At just 22, Donovan Camarotti has already built a high-volume wholesale real estate business. He started flipping homes at 18 but transitioned to wholesaling in response to shifting market conditions. What was once a flip-heavy operation, averaging 8 to 10 fix-and-flips a month, is now a lean, wholesale-focused model aiming for 10 deals per month.
Numbers and risk management drove the shift. Donovan realized that wholesale profits often matched or exceeded those from flips, without the capital exposure. In the past, he had up to 42 active flips. A 10% drop in home values across that inventory could wipe out profits. With wholesale deals, there’s no holding risk and fewer delays—just clean, quick transactions.
“We’ve never lost money on a wholesale deal.”
Donovan quickly learned that some property types carry a higher risk. He experienced losses on condo flips following the Surfside condo collapse in Miami. That event, along with stricter insurance requirements, made buyers hesitant.
As a result, Donovan stepped away from condos in favor of more predictable single-family homes.
His journey began with inspiration from a family friend who flipped houses. By high school, Donovan was running a car detailing business, saving money, and studying real estate. At 18, he made his first deal; a $200,000 condo he rehabbed and sold for $295,000, earning $27,000 in profit.
That deal came through a local real estate agent who spotted a handyman working on a unit not yet listed. Donovan acted quickly, negotiated his way up to his top offer, and closed within three weeks. The experience validated his belief that real estate could be a viable long-term path.
Donovan used hard money to fund the deal—receiving 82.5% of the purchase price and 100% of the renovation costs. The rehab went just $1,000 over budget.
He prefers line-item rehab estimates over broad per-square-foot calculations. In Florida, costly surprises like a new roof or HVAC system can throw off loose estimates. Early on, Donovan brought in subcontractors during the inspection period to build accurate bids.
With experience, he now estimates major costs from memory while still confirming with agents and lenders.
Donovan’s team provides comps with notes on how they relate to the subject property. However, they no longer include fixed After Repair Values (ARVs) or rehab estimates.
“Buyers have different exit strategies. One might clean and list, another might do a full renovation. Their numbers won’t match.”
This approach prevents confusion and allows each buyer to evaluate deals based on their own goals. Internally, Donovan’s team still verifies deal viability through detailed underwriting.
Watch Donovan break down the strategy behind his biggest wholesale deal and how he consistently closes high-volume assignments:
One of Donovan’s largest wins was a $150,000 assignment deal. The property, a mixed-use home with a guesthouse, efficiency unit, and office zoning, was under contract for $3.05 million. He assigned it to a buyer at $3.2 million.
The income potential, layout, and zoning made it highly desirable. The deal closed quickly and delivered a higher profit than many flips, without the extended timeline.
Donovan sources leads through three main channels:
Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram):
Google PPC (Pay-Per-Click):
Referrals:
Donovan initially resisted Meta ads due to poor past results. But after partnering with a new ad agency and creating authentic video ads, results improved dramatically.
His current strategy includes:
“People see our Meta ad, then search our name. That’s where PPC picks up the lead.”
This multichannel strategy helps build trust while attracting highly motivated sellers.
As his model shifted to wholesaling, Donovan streamlined his team:
This lean structure supports growth. With existing systems in place, adding one more acquisitions hire and boosting ad spend could help reach 200+ deals per year.
Before becoming a wholesaler, Donovan bought assignments himself. That experience shaped how he treats buyers.
“Even if you’re going to be lower, send in the offer.”
Donovan values reliability. He’s never walked from a deal outside of contingency. He expects the same from his buyers.
Buyers who don’t perform may be blacklisted, but those who communicate openly may get another chance.
Donovan doesn’t run bidding wars unless necessary. Instead, it’s first-come, first-served.
“If a seller disclosed something, we’ll share it. If not, it’s up to buyers to verify.”
Clean offers and timely deposits win the deal. It’s a fair, fast-moving system that rewards serious buyers.
The goal: reach 200 wholesale and novation deals per year.
To get there, Donovan plans to:
He still flips, but only when spreads are wide. Recent examples include buying a $700K home that appraised for $1.7M.
“The base is there and the hard part is there.”
While the front-end side of the business runs smoothly, Donovan identified friction on the backend.
He recently outsourced transaction coordination to a firm specializing in wholesaling and novation. Their experience is expected to improve timelines and communication throughout the closing process.
Here are Donovan’s top takeaways for new wholesalers:
These fundamentals are key to building a sustainable wholesaling business.
Marketing is about connection. Donovan keeps his videos personal and direct. He outlines the benefits clearly:
That straightforward approach builds confidence with sellers and accelerates deal flow.
Donovan’s risk strategy is simple: avoid properties with unstable demand or complex conditions. That’s why he avoids condos and focuses on single-family homes in steady neighborhoods.
By keeping deals flexible and letting buyers choose their own path—whether flipping, renting, or redeveloping—he increases exit potential and reduces exposure.
Donovan shows that you don’t need a big team or years of experience to succeed in real estate. What you do need is discipline, strong marketing, and a clear strategy.
“Know your numbers. Protect your downside. Build strong relationships.”
Flipping involves buying, renovating, and reselling a property. Wholesaling means assigning a contract to another investor without renovating.
Yes. Many wholesalers begin by learning how to find comps, using hard money or partners, and starting small. Donovan began at 18 with minimal resources.
Wholesalers use Meta ads, Google PPC, referrals, direct mail, software like DealMachine, and networking.
Fees vary, but Donovan averages $24,000 per deal. Some assignments, like his largest, reach $150,000 or more.
Yes. Wholesaling is legal in most states when done correctly. Highly profitable with strong ethics, sound contracts, and disciplined deal evaluation.