Wholesale MAO calculator (70% rule)

Work out the most you can offer a seller and still leave room for your assignment fee and a rehab buyer's profit. The math runs in your browser, nothing is saved, and no sign-up is needed.

Maximum allowable offer
ARV × 70%After-repair value at the rule percentage	$140,000.00
Less estimated repairs	-$35,000.00
Assignable price (end-buyer MAO)The most a rehab investor should pay	$105,000.00
Less target assignment fee	-$10,000.00
Maximum Allowable Offer	$95,000.00

Estimates only: not an appraisal, brokerage price opinion, or offer of credit. ARV, repair, and cost figures are user-supplied assumptions; verify independently before making an offer.

How the 70% rule works

The 70% rule says a rehab investor should pay no more than 70% of a property's after-repair value (ARV), minus the cost of repairs. The 30% that is left over covers the investor's holding costs, closing and selling costs, and profit.

As a wholesaler you sit in front of that investor. Your buyer's ceiling is the assignable price: ARV times the rule percentage, less repairs. Your own ceiling, the maximum allowable offer (MAO), is the assignable price less the fee you want to keep when you assign the contract.

Assignable price = ARV × rule % − repairs
MAO = assignable price − your assignment fee

The rule percentage is a dial, not a law. Many investors use 65% in slower markets or on heavier rehabs and go above 70% on light cosmetic work in fast markets. The calculator lets you set it.

Where the numbers come from

ARV should come from recent comparable sales of renovated homes near the subject property, not from an online estimate. Repairs should come from a walkthrough, ideally with a contractor's number. The MAO is only as good as those two inputs, so a conservative repair budget protects both you and your buyer.

If you want the whole deal on one record, the same analyzer runs on every deal page inside Deal Harbor for wholesalers, and the saved result stays with the deal.

Worked example

A house will be worth $200,000 after repairs. Your walkthrough puts repairs at $35,000, and you want a $10,000 assignment fee.

ARV × 70%: $200,000 × 70% = $140,000
Less repairs: $140,000 − $35,000 = $105,000, the assignable price
Less your fee: $105,000 − $10,000 = $95,000, your MAO

So you would offer up to $95,000 and assign the contract to a rehab buyer at around $105,000. If the seller needs more than $95,000, either your fee shrinks or the deal does not work at 70%. For the reasoning behind each input, read how to calculate MAO with the 70% rule.

Run this on a real deal

Deal Harbor keeps the analysis on the deal record next to the contacts, documents and e-signatures. Every new workspace starts with a 30-day free trial of the Starter plan, no card required.

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Common questions

What is MAO in wholesaling?

MAO is the maximum allowable offer: the most you can pay a seller and still assign the contract at a price a rehab investor will accept while keeping your fee. With the 70% rule it is ARV times 70%, minus repairs, minus your assignment fee.

Is the 70% rule always 70%?

No. It is a rule of thumb. Investors often use a lower percentage in slow markets, on expensive homes, or on heavy rehabs, and a higher one on light cosmetic work in fast markets. This calculator lets you change the percentage.

Does the 70% rule include closing and holding costs?

The rule expects the 30% margin to cover the end buyer's holding, closing and selling costs plus profit. It does not list them separately. To model those costs line by line, use the fix-and-flip profit calculator.

Is this an appraisal?

No. The result is an estimate built from numbers you enter. It is not an appraisal or a broker price opinion, so verify ARV and repairs independently before you make an offer.