The Best Way to Sell My House Fast in Houston (Plus Alternatives)

Jon Stubbs's Photo
By Jon Stubbs Updated September 29, 2023

SHARE

If you want to sell your Houston house fast, cash buyers are usually the quickest option. These are companies and individuals that pay cash for homes and can close in just a couple weeks. However, they pay less than what you'd get with a real estate agent on the open market.

We picked the top cash home buyers in Houston to help you sell your house quickly. By comparing multiple house-buying companies, you're more likely to get a fair cash offer within your timeline.

5 best cash buyer companies in Houston

Company
Clever Rating
Type
Offer Rating
Service Fee
Time to Close
Best overall
4.8
Cash offer network
Excellent
None
Varies by offer type
Learn More
On listwithclever.com
Quick closing and reasonable fees
3.5
iBuyer
Average
5%
14–60 days (flexible)
Most flexible closing date
4.0
iBuyer
Average
5%
8–90 days (flexible)
1.8
Franchise cash buyer
Poor
None
7 days
1.8
Franchise cash buyer
Poor
None
7 days
Best overall

Clever Offers

Learn More
On listwithclever.com
4.8

Offer Rating

Excellent

Service Fee

None

Time to Close

Varies by offer type

Editor's take

Overview

Locations

Clever Offers takes all the hassle out of finding cash offers and increases your chances of selling your home for top dollar. 

It's a great fit for sellers who want to sell quickly but don't have time to track down cash offers. Clever will seek multiple offers on your behalf — including lesser-known options like novation agreements and seller financing — and encourage each buyer to offer their best price to secure the deal.

If you choose, you can also get matched with a real estate agent for a professional home valuation. That way, you can compare offers against a realistic sale price.

Once you decide on an offer, Clever stays with you through the process to answer any questions and ensure the buyer follows through.

Pros

  • You get multiple cash offers on your home — for no added fees or commissions.
  • You don't have to track down reputable cash home buyers. Clever has already vetted the investors.
  • You have a dedicated point of contact to connect you with investors and walk you through the offer process.

Cons

  • Clever won't buy your house from you.
  • Some deal types (like novation agreements and seller financing) may have longer closing times.
  • Cash offers will likely be less than what you'd get selling with an agent.

Clever Offers matches you with fully vetted cash buyers in your area. Through this free service, you get to choose from multiple cash offers so you can get the best price within your timeline.

How it works: You submit a short online form, then a Clever Offers concierge reaches out to gather information on your property and discuss your options. You also get matched with a licensed agent who can provide a home valuation, which is useful in negotiating cash offers.

Our concierge then finds motivated cash buyers in your area. Once we fully vet the cash buyer to ensure they're serious about buying, we introduce them to you. You can schedule a call with the buyer whenever it's convenient.

You can continue to request more cash offers as often as you'd like. Once you're ready to move forward with a buyer, our concierge lets the other buyers know.

Clever Offers is available nationwide.

Quick closing and reasonable fees

Opendoor

Learn More
On listwithclever.com
3.5

Offer Rating

Average

Service Fee

5%

Time to Close

14–60 days (flexible)

Overview

Locations

Opendoor is an iBuyer that uses technology to make fast cash offers on homes.

To sell your house to Opendoor, you can:

  • Enter your address online and answer a few questions about your property
  • Receive a free estimate
  • Set up a free home condition assessment
  • Get a no-obligation cash offer
  • Choose a closing date

Opendoor is available in 56 major markets in AL, AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, KS, MA, MI, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, and WA.

Did you use Opendoor? Leave a review for the chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card.
Most flexible closing date

Offerpad

Learn More
On listwithclever.com
4.0

Offer Rating

Average

Service Fee

5%

Time to Close

8–90 days (flexible)

Overview

Locations

Offerpad is an iBuyer operating in more than a dozen states. It can make a fast, no-obligation cash offer on your home and has a flexible closing date of 8–60 days. The offers are better than what you’d get from most other cash buyers, although still below fair market value.

Offerpad also offers free local moves and has good customer service. However, its 5% service fee will significantly add to your closing costs, and it has strict criteria for eligible homes.

Offerpad is currently available in 24 major markets in AZ, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, MO, NV, NC, OH, SC, TN, and TX.

Did you use Offerpad? Leave a review for the chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card.

Texan Home Buyer

Learn More
On texanhomebuyer.com
1.8

Offer Rating

Poor

Service Fee

None

Time to Close

7 days

Overview

Locations

As a local buyer, Texan Home Buyer has its pulse on the market in the cities it operates in. The company can close on your home in just a week.

To sell your home to Texan Home Buyer, you can:

  • Submit information about your property online or by phone
  • Set up an appointment for an investor to see your home
  • Receive a no-obligation offer
  • Set a closing date as soon as 7 days after accepting the offer

Texan Home Buyer purchases homes throughout Texas.

Houston House Buyers

Learn More
On houstonhousebuyers.com
1.8

Offer Rating

Poor

Service Fee

None

Time to Close

7 days

Overview

Locations

Houston House Buyers is a local cash buyer that makes fast offers and can close in as soon as one week. The company has generally positive customer reviews.

To sell your home to Houston House Buyers, you can:

  • Submit an online form, giving details about your property
  • Set up an appointment for an investor to view your home
  • Receive a no-obligation offer
  • Choose a closing date and sell your home

For more information, including specific areas of operation and terms of service, we recommend contacting the company directly.

Houston House Buyers buys homes in Houston, Texas, and the surrounding metro area.

How fast can I sell my home in Houston?

The average house in Houston takes 13 days to go to pending, according to June 2023 data from Zillow. That’s only slightly longer than the US average of 10 days.

These figures suggest that the local real estate market in Houston presents a few challenges when selling your house fast. However, selling a house quickly is definitely doable, especially for those who are willing to be flexible on price.

Pros and cons of selling quickly in Houston

Pros

  • You can close on your sale in as fast as two weeks or less.
  • Many cash companies buy houses in as-is condition.
  • Cash offers are more hassle-free and less likely to fall through.
  • There's no need to conduct showings or market your property.

Cons

  • Cash home buyers pay less for your house than fair market value.
  • Some buyers may use forceful tactics to get a lower price.
  • Buyers that make the best offers have strict purchasing requirements.
  • iBuyers may require repairs before settling on a closing date.

Other options to sell my house fast in Houston

Sell your house with an agent

Real estate agents can usually get a higher selling price for your home than cash buyers. While the selling process with a realtor will likely take longer, most agents can accommodate tight timelines. They do this by offering a more competitive list price and using creative marketing strategies to attract home buyers.

Even if you decide to sell to a cash buyer, we suggest talking to a real estate agent first. An agent will give you a free home valuation report, so you’ll know what your home is actually worth. That information is valuable when negotiating with cash home buyers for the best possible offer.

Want to see how quickly an agent could sell your home? Take this short quiz to get matched with agents near you and get a free, professional home valuation.

Sell with an iBuyer

An iBuyer is a type of house buying company that makes instant, all-cash offers on homes. Their offers are typically better than what you’d get from traditional cash buyers. Just like regular cash buyers, they can close extremely fast, sometimes in as little as eight days.

But iBuyers are much more picky about which homes they buy. In general, your house needs to be built after 1930, in good condition, owner-occupied, and valued over $100,000. iBuyers are also usually available only in major metro areas, and they charge service fees that can increase your closing costs.

Tips for selling a home fast in Houston on the open market

Here are some tips to sell your home quickly from Rylie Schroeder of Coldwell Banker and Lone Wolf Realty Group in Texas.

Make sure your agent has a complete marketing plan. "It's vital that your agent has a solid marketing plan for your home," says Schroeder. "Professional photographs are a must — they will capture the attention of any potential buyers as soon as it hits the market."

Price your home competitively. Schroeder says, "To say there is a magic number would be doing the client a disservice. Generally speaking, clients are searching in increments of $25,000, so listing $25k under the most reasonable comp could be a good start to ensure it captures the largest audience."

Tell your agent if you're open to cash offers from investors. Schroeder says to "find yourself a savvy realtor, like myself, who has partnerships with trusted companies who can turn any buyer into a cash buyer, creating a quick closing for sellers."

Keep the home in great condition to avoid delays during the closing process. "Have any repairs negotiated done well ahead of time and provide receipts early on so that the buyer isn't left second guessing," advises Schroeder.

"Additionally, leaving the home in great condition during the final walk through will ensure the buyers feel confident heading to the closing table. Ensuring the appraiser can access the home as soon as it's requested can help avoid delays as well."

Why trust us

Jon Stubbs has spent hundreds of hours researching ways to sell homes quickly. This research includes interviewing real estate agents and representatives from iBuyers and cash buyer companies. The author has written dozens of articles on selling homes with a listing agent as well as non-traditional selling methods.

FAQ

How can I sell my house fast in Houston?

The fastest way to sell your home in Houston is using a "we buy houses" company. These companies can close on your home in a week or two, but they pay only up to 70% of the home's value. You can also sell using an agent who understands your timeline or sell to an iBuyer. Learn more about selling your house fast in Houston.

How fast are homes selling in Houston?

Currently, the average time to sell in Texas is 77 days, compared to the national average of 83 days. Learn more about selling a home in Houston.

Related links

Better real estate agents at a better rate

Enter your zip code to see if Clever has a partner agent in your area
If you don't love your Clever partner agent, you can request to meet with another, or shake hands and go a different direction. We offer this because we're confident you're going to love working with a Clever Partner Agent.