How This Flea Market Flipper Couple Makes $133,000/Year

If this flea market flipper is on your radar, this short guide cuts through the noise. Here is what is worth knowing, and how to put it to work today.

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A hobby turned full-time business, the Stephensons make six-figures per year flipping flea market finds on sites like eBay. Here are their best tips for finding high-margin items to flip yourself.

Written by Jeff Proctor Last Updated: July 22, 2025 Reviewed by Megan Robinson, CMC®

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This week, we’ve got a special interview with a really cool couple I’ve been following on social media for a while now, Rob and Melissa from Flea Market Flipper.

Flipping started as a way for them to make extra money and has since become their full-time job.

Their premier course, Flipper University, teaches others how to make a full-time income working for themselves , a dream I know numerous DollarSprout readers share.

I had the opportunity to sit down recently with Rob and get to know his business a little bit better. Here’s what he had to say.

For people not familiar, can you explain the basics behind flea market flipping for us?

Flipping is a term that describes purchasing an asset at a lower cost in one market and then selling it at a profit (for a higher cost) in another market.

The most familiar type of flipping is with real estate, but this can be done with other items as well. In our case, we do it with items we find at flea markets, thrift stores, auctions, and yard sales.

Rob and Melissa are pictured with their two little girls.

How long have you been flipping?

I have been flipping items for profit for over 20 years now. I started when I was 16 years old and would use my parents’ garage to house my items until they sold. I was right there with the beginning of eBay and all the changes with it over the years.

What made you decide to start flipping?

As a 16-year-old, I wanted to start making some income on my own to spend for fun. (I still love to spend my money on having fun.)

I come from a large family with seven kids (I have six older sisters), so my parents were always shopping at thrift stores and yard sales to help cut costs. My mom started selling some baby clothes and dolls in the classifieds, so I thought I could do the same thing with other items.

I started with Nordic Tracks. Since we live in Florida, people from up North move here to retire all the time. Once they were here, they wouldn’t feel the need to exercise inside anymore because they could be outside most of the year.

I could pick up a Nordic Track for around $15-$30 in the classifieds and local auctions, then sell it on eBay (to someone up North, typically) for $200-$500 depending on the model. I did this over and over again, and it was excellent money for a 16-year-old.

What type of items have you found tend to have the highest profit margins?

This one is tough because I sell all sorts of items.

I like the interesting and weird ones, but I will sell almost anything that will turn a profit. I won’t mess with the small profit margin items. I have to make at least $100 on an item to make it worth my time.

I like to find items for $5-$50, but will spend more if the potential is there for a excellent profit. I like commercial equipment when I can find it at a good deal. Exercise equipment, kitchen equipment, medical equipment, patio furniture, kids’ items, and boat equipment are all types of things I typically look for.

Below is one machine I bought at the flea market for $5. I had no idea what it did, but it looked like it could be something, and I figured I would take the $5 chance on it.

I sat on it for a while and eventually sold it on eBay for $700. I still don’t know how it works. It has something to do with magnetic therapy, but that’s all I know. That’s all I need to know, really. That, and it made me a good profit.

I recently sold an arcade game on eBay for $1,300 that I purchased for $100. I have a big vision for a huge game room someday, so it’s hard to see an item like this go, but I will take that profit.

Here is a cooktop that I bought from a thrift store for $45. I sold it on eBay for $350. I like to find nice cooktops, microwaves, and ovens to resell.

Do you find better deals in person or on sites like eBay, Craigslist, etc.?

I use eBay every day, but more to sell than to purchase. I don’t typically purchase things to resell on eBay.

I will still purchase items I need and use, but I can’t typically find items to resell at a low enough cost on eBay. Currently, I have two favorite sources: the flea market and the app OfferUp. I can find excellent deals both in person and online.

Related: 22 eBay Alternatives to Purchase and Sell Goods Online 

Do you ever purchase something and are just not able to flip it for whatever reason?

My wife and I may have different answers to this question.

I do sometimes hold onto things for a while and wait for the right person to purchase them. My items are a little different, so it typically takes someone who is specifically looking for that item. My wife Melissa would like me to lower my prices and have a higher turnaround, but she doesn’t complain once I make the higher sales, of course.

So to answer your question, I do have things that I end up selling for less, but I don’t think I ever lose money; I just make less of a profit. My garage and storage units may have a few of these items I’m “sitting on” right now.

What’s the craziest, most random item you’ve ever flipped?

I’ve sold a few random items. One crazy one was a prosthetic leg. I bought it for $30 and sold it for $1,000 the next day. I love fast turnarounds, but this one made me second-guess whether I sold it for too affordable.

Another random item was a commercial lobster tank. It was round and looked like a big cotton candy machine. I found it at a thrift store for $100 and sold it on eBay for $1,200.

I thought it was funny that I found a lobster tank because we go catch lobsters every year down in the Keys. It seemed fitting to keep the tank, but I’d prefer the income.

What’s the most money you’ve made on any single flip? Most lost?

Last September was our biggest flip to date. We bought a security tower from an auction for $6,000. We sold it the next month for $25,000! It was a fantastic profit. I don’t typically invest that much (and those large numbers make Melissa nervous), but this definitely paid off.

I can’t really say an amount that I’ve lost, because anything I haven’t sold yet is still in my garage, and I will sell it eventually.

If you and Melissa disagree on buying something to flip, how do you settle it?

This is an ongoing discussion that we have. She typically doesn’t love me spending anything over $50 on items, even if I tell her they will have a big return. She never minds it when they sell, though.

We talk about the big purchases, and if she feels really strongly against it, I do my best not to go through with it.

We discuss our budget and try to figure out what is allotted for spending that month. Since our income and expenses fluctuate so much month-to-month, this is an area we are constantly working on.

What’s a realistic budget for someone to start with who wants to get into flea market flipping?

The best part about this as a business is that you can do it as a side hustle and have a really low start-up cost.

I recommend that the students I teach start with a budget of $20-$50 to find items. Off of that, they should be able to make $100-$300 and then take some of the profit and do it again.

There are even ways to get items for free. I

Final Thoughts

The bottom line: a little research on this flea market flipper goes a long way. Compare your options, watch for seasonal offers, and never pay full price when a better deal is one click away.

Originally published at dollarsprout.com.