What is the biggest red flag with cash buyers?

Refusing to provide proof of funds. A real cash buyer has documentation ready and shares it without hesitation. Stalling, vague promises, or 'we'll send it after the contract' usually means the buyer doesn't have the money and plans to find an end buyer using your contract.

Is it bad if a cash buyer wants to assign the contract?

Not inherently — wholesaling is legal in Florida. The red flag is hidden assignment. A clean buyer discloses the possibility up front, puts real earnest money down, and locks in the price and closing date regardless of who ends up at the closing table. If assignment is buried in fine print or the buyer dodges the question, walk away.

How much earnest money should a serious cash buyer put down?

For Florida residential property, 1-5% of the purchase price held by a title company or attorney is standard. Token amounts ($100, $500) or no earnest money at all mean the buyer has nothing to lose by backing out.

What does 'tying up' a property mean?

When a buyer signs a contract but has no real intention or ability to close — they're using the contract window (often 30-60 days) to shop the property to other investors. During that period the seller can't sell to anyone else. Long inspection periods, low earnest money, and vague language about assignment are the classic setup for this.

What if the cash buyer pressures me to sign immediately?

Pressure to sign 'today' or 'before this offer expires' is a sales tactic, not a reflection of market reality. A serious cash offer is good for at least 5-7 days. You should always have time to compare offers, read the contract, and consult an attorney or trusted advisor before signing.

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Red Flags When Selling to a Cash Buyer

Most cash buyers are real businesses doing real deals. But the entry barrier is low, and the bad actors all use the same playbook. Here are the eight specific things that should make you stop and think before signing anything.

1. No proof of funds — or "we'll send it later"

A legitimate cash buyer has proof of funds ready: a bank statement dated within 30 days, or a letter from their bank or hard-money lender showing available funds equal to the offer. If the buyer stalls, talks around it, or promises to send it after the contract is signed — they probably don't have the money and are planning to use your contract to find someone who does.

2. Token earnest money

Earnest money is the buyer's skin in the game. On a Florida residential sale, 1–5% of the purchase price held by a title company is normal. If the contract specifies $100, $500, or any "token" amount, the buyer can walk away at no cost. That's not a buyer — that's an option.

3. Long inspection or due-diligence periods

A real cash buyer can complete due diligence in 7–14 days. Inspection periods of 30, 45, or 60 days are a giveaway that the buyer plans to shop your contract to other investors during that window. You're locked up, they're shopping.

4. Vague or undisclosed assignment language

Wholesaling — getting a property under contract and assigning it to an end buyer — is legal in Florida. A clean wholesaler tells you up front, locks the price and closing date, and pays real earnest money. A bad actor hides the assignment clause in the contract and uses the window to shop. Read the contract. If "assignment" isn't clearly addressed, ask directly.

5. Pressure to sign immediately

"This offer expires at midnight." "I have to know today." "If you don't sign now, I move on." These are sales tactics, not market signals. A serious cash offer is good for at least 5–7 days. Anyone pressuring you to sign on the spot is hoping you won't have time to compare offers or read the fine print.

6. Lowball with planned negotiation-up

Some buyers deliberately open low so they can come up later and feel like they're "working with you." The fix is simple: get two or three competing offers. The market sorts this out fast.

7. No physical address, only a mobile number

Legitimate buyers have business addresses, business phones, and an online presence you can verify. If everything you can find about the buyer is a cell phone and a website registered last month — that's a flag. Look for Google reviews, BBB profile, and references from prior sellers.

8. Closing through "our in-house closing service"

Closing should go through a neutral third party — a licensed Florida title company or real estate attorney — not the buyer's own in-house operation. A neutral closer holds the earnest money, runs title, distributes funds, and records the deed. That's the protection layer.

What to do if you spot a red flag

Walk away. There are plenty of cash buyers in Florida. Losing one offer that smells wrong is much cheaper than losing 30 days of your selling window to a buyer who never had the money.

Bottom line

The price you agree on doesn't matter if the buyer can't or won't close. Verify funds, require real earnest money, use a neutral closing agent, and never let pressure tactics rush you. Those four things eliminate almost every way a cash sale gets stolen.

Want a cash offer with full transparency, real earnest money, and closing through a licensed title company? Call OfferLink at 407-930-9801. We buy across Florida, and we explain everything in writing before you sign.