Real Estate Wholesaling Laws by State
Wholesaling is legal in every state, but the rules are not the same everywhere. Pick your state for a full guide to its law, how closings work, and a step-by-step plan, or find your city below for a local market guide.
State guides
Choose your state
Every guide covers that state’s current law, required disclosures, who handles closings, the strongest markets, and common questions.
Northeast
Southeast
Midwest
Southwest
West
City guides
Wholesaling in major US cities
Our programs are 100% online, so you can learn and wholesale in any of these markets, whether you live there or not. Click any city for its local wholesaling guide: county records, price points, where investors buy, and how to find sellers and cash buyers.
Northeast
Boston · Worcester · Springfield · Lowell · Brockton · Cambridge · Lynn · Quincy · New Bedford
Newark · Jersey City · Paterson · Trenton · Camden · Lakewood · Elizabeth · Edison · Woodbridge · Toms River
Southeast
Jacksonville · Tampa · Orlando · Miami · Fort Lauderdale · St. Petersburg · Lakeland · Ocala · Port St. Lucie · Cape Coral · Hialeah · Tallahassee · Pembroke Pines · Hollywood · Gainesville · Palm Bay · Miramar · Coral Springs · West Palm Beach · Pompano Beach · Clearwater · Miami Gardens · Davie · Palm Coast · Boca Raton · Fort Myers · Deltona
Atlanta · Augusta · Columbus · Macon · Savannah · Athens · South Fulton · Sandy Springs
Charlotte · Raleigh · Greensboro · Durham · Fayetteville · Winston-Salem · Cary · Wilmington · High Point · Concord
Richmond · Virginia Beach · Norfolk · Chesapeake · Roanoke · Newport News · Alexandria · Hampton · Suffolk
Midwest
Chicago · Rockford · Peoria · Springfield · Joliet · Aurora · Naperville · Elgin
Indianapolis · Fort Wayne · Evansville · South Bend · Gary · Carmel · Fishers
Southwest
Phoenix · Tucson · Mesa · Chandler · Glendale · Scottsdale · Gilbert · Peoria · Tempe · Surprise · Buckeye · Goodyear · Yuma · Avondale
Oklahoma City · Tulsa · Norman · Lawton · Broken Arrow · Edmond
Houston · Dallas · San Antonio · Austin · Fort Worth · El Paso · Arlington · Corpus Christi · Plano · Lubbock · Laredo · Irving · Garland · Frisco · McKinney · Grand Prairie · Amarillo · Brownsville · Denton · Killeen · Mesquite · McAllen · Pasadena · Waco · Midland · Round Rock · Lewisville · Carrollton · Abilene · Pearland · College Station · Odessa · New Braunfels · League City · Conroe · Richardson · Tyler · Allen · Beaumont · Edinburg · Sugar Land · Georgetown · Wichita Falls · San Angelo
West
Los Angeles · San Diego · Sacramento · Fresno · Bakersfield · Riverside · San Bernardino · Stockton · San Jose · San Francisco · Long Beach · Oakland · Anaheim · Irvine · Santa Ana · Chula Vista · Santa Clarita · Fremont · Fontana · Modesto · Moreno Valley · Oxnard · Huntington Beach · Glendale · Ontario · Elk Grove · Santa Rosa · Rancho Cucamonga · Oceanside · Garden Grove · Lancaster · Roseville · Palmdale · Corona · Salinas · Hayward · Sunnyvale · Pomona · Visalia · Escondido · Victorville · Fullerton · Torrance · Orange · Pasadena · Santa Clara · Clovis · Simi Valley · Vallejo · Concord · Fairfield · Thousand Oaks · Berkeley · Antioch · Menifee · Temecula · Richmond · Murrieta · Carlsbad · Santa Maria · Ventura · Costa Mesa · Downey · Jurupa Valley · Rialto · West Covina · Chico · El Monte · Vacaville · San Mateo · Burbank · Hesperia · Tracy · El Cajon · Inglewood · Daly City
Denver · Colorado Springs · Aurora · Pueblo · Fort Collins · Lakewood · Thornton · Arvada · Westminster · Greeley · Centennial · Boulder · Longmont
Seattle · Spokane · Tacoma · Vancouver · Bellevue · Kent · Everett · Spokane Valley · Renton
Start with the fundamentals
Why it matters
Why the state you work in changes everything
Disclosure rules
Many states now spell out what you must tell sellers and buyers, in what form, and when. Your contracts have to match the state the property is in.
Seller protections
Some states give sellers a right to cancel, especially when required disclosures are missing. That changes how you set timelines and deposits.
Licensing lines
Every state draws its own line between buying a contract as a principal and acting as an unlicensed broker. Know where it sits before you market a deal.
In every state
Five habits that keep you compliant anywhere
- Act as a principal. You are the buyer on the contract, with an assignment clause (“and/or assigns”).
- Disclose in writing. Tell the seller you may assign the contract, and tell your buyer they are buying your contract interest.
- Market the contract, not the house. Never advertise a property for sale as if you own it.
- Keep an exit. Every contract gets an inspection period so you can cancel in writing if the deal does not work.
- Close with a pro. Use an investor-friendly title company or closing attorney and have them review your paperwork once per state.
FAQ
Wholesaling laws: common questions
Is wholesaling real estate legal in all 50 states?
Yes, wholesaling is legal in every state, but the rules differ from state to state. Open your state’s guide above for the specific requirements.
Do the rules depend on where I live or where the property is?
Where the property is. Follow the laws of the state where the house sits, even if you live somewhere else.
Can I wholesale in a state I don’t live in?
Yes. Wholesaling is done by phone, contract, and title company, and many investors work markets in other states.
Do you have guides for individual cities?
Yes. We publish local market guides for major cities such as Houston, Atlanta, Detroit, and Philadelphia. Each one covers the county offices you will use, where investors buy, and how to find sellers and cash buyers. See the city list above. The state guide always sets the legal rules.
How often are these guides updated?
Each state guide shows the date it was last reviewed. Wholesaling laws change often, so confirm current rules with a local attorney or title company before your first deal.
Your next step
Wholesale in any state, with a mentor
Our mentorship is 100% online and works in any US market. Book a free call and get an honest recommendation for your market and goals.
No pressure, no pitch-fest. A 20-minute conversation about your goals.