Prep Before You Pitch

“You need to be doing some preparation before you start making offers.”
That advice seems obvious until you meet someone who’s under contract and panicking. I’ve been that person. It’s not fun. Preparation is what separates fear from boldness, and it’s what makes closing feel inevitable—even when things go sideways.

I’ve lost deals early in my career because I wasn’t ready. A seller offered me 55 apartments for $1.4 million. It was a dream deal. I had the motivation, but I didn’t have the structure. I hadn’t built relationships with banks who were ready to go big with me. So when I asked around, the lenders got nervous—and that made me nervous. I walked away from that deal. That missed opportunity became a defining moment.

Preparation isn’t about having everything locked in. It’s about having the right pieces in motion before you need them. You don’t need the full funding lined up to make an offer. But you do need a strategy that allows you to move fast once your offer is accepted. “If you think you have to have everything in order completely, you’re going to miss out on those great deals.”

The realization here is simple: preparation gives you permission. Without it, your best deals will scare you off. With it, you start saying yes to bigger opportunities.

Here’s how I prep before I pitch:

• Meet with at least two lenders and understand what they’ll fund

• Have a real estate attorney who knows your name and turnaround speed

• Keep $500–$2000 liquid for earnest money deposits

• Talk to contractors early to understand timelines and ballpark repairs

• Stay current on your credit profile and bank statements

• Practice explaining your deal in 60 seconds or less

• Write offer templates that already include flexible closing dates

I prepare not to feel safe, but to stay dangerous. When a seller says yes, the clock starts ticking. Your prep is what buys you speed. It’s what gives your team confidence. It’s what lets you look a seller in the eye and say, “I’ll get this closed.”

Deals don’t wait. The right prep makes sure you don’t have to either.

Build Real Relationships That Buy You Time

“Relationships are a foundation for getting deals closed.”
You don’t get to $1.4 million in closed rentals with 5% down unless people trust you.
When things go wrong—they will—your relationships determine whether the deal lives or dies. A good contract is a start. A good relationship is what actually closes the deal.

I had a 64-unit apartment deal where I asked the seller for six months to close. Not 30 days. Not 60. Six full months. That’s a big ask in this market. But I had already sat across the table from her for hours. We weren’t just talking price—we were talking goals, pressure, trust. She agreed to my timeline. I needed every bit of it. The bank needed more paperwork. The attorney had questions. My due diligence took longer than expected. That deal could have collapsed at any point, but it didn’t. It closed, because the relationship held it together.

“Everybody’s willing to work with you if you’ve built relationships with them.”
When a seller knows you’re serious, a hiccup doesn’t become a cancellation.
When your banker knows your voice, they answer your call on a Friday at 4:59pm.

Here’s how I build relationship equity before and after an offer:

1. Listen more than I pitch

2. Show up in person or on video early in the process

3. Set expectations clearly from the start

4. Communicate proactively when things shift

5. Offer solutions before the other side asks

6. Learn the personal goals behind the transaction

7. Keep a “no ghosting” rule—respond even when it’s hard

The realization is this: your relationships are your insurance.
They cover the gaps between ideal timelines and real-life chaos. They buy you extensions, grace, and second chances.

“Don’t just go out here making offers, being ugly to people.”
If you build real rapport, you won’t have to beg for more time. You’ll just ask—and they’ll say yes.

Buy Extensions With Earnest Money, Not Excuses

I was under contract and the timeline was tight.
The bank slowed down. Due diligence uncovered more questions. The seller wanted certainty, not stories. I could feel the deal slipping. So I did the one thing most buyers are afraid to do. I asked for more time and offered real money for it. Not promises. Not explanations. Cash.

I told the seller exactly what was happening and exactly what I needed. Thirty more days, with additional earnest money on the table. Then sixty. Then ninety, if required. The seller didn’t love delays, but they loved clarity. They also loved not having to start over with a new buyer. That extension gave me room to find another lender, clean up due diligence, and get the deal across the finish line. Without it, the deal was dead.

“Extensions are okay.”
That sentence alone has saved me more deals than perfect underwriting ever has.

Here’s the punchline most people miss: time is a negotiable asset.
If you need more of it, you can buy it.

I’ve used extensions on small houses and large apartment deals. Sometimes I build them into the original contract. Other times I add them later when reality shows up. Sellers don’t want uncertainty. They want progress. Extra earnest money shows commitment when words no longer matter.

Here are the checkpoints I use before asking for an extension:

• Communicate the issue early, never at the last minute

• Be specific about how much time you need and why

• Offer additional earnest money upfront

• Tie the extension to a clear next milestone

• Confirm the seller’s priorities haven’t changed

“If you’re getting great deals, a lot of times, they don’t want extensions.”
That’s true. But they also don’t want to start over. If you’ve built trust, extensions become a tool instead of a threat.

Most deals don’t fail because they’re bad deals. They fail because buyers run out of time and panic. I refuse to let that happen. When I need time, I don’t make excuses. I make offers.

Only Close What’s Worth Double

I once had a seller agree to a $30,000 sale on a house worth $80,000.
That’s a no-brainer.
Too many investors I talk to get caught trying to close full-price retail deals and wonder why the lenders walk away. If it’s not a deal, it won’t close. Not because of banks, but because of math.

“Make sure it’s worth double what you’re paying for it.”
That’s the rule I live by. I want equity before I ever sign a loan.
You don’t create confidence with hope—you do it with value.

One time, a seller offered me $200,000 in property for $80,000. I didn’t have the money. But I knew I was getting a discount so steep it would be irresponsible not to find a way to close. I negotiated 60 days in the contract, then hit the phones. Lenders, friends, partners—anyone who could say yes. Eventually, someone did. The equity in the deal made the conversation easy. That deal built my reputation and gave me room for future offers.

Here are the rules I follow before I greenlight an offer:

1. Check comps—verify the property is worth 2x or more

2. Estimate repairs conservatively, then add 20%

3. Confirm the after-repair value justifies total cost

4. Never offer full price unless seller terms add upside

5. Walk if the numbers don’t leave room for profit or margin

“If you’re buying a million dollars worth of property or $50,000 worth of property, it needs to be worth 2 million, or it needs to be worth 100,000.”

The market doesn’t reward ambition. It rewards math. You can’t fake equity. You either have it, or you’re just speculating.

Solve the Seller’s Real Problem

I once had a seller who needed to cash out fast. She’d inherited $200,000 worth of property, but wanted just $80,000 to walk away. I didn’t have the funds. The deal was at risk—until I asked what she really needed. Turned out she didn’t want a lump sum. She wanted out of tenant headaches and monthly stress. So I offered to take over her existing payments through a subject-to structure. No repairs. No taxes. No tenants. Just relief.

She said yes.
I closed without new financing.
Because I stopped talking about price—and started solving her problem.

“They don’t care how you solve their problem, if you solve their problem.”

Here’s what most buyers miss: money is rarely the real issue.
Sellers are motivated by pain or purpose. Your job is to uncover which one—and fix it.

Truths and warnings that apply to every closing conversation:

• Sellers want clarity, not complexity

• The deal that looks easy may still be emotional

• Most objections are about fear, not math

• A price drop rarely fixes a trust issue

• Fast closers win because they listen first

Don’t assume your best offer is your highest one.
Sometimes the best offer is the one that feels safest.
Sometimes it’s the one that creates peace of mind.
Sometimes it’s just showing the seller that you hear them.

Solve the problem, and the contract writes itself.

Deals Get Done When You Refuse to Quit

I opened this by saying I once made an offer without knowing where the money would come from. That wasn’t a gamble—it was a calculated risk built on preparation, relationships, and problem-solving. Those same tools helped me close a $200,000 property by taking over payments instead of bringing cash. I didn’t guess. I listened. I solved. I closed.

“If you’re solving a problem for them, they’re going to be more inclined to really get this deal closed.”

The faster you learn this, the faster you’ll stop stalling. Most people don’t need more education. They need motion. They need a better playbook and the willingness to run it under pressure.

If you remember one thing, remember this:
Deals close when you commit first and problem-solve until it’s done.

So the next time you’re hesitating on an offer, do this:
Pick up the phone, call the seller, and ask what would make them say yes today.
Then shut up and listen.
The real work of closing starts right there.