How to Wholesale Real Estate in Louisiana
Louisiana put wholesaling into its real estate license law in 2026. Act 807 does not require a license, but it gives every seller a five-day cancellation right, requires a statutory notice by the signature line, and makes you escrow a deposit of at least 1% of the price.
The short answer
Is wholesaling legal in Louisiana?
Yes. Wholesaling is legal in Louisiana without a license, but Act 807 rules apply to contracts signed on or after August 1, 2026.
Here is what the rules mean in practice for a new wholesaler in Louisiana, and how to set up your contracts, marketing, and closings so you stay compliant from your first deal.
Louisiana wholesaling at a glance
| Legal to wholesale? | Yes |
|---|---|
| License required? | No, but the Louisiana Real Estate Commission can enforce the wholesaling rules |
| Required disclosure | Written disclosure before contracting that you intend to profit by assigning or reselling, advice to consult a lawyer, and a conspicuous cancellation notice near the signature line |
| Seller cancellation right | At least five calendar days, for any reason and without penalty |
| Key law | Act 807 of 2026 (HB 468), La. R.S. 37:1431 and 37:1448.5, effective Aug. 1, 2026 |
| Who handles closings | Notaries, closing attorneys, and title companies |
The law
What Louisiana law requires of wholesalers
- La. R.S. 37:1448.5 covers residential property with one to four units. Before the contract, tell the seller in writing that you intend to profit, recommend they get legal advice, and explain their right to cancel.
- The contract must give the seller at least five calendar days to cancel, with a notice beginning “NOTICE REQUIRED BY LOUISIANA LAW” placed conspicuously near the signature line. If required disclosures are missing, the seller can void the contract any time before title transfers.
- You must put up a deposit of at least 1% of the price, held in escrow at a federally insured institution. Violations are unfair trade practices enforceable by the attorney general and can bring civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation.
Closings
How wholesale closings work in Louisiana
Louisiana is a civil law state, and sales are passed as an act of sale before a notary, usually a closing attorney working with a title company. Choose a closing attorney who handles investor deals, confirm they close assignments and double closings, and ask them to review your contract for the Act 807 notice and escrow language before you use it.
Louisiana tip
Price in flood risk and insurance
Large parts of south Louisiana sit in flood zones, and flood and homeowners insurance costs can decide whether a rental cash-flows. Check the FEMA flood zone and get an insurance quote before you set your price, and share both with buyers.
Where to start
Best markets to wholesale in Louisiana
Wholesaling works anywhere there are motivated sellers and cash buyers. These Louisiana markets are where most investor activity happens.
New Orleans
Historic housing stock, strong rental and short-term demand in some neighborhoods, and many properties needing major repair.
Baton Rouge
The capital and LSU drive steady rental demand, with affordable homes in north and central Baton Rouge.
Shreveport
Some of the lowest price points in the state and an active small-landlord market.
Wholesaling in Louisiana’s major cities
How to wholesale in each of Louisiana’s major cities. The Louisiana rules above apply in every one of them; what changes is the parish you search, the price point, and the buyers you sell to.
Orleans Parish
New Orleans
Orleans ParishAbout $340,000 median sale, 3 months to Aug (Redfin, Aug 2026)
New Orleans housing is shotgun doubles, Creole cottages and raised camelbacks, many over a century old and many inside historic districts where exterior work needs approval. Flippers and long-term landlords buy most wholesale deals; the city limits short-term rentals, so do not pitch a house as one. Search conveyance records at the Civil District Court Clerk’s Land Records Division, follow Civil Sheriff sales, and watch city lien foreclosure sales on blighted homes. Check the flood zone and elevation on every property.
How to wholesale in New OrleansEast Baton Rouge Parish
Baton Rouge
East Baton Rouge ParishAbout $250,000 median sale (Redfin, Jul 2026)
Baton Rouge is largely 1950s–70s slab-on-grade ranches, plus older cottages near downtown and student rentals around LSU. Many neighborhoods flooded in August 2016, so ask whether a house took water and how it was repaired. Landlords and flippers are the main buyers, with student-rental investors near campus. Pull deeds and suits from the East Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court, follow East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s sales, and check city-parish blight and code cases.
How to wholesale in Baton RougeCaddo Parish
Shreveport
Caddo ParishAbout $200,000 median sale, 3 months to Aug (Redfin, Aug 2026)
Shreveport has one of the lower price points in Louisiana, with 1920s–50s bungalows and brick ranches in older neighborhoods such as Highland and Queensborough. Low entry prices attract cash-flow landlords, including out-of-state buyers, and Barksdale Air Force Base across the Red River in Bossier City adds military renters. Search the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court for conveyances and suits, follow Caddo Parish Sheriff sales, and review city property standards cases on vacant homes.
How to wholesale in ShreveportLafayette Parish
Lafayette
Lafayette ParishAbout $227,000 (Zillow, Aug 2026)
Lafayette’s economy follows oil and gas, and sellers sometimes need to move when the industry slows. Most houses are 1960s–80s brick ranches on slabs, with older cottages near downtown and student rentals around the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Local landlords and flippers buy most deals. Pull records from the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court, follow Lafayette Parish Sheriff sales, and check Lafayette Consolidated Government code compliance cases. Low-lying areas flood, so confirm the zone first.
How to wholesale in LafayetteWholesaling in states near Louisiana
More guides for Louisiana wholesalers
Step by step
How to wholesale real estate in Louisiana
- 01
Pick one market
Start with a single metro so your buyer list and your comps line up. Baton Rouge is a strong first choice in Louisiana, and you do not have to live there to work it.
- 02
Build your cash buyer list first
Pull every cash purchase in your target county from the last 12 months, find the repeat buyers and LLCs, and qualify 25 of them before you make an offer. Here is the full process.
- 03
Find motivated sellers
Driving for dollars, absentee-owner and inherited-property lists, and cold calling are the three channels that work in every state.
- 04
Run the numbers
Use the MAO formula: after-repair value times 70%, minus repairs, minus your fee. See a worked example.
- 05
Sign a compliant contract
Use an assignable purchase agreement with an inspection period. In Louisiana, include the Act 807 disclosure and five-day cancellation notice by the signature line, and escrow a deposit of at least 1% of the price.
- 06
Assign and close
Send the deal to your A-list, sign the assignment, and close with a closing attorney or notary experienced with investor deals.
FAQ
Wholesaling in Louisiana: common questions
Is wholesaling legal in Louisiana?
Yes. Louisiana allows wholesaling. Act 807 of 2026 adds disclosure, cancellation, and deposit rules for residential contracts signed on or after August 1, 2026.
Do I need a license to wholesale in Louisiana?
No. Act 807 does not require a real estate license, but its rules sit in the real estate license law and the Louisiana Real Estate Commission can enforce them.
How long does a Louisiana seller have to cancel?
At least five calendar days after signing, for any reason and without penalty. The deadline must be stated in the required notice near the signature line.
How much earnest money do I need in Louisiana?
At least 1% of the purchase price, held in escrow at a federally insured institution.
Other states
Wholesaling laws in other Southeast states
Working a market outside Louisiana? Compare nearby states, or see the full 50-state guide and our overview of whether wholesaling is legal.
Sources. Last reviewed September 2026.
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