Wholesale Real Estate: How to Find Deals and Build Your Network
Wholesale real estate gives you a way to profit from property transactions without ever owning the property. You find a distressed or underpriced home, put it under contract at a below-market price, and then assign that contract to a cash buyer for a fee. Done right, a single deal can net $5,000–$25,000 with no renovation costs and no mortgage risk.
The key variables are finding motivated sellers and connected buyers — and the tools you use to reach both. Wholesale real estate deals come from direct mail, driving for dollars, cold calling, and increasingly from online platforms. This guide covers where to find those deals and which wholesale real estate websites give you the best edge.
How to Find Wholesale Real Estate Deals
Wholesale real estate deals move fast, so your sourcing system needs to run constantly. The most reliable offline method is direct mail: send yellow letters or postcards to absentee owners, probate leads, and tax-delinquent properties in your target zip codes. Response rates average 1–3%, so plan on mailing 500–1,000 pieces to generate 5–15 solid leads.
On the digital side, skip tracing tools like BatchLeads and PropStream let you pull distressed property lists and find owner contact info in minutes. Pair them with a CRM like REISift or Podio to track follow-up sequences. Most deals close after 5–7 follow-up touches, so persistence matters more than a perfect first pitch.
Real estate wholesaling also relies on motivated seller psychology. When you call, lead with curiosity rather than a pitch. Ask how long they’ve owned the property, what their timeline looks like, and whether they’d consider a quick cash offer. That conversation tells you more than any data point.
Best Wholesale Real Estate Websites to Know
The right wholesale real estate websites save you hours of manual prospecting. PropStream aggregates MLS data, foreclosure records, tax liens, and owner contact info in one dashboard. A standard subscription runs about $99/month and pulls data from 155+ million properties nationwide.
DealMachine focuses on driving for dollars: you photograph distressed homes from your car and the app auto-pulls owner data, letting you send a postcard from the same screen. It’s built specifically for wholesalers who prefer boots-on-the-ground prospecting.
For your wholesale real estate investor website, consider platforms like Carrot or InvestorCarrot. They’re built for lead capture, load fast on mobile, and include SEO templates optimized for phrases like “sell my house fast” in your city. A well-optimized site can generate 3–8 inbound seller leads per month with consistent content and local SEO work.
Real estate wholesalers websites that also list deals — like Connected Investors and PropStream’s marketplace — let you post your properties to cash buyers around the country. Build your buyer’s list separately by attending local REIA meetings and adding every cash buyer you meet. That list is worth as much as any software subscription.