Flipping by Mary Ellenton

Flipping by Mary Ellenton is the scandalous story of young mortgage broker, Fay Famaghetti, as she becomes an unstoppable real-estate agent by capitalizing on needy individuals. Lured by money, Fay steps into the sub-prime lending culture moments before the real estate bubble bursts, and in doing so, she makes a lot of money at the misfortune of others, loses her husband in the process due to an steamy affair with a co-worker, and puts her fate (and freedom) at risk. She faces ethical and moral dilemmas left and right and we watch first hand as they impact her life. Was it worth it? You will have to read to find out.

As many Americans know by now, anything dealing with the “housing crisis” or the “financial crisis” is no joke. We all know someone greatly impacted and have curiously thought about those selfish individuals behind the catastrophe. In Flipping, we meet Fay and watch as she (and her co-workers) cleverly try to beat the system. At first, I was appalled by Fay and her behavior, whether it be because of her role in the housing crisis or because of her outrageous affair, I’m not sure … but I was quite surprised as I watched her actively attempt to change her life and get out before things got even more out of hand.

Overall, Ellenton provides very realistic details about the creative financial “loopholes” and about the lending market. And oddly, does so with a woman at the helm (instead of the stereotypical older male). I was quite surprised that I enjoyed this book so much.