In this walkthrough, investor Nathan Payne demonstrates how to navigate a common wholesaling scenario where a seller (or their representative) insists on a price far above market value. The conversation begins with a terse phone call in which the seller demands an immediate cash offer, making it difficult to gauge motivation. Nathan decides to visit the property in person to build credibility, assess condition, and uncover the seller’s true willingness to negotiate. On‑site, he discovers a tenant occupying the house, a double‑showing situation, and significant cleanup needs. He probes the tenant’s move‑out timeline, offers assistance with junk removal, and outlines multiple acquisition structures—cash purchase, seller‑financed terms, novation, or a partnership flip. Throughout, Nathan emphasizes the importance of rapport, evaluating seller motivation, and determining whether the property merits further investment based on condition, tenant cooperation, and the seller’s flexibility.
Chapters
So this is a situation that 99% of real estate investors, wholesalers find themselves in. They're talking to a seller that wants way too much money. You get on the phone with them and then immediately they're like, just give me your offer, give me your best offer. So it's really hard to connect with them, find out the motivation. So that's what happened in this deal that we have right here. Yeah, I'm busy, so let's just get right down to business. Let's do it. What's your cash offer for it? And he just wanted to get me off the phone. So we started talking about the condition of the property. You know, what I can pay depends on the condition of the house. He started telling me about what the house was worth, what work he thought it needed, and it was just like kind of generic stuff like carpet, paint. He actually doesn't live there. There's a tenant that lives there. I said, do you have any pictures? I don't have pictures. So I just thought it would be be easy to just go see the house. This is an interesting situation, very hard to develop rapport with the seller over the phone, wants way too much. And I thought this would be a good opportunity to show them, hey, I'm willing to go to the house, show them that, you know, I'm a real investor. I think I can set myself apart from the other investors that way. After seeing the house, then I can make him multiple offers. You know, if I can buy it for cash, if I can buy it on terms, if we can do a novation, we partner on the property together and do a flip together. A lot of different options, but you're going to see a house, you need to determine, okay, is it worth my time? Is the seller really going to sell? Is there motivation? If it's someone that's just like, yeah, I'm going to list it if I don't get what I want, or there's like, I'm just going to keep it if I don't get what I want, that's another reason not to go see the house because you can just give them a low range and see what they say to that. But anyway, that's kind of in a nutshell what we're going to do today by seeing this house. There's the house. Are you Jeff? Nathan. Nathan? Yeah. Is this, uh, Michael? Are you Michael? I am not. Oh, you're not?
Unfortunately, I think it's a double showing at the same time.
Oh, it's okay. So what's, what's kind of the situation on it? Like, are you moving out of here? He's deciding to sell it, or—
Yeah, he's had his own health issues and he's been amazing to work with.
Does the house need, uh, like a ton of work?
When we moved in, it needed a ton of work. Okay. And it maybe probably got worse.
If we were to buy this or they were to buy it, like, when are you planning on heading out or moving out?
Do you know? I'm hoping, like— so, like, I was just telling him, I took 2 dump runs already at 30 pounds each, and I even had a dumpster drive through my driveway, and it's It's still full of crap.
Would it be helpful if we were to help you get some of this stuff out, like hire a crew, or you— are you wanting to go through all of it yourself?
And I, I'd probably get some help. Yeah, if you're willing to pay for a crew, right?
Yeah, but it sounds like whoever's to buy it, you might need like a month or two to get out.
At best, if I could.
If I buy it from what's-his-name, he'll probably— you know, I would be your new landlord, or you know, whoever, until you move out.
Yeah, and I would be willing to work with whoever, however, to make it work. However.
