HomeVestors — known for its slogan, We Buy Ugly Houses — is a national cash home buyer with over 1,000 locations across the US.
Selling to HomeVestors may earn you less than a traditional sale, but the cash buyer’s process makes it easy to sell fast without paying for repairs, commission, or closing costs.
Each franchise is independently owned, so customer experiences vary. Some report lowball offers and tough negotiations, while others praise the professionalism and smooth process.
The bottom line: HomeVestors offers a fast, easy home sale but typically at a lower price. For a better deal, compare multiple cash buyers or work with a realtor.
To compare offers from cash buyers and get the best price, try Clever Offers. This free service lets you review multiple offers from both national and local buyers, helping you sell quickly and for top dollar.
Our HomeVestors rating
| ⭐️ HomeVestors: Overall score | 3.8/5 🟡 |
| Service quality | 4.0/5 🟢 |
| Offer quality | 3.5/5 🟡 |
| Customer reviews | 4.0/5 🟢 |
| Credibility | 3.25/5 🔴 |
Who does HomeVestors work best for?
HomeVestors works best for people who need to sell their homes quickly and as is. You may want to consider the cash-buying network if you:
- Need to move on a tight timeline
- Face foreclosure or other financial issues
- Want to sell an inherited home
- Don’t have time or money for home repairs
- Own a rental property with problematic tenants
If you need to get rid of your home quickly, looking elsewhere might still be a better option. HomeVestor takes three weeks to close their cash deals — three times longer than competitors who close in as little as one week, like HomeGo.
For those not in a hurry to sell, working with a realtor will net you more money on your sale. A service like Clever that negotiates lower rates on your behalf will put even more cash in your pocket.
But if you still need to sell ASAP, we recommend comparing other cash offers first. Get competing cash offers and expert advice today— it's completely free, with no obligation to accept. This will ensure you're getting the most value for your home while selling quickly.
In-depth HomeVestors review
Service quality
Our rating: 4.0/5 🟢
- HomeVestors offers a smooth process with quick offers
- Some branches have been reported for using questionable or aggressive sales tactics
The HomeVestors network offers decent service quality for its customers and makes offers on the same day as a home inspection. Many sellers, like Sandy M. from Chicago, praise their local HomeVestors for a smooth and accommodating selling process.
However, a 2023 ProPublica report found that not all franchises operate at the same high standard. The organization's investigation of HomeVestors revealed that some investors pressure homeowners in vulnerable or desperate situations into selling their homes.[1]
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.[2]
Offer quality
Our rating: 3.5/5 🟡
- HomeVestors makes offers on homes in any condition
- Offer quality is inconsistent, with some customers complaining of lowball offers
Most real estate investors, including HomeVestors, pay less than 70% of a home’s after-repair value (ARV) minus repair costs. Our own survey of over 700 real estate investors found that they typically aim to offer between 65% to 70% of ARV, with a median offer of 67.5%.
To put it in perspective, a real estate investor won’t offer more than $120,000 for a home valued at $200,000 that needs $20,000 in repairs. After completing the repairs, they could sell it at full market value, aiming for a $60,000 profit.
However, the actual offer you receive from HomeVestors is up to the discretion of your local franchise.
Kevin H. from Orlando reported selling his home to HomeVestors for a price competitive with the net figure from a comparable MLS listing. At the same time, Todd T. from Dallas claims his franchise tried to lowball him with unreasonable repair costs.
HomeVestors also wholesales many of its investment properties, which means it sells properties to a house flipper rather than fixing them. This strategy incentivizes franchise owners to make below-market offers to maximize their profit when selling the property after repairs.
HomeVestors reviews and complaints
Our rating: 4.0/5 🟢
- Customers often mention their franchise owners’ professionalism
- Some deals may fall through near closing
HomeVestors garners generally positive customer reviews and has an average rating of 4.5/5 from over 2,000 reviews across the BBB and Google.
One common trend of customer reviews is HomeVestors’ professionalism and understanding throughout the process. Kathryn S. of Phoenix found that her local franchise owner was friendly yet professional, making selling her home easy.
In contrast, 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.
Credibility
Our rating: 3.25/5 🔴
- Recent ProPublica reports found illegal dealings from HomeVestors franchises
- The company changed training policies to curb future issues
HomeVestors of America, Inc. was founded in Dallas in 1996 and maintains an A+ rating with the BBB.
Although '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.[3]
Since the investigation’s release, HomeVestors informed ProPublica that it changed company training policies to avoid similar issues in the future.[4] The long-term effects of these changes are yet to be seen.
How does HomeVestors work?
If you’re thinking about selling to HomeVestors, here’s what the usual process looks like:
- Start the process by requesting a consultation via an online form or direct phone call.
- After confirming details about your home, you’ll hear from your local franchise to schedule a walkthrough (typically within 24-48 hours of first contact).
- During the walkthrough, a HomeVestors representative will evaluate your home for potential repairs and make an as-is cash offer.
- You'll then receive a purchase agreement and can choose to accept or deny the offer.
- If you accept the offer, you can choose a closing date in as few as three weeks (or take longer if needed).
We recommend being present for the walkthrough and asking questions about whether the investor intends to wholesale the property (which may result in a lower offer) and if you can back out if you find a better offer.
You should also consult a trusted real estate professional or legal help to review any documents before signing. This precaution will help you avoid any complications during the process.
HomeVestors vs. alternatives
HomeVestors is one of the most recognizable cash-buying networks in the nation. Still, it ranks lower than many alternatives due to the recent hits to its reputation and the potential for bad deals.
If you want to get the most out of your home from a cash buyer, consider looking into these options instead.
Methodology
We evaluate each company that buys houses for cash based on four core criteria and create a weighted score:
- Service quality (30% of final score)
- Offer quality (20% of final score)
- Customer reviews (30% of final score)
- Credibility (20% of final score)
Service quality
Customer experience. We rely on secret shopping and fact-checking interviews with company representatives to look for indicators that the company is professional, communicative, customer-focused, and ethical in its dealings with customers.
We verify this information against customer reviews and interviews with past customers or professionals (realtors, former employees) who have had direct experience working with the brand.
Offer quality
Price. While nearly all cash buyers pay less than market value for homes, we look at how competitive the company's offers are compared to similar companies.
Purchase criteria. We also look at the company's purchase criteria to see how flexible and accommodating they are in making offers. Companies that offer a fair price for homes that other buyers won't purchase can still get a high rating for offer quality.
Customer experience
Review analysis. We perform an in-depth analysis of all the available customer reviews to determine trends. We break down the reviews by theme and sentiment, and filter out spam reviews to determine our rating.
Company responsiveness. Negative reviews are part of doing business; however, we take note of whether a company is actively involved in resolving customer complaints.
Credibility
Trust signals. We look at how long the company has been in business, the number of verified customer reviews it has, how willing the company was to answer questions about their business model when we contacted them, and how easy it is to find detailed information on their website — including the names and contact details of specific team members.
We also look at customer reviews indicating whether the company acts with honesty and integrity in their business dealings.
