Off-market deals close on wholesale timelines, 14 to 30 days, which rules out slow financing, not all financing. Cash, hard money and DSCR loans all work when set up before the deal appears.
KEY FACTS FROM THIS GUIDE
- Earnest money belongs in title company escrow, never a personal account
- Assignment fees are paid on the settlement statement, or they are not legitimate
- Texas Prop. Code 5.086 requires disclosure of equitable-interest assignments
- An owner title policy covers forgeries, missed liens and chain-of-title defects
Cash: the strongest position
Cash closes anything and wins tie-breaks on hot deals. Its real cost is opportunity cost, and smart cash buyers still order title insurance and inspections. Proof of funds should be current within 30 days.
Hard money: speed for a price
Asset-based lenders close in 7 to 14 days at roughly 10 to 13 percent interest plus 1 to 3 points in 2026. Expensive per month, cheap per opportunity: on a 4-month flip the total financing cost is usually a fraction of the margin. Get pre-approved with a lender who knows your target market before joining any buyer list.
Audit us with the 3-question check, then decide. Written numbers, licensed title company closings, zero pressure.
DSCR loans: the buy-and-hold workhorse
Qualification rides on the property’s rent covering the payment, not your personal income. Rates run above conventional, but 21 to 30 day closings are achievable with responsive lenders, workable for most assignment timelines. Have the lender pre-review your criteria so appraisal is the only variable.
What kills financed deals
Slow appraisals, entity documents not ready, and lenders who quote 30 days and mean 45. Solve all three before the deal: entity papers in a folder, lender relationship live, appraisal ordered day one.
Join the free buyer list here to get matching deals first, or book a free call and tell us your criteria directly.
