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Check a cash buyer's contract before you sign

Upload the purchase agreement, snap photos of the pages, or paste the text. In about a minute you'll get a plain-English list of red flags, the exact wording behind each one, your state's wholesaling rules, and questions to send the buyer in writing.

Choose your contract (PDF)Up to 4 MB. DocuSign lets you download a PDF before you sign.State the property is in (optional; we'll try to read it from the contract)I understand this is an automated check that can miss things or get them wrong. It isn't legal advice, and I'll confirm anything important with the buyer in writing or with a real estate attorney.

What the checker looks for

Can the buyer hand your contract to someone else?
"And/or assigns" or "and/or assignee" next to the buyer's name, or a clause letting the buyer assign without your consent, means the named buyer can hand the contract to another investor. That's how wholesaling works, and you may end up closing with someone you've never met.
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Is it your state's standard contract?
Many state standard purchase contracts restrict assignment unless the seller agrees. Investor-written contracts often flip that default and add terms that favor the buyer.
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The earnest money deposit
A tiny deposit, one the buyer holds themselves, or one that stays refundable until closing lets the buyer walk away, or threaten to, at almost no cost.
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Open-ended ways out for the buyer
Standard contracts give buyers defined rights, such as an inspection period with a deadline. Broad outs like "subject to partner approval" or "subject to buyer's inspection and approval" with no deadline let the buyer back out whenever it suits them. With wholesalers, if no end buyer is found, the sale may simply not happen.
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Can the price drop later?
Clauses that let the buyer renegotiate after an inspection, walkthrough or appraisal make it easy to cut the price days before closing, after you've made plans that depend on the sale. This is known as the reduction call.
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Closing date extensions
Changing deadlines usually needs a writing signed by both sides. A clause letting the buyer push the closing date on their own gives them time to find an end buyer while your plans stay on hold.
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Access to show your house to others
Clauses letting the buyer bring in "partners", contractors or other investors, take marketing photos, or install a lockbox can be a sign they're marketing your house to other buyers.
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Recording against your title
A clause letting the buyer record a memorandum or affidavit against your title can stop you from selling to anyone else, even if the buyer never closes.
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What happens if either side backs out
Look for balance. Many contracts limit the seller to keeping the deposit if the buyer backs out, which is almost nothing when the deposit is tiny. If you back out, the buyer may be able to sue to force the sale and record a lis pendens on your home.
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"Subject to" your existing mortgage
In a "subject to" deal, the buyer takes over your payments but the mortgage stays in your name. If your loan has a due-on-sale clause (most do), federal law lets the lender call the whole loan due when the property is transferred without its consent.
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Who handles the closing
The title or escrow company handles your money and title. If the buyer picks it, look it up yourself and call it at an independently verified number.
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Costs charged to you
Many cash buyers advertise that they pay all closing costs and charge no fees. Check that the contract matches what you were told, including any admin, service, or transaction fees taken out of your proceeds.
Your state's wholesaling rules
Many states now require a wholesaler to tell you in writing that they may assign the contract, and some give you a right to cancel if they don't.
Read the guide

It also looks the buyer up among the cash buyers we rate, using the website, email, phone number or name on the contract.

Your privacy

We don't save your contract or anything in it about you.
It's read by an AI model with zero data retention: the AI provider doesn't store it or use it for training.
We keep only anonymous counts (for example, how many red flags came up and in which state) to improve the checker. See our privacy policy.

Common questions

Is the contract checker really free?

Yes. There's no sign-up and no cost. To keep it free we limit how many contracts one person can check each day.

Do you keep a copy of my contract?

No. Your contract is read to produce the report and isn't saved. We keep only anonymous counts, such as which red flags came up and which state the property is in, to improve the checker.

Is this legal advice?

No. It's an automated check against a list of clauses that often work against home sellers. It can miss or misread things. For any investor contract, especially one that isn't your state's standard form, a short review by a real estate attorney is cheap insurance.

What if the buyer sent the contract through DocuSign?

Most e-signature services let you download or print the document as a PDF before you sign. You can also take screenshots or photos of each page and upload those.

What does "and/or assigns" mean on my contract?

It means the named buyer may transfer the contract to someone else, which is how real estate wholesaling usually works. The checker flags it and suggests what to ask.