Wholesale Real Estate Fee & MAO Calculator
Enter ARV, repair costs, and your target assignment fee to instantly find your maximum allowable offer (MAO) and the spread you can wholesale a contract for.
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How the wholesale calculator works
Wholesaling real estate means putting a property under contract and assigning that contract to an end buyer for a fee — without ever owning the home. To make the deal work for your buyer (usually a flipper or landlord), you have to lock it up below their maximum price. This free wholesale calculator computes your maximum allowable offer (MAO) and the assignment fee spread from three inputs: the after-repair value (ARV), repair costs, and your desired fee.
The core formula is: MAO = (ARV × 0.70) − Repair Costs − Your Assignment Fee. The 70% factor is the buffer your end buyer needs for their profit and holding/selling costs. Whatever you can negotiate below that MAO becomes your spread — the fee you collect at assignment.
Assignment fees and the spread
A typical wholesale assignment fee in DFW ranges from $5,000 to $15,000, though larger spreads happen on deeply discounted or higher-value homes. The calculator lets you set the fee and see how it changes the maximum you can offer the seller — the bigger your fee, the lower your offer has to be, which affects how motivated the seller must be to accept.
The two skills that drive wholesale profits are accurate ARV and repair estimates (so your buyer trusts your numbers) and finding genuinely motivated sellers — absentee owners, pre-foreclosures, tax-delinquent owners, and tired landlords who will sell below market. Get the offer math right and the deal supports a healthy fee while still leaving margin for your end buyer.
Frequently asked questions
What is MAO in wholesaling?
MAO is the maximum allowable offer — the highest price you can pay and still leave room for your assignment fee and your end buyer's profit. The standard formula is MAO = (ARV × 0.70) − Repairs − Your Fee.
What is a typical wholesale assignment fee?
Assignment fees usually run $5,000–$15,000 in DFW, and can be larger on deeply discounted or higher-priced homes. The calculator lets you set your target fee and see how it affects the maximum you can offer the seller.
How do I calculate the wholesale spread?
The spread is the difference between your contract price and the maximum your end buyer will pay (their MAO). Lock the property under contract below the buyer's MAO, and that gap — minus any costs — is your assignment fee.
Where do I find wholesale deals?
Motivated sellers are the source of wholesale spreads: absentee owners, pre-foreclosures, tax-delinquent owners, and long-term or tired landlords. Smart Property Leads surfaces these off-market owners with contact data across 13 North Texas counties.
Is this wholesale calculator free?
Yes — the wholesale real estate calculator is free and needs no signup. Enter ARV, repairs, and your fee to see your MAO and spread instantly. Create a free account to save deals or pull motivated-seller leads.