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Edited by Josiah Wilmoth
Written by Michelle Delgado
Edited by Josiah Wilmoth
We Buy Houses Reviews | Is We Buy Houses legitimate? | How it works | We Buy Houses pros & cons | Alternatives | Should I sell to We Buy Houses? | Locations | FAQ
🔑 Key Takeaways
- We Buy Houses can help you sell fast. The company makes an all-cash offer in as little as 24–48 hours and can close in as little as 7 days.
- We Buy Houses doesn’t charge a service fee to home sellers, and sellers won’t pay any closing costs.
- Like other cash buyers, We Buy Houses will offer less than fair market value for your home.
- Clever Offers is a better option for many sellers.
We Buy Houses reviews from real customers
| Average rating | Total online reviews | |
|---|---|---|
| Weighted avg. | 4.5 | 689 |
| 4.6 | 430 | |
| Yelp | 3.7 | 16 |
| 4.4 | 243 |
WeBuyHouses.com online reviews are usually positive. But keep in mind that homeowners who sell to We Buy Houses generally have different expectations than the average seller. While the average seller wants to get the best possible price, people selling to a cash buyer like We Buy Houses prioritize a fast, easy real estate transaction.
We scoured We Buy Houses reviews from customers across the country, and here’s what we found: although We Buy Houses won’t make an offer near your home’s maximum value, you’ll work with a recognized brand that takes care of all the selling details for you.
In fact, we had trouble finding any negative We Buy Houses reviews from home sellers, which speaks to the brand’s overall consistency. However, because We Buy Houses is a franchise company, service quality can vary from one location to another.
What is We Buy Houses?
We Buy Houses is a cash buyer company — also called a “we buy houses” company — with a nationwide presence across all 50 states and Washington, DC. Since its founding in 1996, We Buy Houses boasts that it has purchased homes from more than one million customers.
Because We Buy Houses has a generic name, it’s often confused with “we buy houses for cash” companies in general. To clarify: We Buy Houses is a distinct company within a larger category of home buyers who may purchase your house for cash.
The primary benefit of working with the company is that We Buy Houses investors are pre-vetted and must pay a licensing fee to advertise with the brand’s logo. This makes them more credible than the average private cash buyer advertising in your town.
We Buy Houses purchases properties at a discounted price from distressed sellers who might be dealing with:
- An inherited home
- A home in need of significant repairs
- A rental property with bad tenants
- Impending foreclosure
If you need to sell quickly, comparing offers from multiple cash buyer companies, in addition to We Buy Houses, is a good way to make sure you get a fair price. To start comparing, try Clever Offers.
Clever Real Estate will match you with an agent who can field offers from cash buyers in your area and give you a free home valuation report. From that report, you’ll know how much you can get on the open market compared to what cash buyers are offering. Try Clever Offers for free today.
Is We Buy Houses legitimate?
The simple answer is yes — We Buy Houses is a legitimate real estate company with over 2,700 offices nationwide, and We Buy Houses reviews are generally positive. We Buy Houses sets national standards that its licensees are required to meet, making it more credible than private cash buyers who aren’t vetted by anyone.
Before opening a new We Buy Houses company office, real estate investors are evaluated on criteria such as:
- How much experience they have buying homes
- The number of homes they’ve purchased
- Their local reputation
- Their tenure working in real estate
Licensees are also required to sign a Standard of Ethics, which pledges that they’ll act honestly while dealing with customers.
It’s unclear how exactly We Buy Houses ensures its investors will uphold these standards — but the agreement allows We Buy Houses to revoke its affiliation with any real estate investor whose conduct is unacceptable.
That being said, each We Buy Houses office is independently owned and operated, so your experience may vary depending on which location you work with.
Who is We Buy Houses best for?
We Buy Houses companies are best for homeowners who are on a tight deadline to sell their house. If you’re in a difficult situation, such as facing foreclosure, trying to sell a rental property with bad tenants, or struggling to afford repairs on your property, then We Buy Houses might be a good option for you.
With We Buy Houses companies, you’ll get an offer in as little as 24 hours. Because there’s no mortgage lender involved, you can close in as quickly as seven days.
But you’ll get a lot less for your house than you would with a real estate agent on the open market. We Buy Houses is essentially a house flipping company: they buy homes for cheap, complete basic repairs and maintenance, and then resell the houses for a profit.
Before selling to We Buy Houses, we suggest talking to an experienced local realtor. A real estate agent can tell you what your house is worth and how long it should take to sell on the open market. Knowing your home’s fair market value will help you make an informed decision about whether selling to a cash buyer is the best option for your selling timeline.
If you decide a fast, all-cash home sale is right for you, your next step is to shop around for offers from multiple cash home buyers. A free service like Clever Offers can help you get offers from trustworthy local cash companies.
Clever will also give you a professional home valuation from an expert local real estate agent, so you can be confident you’re getting a fair price for your house. Compare cash offers from buyers near you today.
How selling to We Buy Houses works
We Buy Houses offers a few key perks: you won’t pay any fees, and there’s no obligation to sell if you request a cash offer on your home.
If you’re in the process of evaluating all of your home selling options, you can compare an offer from We Buy Houses risk-free.
But keep in mind that a We Buy Houses investor will view your home as an investment opportunity, so expect the offer to be much lower than a listing price on the open market.
Receiving a We Buy Houses offer generally goes like this:
- Submit your information. You can either call your local We Buy Houses office or complete an online form with details about your home.
- Schedule an inspection. After collecting some basic information, a member of your local We Buy Houses team will reach out to gather more details about your home and schedule a property inspection.
- Complete an inspection. During the inspection, the We Buy Houses investor will assess your home’s overall quality and note any necessary repairs.
- Receive an offer. Within 24–48 hours, We Buy Houses will present you with an all-cash offer.
- Close the deal. If you accept the offer, the company will pay cash for your home in as little as seven days.
How much does We Buy Houses pay for houses?
Like all cash buyers, We Buy Houses pays a lot less for houses than what you can get on the open market with a real estate agent. The payoff? You’ll sell your house quickly, and you won’t have to undertake any repairs.
When making offers, a real estate investor generally follows the 70% rule: they won’t pay more than 70% of what a home is worth, minus repair costs. If you’re selling to a cash buyer, expect an offer that’s 50–70% of what your house could get on the open market.
» MORE: How much will a real estate investor pay for my house?
Pros and cons of selling to We Buy Houses
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| Get an all-cash offer in as little as 24 hours | You won’t have an agent negotiating on your behalf |
| Close quickly, in as little as 7 days | You could sell for more on the open market |
| Skip any repairs or prep work | There’s little to no room to negotiate a We Buy Houses offer |
| Avoid paying any fees or closing costs |
Alternatives to using a house flipping company
If you need to sell your house fast, We Buy Houses is only one of several options. Alternatives include selling to another cash buyer or to an iBuyer.
Both methods can help you get an offer extremely quickly — often within 24 hours — and close in a matter of weeks. But both also have drawbacks.
We suggest talking to a real estate agent to help you decide whether selling to a cash buyer, to an iBuyer, or on the open market is best for you.
Sell to another cash buyer
We Buy Houses is far from the only cash buyer. Others, such as Sundae Real Estate and HomeVestors, also make all-cash offers that might appeal to you if you need to sell fast.
Just like We Buy Houses, other cash buyers tend to pay well below what you could get on the open market. Working with an iBuyer or real estate agent will almost always net you more money. But if your top priority in the home selling process is speed, working with a cash buyer might be right for you.
If you want to sell to a cash buyer, shop around different companies. Offers can range widely between cash buyers, so knowing what offers are available is the best way to make sure you get a fair price.
» MORE: Best companies that buy houses for cash
Sell to an iBuyer
An iBuyers is a large real estate company that, similar to a cash buyer, will make an all-cash offer on your home and close quickly. But unlike cash buyers, iBuyers tend to offer closer to fair market value, though likely still less than what you could get with a realtor on the open market.
However, iBuyers have much stricter criteria than cash buyers about which houses they buy. Typically, older houses and houses that need major repairs don’t qualify. Also, iBuyers tend to serve only major metropolitan areas.
Clever Offers is a great way to compare offers from both iBuyers and cash buyers in your area. Our partners at Clever will find you a real estate agent who will then field offers from cash buyers and iBuyers. You’ll be able to compare offers to get the best price while still selling quickly.
Should I sell to We Buy Houses?
Whether to sell to We Buy Houses depends on your situation and your goals as a seller.
If you’re in a difficult situation and you need to sell your home quickly, selling to a cash buyer like We Buy Houses might be worth considering.
However, there are some major drawbacks. Above all, selling to a cash buyer almost always results in a lower offer price compared to what you might receive on the open market.
There are multiple reasons for this. For one thing, selling on the open market could lead to multiple offers that drive the sale price up. It also allows you to establish a fair market value based on your local real estate market — not based on an investor’s bottom line.
A good real estate agent can help you navigate almost any situation. For example, they can advise homeowners who are facing foreclosure, relocating suddenly, or trying to sell a vacant or distressed home.
And if you need to sell fast, some real estate agents have relationships with investors who actively buy houses for cash. Even if you still end up selling your home to a real estate investor, an agent may be able to help you get a more competitive sale price and negotiate on your behalf.
We Buy Houses locations
With over 2,700 offices across 49 states and Washington, DC, We Buy Houses is available to many potential home sellers.
We Buy Houses, at a glance
FAQ about We Buy Houses
Is We Buy Houses a ripoff?
We Buy Houses pays a lot less for houses than what you can get on the open market, but this is true of most companies that buy houses for cash. If you want to sell fast for a better price, check out some of the top alternatives to We Buy Houses.
What are common complaints about We Buy Houses?
The biggest drawback of We Buy Houses is that it won’t offer top dollar for your home. Like all cash buyers, it pays a lot less than what you can get on the open market. Also, because the We Buy Houses company is a franchise, the quality of service you receive can vary between locations. Check out our ratings of top cash buyers.
What is the fastest way to sell a house?
The fastest way to sell a house is through a cash buyer, like We Buy Houses, or through an iBuyer. Both can help you close in just a couple weeks. However, they also have drawbacks. Cash buyers offer a lot less than fair market value, and iBuyers have strict criteria and are available only in select markets. Learn more about how to sell fast without losing money.
How much does We Buy Houses pay?
Like many companies that buy houses for cash, We Buy Houses generally offers no more than 70% of a property’s value. Its offers are substantially less than what a property could net through a traditional sale. In exchange, sellers are offered a comparatively quick and convenient sales process.
Who owns We Buy Houses?
The founder and CEO of We Buy Houses is Jeremy Brandt, an entrepreneur in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. Brandt also owns other cash-offer real estate companies and is regularly featured on news networks as an expert in the real estate field. Local franchises of We Buy Houses are independently owned and operated.
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What to Know Before Selling a House in Poor Condition: Finding the right buyer can be tough if your home is in poor condition. Read our guide to learn all your options, including the fastest ways to sell and how to get the best possible offer.
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