ARV — After Repair Value
The estimated market value of the property after all repairs are complete. Your entire wholesale deal is built on this number — use conservative comps, not optimistic ones.
MAO — Max Allowable Offer
The most you can pay the seller and still leave enough room for your assignment fee and the buyer's profit. Formula: Buyer Max − assignment fee.
Deal Spread
MAO minus the seller's asking price. A positive spread means the deal works at current numbers. A negative spread means the seller must come down or the deal is a no-go.
Assignment Fee
The profit you make as the wholesaler — the difference between what you contracted with the seller and what your buyer pays you. Typical range: $5,000–$25,000+ depending on the deal.
Buyer Discount
The percentage of ARV your cash buyer needs to be all-in at. Most fix-and-flip buyers want to be all-in at 65–75% of ARV. Know your buyer's number before you make an offer.
Buyer All-In
(Seller asking + assignment fee) + repairs + buyer closing costs. This is the total your buyer spends. It must stay below ARV — ideally 10%+ below — for the deal to be assignable.
Seller Net
What the seller actually walks away with after their closing costs. Useful for negotiation framing — sellers care about net proceeds, not gross asking price.
Motivated Seller
A seller who needs to sell quickly and is willing to accept below-market value. Common situations: divorce, foreclosure, inherited property, relocation, financial distress. Without motivation, wholesale rarely works.