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Edited by Steve Nicastro
We Buy Ugly Houses vs. top competitors | How much does it pay? | We Buy Ugly Houses reviews | Locations
We Buy Ugly Houses reviews summary
We Buy Ugly Houses reviews are generally positive. The company has an average rating of 4.4/5 across 1,590 reviews. But since it’s a franchise, quality varies a lot from one local office to another.
Reviewers like that We Buy Ugly Houses can purchase homes quickly and in almost any condition. However, its offers are lower than what you could get on the open market, and reviewers report that some franchisees use high-pressure sales tactics.
Selling to We Buy Ugly Houses could be a good option if you have a difficult-to-sell property or need to sell right away. But the quality of the company’s offer will depend on where you live. We recommend comparing offers from multiple cash buyers to ensure you get the best deal.
Our #1 We Buy Ugly Houses alternative
We recommend using Clever Offers before getting an offer directly from We Buy Ugly Houses. With Clever Offers, a Clever concierge learns about your property, then fields offers from vetted cash buyers in your area. You can compare the offers to see which one is the best deal. The service is free, and there’s no obligation to accept an offer.
Clever also connects you with a real estate agent who can provide a free home valuation report. When you know what your home is worth, you have more leverage to negotiate with cash buyers, and you’re more likely to sell for a price you’re happy with.
💰 Compare cash offers from vetted buyers. It’s completely free, with no obligation!
What is We Buy Ugly Houses?
We Buy Ugly Houses is a cash buyer brand owned by HomeVestors. It makes offers in 24–48 hours and can close in as little as three weeks.
The company licenses its name out to franchisees, who work locally as independent operators.
Each We Buy Ugly Houses franchisee has been trained by the parent company, but they work without any oversight or guidance. Your experience may vary based on your local franchise. This makes it doubly important for you to check the reviews for any branch of We Buy Ugly Houses you’re thinking of working with.
How much does We Buy Ugly Houses pay?
How much the company offers can vary, but most franchisees follow the 70% rule. The buyer offers no more than 70% of the house’s after repair value (ARV), minus the cost of repairs and renovations. This ensures the buyer can reliably turn a profit on a property.
Many We Buy Ugly Houses reviews say that company representatives pressure sellers to take extremely low offers, often after understating the property’s actual market value. Some anecdotal reports claim that We Buy Ugly Houses offered as little as 50% of a home’s value. We recommend comparing its offer with other cash offers to ensure you get a fair price.
A cash buyer could be exactly what you need if you can’t afford repairs upfront or your home’s drawbacks are beyond your control, like location.
But you need to have considerable equity in the house to accept a cash offer, since the mortgage and any property liens have to be paid in full at closing. Without equity in the home, you could sell your house for cash and still walk away with nothing.
How does We Buy Ugly Houses work?
We Buy Ugly Houses looks for financially distressed homeowners with properties in poor condition (“ugly houses”). It offers quick cash payments at below-market prices, then quickly renovates the properties and flips them or rents them out.
We Buy Ugly Houses will purchase almost any property, no matter how poor the condition.
If you sell your home with We Buy Ugly Houses, you can expect to take these steps:
- Submit information about your home. Contact your local We Buy Ugly Houses franchisee online or over the phone, and give basic information about your property, such as location, age, condition, and square footage.
- Schedule an inspection. We Buy Ugly Houses views the property, often within 24 hours. After inspecting the property, an agent from the company makes a cash offer. This offer is usually non-negotiable — in other words, it’s a take-it-or-leave-it offer.
- Accept the cash 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.
- Get paid. You can finalize the deal, cash in hand, in as little as two to five weeks.
We Buy Ugly Houses pros and cons
Pros
- You can close in as little as three weeks.
- The company buys almost any property, no matter how poor its condition.
- You don’t have to pay commission fees or closing costs.
- You don’t have to spend time or money on repairs.
Cons
- You’ll likely sell for a lot less than you’d get on the open market.
- You don’t have an agent negotiating on your behalf.
- The franchise owner may pressure you to accept an offer.
We Buy Ugly Houses locations
We Buy Ugly Houses has franchise offices in 45 states and Washington, DC, with multiple locations in many counties or cities.
We Buy Ugly Houses vs. top competitors
| Company | Our Rating | Offer Rating | Time to Close | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Poor
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3 weeks
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Learn More | |
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Excellent
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Varies
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Learn More | |
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Poor
|
7 days
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Learn More | |
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Poor
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Fast closing
|
Learn More | |
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Poor
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7 days
|
Learn More |
Offer Rating
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.
Offer Rating
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.
Offer Rating
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
Offer Rating
Time to Close
Our take
Overview
Locations
MarketPro Homebuyers is a decent option if you need to sell quickly or sell a home that needs repairs. The company pays cash for houses, including distressed properties, and it can close in as little as seven days. It stands out for offering packing and moving assistance.
Unfortunately, MarketPro Homebuyers is available in only a handful of states on the Eastern Seaboard. Like with most cash buyers, you’ll also likely have to settle for a lower sale price in exchange for a fast sale. If you’re in MarketPro’s service area, compare its offer to other companies’ so you can be sure you get the best deal.
Pros
- You get packing and moving assistance.
- There’s no need to make repairs before selling.
- You can close in as little as seven days.
Cons
- It’s available only in a handful of states.
- It pays less than what you could get on the open market.
MarketPro Homebuyers is a regional “we buy houses” company that buys houses for cash.
The company generally has positive reviews from home sellers, but since it only operates in four states and Washington, DC, selling to MarketPro isn’t an option for most home sellers.
Like other cash buyers, MarketPro generally only buys distressed properties and pays as little as 50% of the fair market value.
How it works: To sell to MarkeyPro, you fill out an online form on its website or call it directly. After you answer some basic questions about your property, you get an instant quote. The company may revise its offer after a MarketPro representative visits your house.
MarketPro HomeBuyers operates in FL, MD, PA, VA, and Washington, DC.
We Buy Ugly Houses reviews from real customers
We Buy Ugly Houses reviews from customers reveal several themes. Sellers who just want to unload a property are fairly satisfied with their experience, while sellers who want a profitable deal often have a more negative experience.
| Avg. rating | Total reviews | |
|---|---|---|
| Weighted avg. | 4.4 | 1590 |
| 4.5 | 1488 | |
| Yelp | 2.5 | 82 |
| Better Business Bureau (BBB) | 1.4 | 20 |
Let’s look at some We Buy Ugly houses reviews and complaints. These represent both WeBuyUglyHouses.com reviews online and We Buy Ugly Houses BBB reviews.
A distressed home sells quickly
This seller had a home with a defective roof, which is a very expensive home repair. They were able to sell the home to We Buy Ugly Houses for cash and came away from the experience fully satisfied.
A quick sale following a death in the family
This seller prioritized speed and ease over maximum profit. They’d inherited the house after a death in the family, and they just wanted to unload it, regardless of price. Under these circumstances, We Buy Ugly Houses gave them exactly what they were looking for.
We Buy Ugly Houses complaints: Lowball offers
In this HomeVestors review (We Buy Ugly Houses’ parent company), a seller was motivated to sell, but they passed up HomeVestors’ insultingly low offer. Three months later, they were able to sell the property for three times what HomeVestors offered. The seller echoes the advice we offer: compare offers from multiple sources before making a decision to sell your home.
Another lowball offer — and unsavory pressure tactics
In another We Buy Ugly Houses complaint, a seller tells how HomeVestors representatives tried to lower the seller’s expectations with an extremely under-market offer. A year and a half later, the seller sold for six times what HomeVestors offered.
We Buy Ugly Houses scams and lawsuits
Independent contractors operating under the HomeVestors-owned We Buy Ugly Houses brand are legitimate cash buyers.
But the company has created an environment that’s ripe for exploitation. It caters to the desperate and highly motivated, dangles fast cash offers, and advertises with signs nailed to telephone poles next to freeway off-ramps. As the We Buy Ugly Houses brand has become more widely known, the number of scams has increased.
A We Buy Ugly Houses ponzi scheme
In some We Buy Ugly Houses reviews, the brand has received criticism for its ethically murky business practices.
One well-publicized example involved a We Buy Ugly Houses franchisee from Colorado who ran a ponzi scheme, buying a series of properties at below market value with promises of big resale profits — only to use the sale proceeds to pay off previous sellers and investors.
The perpetrator — who, to be fair, committed some of her $14.5 million fraud while working for a company that was not affiliated with We Buy Ugly Houses — was eventually sentenced to eight years in federal prison.
How can I avoid being scammed by a We Buy Ugly Houses company?
You can look for red flags to avoid being scammed. Avoid buyers that:
- Ask for a fee in exchange for an offer
- Make an extremely low offer
- Charge you for closing costs
- Leave you to figure out the paperwork yourself
The money should move in only one direction in a home sale — and that’s toward you, the seller. If a cash buyer asks you for money for “processing fees” or anything else, that’s a sign that you’re probably being ripped off.
Always ask the cash buyer for multiple references. If they can’t provide them, or if the references you contact don’t seem legit, look for a different buyer.
Also compare multiple offers from other cash buyers to ensure the price you’re offered is fair.
Is We Buy Ugly Houses a reputable company?
We Buy Ugly Houses is a reputable company owned by the parent company HomeVestors. Local We Buy Ugly Houses offices are owned by franchisees, so quality varies by location. Not all real estate investors or operations with similar names are necessarily legitimate.
FAQ
Does We Buy Ugly Houses pay fair market value?
Companies like We Buy Ugly Houses typically pay no more than 70% of the house’s estimated fair market value, minus the cost of repairs and renovations. However, some customers claim that the company offered only 50% of what they could sell for on the open market. Most sellers will make more cash overall by listing with a low commission real estate agent.
Is We Buy Ugly Houses legit?
We Buy Ugly Houses is a legitimate cash buyer franchise. It's owned by HomeVestors and operates in 45 states and Washington, DC. However, because the company offers cash to desperate and highly motivated sellers, it's created a market that’s ripe for exploitation.
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Jason P says
Very good article, we buy distressed houses as well and always recommend that the seller get other offers before settling with ours. So there are good guys out there that you can sell your home to quickly and for cash
Quinn Harris says
I was skeptical at first when I looked at their ads but turns out they are actually legitimate. A friend of mine contacted them and had his property sold which was In a pretty mediocre condition. It’s a good job they do.