We Buy Ugly Houses Review: What They Offered Us in 2024

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  Written by Jessica Johansen

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  Edited by Katy Byrom

We Buy Ugly Houses, also called HomeVestors, is a cash buyer franchise that purchases homes in almost any condition, providing a solution for sellers with hard-to-sell homes.

The company can also help sellers who need a guaranteed fast sale, since it typically makes offers within 24 hours of an initial inspection and can close in as soon as 3 weeks. The major trade-off is that these types of investors offer far below market value (likely no more than 70% of a home’s after-repair value).

While some homeowners find relief from offloading a problem property to We Buy Ugly Houses, most will get a better deal by listing with a low-commission agent or selling to another cash home buyer.

» JUMP TO: How much does it pay? | Who’s it for? | We Buy Ugly Houses reviews | How it works | We Buy Ugly Houses vs. competitors | Purchase criteria | Locations | FAQ

We Buy Ugly Houses at a glance

How much does We Buy Ugly Houses pay?

We Buy Ugly Houses pays much lower than fair market value. Offers can vary, but most investors pay no more than 70% of the home’s after-repair value (ARV). “This is because we need to take repair costs into account and leave some margin for profit,” says Alex Locklead, founder of NC Cash Homebuyers,

To get some ground truth, had a mystery shopper request an offer from We Buy Ugly Houses/HomeVestors for her home in a suburb of New York City. She then asked two different realtors for a comparative market analysis to estimate the value of her home. 

While both realtors suggested listing for between $400,000 and $469,000, We Buy Ugly Houses offered a mere $301,200 — $169,000 less than our shopper’s estimated top-of-the-market home value. 

This massive price gap showcases the biggest drawback of selling to We Buy Ugly Houses (or any other home flipper): You end up leaving a lot of money on the table. That sacrifice may be worthwhile if you need to get rid of a property fast, but it’s best to know your options before signing on the dotted line.

Who We Buy Ugly Houses works best for

We Buy Ugly Houses may be a worthwhile option in certain situations, such as:

• You have a home that would be hard to sell on the open market, whether because of its poor condition or other factors.
• You need to sell your home right away and as-is (without repairs or renovations), like a home that requires extensive repairs you can’t afford or an inherited home you don’t want to put money into.
• You’re in a unique situation that makes a traditional sale difficult, such asr a rental property with bad tenants.

But, as our mystery shopper pointed out, “if you’re like most homeowners who have spent a huge amount of time and money on your home, you’ll probably want to get the maximum dollars that you can from your sale.”

You’ll likely make more money if you get a cash offer from an iBuyer (good for homes in good condition) or list on the market with a real estate agent (good for getting the highest sale price on a more flexible timeline).

We recommend exploring all your options no matter what your situation is. If you feel like selling to a cash buyer is the most appropriate fit for your needs, get quotes from multiple companies that buy houses for cash. And if you want to get the best price for your house, consider selling your house with a real estate agent. You can compare multiple agents and even find one that provides full service at discounted rates.

We Buy Ugly Houses fees and other costs

Like many cash buyers, We Buy Ugly Houses doesn’t charge any fees. You don’t have to pay for repairs or seller closing costs, either. Some alternative companies, like iBuyers, make higher offers but have fees and other costs that can total 7–10% of the sale price.

We Buy Ugly Houses vs. competitors

We Buy Ugly Houses is a reliable avenue for getting a fast cash offer, but it may not be your best option. Other companies can potentially get you faster cash offers and may be able to offer you more than We Buy Ugly Houses.

There’s no way to guarantee whether or not We Buy Ugly Houses beats the competition in your area. We Buy Ugly Houses is a franchise company, so service and offer amounts will vary depending on where you live.

Here’s a more detailed look at the top cash buyer companies that could be a better fit than We Buy Ugly Houses.

» MORE: Want to find more cash buyers near you? Check out our guide to the best companies that buy houses for cash.

We Buy Ugly Houses vs. a realtor

The biggest differences between selling to We Buy Ugly Houses and listing with a realtor are fees, sale price, and speed.

You don’t have to pay any fees or other costs to sell to We Buy Ugly Houses. If you list with an agent, you’ll have to pay a realtor commission. The national average real estate commission is 2.83% for listing agents. You’ll also have to pay closing costs, which are usually around 1%.

However, you’ll likely get a much higher sale price with a listing agent (sometimes by as much as 30%) than you would with We Buy Ugly Houses, which more than makes up for the realtor commission and closing costs.

You can pay less in realtor fees by working with one of the top low commission realtors in your area. These agents offer the same full service as a traditional realtor, just at a lower rate (like 1.5%).

While an agent can’t guarantee a fast sale like We Buy Ugly Houses can, you could still sell quickly on the market if you find a real estate agent with the right experience and selling strategy.

We Buy Ugly Houses reviews: What customers have to say

We Buy Ugly Houses reviews are generally positive. The company has an average rating of 4.5/5 across nearly 2,000 reviews.

Many customers appreciated how upfront and transparent the company’s reps were from the beginning of the selling process. Our own mystery shopper said the We Buy Ugly Houses representative she met “was prompt, polite and very conversational. At no time did I feel any pressure to use their company to sell my home.”

Some customers also mentioned high-quality service and fair offers, at least given the difficult situations they found themselves in. However, some reviewers reported getting lowball offers and being bombarded with marketing materials from the company.

Your experience may vary based on your local franchise. It’s important to check the reviews for the branch of We Buy Ugly Houses you’re considering working with.

Here’s a breakdown of the themes we found across We Buy Ugly Houses reviews.

✅ Many customers felt they received fair offers

Some people wonder if “we buy houses” companies are a rip-off. But for many sellers, the company provides a needed solution when they’re in a pinch. They’re grateful for a fair offer, even though it’s not as much as they could get by selling on the open market with an agent.

I was very pleased with the process of selling my home to HomeVestors. The original phone call was very easy. … D*** B****** was the partner I was set up with to meet and look at my property. He also was very friendly and professional. D*** made a fair offer during that meeting. He explained the process, went over the contract and I never felt pressured. If anyone finds themselves in a bind financially and realize selling home is your only option (especially if you can’t repair issues with your home as I was in that position) I do recommend HomeVestors as one of your best options to consider.”

— Rita L., Oct. 2023, Google

Jeremy was very helpful today. Fast closing. Reasonable offer. Josh was very helpful with the contract. I recommend this company for anyone wanting to make a quick sale.”

— Cassandra N., Oct. 2023, Google

✅ Company reps provided excellent service

Customers repeatedly highlighted the service they received from customer representatives. They said We Buy Ugly Houses reps were kind during a difficult time for them and made the selling process easier.

I have to thank these guys wholeheartedly. I lost my mom and was ready to move and sell a messy house that was way past due for maintenance. They make the process super easy and are literally always there every step of the way. They’re flexible and passionate and wanna make sure you are treated top tier with their services.”

— Peter, August 2024, Google

I am so appreciative of Kevin and Pat in GA for everything. After my brother sold his house he passed away unexpectedly. Kevin and Pat helped me with anything and everything way beyond. They made getting the house cleaned out easy and knowing what I didn’t take would be given to charity which meant a lot. I live in VA and they worked with me for weeks to help me with whatever I needed with no pressure. … Great service and respect.“

— Lori W., Feb. 2024, Google

✅ The company was transparent throughout the selling process

Several reviewers mentioned the company’s transparency. This is consistent with the experience of our mystery shopper, who said, “I was surprised at the home evaluator’s honesty with me, telling me up front that I would probably be making less money than if I sold the home through a real estate agent.”

Great to work with. Will was very upfront and transparent from the beginning. He able to close quickly and even addressed an outstanding code enforcement issue on the property.”

— Chris R., Jan. 2024, Google

I was initially uncertain about choosing this route to sell my sisters home, but … as I met and interacted with P***** and T*** M*****, it felt better and better seeing everything they had prepared for me was just as they had initially assured me it would be. This experience was so refreshing, especially in this current climate where customers service is poor, or even non existent. I found every promise kept … . If you … desire [a] personable honest individual who’s intention is to be helpful and accommodating, these are the people you should work with.”

— Maurice H., Sept. 2023, Google

❌ Some customers felt lowballed and taken advantage of

Not all customers were happy with the offers they received from We Buy Ugly Houses. Some reviewers mentioned feeling lowballed for homes in decent condition.

Not as flexible as they claimed and they take advantage of your situation and low-ball you on the price. I had to take a huge loss even though the house wasn’t at all ugly.”

— Steve D., Feb. 2024, Google

Our mystery shopper was given an offer over $100,000 lower than fair market value. She says of the offer: “I have to admit I was actually shocked and extremely disappointed, knowing what the current real estate market is like in my area. Even given the fact that I would not be paying real estate commissions, attorney fees or other closing costs, I was still in disbelief that the offer was so low.”

In the past, the company has been accused of deliberately taking advantage of distressed sellers. ProPublica reported in 2023 that We Buy Ugly Houses “trains its nearly 1,150 franchisees to zero in on homeowners’ desperation.”⁴

However, it should be noted that We Buy Ugly Houses has since introduced new regulations to safeguard sellers, such as a disclosure form that provides sellers with a three-day window to back out of sale contracts.

❌ The company sends lots of spam mail

We Buy Ugly Houses sends postcards to homeowners it thinks may be interested in a cash offer. However, many of these homeowners aren’t interested in selling and report getting a high volume of mail from the company.

I am so tired of these people wanting me to sell my house. It is NOT for sale. I have tried opting out several times but that doesn’t seem to make a difference to the people, they still keep bothering me.”

— Sheryl R., May 2024, BBB

This company sends mail that is unmarked to trick me into opening junk mail. I can only imagine how deceptive they will actually be with their customers. Leave me alone.”

— Dan H., Mar. 2023, Google

How does We Buy Ugly Houses work?

We Buy Ugly Houses often appeals to financially distressed homeowners with properties in poor condition (“ugly houses”) or those who need to sell quickly. It offers quick cash payments at below-market prices, then quickly renovates the properties and flips them or rents them out.

If you sell your home with We Buy Ugly Houses, you can expect to take these steps:⁵

1. Contact the company. Reach out to your local We Buy Ugly Houses office via an online form or a phone call.
2. Schedule an inspection. A We Buy Ugly Houses rep visits your home in person. They get more info on your selling situation, explain more about how the offer process works, and tour the property.
3. Receive a cash offer. The company makes a cash offer in as little as 24–48 hours after the inspection. This offer is usually non-negotiable — in other words, it’s a take-it-or-leave-it offer.
4. Accept the offer. If you decide to accept the offer, you sign a purchase agreement and choose a closing date. Cash buyers like We Buy Ugly Houses can offer much more flexibility on closing dates than traditional buyers since there’s no financing involved.
5. Get paid. You can finalize the deal, cash in hand, in as little as three weeks.

What kinds of homes does We Buy Ugly Houses buy?

We Buy Ugly Houses will buy almost any property, including homes that are distressed, structurally unsound, located in flood zones, or occupied by tenants. The company even buys some commercial properties, but it doesn’t purchase mobile homes.

Where is We Buy Ugly Houses available?

We Buy Ugly Houses has more than 1,000 franchise offices across 47 states and Washington, DC. Many counties and cities have multiple offices. The company doesn’t operate in Alaska, Hawaii, or South Dakota.

Frequently asked questions

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About our reviews

Our company reviews are powered by hundreds of hours of research. To evaluate and rank cash home-buying companies, we analyzed thousands of customer reviews, secret-shopped each company, and looked to publicly available data for indicators of offer quality, customer service, fees vs. value provided, trustworthiness, and more. Whenever possible, we also talked to customers, company reps, and industry professionals (such as real estate agents) who’ve had direct experience working with the brand.

Sources

1. ProPublica, “‘We Buy Ugly Houses’ CEO Steps Down Following ProPublica Investigation,” June 28, 2023. ↩︎
2. ProPublica, “The Ugly Truth Behind ‘We Buy Ugly Houses,'” May 11, 2023. ↩︎
3. Franchise Times, “Investigation Prompts Policy Changes as HomeVestors Addresses Franchisee Tactics,” Jan. 15, 2024. ↩︎
4. ProPublica, “The Ugly Truth Behind ‘We Buy Ugly Houses,'” May 11, 2023. ↩︎
5. We Buy Ugly Houses, FAQ, “How does the house buying process work?,” accessed Apr. 1, 2024. ↩︎