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Written by Andrew Whytock
Edited by Josiah Wilmoth
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Top companies that buy houses for cash | Cash house buying companies near me | Who should sell to a cash home buyer? | Should I sell with a realtor instead?
Companies that buy houses for cash purchase properties directly from you â and can help you sell your home extremely fast.
Types of cash home buyers
There are three main types of cash home buying companies:
Franchise “we buy houses” companies purchase homes at a steep discount compared to their fair market value and usually only purchase properties that are in poor condition.
iBuyers make competitive offers that are closer to what your home would be worth on the open market, but they only operate in select metro areas and have very strict purchase criteria.
You can also find a cash offer from a local real estate investor who operates a smaller home buying company.
Before you sign a contract with a home buying company, we highly recommend getting multiple offers so you can compare your options and make sure you get a fair price.
Quickly find and compare multiple cash offers
If youâre looking to get a cash offer on your house, Clever Offers is a great place to start. Clever Offers will match you with a top local realtor, who will help you screen and compare offers from top cash home buyers in your area. Youâll also get a free professional home valuation, so you can compare each cash offer against your home’s market value.
đž Get cash offers from top local buyers now!
Who should consider cash home buying companies?
Companies that buy houses for cash are worth considering if your top priority is selling quickly, not making the most money from the sale. Whether a “we buy houses” company or an iBuyer is a better option depends on your location and home’s condition.
Franchise and local home buying companies that offer to buy your house for cash can be a good option if you’re facing a situation like a foreclosure or the inheritance of a vacant or distressed property.
iBuyers are best for sellers who want a convenient, fast sale for a home that’s in good condition. They’re a better option than “we buy houses” companies because they pay closer to market value for homes. However, many sellers won’t qualify for an iBuyer offer. All iBuyers have strict purchase criteria and are only available in select markets.
Most homeowners will make the most money by working with a real estate agent who specializes in quick sales. You’ll almost always get a higher sale price on the open market. But even if you need to sell quickly and don’t have time for a traditional sale, it’s still a good idea to talk to an experienced local realtor before you accept a cash offer.
Many realtors have relationships with top local cash buyers (and know which ones to avoid). Your agent can help you request cash offers from trustworthy local house buying companies. They can also help you compare your options to find the best way to sell your home within your timeline for top dollar.
6 best companies that buy houses for cash
Offerpad
For home sellers who need to sell quickly, working with an iBuyer like Offerpad is a good way to keep more of your home’s equity. Unlike most cash buyers, Offerpad makes competitive cash offers that are much closer to your home’s market value.
We think Offerpad is a great option because it offers more flexibility on closing dates and repairs than most of its competitors â including Opendoor. You can choose a closing date anywhere from eight to 90 days in advance, which lets you move out of your house when it’s most convenient for you.
Its 5% service fee is also lower than what many other iBuyers charge.
» READ: Offerpad review from real customers
Opendoor
Opendoor is another good option for homeowners who need to sell their home quickly. The company generally pays less than what you’d receive on the open market, but like other iBuyers, it pays more than most cash buyers.
Opendoor doesn’t offer as much flexibility around closing times as Offerpad, with a closing window between 14 to 60 days. But it’s available in more locations, with operations in 47 cities across the U.S.
» READ: Opendoor reviewed and explained
We Buy Ugly Houses
We Buy Ugly Houses (also known as HomeVestors) is one of the largest, most well-established “we buy houses” companies in the country with over 800 franchise locations.
The company generally has a strong reputation and good brand recognition, but the offers are typically very low compared to what your home would be worth on the open market. Like most real estate investors, We Buy Ugly Houses generally doesn’t pay more than 70% of the after-repair value of your home. That could mean leaving tens of thousands of dollars on the table.
Even if youâre selling a home in poor condition, you might be better off listing it with a realtor. You may end up getting multiple offers from local real estate investors on the open market â potentially driving up the final sale price.
» READ: We Buy Ugly Houses reviews: Honestly, is it a rip-off?
We Buy Houses
We Buy Houses (WeBuyHouses.com) is a national cash buyer with hundreds of offices throughout the country. The company is often confused with other companies that buy houses for cash because it has such a generic name.
Each We Buy Houses office is independently owned and operated by a local real estate investor. The investor has complete control over how they operate their business, so some locations are more reputable than others.
Overall, the brand has positive customer reviews, but weâd recommend comparing multiple offers from other local companies before selling to We Buy Houses.
» READ: We Buy Houses reviews: What do REAL customers say?
Sundae
Sundae is the only company on our list that doesnât actually buy houses â instead, it connects homeowners with real estate investors in their area who are willing to pay cash.
The main benefit of using Sundae is that youâll get multiple cash offers from vetted investors after submitting your info, without having to actually list your home.
The obvious downside is you probably wonât get top dollar for your home using Sundae because youâll end up selling to real estate investors who are looking for a deal.
» READ: Sundae Real Estate reviews
MarketPro Homebuyers
MarketPro is a regional “we buy houses” company that buys houses in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC.
The company generally has positive reviews from home sellers, but since it only operates in three states and Washington DC, selling to MarketPro isnât an option for most home sellers.
Like other cash buyers, MarketPro generally only buys distressed properties and pays as little as 50% of the fair market value.
» READ: MarketPro Homebuyers reviews: What actual customers say
Pros and cons of selling to companies that buy houses for cash
| â Pros | â Cons |
|---|---|
| Fast closing in as little as 7â10 days | Youâll walk away with a lot less money than what your home is actually worth on the open market. |
| More flexibility with a later closing if you need more time. | No agent to represent your best interests. |
| No sale contingencies, avoiding pitfalls that can hurt deals relying on financing. | Most companies allow little room for negotiation on their offers. |
đ Franchise cash house buying companies: Best for homes in poor condition
Cash house buying companies do exactly what the name suggests: buy houses for cash, directly from sellers. Leading cash home buying companies like We Buy Houses and We Buy Ugly Houses operate nationwide, so thereâs a good chance at least one operates in your area.
Cash buyer companies purchase homes most buyers arenât interested in or canât afford (most banks wonât provide mortgages for homes in severe disrepair). If you feel like youâre out of options for selling a badly damaged or vacant property, a cash home buying company may be able to purchase as is, without requiring any repairs.
Companies that pay cash for homes also move quickly and make the process as hassle-free as possible for sellers. In most cases, you can receive a cash offer within 24â48 hours of submitting basic information about your property (such as your address and general features about your property) and close in as few as seven days. Most “we buy houses” companies also cover closing costs.
Thereâs a major tradeoff for this convenience: companies that buy houses for cash pay significantly less than fair market value â sometimes as little as 50% of the homeâs after-repair value, minus repair costs.
Best ‘we buy houses’ companies
National Coverage
- Offer in 24â48 hours
- Close in 3 weeks
- No closing costs
We Buy Ugly Houses is a national brand that’s been in the business for over 20 years, so the business’s reputation and processes for buying homes are well established. However, because We Buy Ugly Houses operates on a franchise model, the quality of the service that you receive could vary depending on your location.
Home sellers who choose to sell to We Buy Ugly Houses can expect to get far less than fair market value for their property, but the company can close in as little as three weeks.
Pros
- You get an offer in 24â48 hours.
- You can close in as little as three weeks.
- There’s no need to prep the home for listing or worry about repairs.
Cons
- The company pays less than what sellers could net on the open market.
- The quality of service varies between franchises.
We Buy Ugly Houses has over 800 franchises across 47 states.
Fastest closing
- Offer in 24â48 hours
- Close in 7 days
- No closing costs
We Buy Houses has numerous positive reviews from customers, and the brand carefully vets real estate investors who want to obtain a license. It’s also able to close in just seven days, which is faster than most cash buyer companies.
Although We Buy Houses investors won’t pay what you’d get on the open market, working with one is more likely to be successful than if you were to try and find a local real estate investor on your own.
Pros
- You get an offer in 24â48 hours.
- The company carefully vets real estate investors.
- You can close in just seven days.
Cons
- There’s little to no room for negotiation after the initial offer.
- Investors have some freedom to price homes as they see fit, so offers may be better in some regions than others.
- The company pays less than fair market value for homes.
We Buy Houses has over 2,700 offices across 50 states, plus Washington, DC.
Investor Marketplace
- Compare cash offers
- Designed for distressed properties
- Fast closing with no service fees
If youâre looking for a cash offer from a real estate investor, Sundae offers a unique marketplace where pre-vetted investors can bid on your property. Compared to other cash buyer companies, Sundaeâs model creates competition that may lead to a better sale price â though cash offers will almost always be lower than offers from the open market.
Pros
- Sundae pre-vets its investors.
- You receive multiple offers from investors bidding on your property.
- You don’t have to make repairs.
- Sundae provides a $10,000 cash advance to sellers to help with any expenses before or during closing.
Cons
- The offers may be less than fair market value.
- Eligible locations are limited.
Sundae mainly operates in California â specifically in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego counties, as well as the Sacramento metropolitan area.
The company also operates in Atlanta, GA, DallasâFort Worth, TX, Houston, TX, Las Vegas, NV, and Seattle, WA.
Flexible closing
- Fast closing times
- Limited regional availability
- Free moving service
MarketPro might be an option for home sellers who need to sell fast and don’t mind leaving some money on the table, but they only operate in a handful of states. Furthermore, the way that MarketPro calculates their offer is inherently misleading, as they claim they just deduct 10% from the price you’d get on the open market in order to save you time and help you avoid selling costs. In reality, they deduct 10% from what they estimate your net profit would be, which makes their service seem like a better deal than it actually is.
Pros
- Free moving service
- No need to make repairs before selling
- Close in as little as seven days
Cons
- Only available in a handful of states
- They pay 10% less than what they estimate you’d net after all of your costs selling on the open market
MarketPro HomeBuyers operates in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
iBuyers: Best balance of speed and price
iBuyers are real estate companies that buy and sell a high volume of homes. Though iBuyers are only available in 30â40 cities so far, major companies like Opendoor and Offerpad are expanding into new cities every month.
Because iBuyers have slim profit margins, they look for homes they can purchase and resell with minimal work. They wonât typically buy distressed properties or older homes built before 1930â1950, depending on the specific iBuyerâs criteria.
| iBuyer purchase criteria |
|---|
| đ A single family residential home, condo, or townhome |
| đ» On a 0.5 to 1.5 acre lot |
| đ Built after 1930 |
| đ Within an eligible service area |
| đ° Valued at $100,000 to $600,000 |
Like cash buyer companies, iBuyers move quickly. Most provide a preliminary cash offer within 24â48 hours and close in as little as two weeks. With a company like Offerpad, you can sometimes close in just eight days.
But unlike cash buyer companies, iBuyers pay much closer to fair market value for homes â in part because theyâre selective about the homes they purchase.
Youâll still have to pay for repairs the iBuyerâs inspectors identify and a service fee thatâs comparable to real estate commissions (you can pay from the proceeds of your sale). But you may walk away with nearly as much as youâd earn on the open market.
Best iBuyers
Fast closing
- 6% service fee
- Close in just 8 days
- Great customer service
Offerpad can provide home sellers with a fast cash offer and quick closing (as little as eight days). We noticed that most recent Offerpad reviews are positive, with home sellers noting that Offerpad reps were friendly and helpful throughout the selling process.
Pros
- You can close in just eight days.
- There’s no need to repair or prep the home.
- Home sellers have an extended stay option.
Cons
- Some customers report high repair costs that reduced their final offer.
- Free local moves are available only within a 50-mile radius.
Offerpad is available in 25 metro areas across AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IN, KS, MO, NV, NC, OH, SC, TN, TX.
Customer reviews of Offerpad are mostly positive, with an average rate of 3.9 across 524 reviews.
Best tech
- 5% service fee
- Available in 50+ cities
- Choose your close date
In comparison to other iBuyers, Opendoor offers the best value because the fees are capped at 5% and it pays close to fair market value for homes. Sellers should be aware that Opendoor deducts repair costs from their final offer, and the company no longer allows home sellers to handle repairs on their own.
Pros
- You get a free, no-obligation offer.
- You can choose when you close.
- With late checkout, you can stay in your home up to 17 days after closing.
- Opendoor is available in 50+ markets and continuing to expand.
Cons
- You have no control over repair costs.
- There’s strict criteria for purchasing homes (e.g., no structural damage, no homes pre-1930).
Opendoor is currently available in 47 major markets in AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, ID, IN, MN, MO, NV, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA.
Customer reviews of Opendoor are mostly positive, with an average rating of
4.3 across 3,322 reviews.
» MORE: The best iBuyers in 2022
Local real estate investors: Best for as-is properties with potential
If you donât want to work with franchise companies that buy houses for cash, you have other options.
Local real estate investors are always on the lookout for properties. These cash buyers generally fall into two categories:
- Flippers, who renovate and resell properties
- Landlords, who renovate and rent properties
Selling to a local cash buyer is best for homeowners willing to network and negotiate with investors in their community, typically through in-person meetups or online forums. You can also use third-party companies, such as Sundae, that make introductions to real estate investors.
These specialized buyers often purchase properties as is â particularly if your home is in a desirable location or has considerable resale potential or rental value.
Because investors buy and sell properties frequently, they can usually make you a fast cash offer and close on your timeline. Their funding sources may also allow them to skip the lengthy closing process traditional lenders require.
Real estate investors can drive a hard bargain, however, since they primarily earn money by acquiring homes for less than fair market value. Only engage with these investors if youâre certain about your bottom line and know how much your home is worth.
For example, house flippers almost never pay more than 70% of the homeâs after-repair value. Landlords base their pricing on the propertyâs potential revenue and usually look to earn 2% or more of the homeâs purchase price each month.
» READ: How much will an investor pay for my house?
Are home buying companies a good option for selling your house?
If you own a home thatâs in poor condition and needs extensive repairs, a cash home buying company like We Buy Houses might be your best option. Theyâll give you a quick offer, cover all of the closing costs, and even fix up the home after you sell. The downside is you wonât get a very competitive offer.
If your home needs only minor cosmetic repairs, youâre better off selling your home to an iBuyer or on the open market with a real estate agent.
In general, a cash buyer is less likely to walk away from a home sale. A cash offer comes without a financing contingency â a common clause most buyers include to protect themselves in case they canât secure a mortgage and need to back out of the sale. A cash buyer already has access to the funds needed to purchase your home.
Cash buyers are becoming more common
In 2021, all-cash purchases of houses hit a record high of 30% of all residential real estate transactions. However, these cash buyers arenât all companies â this number also includes individuals who bought houses using all-cash offer services (power buyers) like Knock and Orchard. These services front cash for the homebuyer, then settle up later when the buyer secures a traditional mortgage.
Should I sell with a real estate agent instead?
You should consult a real estate agent before entertaining offers from cash home buyers â even if you need to sell your home quickly and donât have time to make any repairs.
A real estate agent will give you a free, no-risk home valuation, allowing you to compare your home’s value to the cash offers you receive.
In today’s real estate market, there are buyers who are willing to purchase homes quickly and in as-is condition. By talking to a realtor, you’ll be able to determine whether listing on the open market is the right fit for your timeline â or whether a cash buyer is a better fit.
Need help finding a great real estate agent? Clever matches you with top local agents from well-known brokerages like Century 21 and RE/MAX. You’ll find out how much your home is worth and make sure you’re getting a fair price for your home!
Companies that buy houses for cash near me
FAQs about companies that buy houses for cash
Are cash offers for houses legit?
Many regional and national companies make legitimate cash offers to purchase houses, but "we buy houses" scams do exist. You should never have to pay any up-front costs when you request a cash offer, and if in doubt, the buyer should be able to provide you with proof of funds.
Check out our list of companies that buy houses for cash to discover legit cash buyers that could purchase your home!
How can I sell my house fast for cash?
The fastest way to sell your house for cash is with an iBuyer or "we buy houses" company. iBuyers pay more, but they only buy houses in select markets that are basically move-in ready. "We buy houses" companies, on the other hand, make low offers and tend to focus on distressed properties that can be fixed up and resold.
Alternatively, you can work with a discount broker and pay a reduced commission while still getting full service.
Do "we buy houses" companies make fair offers?
Most "we buy houses" companies operate like real estate investors â they'll pay up to 70% of a home's after repair value, minus repair costs. To put that into perspective, if your home might be worth $300,000 after being rehabbed, and a "we buy houses" company estimates repair costs to be $40,000, they'll offer only $170,000.
Recommended reading
Are âWe Buy Housesâ Companies a Ripoff? Depending on your situation, cash buyer companies could provide a hassle-free way to sell a distressed property. But if you want to get the maximum value for your home, an offer from a âwe buy housesâ company might leave you feeling ripped off. Learn more!
How Can I Sell My House Fast? Whether selling fast is a necessity or a preference, we gathered the top things to consider when you need to get rid of unwanted property quickly.
What You Need to Know Before Selling an Inherited Home: Inheriting a home can be a financial windfall, but selling an inherited property can be a long and tricky process with lots of legal hoops to jump through along the way. Learn the facts about taxes, timing, and more.
What Companies Offer the Lowest Real Estate Commission Fees? One of the best ways to save money when you sell your home is by working with a low cost real estate brokerage. Learn how to choose the right company for you in our complete guide to the best low commission real estate agents.
Should You Avoid Listing FSBO on Zillow? Read This First: Is it worth it to list FSBO on Zillow? Find out the true cost of Zillow for sale by owner fees, tips to improve your listing, and more.
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