Tennessee situation guide · Updated November 2026

Wholesaling Tired Landlord Properties in Tennessee

Wholesaling tired landlord properties in Tennessee means contracting with rental owners who are done with the work and assigning the deal to an investor who will take over. In Hamilton County, a landlord with a leaky roof, a late-paying tenant and a stack of maintenance calls may take a fair price just to stop. You find the owner, tie up the house, and pass the contract along under Tennessee’s 2025 disclosure rules.

Rental ownersTenant rules100% online mentorship

Get the free starter kit Book a free call

Call/Text818-532-0481

Let’s find your starting point

Explore the mentorship.

Request a free fit call to discuss your goals and whether the program is right for you.

The short answer

Can you wholesale a tired landlord property in Tennessee?

Yes. You can contract with a landlord and assign the contract, as long as the written disclosures in T.C.A. 66-4-403 are in your agreement. Have an attorney check the contract, especially if tenants live in the house.

A tired landlord is an owner who has soured on renting. The signs are repeated evictions, deferred repairs, and listings that expire. Our motivated seller guide lists more signals. Landlords often care about a quick close more than top price.

Tennessee requires wholesalers to disclose in writing that they intend to market their equitable interest, before the contract is executed. You also owe the seller notice of the assignment date at least three business days ahead. Make both items bold and large. Read about the assignment of contract before you draft.

Tired Landlord Properties in Tennessee at a glance

Wholesaling law	T.C.A. 66-4-401 to -403 (2025)
Disclosure format	Bold, large print, inside the written agreement
Notice of assignment	At least 3 business days before it takes effect
Seller disclosure	T.C.A. 66-5-201 applies to 1 to 4 unit homes
Recordation tax	$0.37 per $100 on the deed
Tenants	An existing lease generally stays in place after a sale

The opportunity

Why landlords sell in Chattanooga

Chattanooga’s rental market is busy, especially near downtown, North Shore and East Ridge, and values have climbed. Some owners who bought years ago now sit on equity and a long list of repairs. Older duplexes and small rentals tend to need the most work. In practice, three kinds of landlord are most open to selling.

Retiring landlords

Owners who want to cash out and stop taking calls at night.

Out-of-town owners

Many are also absentee. See the absentee owner guide.

Owners with problem tenants

A tenant who pays late wears people down. Read our tenant-occupied guide.

Get the free starter kit See the mentorship

Lead sources

Where to find tired landlords in Hamilton County

Rental registrations and listings. Look at long-running rental ads and the same address showing up again and again.
Eviction filings. Court records can show owners who file repeatedly. Use them with care and respect privacy.
Multiple-property owners. Property records show owners of several parcels under one name.
Direct mail. A simple note to owners of small rentals works. See direct mail for wholesalers.
Expired listings. Landlords who tried to sell and failed may talk. Read about expired listings.

Your exit

Who buys tired landlord properties in Chattanooga

Buy-and-hold investors are the natural buyers. They want a rented house with income and a lease already in place. Show them rents and expenses with the net operating income math.

Rehabbers also buy when the house is vacant or the lease ends soon. Match the buyer to the condition and the lease, and tell them early if rents sit below market. Surprises late in the deal cost you trust and sometimes the fee. Our buy box guide explains how buyers define what they want.

Book a free call

Step by step

How to start wholesaling tired landlord properties in Tennessee

Pick the target. Choose landlords with one to four units and obvious fatigue.
Make contact. Start with a letter, then a call.
Learn the facts. Ask about rents, lease end dates, deposits and repairs.
Run the numbers. Use the ARV calculator and MAO calculator.
Contract with disclosure. Include the bold intent to market your equitable interest.
Find the investor. Share lease and expense facts with your buyer.
Notice and close. Give three business days notice, then close with title.

Your checklist for wholesaling Tired Landlord Properties in Tennessee

Get copies of every lease and the security deposit amounts.
Add the bold equitable interest disclosure before the contract is signed.
Plan the written assignment notice at least three business days ahead.
Ask the seller to provide the seller disclosure or disclaimer form if the house has one to four units.
Confirm who holds each deposit at closing.

A Tennessee example: a Chattanooga duplex owner

Contract price	$215,000
Rents	$1,400 and $1,350 per month
Repairs	$18,000
Investor price	$232,500
Assignment fee	$17,500
Notice	5 business days before closing

A landlord in East Ridge owned a duplex she had managed for fifteen years. The roof needed work, one tenant was behind, and she was ready to stop. She answered a letter.

You signed at $215,000 with the bold disclosure in the contract. You then showed leases and expense numbers to a buy-and-hold investor in Hixson.

The investor paid $232,500, so your fee was $17,500. The deposits were handed over in writing, and the seller left on friendly terms. She also thanked you for a clean, quiet close.

Tennessee rules to know

Tennessee rules for landlord deals

Under T.C.A. 66-4-403 you may wholesale if you disclose your intent to market your equitable interest to the seller before signing, and give notice of the assignment date at least three business days before it takes effect. The act has a two-year window for claims and covers real property only. Check current text before you rely on any detail.

Sales of one to four unit homes can bring the seller disclosure rules of 66-5-201 and -202. An owner may use an “as is” disclaimer only if the buyer waives the disclosure. Recordation tax of $0.37 per $100 applies to the deed under 67-4-409. Leases and deposits have their own rules, so see our attorney guide.

Learn it with a mentor

Learn to talk to landlords

Landlord calls go differently from homeowner calls. We role-play them with students and review the contracts that follow.

See the course See the mentorship

FAQ

Tired Landlord Properties in Tennessee: common questions

Is wholesaling tired landlord properties in Tennessee legal?

Yes, with the written disclosures in T.C.A. 66-4-401 to -403 and no unlicensed brokerage. Contract with the landlord as a principal buyer, put the required disclosures in the written agreement, and have a Tennessee attorney review how you plan to assign it before you advertise to any buyer.

What happens to the tenants?

A lease generally continues after a sale, so your buyer needs to review it. Tenants usually stay under their existing terms, which can help a buyer who wants rental income. Collect the lease, rent roll and deposit details from the landlord before you market the deal.

Do I need to give the seller a notice before assigning?

Yes. The statute calls for written notice at least three business days before the assignment takes effect. The notice goes to the seller, and the contract also has to carry your written disclosure of intent to market your interest. Keep a dated copy of both in your file.

Does Tennessee require a seller disclosure?

For one to four unit homes, T.C.A. 66-5-201 calls for a disclosure statement or a disclaimer the buyer waives. A tired landlord who has owned the house for years may know its problems well, so ask which form applies and whether your buyer will accept the disclaimer.

Who pays recordation tax?

The grantee pays $0.37 per $100 on the deed under 67-4-409. No tax is due until title moves by deed, so a pure assignment of the contract is not itself a taxable deed, though you should confirm that with an attorney or your title company before you close.