Home Buying Services
Unlike flippers or other buy-low, sell-high investors, our business model is fee-based. We use recent, comparable home sales to make a competitive offer on your home. Then, if you decide to sell to us, we take a service charge out of the sale proceeds similar to how an agent takes a commission in a traditional sale. Every month we buy hundreds of homes helping homeowners across the country get to their next chapter.
home buying services
Part of HomeVestors of America, We Buy Ugly Houses is the largest professional house buying franchise in the U.S. Since its launch in 1996, the company has purchased over 125,000 homes. It specializes in buying distressed properties for cash, enabling sellers in precarious situations to close in as few as three weeks. We Buy Ugly Houses is known for its bright yellow billboards and branding featuring caveman Ug Lee. Review our overview of the operations and history of We Buy Ugly Houses for a more in-depth look at the company.
Simple Sale, a solution from HomeLight, is an online marketplace where sellers across the country can request a cash offer for homes in almost any condition. Simple Sale has a network of cash buyers on its platform, and partner investors have a wide range of investment strategies, including fix-and-flip and buy-and-hold.
This enables Simple Sale to provide cash offers for an extensive array of properties, even those that need some or a lot of work. With Simple Sale, you can get an all-cash offer in as few as 72 hours. The offer is commitment-free, so if the numbers make sense for your situation, you can sell your home in as little as 10 days, skipping the months it can take to sell the traditional way.
Locations: The company serves over 200 markets in more than 30 states and has local offices throughout the country. You can enter your ZIP code on the website and answer a few questions about your home to be connected with a licensee in your area.
Note: The BBB site reports a resolved complaint brought against Express HomeBuyers by the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (OAG). The lawsuit alleged that the company sent letters to DC homeowners falsely claiming that they owed past due property taxes and urging them to act quickly so they would not lose their home to a tax sale or foreclosure. In December 2022, Express Homebuyers paid a fine and entered into a Consent Order with the OAG that settles the allegations.
Sundae is a marketplace that connects homeowners selling distressed properties with multiple local investors who want to buy them. Sellers speak with an advisor over the phone or fill out an online form. The next steps are a brief home visit by a market expert followed by a home inspection and seller disclosure. Your home is then listed on the Sundae investor marketplace along with photos and a 3D tour. Sundae provides sellers with their highest offers to review after four business days. If you find an offer to your liking, you can close in as few as 10 days or within 60 days depending on your timeline. Sellers may also be eligible for a cash advance of up to $10,000 prior to closing.
Fees: Offerpad charges a 7% service fee and estimates closing costs at 1%. However, iBuyers such as Offerpad usually pay closer to market value for homes than conventional companies that flip houses.
House flippers are real estate investors that purchase homes at a discount with the intention of remodeling to add value, then resell those properties quickly for a profit. House flippers look for specific improvements to boost equity, such as cosmetic updates, mechanical repairs, an addition, or a change to the layout.
But buying homes for cash has been a losing proposition for larger companies as well, noted by the departure of two major iBuyers, Zillow Offers and RedfinNow. RedfinNow shut down its operations in November 2022, while Zillow Offers closed up shop in Nov. 2021.
Sometimes. In many cases, a lack of time, money, and expertise for making significant repairs are reasons why sellers work with a house buying company rather than listing. Others prefer to avoid repeated showings. However, a house buying company is often not the right choice if your primary selling goal is to maximize the sale price.
House buying companies can typically close on homes in as few as seven days to a couple of weeks. But they usually can provide a longer closing interval to sellers who need more time to pack up and move. Sellers should keep in mind that factors like title issues, inheritance complications, and HOA rules can cause settlement delays, even when working with a company that buys houses for cash.
Each house buying company may offer different amounts for homes depending on the types of properties they purchase and their business specifics. Over the past 13 years, most cash buyers have paid an average of 11% less than financed buyers, according to one research paper.
In general, companies that buy houses work with pre-vetted investors or buy homes directly. If you decide to work with a local real estate investor instead, you'll be on your own to check their references, request proof of funds, and negotiate thedeal.
HomeVestors (the parent company of We Buy Ugly Houses) is a national cash buyer brand made up of independently owned and operated local franchises. Though HomeVestors can provide an initial offer within 48 hours and close in as little as three weeks, home sellers receive as little as 55% of their home's after repair value.
MarketPro pays significantly less than fair market value. It's available in only four states, so it's not an option for many home sellers. But it can close quickly and even offer a free moving service, so it might be worth it if you're relocating.
I Buy Houses connects home sellers with a network of subscribers who are independent real estate investors. These investors aren't vetted in any way, so it's impossible to know what level of service you'll receive, and negotiating will be entirely up to you. In fact, there's no guarantee that anyone will even contact you when you submit your information.
iBuyers like Offerpad and Opendoor are the next generation of companies that buy houses for cash. Most rely on technology to make an initial offer within 24-48 hours and close in as little as two weeks. Though iBuyers are more selective about the homesthey purchase, they generally pay much closer to fair market value than "we buy houses" companies.
Other companies in our iBuyer list, like Knock and Orchard, will buy your house if you can't sell it on the open market first, but you can only access their backup offer after the home has been listed for several months.
Wondering how to find a real estate agent who can do just that? Enter your zip code below to see how much local cash buyers will pay for your home. We'll match you with a top local realtor, who will bring you offers from trustworthy cash home buyers in your market. Your agent will also provide you with a free professional home valuation, so you can discover what your house is worth on the open market.
Opendoor is a good option for home sellers who need a fast, predictable sale with minimal hassle. While the price that Opendoor pays might be slightly below the value of comparable homes on the open market, the difference might be worth it for people who value convenience and speed.
Companies that buy houses for cash can save you a lot of time and help you avoid expenses like repair bills and closing costs, but the ease and convenience of selling your home to a business could cost you thousands of dollars.
You'll have to pay a real estate agent commission (typically 6% of the sale price), but you'll likely still net more money in the end. An agent will determine a competitive listing price using local sales data, and market your home so that itappeals to buyers who don't just want to fix and flip.
Agents also list houses on the Multiple Listing Service (a real estate database the only licensed realtors can add listings to), which encourages buyers to submit strong offers. After all, anyone can see your listing once it's live, so if a buyerdoesn't make a high enough offer, they might miss out on the opportunity to own your home when someone else comes along.
Cash buyers can be a good solution if you need to unload an unwanted, distressed property fast. However, this convenience comes at a high cost. There are other options that can help you sell your home in a short amount of time without sacrificing a tonof equity.
If you're thinking of selling your house to a cash buyer company, you can choose between traditional cash buyers or next-generation iBuyers. Based on our research, some of the best home buying companies include OpenDoor, We Buy Ugly Houses, Offerpad, and Homevestors. However, if you're not a time crunch, you could make more by selling with a real estate agent or a low commission broker.
In general, companies that buy houses for cash require you to submit information about your home online or via phone. Next, you'll schedule an inspection and receive a final cash offer. If you decide to accept the offer, you can usually set a closingdate within 7-10 days (or later, if needed).
To sell your house "as is," you must indicate on your listing that you are not willing to make any repairs to your home. This is as simple as putting "as is" in the description of your home in your MLS listing. It can also help tohave a pre-inspection performed and disclose all of the issues found upfront, so potential buyers know what they are getting into.
Buying or selling a home is one of the biggest financial decisions an individual will ever make. Our real estate reporters and editors focus on educating consumers about this life-changing transaction and how to navigate the complex and ever-changing housing market. From finding an agent to closing and beyond, our goal is to help you feel confident that you're making the best, and smartest, real estate deal possible.
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