If you're looking for the fastest way to sell a home, "we buy houses" companies in California are a good option. Also known as "we buy ugly houses" companies or cash home buyers, these companies can provide a cash offer in only a day and close in just a matter of days or weeks, with no closing costs. But they typically pay only 70% of the fair market value for the home.
Our top pick for "we buy houses" companies in California is Clever Offers. With Clever Offers, a concierge will collect details about your home to bring you cash offers from the top "we buy houses" companies in California. You'll also get a professional home valuation from a local real estate agent so you know what your home is worth on the open market.
Top 'we buy houses' companies in California
- Clever Offers: Get multiple offers at once
- Express Homebuyers: Fast offers and closing
- California Family Homebuyers: Good for Sacramento homes
- SoCal Home Buyers: Specializes in Southern California
- Premier Property Buyers: Excellent reviews
- We Buy Ugly Houses: Nationally known brand
If you have a California house in good condition, you’ll likely earn more by selling with a real estate agent. It'll take a bit longer to sell, but the extra money could be worth the wait. Whatever you choose, explore all of your options first.
Best companies that buy houses for cash in California
To find the best cash home buyers in California, we compared offer times, closing date windows, local market knowledge, and company reputation according to customer reviews.
Here's our advice for working with "we buy houses" companies:
- Contact multiple companies to compare offers
- Read contracts carefully
- Don’t pay for anything up front
- If you don't think an offer is fair, walk away
Clever Offers
Get OffersPhone Number
Time to Offer
Time to Sale
Clever Offers is an easy way to compare multiple cash offers at once so you can get the most money for your home. Clever will also provide a free home value estimate so you know what your home is worth on the open market. Then you can decide if selling to a cash buyer company is worth it or if you'd rather list with an agent for maximum value.
Clever Offers provides you with fair cash offers from top institutional buyers, local and regional real estate investment firms, and more.
Steps to sell with Clever Offers:
- Fill out an online form with a few details about your home.
- Answer questions about your selling timeframe and the condition of your home.
- Sit back and relax while your Clever Home Concierge collects multiple cash offers on your behalf.
- Choose to accept an offer, ask the Concierge to look for better offers, or work with a top local agent to sell on the open market for just 1.5% commission.
Clever Offers is available in all 50 states and Washington, DC.
As of August 17, 2022, Clever has an average customer rating of 4.9 on Trustpilot, based on 1,710 reviews.
Express Homebuyers
WebsitePhone Number
Time to Offer
Time to Sale
Express Homebuyers is really fast: it provides offers in just minutes and can close in just a week in many circumstances. Plus, the company has mostly positive reviews on Google.
Express Homebuyers is a national service that has partnered with local investors across the country to buy houses for cash.
Steps to sell with Express Homebuyers:
- Submit your home's information to receive an initial "as is" offer
- Meet with the local investor to assess your property and answer any questions
- Discuss the local investor's final cash offer and, if you're willing to sell, sign a sales agreement then and there
- Choose a closing day on your schedule
- Show up on the day of the sale to sign the paperwork and receive cash within hours
Express Homebuyers has partnered with local investors in the following states:
Express Home Buyers received an average of 3.7 stars from 261 customer reviews. It's accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and it has a B+ rating.
Google: 4.2 stars/122 reviews
Facebook: 4.6 stars/113 reviews
Yelp: 2.5 stars/26 reviews
California Family Homebuyers
WebsitePhone Number
Time To Offer
Time to Sale
California Family Home Buyers is a great company to request an offer from, especially if you're in the Sacramento area.
California Family Homebuyers is a local property investor that buys homes for cash in Sacramento and surrounding areas. To sell your home to California Family Homebuyers, you can:
- Submit an online form, giving details about your property
- Schedule a meeting for a representative to see your home
- Receive a no-obligation offer
- Choose a closing date and sell your home
For more information, including specific areas of operation, terms of service, and other details, we recommend reaching out to the company directly.
California Family Homebuyers buys homes in the Sacramento and neighboring areas of California.
California Family Homebuyers received an average of 5 stars from 10 customer reviews. It's accredited by the Better Business Bureau and it has an A+ rating.
Google: 5 stars/1 review
Facebook: 5 stars/9 reviews
SoCal Home Buyers
WebsitePhone Number
Time to Offer
Time to Sale
SoCal Home Buyers is a company with excellent reviews specializing in buying homes in Southern California.
SoCal Home Buyers is a local, California property investor that buys homes for cash in select areas of Southern California. To sell your home to SoCal Home Buyers, you can:
- Request an offer online by filling in details about your home
- Schedule a call to provide additional details, with an optional in-person home inspection
- Receive a negotiable offer that could potentially be altered
- Move to closing on your timeline
SoCal Home Buyers buys homes in five California locations:
SoCal Home Buyers received an average of 4.4 stars from 60 customer reviews. It's accredited by the Better Business Bureau and it has an A+ rating.
Google: 4.9 stars/27 reviews
Facebook: 5 stars/21 reviews
Yelp: 3.5 stars/6 reviews
Premier Property Buyers
WebsitePhone Number
Time to Offer
Time to Sale
Premier Property Buyers provides fast offers and has excellent reviews from many satisfied past clients.
Premier Property Buyers is a local, Southern California property investor that buys homes for cash in select cities across the state. To sell your home to Premier Property Buyers you can:
- Fill out their online form providing house details
- Meet with a representative at the property to evaluate the home’s condition and receive a final cash offer
- Close on your own schedule
Premier Property Buyers serves exclusively Southern California.
Premier Property Buyers received an average of 4.96 stars from 97 customer reviews. It's accredited by the Better Business Bureau and it has an A+ rating.
Google: 5 stars/21 reviews
Facebook: 4.9 stars/21 reviews
Yelp: 5 stars/1 review
We Buy Ugly Houses
Full reviewPhone Number
Time to offer
Time to sale
We Buy Ugly Houses is a nationally recognized brand with a solid reputation. The company has over 800 franchises across the U.S., so be sure to check reviews for the individual location you plan to contact.
We Buy Ugly Houses is a property investor that buys homes for cash in over 800 locations across the U.S. To sell your home to We Buy Ugly Houses you can:
- Submit information about your property online or by phone and set up an appointment for an investor to see your home
- Show your home to the investor and receive a no-obligation offer
- Set a closing date on your own schedule as soon as 3 weeks after accepting the offer
We Buy Ugly Houses has over 800 independently owned and operated franchises across 47 states and Washington, DC.
We Buy Ugly Houses's parent company, Homevestors, has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau. No other third-party reviews are available at this time.
This rating is based on overall national data. Research local franchises for specific reviews that reflect their quality of service.
How to find 'we buy houses' companies near you
Some cash home buyers operate across all of California, but many are regional. A local company might have a better feel for your city's market than a national brand. Find your city below for local recommendations.
Additional 'we buy houses' companies in California
What is a 'we buy houses' company?
"We buy houses" companies are backed by investors. These investors purchase homes to fix and resell for a profit. They buy homes in as-is condition — without any repairs or prep — and pay in cash.
The home buying process for "we buy houses" companies is different from a traditional sale. Since cash buyer companies typically pay only up to 70% of the home's value, some people wonder if "we buy houses" companies are a scam.
But these companies have little incentive to scam sellers. They're investors who rely on their reputation to close deals. However, they are motivated by profit. They make lower offers so they can pay for renovations and still turn a profit when they resell.
»MORE: Are "we buy houses" companies a rip-off?
How do 'we buy houses' companies work?
Details vary, but all "we buy houses" companies in California share the same basic business model:
- A home seller reaches out directly to a cash buyer company.
- The company assesses the property, considering factors like necessary repairs and potential resale value.
- The company makes an as-is cash offer based on the time and money it'll need to invest in the property.
- If the homeowner accepts, the deal closes quickly. There's no need to negotiate, wait for financing approval, or inspect and appraise the property.
- The cash buyer repairs the home and resells it for a profit.
Compare offers from top cash buyers to the sale price you'd get with an agent.
Alternative to 'we buy houses' companies in California
If the offers you get from "we buy houses" companies are too low, you have another option to sell your home. The best option for you depends on your home's condition and how much time you have to sell.
Sell to an iBuyer
Selling to an iBuyer may be a good option if your home is in great condition and you need to sell within a few weeks. In California, you can consider iBuyers like Opendoor. These companies provide instant cash offers that are typically much closer to market value than an offer from a "we buy houses" company.
There are pros and cons to working with an iBuyer. For example, selling to an iBuyer is convenient, but they charge a service fee of 5% or more. You'd also need to pay 1–3% in closing costs plus the cost of any repairs the iBuyer requests. Before deciding, estimate your total earnings from selling to an iBuyer to see if it's worth it.
»LEARN: Should I sell to an iBuyer?
Note: Time to offer, time to sale, reviews, and other data points are current as of when this article was last updated.
Frequently asked questions
Are 'we buy houses' companies scams?
No, most "we buy houses" companies are not scams. The majority of these companies are legitimate buyers that purchase homes in distressed condition.
How can I sell my house fast in California?
If you sell to a "we buy houses" company, you're pretty much guaranteed to sell in a few weeks. However, you'll only make about 50–70% of your home's value selling to one of these companies. You're better off selling on the open market with an agent to see how much more you could earn.
Additional resources for home sellers in California
