This 21-year-old went from bussing tables to flipping 80 homes a year — and he did it without waiting for the perfect moment.

This 21-year-old went from bussing tables to flipping 80 homes a year — and he did it without waiting for the perfect moment.

From The Real Estate Side Hustle Show: How To Buy Real Estate With No Money by eric Lindsey

March 6, 2026 · 32 min

About this episode

Donovan Camarotti shares his journey from a busboy to a successful real estate investor flipping 80 homes a year without using his own money.

This 21-year-old went from bussing tables to flipping 80 homes a year — and he did it without waiting for the perfect moment. Donovan Camarotti started with a busboy job, launched a car detailing hustle, and used every dollar as a stepping stone into real estate. His first flip — a beachside condo — netted him $27,000. He never looked back. Today at 21, Donovan has completed over 100 transactions and runs a fix-and-flip operation doing roughly 80 homes a year in Florida with a lean team of 10. How He Funds His Deals Donovan didn't use his own money to scale. He built relationships with private lenders at local real estate meetups and REIAs. Private investors now fund 100% of his deals in exchange for a fixed interest rate — not equity. He keeps all the upside and gets into deals with little to no money out of pocket. Recent Deal Snapshot Bought: $680,000 — a weird layout most buyers passed on Renovated: $95,000 — turned an awkward space into a stunning master suite Sold: $980,000 — cash buyer, no inspection, closed in under a month Net Profit: Well over six figures His Best Advice for New Investors Everything costs more than you think — overestimate every expense. Hire a…

People in this episode

Host: Eric Lindsey

Guest: Donovan Camarotti

Topics covered

  • real estate
  • flipping homes
  • investment strategies
  • entrepreneurship
  • mentorship

Keywords

  • real estate
  • flipping homes
  • private lenders
  • investment
  • mentorship

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: beachside condo

Places: Florida

More episodes of The Real Estate Side Hustle Show: How To Buy Real Estate With No Money

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Real Estate Side Hustle Show: How To Buy Real Estate With No Money podcast page.