Wendell’s Weekly Wins and Whiffs

👋 Welcome to Wendell’s Weekly Wins & Whiffs — your front-row seat to the entrepreneurial and real estate rollercoaster, complete with high-fives, facepalms, and everything in between. Each week, I’ll peel back the curtain on life as an active investor and business builder: the triumphs that feel like victory laps, the flops that sting like a surprise plumbing leak, and the behind-the-scenes grind of running multiple companies. From flips that soar to admin headaches that test my patience, you’ll get the real, unfiltered scoop on both deals and business operations. Why? Because building wealth isn’t just about properties — it’s about building systems, partnerships, and businesses that can stand the test of time. My goal is to share the wins, the whiffs, and the lessons learned so you can sharpen your own edge in both investing and entrepreneurship.

Author

Wendell Butler
September 25, 2025

🏆 This Week’s Win: A Flip in Mint Hill, NC
This week’s win is all about momentum. We’re officially closing any day now on our newest flip in Mint Hill, NC, and it’s shaping up to be an excellent deal. We’re purchasing the property for $175,000, with a rehab budget of around $52,000, and a projected ARV of $345,000. That puts us on track for an expected profit of roughly $80,000.

🏡 Why This Deal Stands Out
This house sits in a cozy, desirable neighborhood where demand has stayed strong despite the challenges of today’s market. Because of that, we’re confident it won’t have trouble attracting buyers once renovations are complete (fingers crossed!). Beyond the numbers, this project marks a milestone for us: it’s our first deal sourced directly from our mailing campaigns. That makes this win even sweeter because the ROI on the marketing spend versus the profit potential is outstanding.

💡 The Lesson
Big wins don’t just come from executing projects, they come from building systems that consistently bring opportunities to the table. This deal proves that investing in marketing pays off, and it gives us the confidence to keep doubling down on strategies that work.

🔨 What’s Next
We’re kicking off the rehab any day now and looking forward to bringing this property back to life. Every flip teaches us something new, and this one will be no different but it’s already shaping up to be a major highlight of the year.

💨 This Week’s Whiff: The $100K Mistake
What started as an exciting two-for-one opportunity in Charlotte, a fix-and-flip alongside a new build, has quickly turned into a massive headache. Within weeks of breaking ground, we were hit with issue after issue: a flip with foundation problems, a septic system that’s completely dead, driveway setbacks, and on the new build side, lot factor costs that ballooned from an expected $15K–$20K to a staggering $45K–$50K.

📌 The reality?
Looking back, a lot of this pain could have been avoided. If we had gotten a lot factor quote before closing, done proper due diligence on the septic, and taken a deeper dive into the driveway situation, we would’ve seen red flags sooner. The foundation issues? That one we couldn’t have known due to drywall covering it, but the rest is on us. Because of these misses, our projected profits have dropped from $120K–$140K to just $20K–$40K. Still in the green, yes… but nowhere near where we started.

✨ The silver lining…
We try to add humor to tough situations, so this one’s officially been nicknamed “Project Break Even.” We can laugh about it, but the mission is clear: move quickly, make sure our investors are paid back 100% with their promised returns, without question (even if we lose money). At the end of the day, these challenges make us sharper. Most people would fold, give up, or freeze when deals go sideways. Not us. We move, we adapt, and we solve problems.

🧭 The mindset?
Right now, it’s all about speed and execution. We’re pushing with our contractors to get this project done as fast as possible, get it listed, and move on. Every investor will face projects like this, what defines you is how you respond. This one reminded us that diligence is everything, confidence matters, and forward is the only direction we know.

Let’s get to work.

🎯 Tactical Tip of the Week: Due Diligence, Due Diligence, Due Diligence!
If there’s one thing that can save you six figures of headaches (and profit losses), it’s this: do not cut corners on due diligence. Excitement can make deals look shinier than they really are, but skipping steps or rushing the process will cost you more than you think.

Here are a few practical ways to tighten your due diligence:

  • Lot Factors & Permits: Always get written quotes on lot prep, tap fees, and permits before closing. What you think will be a $15K line item can turn into $50K overnight.

  • Septic & Utilities: Insist on inspections and quotes from licensed professionals, don’t assume “working” means good. A failed septic can eat your margin alive.

  • Driveways, Easements & Access: Look deeper than surface-level curb appeal. Check slope, accessibility, and local requirements, driveways can quickly become deal-breakers if overlooked.

  • Hidden Structural Issues: Drywall can hide a world of hurt. When possible, budget for invasive inspections in older homes so you aren’t blindsided by foundation repairs.

  • Systems & Checklists: Build a repeatable due diligence checklist that forces you to slow down, ask questions, and verify every line item before money leaves the table.

✨ The takeaway: Great deals aren’t made at the closing table, they’re made in the due diligence phase. Push harder, ask more questions, and verify everything. Skipping a step might save a few days up front, but it could cost you months (and six figures) on the back end.

🔦 FROM THE FIELD: Relationships Over Transactions
One of the biggest lessons that keeps showing up in this business is how critical strong contractor relationships are. Deals will always bring surprises: foundation issues, septic failures, cost overruns, you name it. When those challenges hit, the difference between a nightmare and a manageable problem often comes down to the people you’re working with.

💡 Why does this matter?
When you’ve built real trust with your contractors, they don’t just point out problems, they help you solve them. Instead of frustration or finger-pointing, you get patience, collaboration, and creative solutions. A contractor who sees themselves as a partner in the project will troubleshoot with you, adapt when plans change, and stick with you through the messy parts, not just the easy ones.

✅ Tactical Takeaways:

  • Always pay on time. Nothing builds goodwill faster than keeping your word financially.

  • Communicate early and often. Miscommunication is where most conflicts start, so over-communicate instead of under-communicate.

  • Use photos for real-time updates. One of the best ways to stay on the same page is to have your contractor send pictures of the project as it progresses. Visual updates cut down on confusion, provide clarity, and help you catch potential issues before they snowball.

  • Treat them like people. Too many investors treat contractors like numbers. This is a people business, respect and empathy go a long way.

From the field, the lesson is simple: in real estate, you’re not just investing in properties, you’re investing in people. Strong relationships with your contractors turn obstacles into opportunities, and in this business, that can be the difference between breaking even and breaking through.

✨ Closer Thought: Protect your people, and they’ll protect your projects.

Few example photos we’ve received from a new build we’re working on right now.

🎤 FINAL WORD

This week was a reminder of the full spectrum of real estate investing — the highs, the lows, and the lessons in between. The win in Mint Hill shows the upside that comes with smart buying and well-timed marketing. The whiff in Charlotte, our $100K mistake, proves that even seasoned investors can get stung when due diligence slips. The tactical tip drove that home loud and clear: due diligence, due diligence, due diligence. And from the field, we’re reminded that strong contractor relationships aren’t optional, they’re the glue that holds projects together when things get messy.

The lesson? This business isn’t about perfection, it’s about persistence. We will miss things. We will face setbacks. But if you commit to learning, adapting, and protecting your investors first, you’ll always come out stronger. Wins build confidence, mistakes build wisdom, and relationships build resilience.

So here’s the send-off: keep pushing forward, keep sharpening your process, and remember: in real estate and in life, it’s not about avoiding problems, it’s about solving them faster and smarter

Let’s get to work,