Questions to ask a cash home buyer
Questions? You’ve probably got a few.
Your house is likely your biggest investment, so the decision to sell it can be intimidating. When you want to sell to a cash house buyer, you’ll need to gather as much information as possible before deciding which one to work with. Not all cash buyers are equally reputable, prepared, and honest about their practices. Asking the right questions can expose any of these issues before the sale process begins. When you’re equipped with as much knowledge as possible from the beginning, you can get cash for your house with the certainty that you’ve made the right decision.
The following questions will give you some valuable insight into who you’re dealing with and whether the sale of your house will go smoothly.
How long have you been buying houses?
Some individuals or companies that buy houses for cash haven’t been around very long at all. While everyone has to start somewhere, you probably don’t want to trust such a large financial undertaking to a rookie cash buyer who attended a seminar or two and has only been buying houses for a short time. With experience comes wisdom—hard-earned knowledge can help a seasoned cash house buyer navigate common home-buying snags and pitfalls that could trip up an amateur buyer, slowing the sale or even causing it to break down completely.
HomeVestors® has been in business for over 25 years and has purchased over 150,000 houses nationwide. Local HomeVestors franchisees are backed by this wealth of experience, allowing them to give fair cash offers on houses based on their personal knowledge of your area.
Where can I find reviews or feedback from past clients?
Reputable cash house buyers should be able to point you toward their website or a reviews page with commentary from sellers they’ve worked with in the past. Even a private cash buyer, if they’re trustworthy, can provide you with some references from their past clients. A buyer who can’t show any proof of positive past outcomes isn’t likely to inspire confidence from a homeowner looking for a fair cash offer on their house.
Past sellers have given us a satisfaction rating of 95%*, and you can read their reviews to get an idea of our stellar level of service. Not many companies that buy houses for cash can match our proven record of customer satisfaction.
Can you provide proof of immediately available funds?
Later on, when you’ve reached the point in the sale where you’re ready to walk away with cash in hand, the last thing you’ll want to hear is a sheepish excuse from your cash house buyer that their financing has fallen through, and they won’t be able to purchase your house after all. The time and effort you put into selling your house are valuable; they shouldn’t be wasted by someone who lacks the ability to secure the cash for your house.
Do I need to make repairs before getting a cash offer on my house?
One of the biggest expenses for a home seller is repair costs, and as any homeowner knows, those needed repairs can pile up fast. Some cash house buyers will require you to fix things like foundation cracks, roofing damage, HVAC problems, and other major issues that you may not be able to cover. When you’re evaluating cash buyers, their policy on which house repairs you’ll be responsible for could be the difference between walking away stress-free with cash for your house, or becoming overwhelmed by the hassle of extensive repairs before the sale is even completed.
If you’re worried about the burden of repairs, there’s no need. We can make a cash offer on your house “as is.” That means no out-of-pocket costs up front to fix those leaky pipes or repave that crack-filled driveway. You don’t even need to clean, and you can leave any unwanted items behind. We’ll take care of it. To save you even more money and hassle, we don’t charge commissions or hidden fees, and we’ll even cover typical closing costs.
What is the closing process?
The closing process in a home sale can determine how you’ll feel when you walk away from the experience. Was it fast, easy, and headache-free? Or was it a tangled mess of complications, last-minute fees, and long delays? Your decision to proceed or to go with a different cash buyer could be affected by which of those outcomes seems more likely, based on their process. A good buyer should be able to explain their process thoroughly when asked.
Our 3-step process is always as simple and stress-free as we can make it—a free consultation, a fair cash offer, and a fast close. One of our local property specialists will visit for a tour of your property and answer any questions you have. Then they can make a fair cash offer, sometimes even on the same day. If you accept, we can close fast, often in as little as three weeks. If you need more time, though, we’ll work on your schedule.
HomeVestors® can buy your house for cash.
When you work with HomeVestors® to get cash for your house, we’re happy to answer any questions you may have. We want you to be comfortable and well-informed before and during the sale of your house, and our dedicated property specialists will walk with you every step of the way so that you know you’re in good hands.
Call us at 866-200-6475 or get in touch using our online form to request your free consultation and get a no-obligation cash offer on your house.