How to Get a Deal From Contract to Close
Getting a property under contract is the first step. Here are the points where deals most often stall before closing, the early signs of each, and what buyers and wholesalers can do to keep things moving.
A signed contract feels like the finish line. It isn't. Between the signature and the closing table, a deal has to survive title work, financing, inspections, and two or three parties who may all get nervous at different times. Plenty of deals don't make it.
Most failures aren't bad luck. They fall into a handful of predictable categories, and nearly all of them show warning signs early. Here's what to watch for, whether you're the buyer or the wholesaler.
1. Title problems nobody checked early
This is the most common deal killer in off-market real estate, because distressed properties often come with messy paperwork.
What it looks like:
- Liens the seller didn't mention: unpaid property taxes, contractor or mechanic's liens, judgments, or old mortgages that were paid off but never released.
- Ownership questions: the owner died and the heirs never probated the estate, a divorce left both spouses on title, or one of several owners won't sign.
- Code violations or city fines attached to the property.
How to prevent it: Open title with a title company the day the contract is signed, not a week before closing. Ask the seller directly about liens, deaths, and divorces. If you're buying from a wholesaler, ask whether title is already open and whether the commitment has come back clean.
2. The buyer's money isn't really there
Many off-market deals are advertised as "cash or hard money only" for good reason. Deals fall apart when a buyer says they're ready but can't actually fund.
What it looks like:
- A hard money lender that won't fund because the appraisal or the lender's own valuation came in low.
- A buyer counting on proceeds from another deal that hasn't closed yet.
- A buyer who can't post earnest money on time, or asks for "a few more days" more than once.
How to prevent it: Wholesalers should ask for proof of funds or a lender letter before assigning a contract, and require earnest money deposited at title within a day or two. Buyers should get their lender to review the property and numbers before signing, not after.
3. Inspection surprises that break the math
A deal priced for a cosmetic rehab stops working when the inspection finds a failing foundation, a collapsed sewer line, or knob-and-tube wiring.
What it looks like: A buyer who walks the property after signing and discovers the rehab is two or three times the estimate, then tries to renegotiate or walks away.
How to prevent it: Buyers should walk the property, or send someone, before committing, and focus on the big systems: foundation, roof, sewer, electrical, and HVAC. Wholesalers who disclose known issues upfront, with photos and rehab notes, lose far fewer deals at this stage, because the buyer priced it in from the start. In Texas, many residential contracts include an option period, a short window in which the buyer can terminate for any reason. Know whether your contract has one and use it for inspections.
4. The seller changes their mind
Motivated sellers are often under stress: foreclosure, divorce, an inherited house they didn't want. Stress changes minds.
What it looks like: The seller gets a higher offer from someone else, a family member talks them out of selling, or they decide to list with an agent.
How to prevent it: Keep communication steady and honest. Explain what happens at each step and when they'll get paid. A seller who knows the timeline and trusts the process is much less likely to shop the deal. Make sure the contract is clear and that the seller understands what they signed.
5. Timelines that were never realistic
A 7-day close sounds impressive until the title company needs three weeks to clear a lien, or the lender needs an appraisal that takes ten days to schedule.
What it looks like: Repeated extensions, frustrated parties, and eventually someone using the missed deadline as an exit.
How to prevent it: Ask the title company and lender how long they actually need, then add a buffer. It's better to promise 21 days and close in 18 than to promise 10 and need an extension.
6. Communication gaps in assignment deals
With an assignment, there are three parties: the seller, the wholesaler, and the end buyer. Confusion about who is doing what is common.
What it looks like: The seller doesn't know who the new buyer is, the buyer can't get access to the property, or nobody has told the title company about the assignment and the fee.
How to prevent it: Wholesalers should send the assignment to title promptly, confirm access instructions in writing, and keep both sides updated. Buyers should confirm with the title company that everything is in order rather than relying only on the wholesaler's word.
A quick pre-closing checklist
Run through this within the first few days of every contract:
- Title opened, and the title commitment reviewed for liens and ownership issues
- Earnest money deposited and confirmed by title
- Proof of funds or lender approval in hand
- Property walked and major systems checked
- Realistic closing date confirmed with title and lender
- Access instructions and contact details shared with everyone
- Any known issues disclosed in writing
Bottom line
Deals rarely fall apart at the last minute for no reason. The problems were almost always visible in the first week: a title issue nobody checked, a buyer who couldn't fund, a rehab nobody looked at closely. Front-load the verification, communicate more than feels necessary, and set timelines you can actually hit. Buyers browsing deals on PropPipeline can use the wholesaler's disclosures and terms on each listing as the starting point for these questions.