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How we come up with our number.

If our offer felt low, this page is for you. Here's the honest math behind it.

The house math

Every house offer starts at what the property would be worth fully fixed up, the after-repair value, or ARV. We get to that number from comparable properties nearby, weighing their condition against the subject property. Comps have to be recent, because time moves value. A sale from two years ago does not tell you what a house is worth today.

From the ARV we subtract every real cost of getting the house to that finished value and reselling it. There are always unexpected overages in a rehab. You never know exactly what you are getting into until the walls are open. Bigger houses cost more because they take more material, and higher-end finishes cost more per square foot than basic ones.

Emerald reconstructs its offer from all of those costs, plus a profit, because we are a for-profit company and we make money by buying properties that have room to add value, usually through construction. If a house is already fully updated with no value left to add, we are not the right buyer. You will net more listing it with a realtor or selling it yourself. Move the sliders to see how the numbers change.

This is just an example for educational purposes. Every situation is different. Call us for your offer.

$200,000 $300,000 $600,000
$0 $45,000 $150,000
Approximate offer, reconstructed from every cost of buying, rehabbing, and reselling
Your property's value in excellent condition $300,000
Realtor costs (6% of value) -$18,000
Total closing costs (purchase and resale) -$5,000
Repairs & updates -$45,000
Holding costs (taxes, insurance, utilities, lawn care) -$9,000
Unexpected overages / contingency -$4,500
Company profit -$24,000
= Approximate Offer $194,500

If your house is market-ready, list it with a realtor. You will net more. Our offer makes sense when the house needs work you do not want to do.

The land math

Most raw land does not produce anything until it is buildable. These are just some of the costs and steps in a land or development deal.

Before a deal even makes sense

Major due-diligence costs come first: soil sample testing, surveys, preliminary site plans, and a title search.

If it's a development project

Rezoning (if applicable), infrastructure plans for water, sewer, electricity, and stormwater, DOT plan and approval, and an approved site plan, all before breaking ground.

Making it buildable

The land has to be cleared and graded, with water, sewer, electricity, and stormwater infrastructure built.

Timelines

Development projects run roughly 6-18 months depending on size. Smaller projects close much sooner: single infill lots, teardowns, and similar can close in 2-4 weeks depending on clear title, soils, and other checks.

An offer on raw land prices in everything it takes to make that land buildable.

Think we undercredited your property? Tell us what we missed.

Tell us what we missed

Offers are a starting point. We renegotiate when the numbers support it.