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Known for its slogan, We Buy Ugly Houses, HomeVestors of America is one of the nation’s largest franchise cash home buyers.
Local franchise owners can purchase homes in any condition, pay in cash, and close in as little as three weeks — making HomeVestors a solid option for sellers facing financial challenges, tight timelines, or properties in poor condition.
That said, working with HomeVestors comes with a significant financial tradeoff. The cash offer is generally well below market value, and some franchises have faced complaints and negative publicity over their business practices.
If you’re planning to request an offer from HomeVestors, it’s smart to compare it with a few others before deciding. With more offers in hand, you can get a more accurate picture of your home's cash offer value. Sellers with multiple offers to fall back on often get better prices and contract terms.
A free offers marketplace like Clever Offers can help you compare multiple offers quickly. They can also give you a professional estimate of your home value, so you know exactly how much money you're leaving on the table. You may find that HomeVestors is a good deal or that another option gets you closer to your goal. Fill out a quick form to see what offers you qualify for, and sell in as little as 7 days for the highest cash price.
Who does HomeVestors work best for?
Companies like HomeVestors make the most sense when you have a home that you need to sell quickly, and you aren’t concerned with getting the highest price possible. For example, you might consider HomeVestors if you:
- Need to move on an extremely tight timeline
- Have a house in poor condition
- Are facing foreclosure or other financial issues
- Need to sell an inherited home
- Are selling a house from out of state
- Don’t have time or money for home repairs
- Own a rental property with problematic tenants
In these situations, HomeVestors offers a distinct advantage over a traditional home sale: An all-cash offer with no contingencies and the ability to close on your own timeline. They'll also purchase your house as-is, do all of the repairs, and cover the closing costs. In many cases, you can even leave unwanted furniture behind.
Just be prepared to take a significant financial loss for the ease of being able to walk away and leave the work to someone else.
Property investors typically aim to offer about 70% of a home's after-repair value — what they think they'll sell it for after fixing it up. And recent Redfin data shows that investors typically resell homes for about 55% more than they pay.[1]
"Most of the time, it makes more sense to work with an agent," says Charles H. Chandler III, CEO and co-founder of My Tennessee Home Solution. "If someone just wants to skip out on agent fees, I would not recommend calling an investor because offers will be lower than just what the agent fees are." This is especially true given the emergence of low commission brokerages that are changing the standards for realtor fees.
However, Chandler says working with an investor can be the right move when "someone wants to close quickly and needs some creative solutions to get a house sold." He also points to inherited properties as a common use case: "It is a much quicker sale and investors typically let you leave everything behind in the house."
How HomeVestors works
Here's what to expect when selling your home through HomeVestors:
- Complete an online form to book a no-obligation home review.
- Confirm your details with the company. Then, your local branch will reach out to schedule a walkthrough.
- Once the walkthrough is complete, you’ll receive a cash offer — sometimes on the same day.
- You can accept the cash offer and move to the closing process or deny the offer and walk away.
- Close on your home in as little as three weeks.
To get a firsthand look at how the process works, we sent a homeowner in suburban New York City through the HomeVestors experience as a secret shopper.[2]
After calling in response to a mailer, our shopper had an appointment scheduled within a week. The evaluator arrived on time, professionally dressed in a company-branded shirt, and carried a checklist during the home tour. "Before the home tour, we sat down to talk briefly about why I wanted to sell, when I was hoping to move, and what I was looking for in terms of an offer," our shopper reported.
Our shopper noted that the rep was surprisingly transparent about the tradeoffs, "telling me I would probably get more money if I were to sell it the traditional way using a real estate agent." However, he also emphasized the convenience of a cash sale with no contingencies, no inspection, and no risk of financing falling through.
Within 15 minutes of completing the walkthrough, the evaluator presented a written offer for $301,200, which was more than $100,000 off from the listing range of $400,000–469,000 that two independent realtors had suggested.
Once the offer was on the table, there was little room for negotiation. "I gave them an opportunity to come back with a better number, but they were unwilling to do so," our shopper reported.
While our secret shopper ultimately declined the offer, she gave HomeVestors high marks for their professionalism and communication, noting that there was no pressure from her local rep to move forward: "He was very gracious. He said he understood, and in no way tried to talk me into accepting it."
How much does HomeVestors pay?
In our secret shopping exercise, our homeowner's 1,200-square-foot Cape-style home in suburban New York City received an offer of $301,200 from HomeVestors. Two local realtors independently ran comparative market analyses and estimated a listing price of $434,500 — suggesting the HomeVestors offer came in at roughly 69% of estimated market value.
Even after accounting for an estimated $33,000 in closing costs and commissions on a traditional sale, our shopper would have netted about $401,500 with an agent — approximately $100,000 more than the HomeVestors offer.
This gap is fairly typical of how cash investors approach pricing. Most use some version of what's known as the 70% rule, which says to estimate the home's after-repair value based on comparable home sales in the area, multiply that number by 70%, and subtract the projected repair costs to arrive at the offer price.
That said, investors may adjust ARV up or down based on the condition of the property, the areas it's in, and what they plan to do with it (i.e., flip it or rent it out).
"We typically look to acquire properties at least with 25% equity," says Chandler, who has purchased more than 300 homes in and around Nashville. "We determine the resale of the property, then multiply that resale value by 75% and then deduct the renovation cost. That final number gives us our offer amount."
Our own survey of over 700 real estate investors found that the majority (56%) cap their offers at 70% or less of ARV, with a median max offer of 67.5% among the sample surveyed.
HomeVestors fees and other costs
There’s no cost to seek an offer from We Buy Ugly Houses, and the company doesn’t charge any fees or commissions. The cash buyer also covers closing costs.
However, something to note is that HomeVestors encourages wholesaling through its proprietary DealVestors Platform, which means the investor may not purchase your home outright.[3] Rather, they will get you under contract and then resell the contract to another house flipper for more than what they offered. This strategy incentivizes franchise owners to make below-market offers to maximize the profit potential for them and the end buyer — costing you more in equity.
Wholesaling can also increase the risk of a deal falling through if the HomeVestors rep can't find another buyer to purchase the contract at a higher price.
For example, Ricky L. from Dallas said he had a deal lined up with HomeVestors, only for them to back out at the last minute, leaving his family in financial trouble. Therefore, it's wise to shop around for a backup offer when working with a company like HomeVestors.
Top HomeVestors alternatives
HomeVestors is one of the most recognizable cash home buying brands in the nation. However, it's important to shop around to ensure you're getting a competitive offer.
Another investor may be able to offer a better sale price or more accommodating terms to suit your situation.
HomeVestors vs. Clever Offers
Unlike HomeVestors, which gives you a single take-it-or-leave-it offer, Clever Offers gives you multiple options to choose from. You can explore direct cash offers from local/national investors, plus hybrid options that give you cash upfront with the ability to list for additional upside.
You can also test the market with a short-term MLS listing that you can cancel anytime. That way, you can cast a much wider net to see what the market will pay compared to the offers you already have in hand.
HomeVestors vs. Opendoor
Opendoor, the nation’s largest iBuyer, will purchase your home as is and close on your timeline. It typically pays more than a cash buyer, although the offer will still be below market value. Final offers may also include deductions for repairs and market conditions.
While HomeVestors will purchase homes in any condition, Opendoor has stricter criteria and won’t buy homes in need of significant repairs. You’ll also pay a 5% service fee to Opendoor, whereas HomeVestors charges no fees.
HomeVestors vs. We Buy Houses
We Buy Houses is another cash home-buying company with franchises in most states — although it doesn't have as many offices as HomeVestors.
Like HomeVestors, the company makes a quick, all-cash offer on homes in almost any condition. It has highly positive reviews and charges no additional fees or closing costs. But offers will still be lower than what you could get selling on the open market.
HomeVestors vs. HomeLight Simple Sale
HomeLight Simple Sale (or HomeLight Cash Offers) is an offer marketplace that compiles multiple preliminary cash offers for you to compare. The service is free, and there’s no obligation to accept the offer.
You can expect the offers to be similar to the one you’ll get from HomeVestors. But with HomeLight Simple Sale, you have the option to reject the cash offer and connect with a realtor through HomeLight’s agent-matching service. This gives you the opportunity to sell your home for a higher price on the open market.
» MORE: Looking for more cash buyers near you? Check out the best companies that buy houses for cash to see our comprehensive guides for all 50 states.
HomeVestors reviews and complaints
| Source | Average Rating | Review Count |
|---|---|---|
| BBB | 1.3 | 27 |
| 4.7 | 2,974 | |
| Weighted Average: | 4.7 | 3,001 |
On the whole, HomeVestors reviews are mostly positive. The company has an overall average rating of 4.7/5 across 3,001 online customer reviews.
Positive reviews mention the professionalism of the company reps, who are described as honest, transparent, and accommodating.
However, your experience with HomeVestors will vary based on location. Reviews for certain branches point to questionable sales tactics, such as pressuring vulnerable customers to sell. Scattered reviews also mention low offers compared to competitors.
If you plan on working with HomeVestors, it's best to research your local branch to ensure they are reputable. You should also get offers from at least a few different companies to ensure the price and terms are fair. Our team has put together guides on the best cash home buyers in cities across the U.S.
✅ Quick and convenient process
Customers from multiple locations note that the process of selling to HomeVestors is surprisingly easy and hassle-free.
Working with Home Vestors was better than I thought it would be. It was seamless and effortless. They allowed us to close when we were ready and allowed for us to have an overlap in time from the sale of the house to the closing of our new house so we didn’t have to worry about finding somewhere to stay and move our belongings multiple times.
Easy process with no renovations, showings, or months of waiting. Homevestors is the best for As Is properties!
✅ Helpful in complex situations
Many sellers praise their local HomeVestors licensee for their flexibility and accommodation in difficult situations, such as when selling a home as is from out of state. Customers specifically mention flexible closing dates and the ability to leave unwanted furniture and other items behind.
After my mom passed away, I was overwhelmed with the responsibility of selling her home as-is. John G. and his team stepped in with compassion, professionalism, and care—and ultimately purchased the home as-is. They made the entire process smooth, fair, and stress-free during a very difficult time.
My family had a house in probate in Texas. We live in Florida. If it hadn't been for Kyle going above and beyond what we ever expected from someone we didn't even know, I don't think this sale would have ever happened. I can't thank you enough for a very fair purchase price and all the extra effort you put in to see it to the finish.
Their patience and assistance in dealing with the HOA, even offering an extension to the closing date while the issue was resolved, provided us with much needed relief from unnecessary anxiety as we were 1500 miles and several states away. Also, their cash offer was closely competitive with the net figure from an MLS listing, saving us the uncertainty and complications of showings and negotiations AND they took care of the final details of cleaning the home and even purchased the furniture from us, saving us the expense of moving and storing it.
✅ Fair offers and ethical treatment
Customers also note that they received fair offers and appreciated the honesty and integrity demonstrated by their service reps throughout the process.
We found them to be honest and responsive in their communications. They offered a fair price for our home. They were willing to work with our timeline regarding the closing. There were no hiccups in the process. They fulfilled all their contractual obligations on time, as required. They work with a capable team. We would not hesitate to work with them again.
These guys are the best. Not only was their offer more than good, they even gave me honest options I could do besides selling to them. Plus, I was able to rent the house I sold them for two months as I was closing on a new house. If you’re looking to sell for cash, use them, you will not regret it.
❌ Low offers
While many HomeVestors customers mention that offers are fair given their home's condition and the urgency to sell, others are less than pleased with their offers.
Offered me $60,000, and I laughed out loud! I told him I had already been offered $100,000. He said I’d better take it (and) run with a smirk. Well, I sold it for $110,000!
This is one of the companies that will reach out to homeowners unsolicited and make them ridiculously low offers for properties that are skyrocketing in value. I gave them about 3 minutes of my time today and it was the worst possible use of those 3 minutes because they offered me LESS than what I paid for the property.
❌ Unwanted marketing
Another common complaint about HomeVestors is that the company sends homeowners repeated junk mail with unsolicited offers to buy their homes.
This company keeps mailing my grandmother when we have called multiple times to get them to stop. We have asked to be put on a do-not-contact list but get mail from them at least once a month. I will be filing a complaint with the FTC. If they are doing this to random people, who knows how they actually treat their customers.
As someone else put it, stop sending me junk mail. I’m not selling you my house.
What types of homes does We Buy Ugly Houses buy?
We Buy Ugly Houses will buy almost any property except mobile homes. This includes houses that are distressed, structurally unsound, located in flood zones, or occupied by tenants. The company will also purchase some commercial properties.
📍HomeVestors locations
HomeVestors is available nationwide. Select your local market to find additional cash offer products available near you.
Is HomeVestors legit?
HomeVestors of America, Inc. was founded in Dallas in 1996 and maintains an A+ rating with the BBB.
Although HomeVestors (more popularly known as 'We Buy Ugly Houses') has been a prominent cash-for-homes company for nearly two decades, a 2023 ProPublica investigation harmed its reputation.
The report revealed that a Los Angeles franchise allegedly exploited vulnerable homeowners, particularly the elderly, disabled, and those facing financial difficulties, to acquire properties under questionable circumstances.[4]
For example, Maria Jimenez reported feeling pressured by her local franchise to sell, stating they warned her that the city might take her home if she didn’t agree to the sale — just a day before a social worker was scheduled to assist with code violations.[5]
Since the investigation’s release, HomeVestors informed ProPublica that it changed company training policies to avoid similar issues in the future.[6]The long-term effects of these changes are yet to be seen.
While the long-term effects of these changes are yet to be seen, our secret shopping experience painted a rosier picture of the HomeVestors' professionalism and transparency, noting that "the person I met with was honest and upfront about how the company works."
FAQs
How do 'we buy houses' companies work?
Most companies that buy houses for cash are professional real estate investors who purchase properties, fix them up, then resell or rent them out for a profit.
- Many property investors look to buy “distressed” homes (properties that need major repairs, have complex title or tax issues, or whose owners are under pressure to sell fast).
- Because investors usually pay with cash, they can close faster than retail buyers who need approval from a lender. Some can close in as few as 2-3 days after making an offer.
- Buying complicated properties fast carries a lot of risk, so investors typically pay less than you'd net on the open market to ensure they don't end up losing money on the deal.
- This tradeoff can be worth it if you need speed and certainty or can't sell your home on the open market.
But cash investors aren't always your best or only option. We suggest trying an offers marketplace like Clever Offers, which brings you competing cash offers and other sell-fast solutions to compare so you get the best price and sale outcome.
Should I sell to a company that buys houses for cash?
Consider a cash home buyer company if you're selling a house that needs major repairs, has complicating factors (e.g., title problems, liens, tax issues), or are under pressure to sell your house fast because of pre-foreclosure, financial issues, or unexpected life changes.
If you need to sell fast and have a newer, well-maintained house, you may want to look into an iBuyer or Buy-Before-You-Sell (aka bridge loan) service, if they're available in your area. iBuyer and Bridge Loan services may help you get a higher price without sacrificing speed and certainty.
If you have a more flexible selling timeline, it’s worth finding a real estate agent to get a free comparative market analysis so you know what you could get for your home on the open market. Listing with an agent means less control over timing, but will generally net you the most money in the end — even if you're selling a house as-is.
Are 'we buy houses' companies a ripoff?
Most "We Buy Houses for Cash" companies are legit. But there are definitely bad actors and frauds to watch out for. Here are some quick tips that can help you avoid potential scams or predatory buyers.
- Look for an established online presence. E.g., BBB accreditation with a high letter grade; excellent customer ratings and lots of reviews (including recent ones) on third-party platforms like Google; a legitimate-looking website with info about owners, customer testimonials, and other credibility signals.
- Always request offers from more than one cash buyer. This will help ensure, at minimum, that you get a fair price and, ideally, help you net the most possible cash in the end. (Note: Clever Offers makes this process fast, safe, and easy).
- Ask for a proof of funds letter along with the cash offer. Legit and experienced cash investors should be happy to provide this to you.
- Make sure all the key details are in the contract. The earnest money deposit, sale price, closing date, and other key terms should be clearly stated in the purchase agreement. If it’s not in writing, the buyer can make last minute changes or back out of the deal and you have zero recourse.
- ⚠️ DON’T call the phone numbers on those generic “Cash for Houses” signs posted by the side of the road, especially when there are no details about the company.
- ⚠️ WALK AWAY if the cash investor or company representative is getting aggressive, pushy, or making you uncomfortable in any way.
- ⚠️ NEVER wire anyone money or give out your personal financial information without professional representation or a licensed third-party (like an attorney or title company) involved.
🚨 Important: If you or someone you know has been in contact with or possibly taken advantage of by a company you think is a scam or fraud, please (a) report it to your local police via 911 and (b) all relevant government protection agencies online:
