There are some who would say flipping is not investing. They never give a reason or explain their thinking but those who preach this gospel tend to hint around that investing is only long term and not short term. They say short term is trading and not investing. The dictionary defines investing this way - To commit (money or capital) in order to gain a financial return. It does not say anything about time frame. I would recommends that the theys of the world do a little research before assuming everyone listening has no idea what they are being told. In my book anytime you put money time or energy (resources) towards a return regardless of the time frame of that return you are investing and investing is money in the bank.

Once you have reached a certain level and are ready to take on some new ventures and challenges I would recommend holding on to some types of property more long term but only if you have achieved a certain amount of success by flipping houses first and you absolutely must choose the right properties or you will go bankrupt fast.

Having an experienced mentor in your corner will definitely keep you on the right track and out of the soup line. Make sure you choose a mentor who is a successful real estate investor himself and makes his money primarily from investing and not from selling useless home study courses.