Most deal sheets I see look the same.
A pretty photo of the front. A big headline. A value number nobody can back up. “Won’t last!” at the bottom.
Serious buyers skip right past them.
Here’s what I’ve learned from years of selling properties to investors: the buyers worth having don’t want hype. They want information. Give them what they need to decide, give it to them honestly, and give them a clear deadline. The good ones act.
First: a South Carolina note you can’t skip
If you’re in South Carolina, read this before anything else.
The revised Real Estate Practice Act signed in 2024 addresses wholesaling. Marketing property you don’t own — sending out a property you only have under contract — can require a real estate license. The Commission’s advisory treats marketing broadly: MLS, social media, Facebook groups, private email lists and verbal communication. It also says including photos, descriptions, condition, address or any property detail in an ad for a contract position would likely be a problem.
In other words, the deal package on this page is something you present for a property you own, or something presented by or with a licensed professional. Start with how South Carolina defines wholesaling, look at the compliant paths people discuss, and then get advice from a South Carolina real estate attorney.
Personally, I close on properties as the owner before they go to a buyer. Counsel sets the rules for me, not convenience.
Elsewhere, the ground moved too: several states changed their rules between 2024 and 2026. Verify what applies in your state with a local attorney before you send out any contract position.
What serious buyers need
Four things. If your package has these, you’ll get real offers. If it’s missing any, you’ll get questions, delays and lowball offers that price in the uncertainty.
1. Comps
Buyers want to see why you think the property is worth what you think it’s worth after repairs.
- Recent sales of similar properties nearby.
- Honest notes on each: how it compares in size, condition, location.
- The comps you didn’t use, and why.
Don’t cherry-pick the one outlier sale. Experienced buyers will pull their own comps in minutes. If yours don’t match theirs, you’ve lost credibility on everything else. If you need a refresher, see how to pull comps and how to calculate ARV.
2. Scope
What does the property need? Be specific:
- Roof, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, foundation — condition of each, as best you know.
- Interior: kitchen, baths, flooring, paint.
- Exterior: siding, windows, drainage, landscaping.
- Anything unusual: unpermitted additions, mold, pests, fire or water damage.
You don’t have to give a full repair estimate. Buyers will make their own. But a clear scope lets them do it quickly and shows you’ve actually walked the property. My estimating repairs guide covers how I look at it.
3. Access
How and when can buyers see it?
- Lockbox, scheduled showings, or a single open walkthrough window.
- Whether it’s occupied, and any restrictions.
- Utilities on or off.
- Anything dangerous inside (soft floors, missing stairs) they need to know about before walking in.
Unclear access kills deals. Buyers who can’t get in, move on.
4. Deadline
When are offers due? When does closing need to happen?
A clear, real deadline does two things. It respects everyone’s time. And it moves buyers from “I’ll get to it” to “I need to decide.”
Don’t invent fake urgency. Just set a real timeline and stick to it.
Photos of the problems
This deserves its own section because it’s the single biggest trust builder in dispositions.
Take photos of:
- The roof, including any damage or tarps.
- Water stains, soft spots, damaged ceilings.
- The electrical panel.
- The water heater and HVAC equipment.
- Foundation cracks, sagging floors, crawlspace.
- Anything a buyer would wince at.
Label them. Put them up front, not buried at the end.
When a buyer sees you showing the bad stuff, they relax. They know you’re not hiding anything. They make offers based on what they see instead of padding for what they fear.
The deal package, checklist version
- Property basics: type, size, layout, lot, year built, occupancy.
- Comps with honest notes, including the ones you didn’t use.
- Scope of work as you understand it.
- Photos of the problems, labeled, plus the overall property.
- Access instructions and any safety notes.
- Offer deadline and target closing timeline.
- Terms: how earnest money and closing will work, and who the closing attorney is.
- How to submit an offer.
Present it to the right buyers first
Don’t blast every buyer you’ve ever met.
Filter your database to buyers whose areas, criteria and condition tolerance match. Send to your top-tier buyers first, the ones who have closed with you before without retrading. Widen only if needed.
That’s why the buyer list work matters so much. If your list is thin, start building your buyer database now.
Handling offers
When offers come in, compare more than price:
- Certainty. Has this buyer closed with you before?
- Speed. Can they close when you need?
- Contingencies. Are they adding inspection or financing conditions?
- Earnest money. Is it meaningful?
The highest number from a buyer who’s never closed is often worth less than a slightly lower number from someone who always does.
Your next step
If you’re a South Carolina owner, licensed agent or investor who already owns a property and wants a straight answer from a direct buyer, send me the property. Comps, scope, access and photos of the problems are exactly what I’d want to see.
For the rest of the dispo system, start with the real estate dispositions guide.
Questions people ask
What should be in a real estate deal package?
Comps that support value with honest notes, a scope of work, clear access instructions, an offer deadline and closing timeline, and photos that show the problems as well as the good rooms. Add property basics and anything a buyer would discover on a walkthrough.
Should I show the bad parts of a property to buyers?
Yes. Photos of the cracked foundation, the water damage and the old electrical panel build trust. A buyer who finds a hidden problem after the fact will retrade or walk, and won’t trust your next deal.
Can I send out a property I have under contract in South Carolina?
Be very careful. Under South Carolina’s 2024 Real Estate Practice Act changes, marketing property you don’t own can require a license, and the Commission reads marketing broadly. Read the South Carolina wholesaling overview and talk to a South Carolina real estate attorney first.