Wholesale Deal Analysis Calculator: Run Numbers Like a Pro (Free)
TL;DR
- The formula: MAO = (ARV × 70%) – Rehab Costs – Your Assignment Fee
- ARV: Use 3–5 comparable sales within 0.5 miles and 6 months, same bed/bath count and condition
- Rehab: Use per-square-foot estimates by condition level (cosmetic $15–25/sqft, moderate $25–40/sqft, full gut $40–75/sqft)
- Assignment fee: National average is $13,000; ranges from $5,000 in rural markets to $25,000+ in competitive metros
Next step: Create your DealBox on Estate Deals Club with your buying criteria to receive verified wholesale deals matched to your market and price range.
Wholesale transactions must comply with state-specific disclosure requirements for contract assignments, so confirm exactly what your state requires before you assign a contract.
MAO Calculator — the 70% Rule
MAO = ARV × Discount % − Repair Costs. Adjust the discount factor for your market (65% slow markets, 70% standard, 75–80% hot markets). This does not subtract an assignment fee — build your fee into the margin you leave below MAO.
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Running numbers wrong on a wholesale deal costs you in two ways: offer too high and you can't assign it profitably; offer too low and the seller picks someone else. This wholesale deal analysis breakdown covers everything you need to know. According to ATTOM's Year-End 2025 U.S. Home Sales Report[1], 3.9 million homes sold in 2025 at a record national median of $360,000 — and the average wholesale assignment fee is $13,000 per deal (RealEstateBees, 2026)[2]. Getting your analysis right is the difference between a five-figure payday and a dead contract.
This guide walks through every calculation step by step — ARV, rehab estimates, MAO, and assignment fee — so you can analyze deals with confidence.
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The Wholesale Deal Analysis Formula Every Wholesaler Needs
Every wholesale deal runs on one formula:
MAO = (ARV × Discount Factor) – Rehab Costs – Assignment Fee
Where:
- MAO = Maximum Allowable Offer (the most you can pay the seller)
- ARV = After Repair Value (what the property is worth fully repaired)
- Discount Factor = Typically 70% (the 70% Rule), sometimes 65–75% depending on market
- Rehab Costs = Estimated repair costs to bring the property to ARV condition
- Assignment Fee = Your profit (what the buyer pays you above your contract price)
Example Deal Analysis
| Variable | Value |
|---|---|
| ARV (3 comps average) | $250,000 |
| Discount factor | 70% |
| ARV × 70% | $175,000 |
| Rehab estimate | $35,000 |
| Your assignment fee | $15,000 |
| MAO (your offer) | $125,000 |
If the seller accepts $125,000, you assign the contract to a buyer for $140,000 ($125K + $15K fee). The buyer gets a property at $175K all-in ($140K + $35K rehab) — that's 70% of ARV. Everyone wins.
Speed-to-buyer is the single biggest controllable factor in assignment success.
Key insight: The most successful wholesalers in 2026 build systems that generate deal flow automatically rather than relying solely on manual outreach. Investors who use AI-matched deal notifications and verified buyer networks tend to close deals faster than those depending on cold calling or Facebook groups alone.
Next step: Create your DealBox criteria on Estate Deals Club to get matched with verified buyers and deals in your target market.
Investor competition for off-market deals has intensified in recent years, which makes disciplined deal analysis your edge — the wholesalers who consistently win are the ones whose numbers hold up under scrutiny.
How to Calculate ARV Without Paying for Comps
ARV is the foundation of every deal analysis. Get it wrong, and everything downstream fails.
Free ARV Research Method
- Sold-comps search: Search recently sold homes within 0.5 miles of the subject property. Free sold-listing data for this pull is available from Zillow and Redfin.
- Filter criteria: Same bed/bath count (±1), similar square footage (±20%), sold within 6 months
- Condition match: Only use comps that sold in renovated/updated condition (this is the "after repair" benchmark)
- Calculate: Average the top 3–5 most comparable sales = your ARV
ARV Comp Selection Rules
| Include | Exclude |
|---|---|
| Sold within 6 months | Sold over 12 months ago |
| Within 0.5 miles | Different neighborhood or school district |
| Same bed/bath (±1) | Significantly different layout |
| Similar sqft (±20%) | 2x or 0.5x the subject's size |
| Renovated condition | Distressed or as-is sales |
Pro tip: If your market is slow (fewer than 5 comps in 6 months), expand to 1 mile and 12 months — but adjust for market trend direction. In declining markets, use the lower end of your comp range.
Free Tools for ARV Research
- Zillow: Sold data, Zestimate (use as sanity check only, not primary ARV)
- Redfin: Sold data with photos — verify renovation level matches your comp assumptions
- Realtor.com: Additional sold data and neighborhood stats
- County assessor website: Tax-assessed values (typically 70–80% of market value, useful as floor estimate)
- PropStream ($99/mo): Professional-grade comp analysis with MLS data access
In a competitive market, data-driven decisions consistently beat gut feel — the discipline of running real comps is what separates profitable wholesalers from those who chase dead contracts.
Next step: Create your DealBox criteria on Estate Deals Club to get matched with verified buyers and deals in your target market.
Maximum Allowable Offer (MAO): The 70% Rule and When to Break It
The 70% Rule states: never pay more than 70% of ARV minus repairs. This leaves enough margin for the buyer to profit on a flip and for you to earn your assignment fee.
When to Use the 70% Rule
- Standard fix-and-flip deals: 70% is the industry benchmark
- Markets with normal inventory: Balanced buyer-seller markets
- Average rehab projects: Cosmetic to moderate renovation
When to Adjust the Percentage
| Scenario | Adjust To | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hot market, low inventory | 75–80% | Buyers accept thinner margins to win deals |
| Rural or slow market | 65% | Longer hold times and fewer buyers mean more risk |
| Heavy rehab (full gut) | 65% | Higher risk of cost overruns |
| Rental/BRRRR strategy buyer | 75–80% | Buyers care about cash flow, not just flip margin |
| New construction area | 70% | Standard — new builds set the ARV ceiling |
Important: When you adjust above 70%, your assignment fee shrinks. At 75% ARV, there's less room between your purchase price and what a buyer will pay. Know your buyer's exit strategy before adjusting.
Illustrative example (hypothetical): Imagine a wholesaler with 3 assignments expiring in the same week. Instead of posting each deal into a dozen groups and hoping, automated buyer matching on Estate Deals Club puts every deal in front of pre-verified cash buyers with proof of funds already on file — turning a last-minute scramble into a manageable process. That is the difference a verified, criteria-matched buyer pool makes when deadlines stack up.
Estimating Rehab Costs When You're Not a Contractor
You don't need contractor experience to estimate rehab costs accurately. Use these per-square-foot benchmarks:
Rehab Cost Tiers (2026 National Averages)
| Condition Level | Cost per Sqft | Typical Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic (light) | $15–25/sqft | Paint, carpet, fixtures, landscaping |
| Moderate | $25–40/sqft | Kitchen/bath updates, flooring, HVAC repair |
| Heavy | $40–60/sqft | Full kitchen/bath remodel, roof, electrical |
| Full gut | $60–75+/sqft | Down to studs, foundation, full systems replacement |
Quick Rehab Estimate Example
Subject property: 1,500 sqft, 3/2, needs moderate renovation (kitchen update, new flooring, paint, HVAC service)
| Estimate Method | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Low end (moderate) | 1,500 × $25 | $37,500 |
| High end (moderate) | 1,500 × $40 | $60,000 |
| Conservative estimate | Average | $48,750 |
Always use the higher estimate when calculating your MAO. Rehab costs almost never come in under budget.
Red Flag Items That Blow Up Budgets
- Foundation issues: $10,000–$30,000+ (always get a structural inspection)
- Mold remediation: $5,000–$20,000 (hidden behind walls until demo starts)
- Electrical panel replacement: $2,000–$5,000 (required if panel is Federal Pacific, Zinsco, or under 100 amps)
- Sewer line replacement: $5,000–$15,000 (old clay pipes in pre-1970 homes)
- Asbestos abatement: $5,000–$25,000 (popcorn ceilings, tile, insulation in pre-1980 homes)
Industry reality: Investor competition for off-market deals is fierce, and it is fiercest in hot metros like Dallas, Houston, and Atlanta. That is exactly why verified credibility and automated buyer-matching systems have become essential for wholesalers who want to compete on speed rather than just price.
How to Set Your Assignment Fee (Without Scaring Buyers Away)
National Assignment Fee Benchmarks
According to RealEstateBees' 2026 survey of more than 1,000 wholesalers:
| Market Type | Average Assignment Fee | Range |
|---|---|---|
| National average | $13,000 | $5,000–$25,000 |
| Rural/small markets | $5,000–$8,000 | Lower ARVs, fewer buyers |
| Mid-size metros | $10,000–$15,000 | Standard competitive markets |
| Major metros (TX, GA, NC) | $15,000–$25,000 | Higher ARVs, more buyer competition |
Assignment Fee Pricing Strategy
Your fee should leave the buyer enough margin to profit. Use this test:
Buyer's all-in cost = Your contract price + Your fee + Rehab = should be ≤ 75% of ARV for flippers, ≤ 80% for BRRRR buyers.
If your fee pushes the buyer's all-in above 80% of ARV, either reduce your fee or negotiate a lower price with the seller.
Next step: Create your DealBox on Estate Deals Club with your buying criteria to receive verified wholesale deals matched to your market and price range.
Wholesalers who maintain verified buyer networks with visible proof-of-funds documentation tend to close assignments far faster than those relying on unverified Facebook-group contacts. With the national average assignment fee at $13,000, speed to a qualified, ready-to-close buyer is what protects that payday when your contract clock is ticking.
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How Does Estate Deals Club Help?
Estate Deals Club provides AI-powered deal matching across 36 investor specialties. Set your criteria once and receive matched opportunities automatically. Verified profiles show deal history, reviews, and experience levels — replacing the "trust me" approach with transparent track records. In our experience building financial platforms, criteria-based matching filters out the large majority of unqualified leads before they ever reach human review. See pricing and plans →
Automating deal analysis and buyer matching strips out the manual, repetitive work that eats a wholesaler's week — so you spend less time on administration and more time on the conversations that actually close deals.
FAQ
What is the 70% rule in wholesaling?
The 70% rule states that you should never pay more than 70% of a property's After Repair Value (ARV) minus estimated repair costs. This ensures enough margin for both you (assignment fee) and your buyer (flip or rental profit). Example: $200K ARV property with $30K in repairs = MAO of $110K ($200K × 70% = $140K – $30K repairs).
How do I calculate my maximum allowable offer on a wholesale deal?
Use the formula: MAO = (ARV × 70%) – Rehab Costs – Assignment Fee. Find ARV using 3–5 comparable recently sold properties. Estimate rehab using per-square-foot costs for the renovation level needed. Subtract your target assignment fee. The result is the maximum you should offer the seller.
What assignment fee is typical for wholesale deals?
The national average is $13,000 per deal (RealEstateBees, 2026). Fees range from $5,000 in small markets to $25,000+ in competitive metros like Dallas, Atlanta, and Charlotte. Your fee depends on the deal's margin — larger spreads between your contract price and the buyer's price allow larger fees.
What free tools can I use to find comps and ARV?
Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com all provide free access to recently sold homes with sale prices, photos, and property details. Your county assessor's website provides tax-assessed values as a floor estimate. For professional-grade analysis, PropStream ($99/mo) offers MLS-quality comp data with filtering tools designed for investors.