What if flipping sneakers as a teen could lead you to your first real estate deal?
Carlos Lujan is just 18, but he's already doing something big. He started by selling sneakers for profit. Now, he's using those same skills to flip houses in Texas. This blog shows how he went from trading shoes to making real money in real estate.
If you’re wondering how to start real estate investing at 18 or just want to learn how a teen can flip houses, keep reading. Carlos’s journey might inspire your own.
Carlos’s journey began with sneakers.
He didn’t just buy and sell for fun—he treated it like a business. He studied the market, watched trends, and made smart deals. Whether it was sneakers or watches, he always looked for the same thing: buy low, sell high.
"I love the process of buying and selling," Carlos says.
Flipping shoes taught him important lessons:
These skills became the foundation for his next big step: real estate.
One day, he met a new real estate investor who made $14,000 from one deal. That moment changed everything.
If he could earn that much from one property, why not try it too? He also had inspiration close to home. His grandfather runs his own real estate brokerage. That gave him extra confidence. He knew he had someone to guide him and answer questions.
He realized that flipping houses isn’t so different from flipping shoes. The scale is bigger, but the idea is the same: find something undervalued, improve it, and sell for profit.
Carlos dove into real estate investing for beginners. He learned about the basics—especially wholesaling real estate. That’s a strategy where you don’t buy the house. Instead, you find a good deal, get it under contract, and then sell that contract to another investor.
This method is called flipping paper, and it’s a great way for new investors to get started without much money.
Want to see how wholesaling works in real life? Check out this quick video that explains the basics in a way that’s easy to follow.
He didn’t expect success overnight. He knew it would take time. But he was ready. He already had discipline from another part of his life—working out six days a week.
His mentor, David, reminded him:
“The discipline you bring to the gym is the same drive you need in real estate.”
He started cold calling, talking to sellers, and learning about contracts.
It wasn’t easy.
Sometimes he made 100 calls just to get one yes. But that didn’t stop him. It pushed him to work harder.
To succeed in real estate, Carlos had to understand the rules. In Texas, you don’t need a license to wholesale real estate. That made things easier. But he still had to learn about contracts. A simple deal needs five key parts to be legal.
He studied them all—just like he once studied shoe brands and watch models.
He didn’t do this alone. He learned from people like David, a real estate mentor who showed him the ropes.
Having someone to ask questions made a huge difference. Carlos also knew that building a network is key. You need buyers, sellers, contractors, and other investors. It’s a team sport.
His goal? Build strong connections and keep learning from those ahead of him.
He is just getting started. His story is about more than money. It’s about growth, learning, and chasing dreams. Real estate wholesaling is now his way forward.
And just like he once flipped sneakers to make money as a teen entrepreneur, he’s now flipping contracts and building a business.
Carlos shows us that age doesn’t matter—what matters is hustle, discipline, and a desire to learn. He started small, flipping sneakers. Now he’s learning to flip houses and grow in real estate.
If you're a teen entrepreneur or just someone looking to start real estate investing for beginners, let Carlos’s story be your guide.
Start where you are. Ask questions. Take action.
The road from sneakers to real estate might be just the beginning.