Reality Check

The $100K Play Calculator

TikTok says you can make $100Kโ€“$200K building on vacant land. Let's find out what the numbers actually look like โ€” with every cost included.

๐ŸŒ
Land
$
$
๐Ÿ“
Pre-Build Costs
$
Avg: $20Kโ€“$28K
$
L&I + utility hookup
$
$
๐Ÿ—๏ธ
Construction
$
%
Recommended: 10โ€“15%
๐Ÿ’ฐ
Financing Costs
%
๐Ÿก
Sale
$
%
$
3.278% โ€” auto calculated
$
Full Cost Breakdown
Land purchase + closing -$103,000
Pre-build costs -$40,000
Construction + contingency -$165,000
Construction loan interest -$21,840
Agent commission -$21,250
Transfer tax + sell closing -$15,927
Sale proceeds +$425,000
Net Profit (Reality) $57,983
TikTok vs. Reality
TikTok says
$100K+
profit per home
Your reality
$57,983
actual net profit
Total Investment $367,017
Pre-Build Costs $40,000
Loan Interest $21,840
ROI 15.8%
Profit Margin 13.6%
TikTok Gap -$42,017
โšก Still a solid deal โ€” just not $100K

Philadelphia transfer tax is 3.278%. For estimation only โ€” consult a licensed real estate professional.