Seller Education · Jacksonville, FL
You've seen the signs. The postcards. The text messages. "We buy houses." "Cash offer in 24 hours." "Close in 7 days."
Some of those companies mean it. They're the ones who will actually write you a check at closing for the number they quoted.
Others are wholesalers. They put your property under contract, spend 30–45 days shopping it to other investors, and often come back with a lower number than what they told you on the phone. Or they disappear entirely.
The pitch sounds identical. The process is completely different. And if you're thinking about selling your Jacksonville home to a cash buyer, knowing which type you're talking to might be the most important thing you do before signing anything.
A wholesaler doesn't buy houses. They buy contracts.
Here's how it works: a wholesaler contacts you, gets you interested in a quick cash sale, and then signs a purchase agreement for your property — sometimes with a small earnest money deposit, sometimes with almost nothing down. That contract gives them the right to purchase the property.
Then they spend the next 30–45 days (their "due diligence period") finding a real investor willing to buy at their price. When they find one, they assign the contract to that investor for a fee — typically $5,000 to $20,000 or more, depending on the deal. That fee comes out of the transaction, which is part of why the final closing offer often ends up lower than what they first quoted you.
If they can't find a buyer, they may:
This isn't illegal. Wholesaling is a legitimate real estate strategy. But sellers often don't know they're dealing with a wholesaler until the process has already cost them time.
When you see "and/or assigns" in a purchase contract, that's a wholesaler clause. It means the person signing the contract can transfer it to a different buyer. If you see this language, ask directly: "Are you the one purchasing this property, or will this be assigned to someone else?"
A direct cash buyer uses their own money to purchase your property. They're not looking for another investor. They're not going to assign your contract. When they make you an offer and you accept, they're the ones closing.
This changes everything about how the process works:
Direct cash buyers are typically individual investors or small investment companies that rehab properties themselves. They make money by renovating and reselling — not by flipping contracts.
| Factor | Direct Cash Buyer | Wholesaler |
|---|---|---|
| Who actually buys your house | The person you spoke with | A third-party investor (unknown to you) |
| Contract language | Straightforward purchase agreement | Often includes "and/or assigns" clause |
| Time to close | 7–21 days, sometimes faster | 30–60+ days (waiting for end buyer) |
| Offer stability | Offer is what closes | Price may drop after inspection period |
| Earnest money | Typically substantial ($1,000–$5,000+) | Often minimal ($100 or less) |
| Deal certainty | High — they control the capital | Depends on finding an end buyer |
| Who you negotiate with | The decision-maker | A middleman (decisions made elsewhere) |
Jacksonville's real estate market has a high concentration of wholesalers operating alongside legitimate cash buyers. The market moves fast enough that wholesalers can often find end buyers, which is why they're active here. But that doesn't mean the experience is the same as selling to a direct buyer.
Here's the scenario I hear from sellers fairly often:
They get contacted by a company. The company offers them, say, $185,000. They accept, sign a contract, stop showing the property, and start making plans. Three weeks later, the company comes back and says they need to "re-evaluate" because of condition issues they found in their inspection — and now the number is $165,000. The seller is stuck: take the lower offer, or start over and lose a month.
That's not always what wholesalers intend. Sometimes it genuinely is a condition issue. But it's a structural problem with the wholesaling model: the person making the offer doesn't know what their end buyer will pay until they find one, so the number is inherently provisional.
With a direct cash buyer, the offer is based on what they're willing to pay. They've already done the math on renovation costs and resale. There's no downstream buyer whose requirements might change the equation.
A legitimate direct cash buyer will answer all of these clearly. If the answers are vague or the conversation gets deflected, that's information.
I'm Denny Anderson, owner of Built to Buy LLC. I'm based in Jacksonville Beach and I buy houses in Jacksonville and across Northeast Florida — along with markets in Tennessee, Ohio, and Illinois.
I am not a wholesaler. When I make you an offer, I'm the one buying the property. There's no third-party investor waiting in the background. I use my own capital, I close with my own title company, and the number I quote is the number at closing.
I've had sellers come to me after a wholesaler experience. They signed a contract, waited 40 days, and then got told the number was changing by $15,000 because of "inspection items." By the time they found me, they were exhausted and suspicious of anyone who said they bought houses for cash.
I get it. The category has a trust problem.
The way I address it is simple: I tell sellers exactly how I arrive at my offer number, I give them a specific figure (not a range), and I explain up front what happens if they accept. The offer doesn't change unless I discover something material that I genuinely didn't know at the time of the offer.
If you want to know more about my process, you can read about how I buy houses in Jacksonville, or look at the probate process or pre-foreclosure situations if either of those applies to you.
Both direct cash buyers and wholesalers operate in Jacksonville. Both will tell you they buy houses fast for cash. The difference is in who actually shows up at closing — and whether the number on the contract matches the check you receive.
Before you sign, ask who's buying. Look at the contract for assignment language. Check the earnest money. And if something feels off, trust that instinct.
If you want a straight answer on what your Jacksonville property is worth in a cash sale — from the person who'd actually be purchasing it — fill out the form below or call me directly.
No wholesalers. No middlemen. No last-minute price changes. Submit your address and I'll come back with a real offer within 24 hours.
Get My Cash Offer → Or call me directly: (904) 892-5372A real estate wholesaler puts a property under contract, then finds a third-party investor to buy it before closing. The wholesaler assigns the contract — for a fee — and never actually purchases the house. They are a middleman between the seller and the real buyer.
A direct cash buyer uses their own funds to purchase the property and closes directly with the seller. A wholesaler signs a contract and then finds another investor to buy it, assigning the contract for a fee. The key difference: with a cash buyer, the offer is what closes. With a wholesaler, the offer can change — or the deal can fall through — if they can't find an end buyer.
Ask directly: "Are you the one buying this property, or will you be assigning the contract to another investor?" A direct cash buyer will say they are the purchaser. A wholesaler will either say they assign contracts or give a vague answer. You can also look for "and/or assigns" language in the contract — this is a standard wholesaler clause that allows them to transfer the contract to someone else.
Yes. If a wholesaler can't find an end buyer willing to pay their price, they may either back out using an inspection contingency or come back with a lower offer. This is sometimes called "price chipping" — the verbal offer is higher than what actually closes. Sellers are left with wasted time and may have missed other opportunities during the holding period.
No. Built to Buy LLC is a direct cash buyer based in Jacksonville Beach, FL. Owner Denny Anderson purchases properties using his own funds and closes directly with sellers. There is no assignment of contract and no third-party investor involved in the purchase.