Alex Fontes pursued an entrepreneurial venture updating and flipping houses, gaining
experience in project management, home renovation, and market analysis.
How did you get your internship?
I started my internship in August 2024 during the semester that I took the Pre-Internship course, PAH 383, which happened to be the same month that I began my real estate fix and flip business. In one of the PAH 383 assignments, I learned that I was able to do an entrepreneurial internship which allowed me to focus my time and energy into the business that I had already started. I immediately talked to my professors about making it official so I filled out the Internship Work Plan and began my internship that same semester.
What kind of work did you do throughout your internship experience?
A lot of my work experience was doing the actual labor of updating and renovating the home since I have past experience working in construction. I installed a support beam, laminate tile flooring, baseboard, interior doors and poured cement. I also had some experience with residential real estate development and project management that I used during my internship. I was in charge of hiring contractors for the electricity, windows, and plumbing. So I had to schedule and budget for these in a timely manner in order for the home to be completed on time.
What was your favorite or most satisfying part of your internship and why?
My favorite part of the internship was specifically April 29th, 2025 because that's when I
closed on the first property that I flipped. It was a long ride and I felt very proud of myself and my team because of all the ups and downs that we had to endure. Then, that same day we got our third property under contract. It was such a busy day because we were making offers on the other property until the seller accepted and officially closed on our current project. I think I’ll remember that day forever since it felt like I had got a return on my goal of investing in real estate after having pursued that goal for years.
How has your internship influenced your plans for the future?
My internship experience greatly influenced my plans for the future because now I see myself doing this for the long term. Along the way, so many different ideas and opportunities have also opened up within my real estate business. So I plan to take advantage of all of those opportunities and hopefully bring my new ideas to life.
What is the impact of your internship experience?
The impact my internship had on me was huge because I was able to learn so much
about home renovation and everything it takes to flip a house. I went into this business
blind; I didn’t know how things worked. With this first house we bought it was basically like going to school in addition to taking my regular classes because everyday was a learning experience since this whole process was so new. I had to learn every process from buying the house to renovating and closing the final sale.
What advice would you give to future interns?
My only advice is to take full advantage of the internship that they choose to do. Even if it’s an
internship that they’re not really interested in. I’d suggest they go all in and learn everything they can because they can develop new skills that maybe in the future they will use. So just take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.