1. Be aware of who will be looking at the contract. In general there should be 2 parties, the seller and the attorney. If they want to involve another party such as a realtor who is a friend, make sure you get their contact information before hand so you can establish rapport and answer any questions they may have directly. If the attorney is not familiar with real estate transactions, or wholesaling, just explain that it is all standard and that you will close quickly. Also note that if the contract will be seen by a realtor, having a $10 dollar deposit might not be enough and they will try to kill the deal (and get the business for themselves), which is why you want to speak with them before they see anything. As a wholesaler, it is very important that all parties who influence the seller are on the same page.
2. Understand your states standard board of contracts and what it states. If your wholesaling real estate and don’t have a contract, just go to your local real estate office and ask for a standard contract. When negotiating with a seller, you want to know all the points and be able to confidently summarize if for them. If you are using a contract from a course or guru, do the same thing. Read the contract over until you can recite the contents within each point.
3. Know the closing procedure. This is a doozy. Many wholesalers lose money because they do not understand the standard closing procedure and the inexperience will show and cost you rapport with the seller. For example, in Chicago it is standard that the closing be done by attorneys at a title company. Both the seller and buyer will have an attorney handling their closing. It is standard for the buyer to pay for closing costs as well. Learn the closing procedure in your area by asking a local wholesaler and get as much information as you can.
4. Practice presenting an agreement. As a wholesaler in Chicago, I always want to explain each point on the contract in as little of few words as possible. This is because the seller will have a lawyer review the contract anyways and any corrections or changes will be made by that attorney. My goal is to just give them the overview so they understand nothing fishy is going on. Also, you don’t want to sound too pushy or too weak. The only way to handle the situation is to practice! My advice is to grab a partner and practice negotiating a few times a week. Compile a list of the most common objectives and rehearse giving the answer. As a wholesaler, you want to be confident in every aspect of your communications, from answering the phone up to presenting a contract.
5. Be understanding of the person you are talking to.: In many cases, the seller is under some form of distress. They have invested time, energy and effort into the property and are not as passive as you may be. Always ask what they will be doing after the sell of the property and see if there is anything you can do to help them with that.