35k based on comparables. When the seller got upset, Sawand took a risk - he offered $40k plus a $500 good faith deposit. The seller agreed!
Securing That First Wholesale Deal
Although Sawand now had a property under contract, he didn't yet know how to fund or sell a wholesale deal. At church, a mentor told Sawand about real estate investor meetings where he could find ready buyers.
Sawand attended one of these meetings with his purchase contract in hand. He presented the deal during "deal time" and found a cash buyer who gave $1k in earnest money!
Sawand still enjoyed his car sales job. But this first $3,800 wholesale fee showed him that he could replace his income through real estate investing. More wholesale deals quickly followed, cementing Sawand's decision to go all in on wholesaling.
Quitting His Job After a $17k Month
Although quitting his stable job was scary, Sawand reflects "In hindsight, why was I so nervous? Everything worked out fine." Within weeks, he was consistently earning over $5k profit per wholesale deal:
- Deal #1: $3,800 fee
- Deal #2 (a week later): $5,000 fee
- Deal #3 (another week later): $8,000 fee
In just one month, Sawand's part-time wholesaling earned him $17k - far more than his $5,500 monthly car sales income. At that point Sawand realized, "I just made more with my side hustle than at my job. I got to go!" He turned in his notice and never looked back.
Why is it Hard to Quit a Job?
Sawand admits it was difficult to relinquish the perceived "security" of a full-time job. But in reality, wholesaling gave him true security through control of his time and finances. No more answering to bosses or commission changes.
Many people cling to the "middle class lie" that jobs provide stability through benefits. But employees pay for those benefits via lower wages. Business owners can allocate funds as they choose while reaping tax advantages. Wholesaling brings freedom.
Sawand's Wholesaling Business Now
Today, Sawand runs a successful real estate team that generates motivated seller leads and flips contracts to cash buyers.
He starts mornings with family time before arriving at the office around 9:30am. Sawand oversees his marketing systems to ensure a steady pipeline of deals. He reviews contracts and prepares them for sale to his deep cash buyer list.
Sawand strives to leave the office by 3:30pm to focus on health and family. But he often returns from 6:30-8:00pm to strategize alone.
Sawand has designed his business to support his lifestyle as a father of 6 and influential community member. He even uses motorcycle meetups to network with private lenders!
Wholesaling's flexibility and high returns have allowed Sawand to enjoy quality family time while setting himself up for long-term success.
Sawand's story shows that you don't need to keep struggling in an unfulfilling job. With one successful wholesale deal, you can prove to yourself that financial freedom is possible. Then continue wholesaling to eventually replace your income and design your dream lifestyle.
What inspired you most in Sawand's journey? Let us know in the comments! And if you want to quit your job through real estate investing, subscribe for more tactical frameworks coming soon!
About Benjy Nichols
Benjy has been a media specialist at DealMachine for the last 2.5 years. He produces, writes, shoots, and edits our media content for our member's DealMachine and Real Estate education.