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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? | Who is We Buy Houses best for? | How it works | Pros and cons | Alternatives | FAQ
We Buy Houses reviews summary
We Buy Houses reviews online are usually positive. The company has a 4.5/5 rating based on 689 reviews and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The BBB gives it an A– rating, although the customer score on BBB is just 2.6/5.
In our opinion, We Buy Houses offers some benefits if you want to sell fast for cash. You can close in as little as a week, and you don’t need to worry about repairs or closing costs. But you’ll get a lot less for your home than you would on the open market with a real estate agent. And there’s almost no room to negotiate with We Buy Houses.
We Buy Houses may be a legitimate option if your main priority is to sell as fast as possible no matter the cost. However, other cash buyers also make fast offers, so we strongly recommend comparing your options.
Our #1 We Buy Houses alternative
Our top alternative to We Buy Houses is Clever Offers. Clever doesn’t buy your home directly. Insead, its concierge gathers cash offers from multiple vetted buyers and presents them to you. You can compare these offers to make sure you get the best deal, even when you need to sell right away.
With Clever Offers, you also get connected with a full-service realtor who provides a free home valuation report. When you know what your house is likely worth on the open market, you have some negotiating power with the cash buyer you decide to sell to.
💰 Compare cash offers from vetted buyers. It’s free, and there’s no obligation!
What is We Buy Houses?
We Buy Houses is a cash buyer company — also called a “we buy houses” company — that operates nationwide. Cash buyers buy your home quickly at a steep discount. Since its founding in 1996, We Buy Houses has purchased homes from more than one million customers.
We Buy Houses is more credible than the average private cash buyer. It pre-vets investors and requires them to pay a licensing fee to advertise with the brand’s logo.
We Buy Houses purchases properties at a discounted price from sellers who are want to sell their home quickly and as is. Usually these sellers have special circumstances, like:
- An inherited home they don’t want to put money into
- A home in need of significant repairs
- A rental property with bad tenants
- An impending foreclosure
We Buy Houses won’t pay fair market value, but it is an established, credible brand. And you won’t need to pay for repairs, service fees, or closing costs. You can also expect a fast sale, with an offer in 24–48 hours and closing within 7 business days.
We Buy Houses at a glance
How much does We Buy Houses pay?
Like all cash buyers, We Buy Houses pays a lot less for houses than a buyer might pay on the open market.
Real estate investors generally follow the 70% rule — they won’t pay more than 70% of a home’s potential worth, minus repair costs. If you’re selling to a cash buyer, expect an offer that’s 50–70% of your house’s estimated value after repairs.
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 consistently positive, no matter the location. But the service quality might vary from one location to another.
Common themes from We Buy Houses Google and Yelp reviews are:
- A fast and smooth selling process: “I contacted we buy houses for my fiancé who was looking to sell his childhood home. The response was fast and they were out to see the home within 24 hrs. Very smooth and fast process. Communication was great throughout. The closing was seamless.” —Kia H., We Buy Houses Philadelphia
- Professional staff: “The entire Team at We Buy Houses is outstanding! From the beginning to the end, they all remained professional. No matter what I asked or how detailed I asked them to be, there were no issues with them getting back to me in a timely manner and ensuring I understood everything that was occurring.” —Tierney W., We Buy Houses Philadelphia
- Repeat customers: “Honest, straightforward, experienced & knowledgeable. They treated me more like family than a business transaction. I would definitely do business with them again!” —Chuck P., We Buy Houses Las Vegas
Keep in mind that We Buy Houses customers usually want a fast, easy real estate transaction rather than the best possible price. So positive reviews mean that the company is good at selling quickly, not necessarily that the customers got a great price.
Is We Buy Houses legitimate?
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 is best for sellers who need a fast solution to a difficult situation, like facing foreclosure, trying to sell a rental property with bad tenants, or struggling to afford repairs. You get an offer in as little as 24 hours, and you can close in as quickly as seven days.
But We Buy Houses will pay a lot less for your house than you’d get on the open market. The company buys homes for cheap so it can resell them for a profit. On the open market, you could get multiple offers that drive up the sale price of your home.
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 you could sell on the open market within your timeline. Then you can make an informed decision about whether selling to a cash buyer is your best option.
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 and iBuyers.
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 does We Buy Houses work?
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 an offer you would receive 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.
Pros and cons of selling to We Buy Houses
Pros
- You get a cash offer in as little as 24 hours.
- You can close in as little as 7 days.
- You don’t have to do any repairs or prep work.
- You avoid paying additional fees or closing costs.
Cons
- You won’t have an agent negotiating on your behalf.
- You could sell for more on the open market.
- There’s little to no room to negotiate a We Buy Houses offer.
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 iBuyer 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.
» MORE: Top iBuyer companies
We Buy Houses locations
We Buy Houses has over 2,700 offices across 49 states and Washington, DC.
FAQ about We Buy Houses
Is We Buy Houses a rip-off?
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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