Is Tarek Buys Houses legit? | Competitors | Alternatives | How it works | Locations | Customer reviews of Tarek Buys Houses | Locations | FAQs
Tarek Buys Houses pays cash for homes in select markets in Southern California and a few other locations across the U.S. The company's founder, Tarek El Moussa, is a real estate investor and media personality who's known for his shows Flip or Flop and Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa on HGTV.
Like other "We Buy Houses" companies, Tarek Buys Houses pays cash for homes in any condition. It can close on a home as soon as 10 business days after accepting an offer if you're in a hurry, or up to 90 days if you need time to find a new home.
Cash buyers like Tarek Buys Houses are convenient if you need to sell a home that's got problems like structural damage or a need for other significant repairs. However, companies like Tarek Buys Houses usually only pay about 50–70% of the home's value after-repair value.
The discounted price could be worth if you want to sell quickly and can't afford to make repairs to get your home ready for listing. But before selling to Tarek Buys Houses or another company that buys houses for cash, make sure you look at several offers.
If you want to see what different investors might offer your house, our team can help. Simply tell us about your property, and we'll send you up to 10 competing offers from serious cash buyers in our network. You can also request a professional estimate of your home value, so you can evaluate offers against your home's potential sale price. Get tailored cash offers from top local buyers — no added fees or commissions!
Is Tarek Buys Houses legit?
Yes, Tarek Buys Houses is a legitimate cash buyer that pays for homes in as-is condition. Based on reviews, customers who sell to the company seem happy with the service they receive.
As with all cash buyers, the price you get for your home will be less than you would get on the open market, perhaps as much as 30–50% less. This is why the company is best suited for homeowners who want to sell quickly without making repairs.
Should you use Tarek Buys Houses?
If you're prepared to accept less than fair market value for your home, cash buyers like Tarek Buys Houses can be helpful in certain situations that make the home difficult to sell on the open market.
Your home has financial troubles
If you are facing foreclosure or nearing the end of a mortgage forbearance, selling to a cash buyer can be a quick solution to rid you of financial problems. You'll need to make sure that the offer on the home will cover what you owe, otherwise you'll have to find another way to pay off the rest of your debt.
Your home needs extensive repairs
If you don't have the time or money to invest in repairs to get your home ready for the open market, a cash buyer can step in. Cash buyers like Tarek Buys Houses will buy homes that just need some updating as well as properties with serious structural problems.
You need cash fast
For many people, their home is their biggest asset. Cash buyers can help you access this cash quickly—Tarek Buys Houses can close on your home in as little as 10 days.
You should only consider a cash buyer if your home is unlikely to sell quickly on the open market because of needed repairs or financial distress. If your home is in good shape, you could earn much more by selling with an agent—it just might take a few weeks longer.
How does Tarek Buys Houses work?
Like most cash buyers, selling to Tarek Buys Houses starts with a request for an offer. Start by visiting tarekbuyshouses.com or calling (866) 914-2217.
- Speak to a consultant about your home. Schedule a call with TBH and tell them all of the details about your home. They'll want to know about the home's condition and financial situation. Within 24 hours, you'll receive an initial offer.
- Schedule a walk-through. If the initial offer seems fair, set up a time for a representative from the company to tour the house. If the representative notes major issues with the home, like a faulty foundation, they may ask a home inspector to visit.
- Review the final offer. Once the walk-through and possible home inspection is complete, you'll receive an updated offer. You can accept immediately or compare the offer with ones from other cash buyers.
- Accept the offer and close on the home. If you choose to accept the offer, you can close in 10 days.
Tarek Buys Houses vs. competitors
It's always a good idea to compare your offer with others from competing cash buyers. Most cash buyers have the same business plan—they offer a discounted price for homes they can repair and sell for a profit.
Some cash buyers can close in seven days while others need 14, but the difference between companies usually comes down to where they buy houses and what they're willing to pay for a house being sold as is.
To make sure you get the best offer, be sure to compare several cash buyers in your area. Cash offer networks like Clever Offers provide an easy way to compare offers from legitimate cash buyers — with no added fees or obligation to move forward.
We Buy Ugly Houses: Nationally recognizable brand
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 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.
- The quality of service varies between franchises.
We Buy Ugly Houses has over 800 franchises across 47 states.
You may have seen signs for the cash buyer We Buy Ugly Houses near your home since the company operates nationwide. Each We Buy Ugly Houses franchise is locally operated, so check review websites for the particular company in your area, as quality of service may vary from one location to the next.
The company is a bit slower than Tarek Buys Houses, taking up to three weeks to close. But if you're not in a hurry and We Buy Ugly Houses gives you a better offer, it could be worth the wait.
Express Homebuyers: Known for speed
Express Homebuyers
FULL REVIEWExpress Homebuyers has been a nationwide cash buyer since 2003. It makes an all-cash offer after visiting a property and can close in as soon as seven days. Its reviews are largely positive, with previous sellers praising the quick and straightforward transactions it provides. There are a number of negative reviews, however, stating cases of predatory marketing, unresponsiveness, and excessively low offers.
Pros
- Cash offers in 7 minutes
- Easy transaction
- Offers are good for up to 30 days
Cons
- Lowball offers
- Offers can decrease with no explanation
- Overly persistent sales techniques
Express Homebuyers buys properties in 27 states and the District of Columbia.
If you need a fast closing, Express Homebuyers is a nationally known brand whose slogan is "We Buy Your House in 7 Days."
The company is fast with its initial offers, too, giving you a near-instant preliminary offer online. Of course, this initial offer might be reduced after someone walks through your home for a closer look.
We Buy Houses: Fast closing, great customer service
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 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.
- 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.
We Buy Houses (separate from We Buy UGLY Houses) is a nationally-known brand that vets all of its investors before giving them a local franchise.
It's fast, too—closing in as little as 7 days, a few days faster than Tarek Buys Houses. The company has many positive customer reviews from sellers who were happy with their transaction.
Alternatives to Tarek Buys Houses
Cash buyers like Tarek Buys Houses are convenient for sellers who want to sell a run-down property as fast as possible. But if your home is in decent condition, there are other ways to maximize your sale price without investing a lot of time or money.
iBuyers
iBuyers also pay cash for homes and can close in a matter of weeks or months, depending upon your needs.
iBuyers are much pickier about which homes they buy. They won't buy homes that need extensive repairs or properties with structural problems. But if your home qualifies, you'll get a much better offer from an iBuyer—one that's a lot closer to your home's fair market value.
Offerpad and Opendoor are top iBuyers that buy homes across the U.S., including Southern California.
Sell with an agent
If your home is in good condition or if you can afford to make some repairs to your home before listing, you'll likely get more money selling with a realtor — especially from a brokerage that offers lower-than-average commission rates.
Selling with an agent is slower, as you'll need to get the home ready for showings, field offers, and negotiate the final selling price. But working with an agent will give you the best chance to maximize your selling price.
If you're not sure which path to take, it’s worth comparing cash offers to an agent's opinion of your home's fair market value.
Customer reviews for Tarek Buys Houses
Tarek Buys Houses has overall positive reviews from customers, with an average rating of 4.6 across 81 reviews.
However, it's important to keep in mind that just because a cash buyer was a good fit for these customers, it might not be the best route for you. Be sure to look into other alternatives for selling your home first.
| 4.7 across 52 reviews | |
| Yelp | 5 across 3 reviews |
| BBB | 4.46 across 26 reviews |
| Weighted avg. | 4.6 across 81 reviews |
Friendly and responsive service
Customers said they liked the "politeness and responsiveness" of the staff when they had any questions. Another customer said the company "delivered everything as promised" and "from start to finish the process was effortless."
Fair prices
A number of customers mentioned they were happy with the amount they got for the home, especially when considering all of the money they saved on commission and closing costs. Customers called their selling prices "fair" and one said the price "exceeded my expectations."
Simple and flexible
Customers were impressed with how the process went smoothly from offer to closing. One customer mentioned they were "very flexible to our transaction requirements" while another seller said the closing was "seamless."
Where is Tarek Buys Houses available?
Tarek Buys Houses mainly operates in Southern California, but we spoke to a company employee who said it also buys homes in a few other U.S. locations.
Tarek Buys Houses operates in the following cities:
- Los Angeles, CA
- Anaheim, CA
- Orange, CA
- Santa Ana, CA
- Irvine, CA
- Burbank, CA
- Santa Monica, CA
- Tulsa, OK
- Charlotte, NC
- Atlanta, GA
Frequently asked questions
Is Tarek Buys Houses legit?
Yes, Tarek Buys Houses is a legitimate cash buyer that operates in Southern California. The company was founded by Tarek El Moussa, who's known for his shows Flip or Flop and Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa on HGTV. Learn more about Tarek Buys Houses.
Where is Tarek Buys Houses available?
Tarek Buys Houses operates mostly in Southern California, but the company also buys homes in a few other locations across the U.S. See other locations where Tarek Buys Houses operates.
Recommended reading
Companies That Buy Houses for Cash: Companies that buy houses for cash are worth considering if your top priority is selling quickly.
Top iBuyer Companies: iBuyer companies make near-instant cash offers on homes in select markets. See which one we recommend.