Academy Students to Successful Investors
Welcome back to another episode of Raising the Flipping Bar! Most investors talk about deals in terms of numbers — purchase price, ARV, margin. That's step one. But there's a whole other layer to real estate that doesn't show up on a spreadsheet: the feeling a home creates, and the story behind why someone chooses to redevelop it in the first place. In this episode, I sit down with John Paul and Carrie Maxfield — ELEVATION Academy alumni, husband-and-wife team, and two people who think about ...
Welcome back to another episode of Raising the Flipping Bar!
Most investors talk about deals in terms of numbers — purchase price, ARV, margin. That's step one. But there's a whole other layer to real estate that doesn't show up on a spreadsheet: the feeling a home creates, and the story behind why someone chooses to redevelop it in the first place.
In this episode, I sit down with John Paul and Carrie Maxfield — ELEVATION Academy alumni, husband-and-wife team, and two people who think about real estate completely differently than most investors. They don't call themselves flippers. They call it property redevelopment, and the philosophy behind that distinction is honestly one of the most interesting conversations we've had on this show.
This conversation was so good, it turned into a two-part episode. In Part 1, we get into their backgrounds, how they define "home" versus "house," and the real story behind their second deal ever — a seven-figure flip at Boulder Country Club. Most people wouldn't take on that kind of risk that early. They did, and it worked.
Here's what we dive into:
- Carrie's background in teaching and lifelong love of design and real estate
- John Paul's philosophy of "magnetizing potential" and why he doesn't like the term "fix and flip"
- Why they call it property redevelopment instead — and what that distinction actually means in practice
- The "camping chair" method: sitting in a rough property and letting the room tell you what it wants to become
- Why they chose Boulder Country Club as their second deal, despite the size and risk
- The moment Carrie knew the house was "a family" — and how that shaped the design
- Favorite details from the finished home, including a bird's nest story mid-renovation
- Working with their general contractor, Felipe at MDC, and navigating permitting in Boulder County vs. the City of Boulder
If you've ever wondered what it actually looks like to go from ELEVATION Academy student to successful investor — or what it means to treat real estate as redevelopment instead of just resale — this episode will change how you think about it.
Part 2 is coming next — we get into the actual numbers, the tax strategy behind their closing timeline, and what's next for John Paul and Carrie. Stay tuned.
I'd love to hear from you guys — whether you're an ELEVATION Academy student, an investor, or just someone who loves a good design story, what does "home" mean to you versus just "house"? Get in touch via the show notes, or send us a DM on Instagram @elevationinvest.
🚨 We're Hiring a Real Estate Agent 🚨
I'm looking for one more agent to join our team — someone who's a beast on the MLS, great at writing offers, and skilled at building relationships with other agents. If that's you, email me at info@elevationinvest.com or text 720-545-0490.
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Thank you for tuning in to Part 1 of this conversation with John Paul and Carrie. If you found value in this episode, don't forget to leave a review and share it with someone who's serious about real estate investing.
Part 2 drops next — don't miss it.
Keep fighting the good fight, and I'll catch you on the flip side.
Connect with Derek Marlin and ELEVATION Investment Properties:
Derek on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/derekmarlin
ELEVATION's website: https://elevationinvest.com/
ELEVATION on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevationinvest/
ELEVATION on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/elevationinvestmentproperties
Connect with John Paul & Carrie Maxfield:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/living_place_landscapes/
Living Place: https://livingplace.co
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Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElevationRealEstateInvesting
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