Thinking About Taking a Cash Offer on Your Home? Run These Numbers First

The question I hear from sellers goes something like this: a company offered to buy my house for cash, should I take it? My answer is always the same. I cannot tell you until we see two net sheets side by side.

A cash offer and a traditional listing are different products. One is built around speed. The other is built around reaching the most buyers. You can choose well between them only when both are reduced to the same thing: the money you walk away with and the date you walk away with it.

What the cash offer really includes. Ask for everything in writing. What is the service or program fee? Which closing costs are yours? Is the price final, or is it subject to an inspection? With many home-buying companies the first number is an estimate, and the firm number comes after their inspector has been through the house. Repair credits requested at that stage come straight off your proceeds.

What a listing really costs. Be just as honest on this side. A listing means commissions, closing costs, and usually some prep: cleaning, paint, minor repairs. It also means carrying the home until it closes. Every month of mortgage payments, utilities, insurance, and upkeep belongs on the sheet. And a buyer who is financing can ask for repairs or concessions too.

Where a cash sale tends to fit. A fixed move date. A property that needs more work than you want to take on. A situation where showings are not practical. An inherited home you would rather not manage from a distance. In those cases, certainty is worth something, and it is fair to pay for it.

Where a listing tends to fit. A home in good condition, a flexible timeline, and a seller who wants the full pool of buyers to see the property.

What trips people up is comparing a cash offer to a hoped-for list price. Those are not the same kind of number. One is close to a net figure and the other is a starting point. Compare net to net.

One more step before you sign anything: read the cancellation and inspection terms closely. If any part of the contract is unclear, a real estate attorney can explain what it commits you to.

See what your home could sell for: https://www.previewarizonahomes.com/?utm_source=blog_pah&utm_medium=marketing&utm_campaign=daily

This is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Jon Hegreness, REALTOR / Associate Broker, Howe Realty
(623) 826-0888 / JonHegreness@gmail.com / License BR540940000
9059 W Lake Pleasant Pkwy, B-200, Peoria, AZ 85382
previewarizonahomes.com