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Edited by Galina Velgach
Written by Steve Nicastro
Edited by Galina Velgach
How Mark Spain works | Who it works best for | Who should avoid it | Mark Spain reviews | Alternatives | FAQs
If you live in the Southeast U.S. and need to sell ASAP, Mark Spain Real Estate may be interested in buying your home for cash. But not every home qualifies for its Guaranteed Offer program, and you may be able to sell faster (and for more money) elsewhere.
Cash home buyers like Mark Spain Real Estate allow you to skip listing your home on the public market to save time and stress. But multiple reviewers claim that they received offers well below fair market value.
While Mark Spain is a legitimate real estate company with positive online reviews, you should still shop around to get the best possible price and terms on your home sale.
Our friends at Clever Real Estate will match you with a local real estate agent who will field offers from cash buyers in your market. You’ll also get a free home valuation, so you can compare your cash offers to what your home is worth on the open market. Get cash offers from top local buyers now!
How Mark Spain Real Estate works
| Criteria | WBUH Data |
|---|---|
| 📍 Locations | 18 markets across 7 states |
| ⏱️ Time to offer | 48 hours |
| 📅 Time to close | As fast as 3 weeks |
| ✅ What customers love | Experienced, professional real estate agents |
| ❌ Common complaints | Low offers, bait-and-switch tactics |
Mark Spain is a real estate broker based in Alpharetta, Georgia. His company operates in major metro areas in the Southeast U.S. and Texas. In 2021, it helped over 10,300 clients buy or sell a home, closing over $3.3 billion in transaction volume.
Mark Spain’s Guaranteed Offer program provides homeowners with a cash offer in just a few days and can close on the purchase in as fast as three weeks. That’s much faster than the usual two to three months it can take to sell in the open market.
The Guaranteed Offer service is similar to other companies that buy houses for cash, such as We Buy Ugly Houses and RedfinNow. These services provide a fast, convenient home sale for sellers who don’t have the time or ability to list their home on the open market, and for those who don’t mind selling for less than fair market value.
What homes qualify?
| Criteria | WBUH Data |
|---|---|
| 🏠 Home types | Single-family homes |
| 💰 Value | $50,000-650,000 |
| 📅 Year built | After 1960 |
| 🏚️ Condition | No flood zones, or homes in financial distress |
| 🔑 Occupancy | Owner-occupied or vacant |
Mark Spain Real Estate is a bit more selective than other cash buyers about the types of homes it’ll purchase.
The company only buys owner-occupied or vacant single-family homes that are built after 1960 and valued between $50,000 and $650,000.
The properties also have to be in decent condition — with no structural damage, foundation issues, or unpermitted additions — and can’t be located in or near flood zones.
Unlike other cash home buyers, Mark Spain likely WON’T buy your property if you’re facing foreclosure or seeking a short sale transaction.
For comparison, companies like We Buy Ugly Houses and HomeVestors will buy nearly any home, regardless of age, value, or condition.
Where does Mark Spain Real Estate operate?
Mark Spain’s cash offer program is available in 18 cities across seven states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
Since Mark Spain’s service areas are limited, your home may not qualify for a cash offer. However, other cash home buyers or iBuyers may be operating near you.
Our friends at Clever can connect you with top local realtors who will bring you offers from trustworthy cash home buyers in your market – or list your home for low, pre-negotiated rates of just $3,000 or 1.5% in listing fees.
Who does Mark Spain Real Estate work best for?
Homeowners who need to sell fast
The process usually only takes three weeks or so, much more quickly than the usual two to three months it can take to sell a house on the open market.
A cash offer from Mark Spain Real Estate also takes away most of the pain involved in selling a home. You won’t need to host open houses or buyer showings, wait for offers to come in, negotiate with buyers, or conduct home inspections.
You can also avoid the risk of a contract falling apart before closing. Buyers can cancel real estate contracts for various reasons, including a poor home inspection report, a low appraisal, financing issues, or the buyer getting cold feet and backing out.
Who should avoid using Mark Spain Real Estate?
Homeowners looking to sell for top dollar
Cash home buyers like Mark Spain Real Estate usually only offer sellers 70% or less of a home’s after-repair value (ARV).
ARV is what your home would likely sell for on the open market after completing various improvements and repairs. Paying 70% or less of ARV ensures that the company or its investors can earn a reasonable profit when they go to sell your home.
However, it’s difficult to know whether or not Mark Spain’s repair or home value estimates are fair or accurate. You might not be getting the best deal, especially when compared to your other options.
For this reason, we recommend connecting with a realtor for a free home valuation and market analysis. Our friends at Clever can connect you with a local realtor who can help you weigh your options and provide unbiased advice.
Financially distressed homeowners
Mark Spain’s website says that the company does not make guaranteed offers on homes that are distressed. In other words, homes that are on the brink of foreclosure, or already owned by the bank, will not qualify.
This is not the case with other cash home buyers, including We Buy Houses and MarketPro HomeBuyers, which offer home-selling solutions to homeowners in financial trouble, including those nearing foreclosure.
Homes without foundation or permitting issues
Mark Spain likely isn’t an option if your home needs significant foundation repair, so homes with exterior wall cracks or warped siding may not qualify.
Mark Spain also doesn’t buy homes with unpermitted additions. Homeowners who have built a garage or converted an attic to a living space without pulling the necessary permits may not qualify.
Mark Spain reviews
| Avg. rating | Total reviews | |
|---|---|---|
| Weighted avg. | 4.4 | 1435 |
| 4.3 | 347 | |
| BBB | 3.5 | 88 |
| 4.7 | 919 | |
| Yelp | 3.0 | 81 |
Although Mark Spain’s online reviews are mostly positive, with an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars, those high ratings are deceiving because:
- Google and Facebook reviews are not verified and can be left by any user, including employees or friends of a business.
- Many recent Facebook reviews were completed by fake or spam accounts, artificially inflating the rating.
The most trustworthy reviews of Mark Spain Real Estate are on the Better Business Bureau website, where the company:
- Is not accredited
- Has a 3.53 out of 5-star rating
- Has a C+ rating — lower than We Buy Houses (A rating) and HomeGo (A+)
🤔 What about Zillow reviews?
Mark Spain has a 5-star rating on Zillow, but we didn’t include it in our ratings for several reasons.
Most of its Zillow reviews were left by clients who did not use its cash offer program and worked with a buyer’s or seller’s agent instead.
Reviews are usually requested by the agent representing the client and only requested if the agent knows the client had a positive experience, which means ratings are skewed higher.
How Mark Spain Real Estate’s Guaranteed Offer works
1. Submit your home for an offer
Visit markspain.com and submit details about you and your home’s structure and exterior. Some info includes:
| Property address | Your full name |
| Number of beds and baths | Contact information |
| Square footage | Age of your roof and HVAC units |
| Property type | If you have a pool |
| Foundation type |
2. Receive an in-home consultation
A Mark Spain agent will be in touch with you within the next few days. If you have any questions before then, the company recommends visiting its FAQ page or sending an email to [email protected].
3. Get an offer and close on the sale
If your home meets the requirements, the company may extend you an initial offer that’s contingent on an in-person home inspection. Following offer acceptance, you can close in as fast as three weeks.
If you don’t qualify for Mark Spain’s Guaranteed Offer program, the company may still match you up with a listing agent to sell your home on the market.
Mark Spain Real Estate alternatives
Other cash buyer companies
Mark Spain is just one of many options available. Other cash home buyers — such as HomeGo and We Buy Houses — make all-cash offers and usually buy homes in poor condition or in financial distress.
Offers vary by company, so we recommend shopping around to get the best possible price and terms for your home.
» COMPARE: 7 companies that buy houses for cash
iBuyers
iBuyer companies like Offerpad and Opendoor also make cash offers to purchase houses. They pay much closer to fair market value for homes compared to cash buyers like Mark Spain, but slightly below what you’d sell for in the open market.
iBuyers are also far more selective about the homes they purchase, and usually don’t buy fixer-uppers or distressed properties. They’re also available in select markets.
» LEARN: Is an iBuyer an option for me?
Low commission realtors
A low-commission realtor or discount brokerage refers to an agent that charges a lower commission than traditional agents. That could mean a 1% or 2% listing fee instead of the typical 3% rate, potentially saving you thousands on your home sale.
The best low-commission real estate agents offer the same services and support you’d receive from a traditional realtor, too.
For example, Clever Real Estate matches sellers with top local agents and pre-negotiates a 1.5% listing fee. The agents are fully vetted and carry strong sales records, so you know you’re working with a top local agent.
Mark Spain FAQs
Are Mark Spain Real Estate reviews positive?
Mark Spain Real Estate reviews are mostly positive, with an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars over more than 1,400 reviews. But its high rating can be misleading, and some customers report receiving offers well below their home's fair market value.
Who is Mark Spain and is he a real person?
Mark Spain is a real estate broker and the founder of Mark Spain Real Estate. He spent 15 years in the real estate industry before joining Keller Williams in 2011. In 2016, he left Keller Williams to form Mark Spain Real Estate, which has been ranked the No. 1 team in real estate by RealTrends. Learn more about Mark Spain and how its Guaranteed Offer program works.
What is a guaranteed cash offer and how does it work?
A guaranteed cash offer allows homeowners to bypass the open market and sell directly to a real estate company or investor. You can skip the most stressful and time-consuming parts of selling a house, such as preparing a home for sale, making repairs, and hosting buyer showings. You can also usually close in as fast as three weeks, much quicker than the traditional home sale timeline.
The trade-off: You'll likely get an offer well below your home's fair market value, and not all homes qualify. Some sellers are likely better off selling to an iBuyer or listing their home with a low commission realtor. Learn more about Mark Spain alternatives to a guaranteed cash offer from Mark Spain Real Estate.
Related reading
Companies That Buy Houses for Cash Revealed. If your top priority is to sell quickly without hassle, a We Buy Houses company or an iBuyer might be a good option for you.
What is an iBuyer? iBuyers usually don’t pay as much for houses as you could get on the open market, but pay more than cash home buyers and can close fast. Learn if iBuyers are an option for you.
How to Sell Your House Fast Without Losing Money. Looking to sell your home extremely fast without sacrificing your home’s equity? Learn how to get a quick, profitable sale.
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