How to Calculate a Wholesale Offer Without Guessing
Oct 28, 2026
By Anthony Price
A calculator can do the math correctly and still give you a bad offer. If the home value is too high or the repair estimate is too low, the answer will be wrong for the deal.
Start with numbers you can explain. Then use the calculator to see how they fit together.
First, estimate what the fixed-up house could sell for
This is called after-repair value, or ARV. It means the estimated sale price after the planned repairs are done.
Look at recent sales of similar homes nearby. Compare size, condition and features. A fully updated house may sell for more than one with only fresh paint and carpet.
Do not pick the highest sale you can find. Use sales that help explain what this house could sell for.
How the offer formula works
The free calculator uses this formula for its ARV method:
Seller offer = fixed-up value × chosen percentage − repairs − wholesale fee
The spreadsheet calls the chosen percentage the “exit rate.” It is a number you choose. It is not an interest rate or a promised profit.
The percentage must leave room for the buyer’s other costs and possible profit. There is no one percentage that works for every house.
Walk through an example
These are made-up numbers to show the math:
- Fixed-up value: $250,000.
- Chosen percentage: 75%.
- Repairs: $40,000.
- Wholesale fee: $15,000.
First, $250,000 × 75% = $187,500.
Next, subtract $40,000 for repairs. That leaves $147,500.
Then subtract the $15,000 wholesale fee. That leaves $132,500 for the seller offer.
In a simple contract assignment, the buyer pays the $132,500 contract price plus your $15,000 fee. That totals $147,500 before other buying costs. The buyer then spends the estimated $40,000 on repairs.
Now the buyer has $187,500 in the price, fee and repairs. The gap between that and a $250,000 resale is $62,500. But that is not all profit.
The buyer still has other bills. These may include loan costs, taxes, insurance, utilities, closing costs and the cost to sell. Delays can add more. The buyer needs to check those costs before deciding whether the deal works.
Check the repair estimate
Make a list of the work the house needs. Use photos, a property visit and contractor estimates where needed. Do not choose a repair number just because it makes the offer look good.
Leave room for problems you have not found yet. How much room you need depends on the house and the work.
The calculator does not have a separate line for every buyer expense. You still need to check whether your chosen percentage leaves enough room for them.
Try the numbers again with higher costs
Using the same example:
- If repairs are $50,000 instead of $40,000, the seller offer drops to $122,500.
- If the fixed-up value is $230,000 instead of $250,000, with the original repair estimate, the offer drops to $117,500.
- If both changes happen, the offer drops to $107,500.
That is why small guesses matter. Try a more cautious set of numbers before you decide what to offer. This helps you spot what needs checking. It does not predict what will happen.
The as-is method is different
“As-is value” means what the house may be worth in its current condition, before repairs.
The calculator has a separate method for this:
Seller offer = average as-is estimate × chosen percentage − wholesale fee
It averages the estimates you enter that are above zero. This method does not subtract the ARV repair amount again.
For example, $180,000 and $200,000 average to $190,000. Using 80% and a $12,000 fee:
$190,000 × 80% − $12,000 = $140,000
Check where those value estimates came from. Do not mix a fixed-up value with an as-is value. And do not average the two methods’ answers just to get an offer you like.
Enter the repair total yourself
In this version of the free calculator, the Repair tab does not automatically fill in the repair number used for the ARV offer.
After you work out repairs, type that total into the offer worksheet’s repair field: cell D39.
Check it before using the answer. If your repair estimate is $40,000 but D39 still has an old number, the offer will use the old number.
Your fee is not your take-home profit
A $15,000 wholesale fee does not mean you keep $15,000.
You may have paid for leads, marketing or closing expenses. You may owe a partner a share. Business costs and taxes can reduce what you keep. You could also lose deposit money, depending on the contract and what happens.
Putting a fee in the calculator does not mean a buyer will pay it. The deal still needs to close. Get local professional help with legal and tax questions.
Try your own numbers
Use the free Wholesale Offer Calculator. Run the numbers once with your current estimates. Then try higher repairs or a lower resale value.
Write down what you still need to check before making an offer.
Common question
Should I always use 75%?
No. It is only the example used here. The right percentage depends on the house, local sale prices, buyer costs and what buyers need from the deal.