In a perfect world, every buyer would just buy.

No games. No bait-and-switch. No internal competition.

But in the real world of real estate investing, some buyers are also wholesalers themselves, and that creates friction.

They want your deal, but also want your spread. They like the lead, but think they can JV it better than you.

They might perform, but they’re constantly weighing what they can get it for vs. what they can sell it for.

So how do you spot these “wholesaler-buyers” early, filter out the time-wasters, and still close the ones who bring value?

Let’s break it down.

Why Wholesalers Want to Buy From You

Yes, it’s true: some wholesalers are buyers, too.
But why would someone who gets deals want your deal?

Simple:

• They’re dry on leads

• They want inventory fast

• They have a big buyer list but no pipeline

• They need to assign a deal to keep income rolling

• They’re new and want to look like a deal source

• They see a spread between your price and what they can sell it for

In short, they’re opportunistic buyers, and some can close, while others waste your time.

Your job is to qualify which is which.

The Hidden Risk: When the Buyer Is Also a Wholesaler

Here’s why this buyer type is tricky:

• They often don’t say they’re a wholesaler

• They act interested but hesitate to commit

• They stall waiting for their buyer to say yes

• They may try to re-market your deal without permission

• They sometimes try to go around you to the seller

And worst of all?

If you’re not careful, they can burn your relationship with the seller, ruin the deal, and leave you with nothing.

That’s why you need a framework for spotting, qualifying, and working with wholesaler-buyers.

7 Signs You’re Talking to a Wholesaler-Buyer

Not every wholesaler will tell you they are one.
But here are the common red flags:

1. They ask for “daisy chain”-style info

They might say:

“Do you mind if I send this to my guy?”
“I have a buyer for something like this, can I float it by him?”
“I don’t buy in that area, but my partner does.”

This tells you they’re not buying directly, they’re shopping it.

2. They never want to walk the property

Most real buyers want to:

• Inspect

• Verify repairs

• Judge location or layout

But a wholesaler might say:

“Send me pics”
“Just give me lockbox access”
“Don’t need to walk it, my guy doesn’t care”

That’s a clue they’re trying to assign it sight unseen.

3. They ask for a JV without bringing value

Watch for:

“Let’s JV it, I’ve got a buyer”
“Mind if I help move it?”
“Can we split the deal if I bring a buyer?”

If they’re not on title, not doing marketing, and not bringing deposit… what are they actually bringing?

4. They hesitate to commit without price drops

These buyers will fish with lines like:

“If you can get it to $XX, I can move it today.”
“I have someone at $XXX, but only if we move fast.”

They’re using pressure tactics to squeeze your spread before they even commit.

5. They copy your exact pitch when they re-market

If you see your email blast or flyer being reused, word-for-word, that’s a bad sign.
They’re not partnering, they’re copying.

6. They ghost once their buyer says no

A real buyer might say:

“This one doesn’t work for me, but I’ll look at the next one.”

A wholesaler-buyer might say:

…nothing. Total silence.

That usually means their assignment didn’t go through.

7. They refuse to show proof of funds or LLC info

If someone’s a legit buyer, they’ll have:

• POF letter

• Company name

• Signed agreements

If they dodge all of that, it’s a signal they’re not ready to perform.

How to Qualify Wholesaler-Buyers Without Burning the Relationship

Let’s say you suspect they’re a wholesaler.

You don’t want to accuse them.
You just want clarity.

Here are 5 smart qualifying lines to use:

“Who will be signing the contract on this?”

This helps you identify whether they’re the end buyer or a middleman.

“Are you purchasing this yourself or assigning it?”

Ask it with neutral tone. Don’t accuse.
Just gather intel.

“Do you or your partners need to walk the property?”

If they say no and ask for photos or lockbox info, they’re likely wholesaling it out.

“Can you send over your POF or LLC info so we can move to contract?”

Serious buyers won’t flinch.
Wholesalers will delay, stall, or avoid.

“Are you okay with a no-assignment clause?”

If they object, they’re not the end buyer.
If they accept, you’ve called their bluff, or they’re legit.

How to Still Work with Wholesaler-Buyers When It Makes Sense

Not every wholesaler-buyer is a dead end.

Some bring serious volume. Others have legit buyers on tap. And if you structure it right, you can close faster and cleaner, with them taking part of your fee, not all of it.

Here’s how:

1. Set terms early: “No marketing without permission”

If they want to shop your deal, fine, but make it conditional.

“Happy to co-market with you if I know where and to whom.”
“No public blasts or Facebook posts unless we agree on it first.”

This protects your position.

2. Offer controlled JV structures

You can offer options like:

• Flat fee: “If your buyer closes, I’ll pay you $5K.”

• Split assignment: “We both go under contract and split the fee.”

• Buyer-rep role: “You get paid like an agent for bringing the buyer.”

• Reverse assignment: “You assign it to me, I pay you $X if I close.”

These give them something… but you remain in control.

3. Use non-circumvention agreements if needed

Especially if you're giving seller access, it’s smart to have:

• JV agreements

• Non-circumvention clauses

• NDAs

Even if they don’t hold up in court, they act as deterrents.

4. Hold the paperwork

Make sure your name is on the A-to-B contract.

If they bring a buyer, great.
But you control the deal flow, title, and closing.

5. Don’t give full access until commitment is clear

Avoid sending:

• Lockbox combos

• Seller contact info

• Contract docs

…until you’ve qualified the buyer and verified their intentions.

When to Cut Ties And Move On

There’s a time to play nice and a time to walk.

Cut them loose when:

• They stall for more than 48 hours

• They re-market without permission

• They try to renegotiate after fake “feedback”

• They ask for major price drops with no proof of funds

• They lie about being the end buyer

• They ghost you mid-negotiation

Your time is valuable, and you owe loyalty to the seller and the deal, not to flaky wholesalers.

What Real Buyers Want And How to Refocus

If you’re tired of the games, build your buyer list the right way:

• Tag your buyers based on behavior (assigners vs. end-buyers)

• Score buyers who respond fast, commit early, and perform

• Segment future deals so you send them only to real closers

Goliath makes that easy with buyer tracking and automation, so your pipeline fills up with buyers, not time-wasters.

Know Who You’re Dealing With

Some buyers are flippers.
Some are landlords.
Some are cash-rich.
Some are tire-kickers.

And some are wholesalers pretending to be buyers.

If you want to:

• Protect your spreads

• Close faster

• Avoid wasted time

Then you need to know how to spot these “wholesaler-buyers” early, and navigate those relationships with confidence.

Sometimes they’ll perform. Sometimes they’ll flake. But with the right structure and boundaries, you stay in control of the deal.