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Written by Andrew Whytock
Companies that make instant offers | Why compare options? | Selling with an agent | FAQ
If you want to sell your house fast for cash, you have plenty of options, including “we buy houses” companies and iBuyers. Usually, you can get an offer within 24 hours and close in less than two weeks.
Here are the best companies that can help you sell fast for cash. We break them down by service quality, fees, availability, speed, and other factors.
6 companies that can help you sell your house fast for cash
| Company | Our Rating | Offer Rating | Service Fee | Time to Close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Best overall
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Excellent
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Varies
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Varies
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Learn More | |
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Average
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5%
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14–60 days
|
Learn More | |
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Average
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6%
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8–60 days
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Learn More | |
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Poor
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None
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3 weeks
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Learn More | |
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Poor
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None
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7 days
|
Learn More | |
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Poor
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None
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Fast closing
|
Learn More |
Type
Offer Rating
Service Fee
Time to Close
Our take
Overview
Locations
Clever Offers gets top marks for helping you make the most informed decision about your home sale — and for increasing your chances of making the most money on your transaction. Instead of buying your home directly from you, Clever gathers offers from multiple cash buying companies on your behalf. You can compare and choose the best one.
You’ll also get to work with a real estate agent. They’ll help you understand the benefits of each cash offer, and they’ll show you what your home could get on the open market if you choose to list instead.
Pros
- You can sell your home for maximum value.
- You can compare cash offers to your home’s market value.
- You get support from a Clever Concierge and a realtor.
Cons
- You may have to pay a service fee depending on the buyer.
- Clever doesn’t buy your house directly from you.
Clever Offers sets you up with a real estate agent, who then gets you offers from multiple iBuyers and cash buyers. Your agent walks you through the details of each offer, which allows you to better understand which one is the best value.
Clever Offers is unique because it allows you to compare these cash offers with what your home would get on the open market. You’ll know all your options so you can make the best decision for your wallet and timeline.
With Clever Offers, you can also list with your agent if you decide not to take any cash offers. And unlike the competition, if you do list with an agent, you’ll pay a reduced listing fee of 1.5% — about half the typical rate.
Clever Offers is available nationwide.
Type
Offer Rating
Service Fee
Time to Close
Our take
Overview
Locations
Opendoor is a decent option if you need to sell fast. The initial cash offer is good for up to 60 days, so you have more flexibility on when to close. And the company is available in a lot more markets than other iBuyers.
However, Opendoor might not be a great deal for some people. For example, its 5% service fee sounds great, but if you want to stay in your house after closing, you have to pay a daily fee that can quickly add up.
Pros
- You have 60 days to accept your cash offer.
- There’s no need to repair or prep the home.
- Opendoor is available in over 50 markets.
Cons
- Many customers report that their final offer from Opendoor is significantly lower than the initial offer.
- You’ll have to pay extra for staying beyond your closing date.
Opendoor was founded in San Francisco in 2014. It’s the largest iBuyer in the country, serving over 50 markets. The company can make cash offers in just 24 hours and close in 14–60 days.
How it works: To sell to Opendoor, you fill out a form on its website with information about your property, including the address, photos, a description, and recent renovations. Then Opendoor extends an initial offer, which it may change depending on the home inspection and repair costs.
Opendoor is currently available in 53 major markets in AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, ID, IN, KS, MA, MI, MN, MO, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, and Washington, DC.
Type
Offer Rating
Service Fee
Time to Close
Our take
Overview
Locations
Offerpad could work for you if you need to sell quickly but want to keep more of your home’s equity. Unlike most cash buyers, Offerpad makes competitive offers that are much closer to your home’s market value.
We think Offerpad is a decent option because it offers more flexibility on closing dates and repairs than most of its competitors — including Opendoor.
However, Offerpad falls short on repair costs — which can be high — and on its restrictions around free local moves. It’s also available in fewer markets than other iBuyers.
Pros
- You can close in just eight days (15 in FL and GA).
- 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.
Founded in 2015, Offerpad is an iBuyer based in Phoenix, Arizona. It generally makes all-cash offers for homes in 24 hours.
How it works: To sell your home to Offerpad, you fill out an offer request form on the company’s website, including information like the address, your contact details, and photos of your home.
Offerpad is available in 22 major metros across AZ, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, MO, NV, NC, OH, SC, TN, and TX.
Type
Offer Rating
Service Fee
Time to Close
Our take
Overview
Locations
We Buy Ugly Houses is a good option if you need to sell quickly and don’t want to spend time or money on the sale. The company makes near-instant offers, and it takes care of repairing and cleaning the home.
But like most cash buyers, We Buy Ugly Houses is looking to flip your home for a profit. We strongly recommend comparing its offer with offers from at least 2–3 other cash buyers to ensure you choose the right one for your situation.
Pros
- You get an offer in 24–48 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.
- Service quality varies between franchises.
We Buy Ugly Houses (also known as HomeVestors) is one of the largest, most established “we buy houses” companies in the country with over 1,100 franchise locations.
The company generally has a strong reputation and good brand recognition. Like most real estate investors, We Buy Ugly Houses generally doesn’t pay more than 70% of the after-repair value of your home.
We Buy Ugly Houses has over 1,100 franchises across 46 states and Washington, DC.
Type
Offer Rating
Service Fee
Time to Close
Our take
Overview
Locations
We Buy Houses is a good choice if you need to sell fast or have a home needing repairs you can’t afford. The company buys homes as is. It also makes fast cash offers and closes extremely quickly, sometimes in just a week.
Because We Buy Houses is essentially a house flipper, it may not offer as much as a traditional buyer would pay. We recommend getting offers from multiple cash buyer companies to ensure you find the best price for your timeline.
Pros
- You get an offer in 24–48 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.
- Offers and service quality can vary between local franchises.
- The company pays less than fair market value for homes.
We Buy Houses (WeBuyHouses.com) is a national cash buyer with over 200 offices in more than 30 states. 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 we’d recommend comparing multiple offers from other local companies before selling to We Buy Houses.
We Buy Houses has over 200 offices across more than 30 states and Washington, DC.
Type
Offer Rating
Service Fee
Time to Close
Our take
Overview
Locations
Like Clever Offers, Sundae lets you compare offers from multiple cash buyers. But unlike Clever Offers, Sundae doesn’t pair you with a real estate agent or give you a free comparative market analysis to ensure you get a fair deal. And since it’s now available only in 2 states (down from 11 at its peak), it’s not an option for most sellers.
Pros
- 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
- Offers are usually less than fair market value.
- Eligible locations are limited.
Sundae doesn’t actually buy houses. Instead, it connects people selling as-is homes with real estate investors in their area who are willing to pay cash.
How it works: To sell your home through Sundae, you enter information about your property on its website. If your property is eligible, Sundae schedules an in-person visit and a home inspection. Your home then goes live on Sundae’s online marketplace, where you can review and accept bids from investors.
Sundae operates in the following markets:
California
- Inland Empire
- Los Angeles
- Orange County
- Sacramento
- San Diego
Texas
- Dallas–Fort Worth
Why you need to compare your options
Accepting the first offer you get could mean leaving thousands of dollars on the table.
Even if you’re under pressure to sell fast for cash, it’s worth taking the time to compare your options and make an informed decision.
We recommend comparing competing bids from cash buyers and talking to a realtor about your prospects on the open market.
How to get multiple cash offers
You can request offers from multiple cash buyers yourself or have a realtor field offers for you.
If you want to request the offers yourself, you can give companies your name, address, and a brief description of your home. Most iBuyers and cash buyer companies can then provide a free, no-obligation cash offer within 24–48 hours.
If you work with a realtor, they can reach out to cash buying companies on your behalf.
Your realtor may even have a trusted network of local property investors and house flippers they can contact about your home. These investors and flippers can pay with cash and close in a matter of days.
Your agent can also list your home on the open market and specify that your listing is cash only — casting a wide net to qualified cash buyers who won’t be scared off by needed repairs and issues that come up during an inspection.
How to compare cash buyers to a traditional sale
After getting multiple offers from cash buyers, speak to an experienced real estate agent about what a traditional sale could look like for your home.
Your agent can:
- Compare your home to others in your area to determine its worth
- Estimate how quickly your home might sell, based on recent local sales
Armed with this information, you can choose the option that gives you the best combination of speed and value.
💰 Compare cash offers for free, and get a free home valuation from a realtor.
How ‘we buy houses’ companies, iBuyers, and traditional sales compare
- Cash buyer companies move fast, but they don’t pay much.
- iBuyers are fast and competitive, but they’re not an option for many people.
- Listing with an agent nets the most money.
Cash buyers or ‘we buy houses’ companies
Selling your home to a cash buyer company has a couple benefits:
- They move faster than a retail buyer who needs conventional financing.
- There’s less risk of the deal falling through than selling with a real estate agent.
By comparison, individual cash buyers (who aren’t affiliated with a company) are less likely to follow standards that protect you as a home seller, such as:
- Never charging up-front fees
- Explaining how your cash offer was calculated
On the up side, selling to real estate investors or flippers for cash is a fast, no-hassle process. The deal can close in as few as one to two weeks, and you don’t have to worry about repairs or closing costs.
The catch? You’ll likely only get 50–70% of your home’s fair market value. Your home could sell for tens of thousands of dollars more on the open market. For example, an investor might pay only $75,000 for a home that has the potential to fetch $150,000 on the open market.
Still, a cash buyer might be a good option — or possibly your only option — if your home is in poor condition. Homes in need of significant repairs are usually out of reach for the average buyer, since most lenders won’t write loans on properties with major defects.
» MORE: Are “We Buy Houses” Companies a Rip-off?
iBuyers
iBuyers offer the best of both worlds: they pay closer to fair market value than cash buyer companies, and they allow you to sell almost instantly, or on your own timeline.
You might not get the highest possible price when you sell to an iBuyer, but the offers are still reasonable. You can get a quick, hassle-free sale if you don’t mind leaving a little money on the table.
Offers from iBuyers increase or decrease based on market conditions. At the end of 2021, when homes were selling quickly, iBuyers paid an average of 99.4% of fair market value.
Most iBuyers deduct money from their final offer to cover repairs (typically around 1–2%) and charge service fees (5% or more). But in exchange, you can sell without having to prep your home first.
iBuyers aren’t a viable option for most home sellers because of their restrictions:
- They’re only available in 30–40 cities.
- They have strict criteria for homes they’ll purchase, so anything built before 1930 or in poor condition probably won’t qualify for an offer.
Essentially, iBuyers work best for sellers whose homes are market-ready or need only a few cosmetic updates to get there.
» MORE: What Is an iBuyer? How iBuying Works, and More!
Listing on the open market
Listing with an agent on the open market has potential to yield the highest sale price, though it’s usually a bit slower than selling to an iBuyer or investor.
Real estate agents price houses competitively based on comparable local sales. This strategy helps sellers get fair market value for their homes.
A local agent can also estimate a selling time based on market conditions in your region and the type of home you’re selling.
While the typical national selling time is 10.7 days, timelines are quicker in some cities:
- Washington, DC: 9.1 days
- Atlanta: 9.2 days
- Boston: 8.4 days
Even if you’re certain you want to sell to a cash buyer, you can work with an agent to get the best offer. You can:
- List your home as is with an agent, which tends to attract real estate investors
- Work with an agent who has connections with house flippers and landlords looking for new deals
How can I sell my house fast for cash?
Follow these steps to get a cash offer fast:
1. Choose the best agent for the job
Having the right agent on your side can make it much easier to sell your home quickly. Interview at least two to three agents from different brokerages to make sure you find the best fit.
When interviewing agents, be honest about your timeline, and ask questions to understand how fast they can potentially sell your home. You can ask:
- What experience do you have selling homes quickly?
- Have you worked with cash buyers before?
The best agent for selling a house fast is usually an agent with at least a couple years of experience. They’re more likely to have a network of potential buyers and know what strategies are most likely to succeed in getting your house sold quickly.
👋 Find top agents near you and get started today!
2. Set your target listing price
With the help of your real estate agent, set a target listing price. Your realtor will do a comparative market analysis to get an idea of the market value of your home. With that information, you can set a listing price that balances getting top dollar for your home and selling within your timeline.
3. Find the right buyer
Your realtor can help you determine if a cash buyer is the best option for selling within your timeline. Experienced real estate agents often have connections with cash buyers and can help you compare competing offers. They can also help you weed out scams and lowball offers.
However, cash buyers typically pay less than you’d get on the open market. You’re much more likely to get the best price for your home through a traditional sale. Even on a tight deadline, your realtor may be able to find buyers on the open market willing to buy quickly.
Your ability to sell fast on the open market partly depends on local market conditions. If buyer demand is high in your area, finding a buyer quickly will be easier than if buyer demand is low.
FAQ
What is the fastest way to sell my house?
One of the fastest ways to sell your house is to request an offer from a home buying company like an iBuyer or a "we buy houses" company. You can usually get an offer in 24 hours and close in less than two weeks, but you won't get as much money as you would listing your home with an agent.
You should compare your options before you accept a cash offer.
What is the secret to a fast property sale?
There's no secret to selling a property quickly — but a good real estate agent can help you get a quick sale by pricing your home competitively, suggesting high-impact home improvements, and hosting an open house to attract more buyers.
Alternatively, you could sell your home directly to a company that buys houses — but you probably won't make as much money since these companies buy and resell homes to make a profit.
Sources
1. National Association of Realtors, Realtor Confidence Index, October 2021, https://cdn.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/documents/2021-10-realtors-confidence-index-12-06-2021.pdf
2. Zavvie, Seller Preferences Report: Q4 2021, https://zavvie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Q4-21-Seller-Preferences-Report-3.pdf
Related links
Want to learn more about selling your house quickly? Check out these resources.
The Best iBuyer Companies: iBuyers offer home sellers a chance to sell on their own timeline with minimal hassle. Learn more about the leading iBuyers and how they compare.
We Buy Houses for Cash Companies: Are “we buy houses” companies a scam or a legitimate selling option? Find out how they work, what to watch out for, and which companies stand out in our list.
How Can I Sell My House Fast without Losing Money? Find out how to sell your home quickly without losing money, and learn the most important steps in a typical home sale.
Realtor Fees: Who Pays the Commission and How Much Is It? Wondering how much realtor fees cost? This guide explains what you’ll pay (and how to get discounts) when working with a realtor.
The Best 1% Commission Realtors and Brokerages: From Clever to Redfin, we review the top 1% real estate commission companies. Learn how they work and find the best low commission company for you!
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