Investor Criteria · Worksheet
Define your buy box on one page so brokers stop wasting your time.
Most investors send brokers vague filters and get junk deal flow back. The worksheet forces clarity on asset class, geo, price, returns, financing, and walk-away triggers.
One-page buy box
Fill this out before you ask for deal flow
Better deal flow starts with better filters. Send brokers and operators a clear box and you will get fewer random listings.
- Asset class. Pick specific subtypes: RV parks under 80 pads, 5-30 unit multifamily, STR portfolios, laundromats, service businesses, or another defined category.
- Geography. Name states, metros, counties, and drive-time limits. "Southeast" is a direction, not a buy box.
- Price band. State minimum, maximum, and why. A broker should know whether to send you a $750K deal or a $5M deal.
- Return target. Use the metric that fits the asset: DSCR, cash-on-cash, cap rate, IRR, payback period, or seller-finance spread.
- Financing posture. Say what you can close: cash, bank debt, SBA, agency, seller carry, assumable debt, investor equity, or partnership.
- Operator fit. Be honest about what you can run. A high-upside deal you cannot operate is not your deal.
- Walk-away triggers. List the automatic no items: flood zone, bad zoning, unclear books, environmental risk, poor access, seller refuses diligence, or financing cannot support price.
Broker-ready version
I am actively looking for [asset class] in [markets]. Ideal size is [price band / units / revenue]. I am most interested in deals with [seller motivation or upside].
I can move on [financing posture], and I am not a fit for [walk-away triggers]. If you see something that matches this, send it my way before it goes wide.
Fill this in
The one-page criteria worksheet
Asset class: [RV parks, mobile home parks, STRs, small multifamily, service businesses, etc.]
Markets: [states, metros, counties, drive-time limits]
Size: [pads, units, revenue, EBITDA, acreage, rooms, or another useful measure]
Price range: [minimum, target, maximum]
Capital available: [cash, investor equity, lender prequal, SBA capacity, seller-finance target]
Return target: [cash-on-cash, DSCR, cap rate, IRR, payback period, or debt spread]
Operational edge: [what you can improve that another buyer may miss]
Must-have: [one or two non-negotiables]
Automatic no: [zoning, flood, bad books, no access, environmental, seller refuses diligence]
What to send brokers
Send the short version first. If they ask for more, send the worksheet. Brokers remember buyers who are clear, fast, and realistic about financing.
- Clear enough to route. A broker should know in 30 seconds whether to send you the deal.
- Flexible enough to work. Do not make the box so narrow that only an imaginary deal fits.
- Honest about capital. If you need seller financing or partners, say that early.
- Specific about no. Walk-away triggers save everyone time.