The best We Buy Houses companies in Houston | How they work | Costs | Pros and cons | Alternatives | FAQs
When you need to sell your house fast or can't afford massive repairs, selling to a We Buy Houses for Cash company may be your only option. In Houston, it can take 94 days to sell your home with a traditional agent. Compare that to a cash buyer that can complete the transaction in one to two weeks, with no out-of-pocket expenses.
Key Takeaways
- We Buy Houses companies can help you sell fast, but they're not a great deal in most cases
- You'll only get about 70% of the actual fair market value of your home by selling to one of these companies
- You should compare offers from We Buy Houses companies and iBuyers in your area to make sure you get a fair price. Get offers from top local cash home buyers now!
Top Houston We Buy Houses companies reviews
We Buy Houses companies and other cash buyers allow you to sell your home fast — sometimes in a week or less. We've pulled together some of your best options in Texas, but we recommend using Clever Offers if you want to get the most value for your home.
With Clever Offers, a local agent can shop for cash offers from the top We Buy Houses companies in Houston on your behalf. You'll also get a professional home valuation so you know what your home is REALLY worth. Your agent can negotiate to get you a fair deal, or list your home on the open market if you want a higher sale price.
✍️ Editor’s note These businesses make few public disclosures, so it can be difficult to find information. We recommend contacting multiple companies for terms and offers on your property to get the best deal. |
Texan Home Buyers
Texan Home BuyerPhone Number
(713) 321-2888
Time to Offer
24 hours
Time to Sale
7 days
Texan Home Buyer is a local, Texas property investor that buys homes for cash in select cities across the state. To sell your home to Texas Home Buyer 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 7 days after accepting the offer
Texas Home Buyer purchases homes throughout the state of Texas.
N/A — as of May 2021, no customer review information was available for Texas Home Buyer.
Houston House Buyers
Houston House BuyersPhone Number
(832) 900-7288
Time To Offer
24 hours
Minimum Time To Sell
7 days
Houston House Buyers is a local property investor that buys homes for cash in Houston and the surrounding areas. 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, terms of service, and other details, we recommend reaching out to the company directly.
Houston House Buyers buys homes in Houston, Texas and the surrounding metro area.
Jamie Buys Houses
Jamie Buys HousesPhone Number
(972) 318-9500
Time to Offer
24 hours
Time to Sale
7 days
Jamie Buys Houses is a local, Texas property investor that buys homes for cash across the state. To sell your home to Jamie Buys Houses you can:
- Submit your property info by phone or online and schedule an appointment with an investor
- Walk your property with the investor who will present a cash offer afterward
- Choose a closing date on your own schedule, as soon as 7 days after accepting the offer
Jamie Buys Houses in Arlington, Dallas, Fort Worth, Kaufman, and throughout the state of Texas.
As of May 2021, Jamie Buys Houses has an average rating of 3.3/5 based on 7 customer reviews on Google.
Express Homebuyers
Express HomebuyersPhone Number
877-804-5252
Time to Offer
7 minutes
Time to Sale
7 days
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:
We Buy Houses
Full reviewTime to offer
24–48 hours
Minimum closing time
7–14 days
Closing costs
No cost to seller
Working with We Buy Houses is more likely to be positive than working with a local private real estate investor. We Buy Houses vets all of its investors and gives them an exclusive license to operate in its territory, so investors who use the brand name have an incentive to work hard in order to maintain their advantage.
While We Buy Houses doesn't exercise control over how much its investors offer, it does reserve the right to rescind licenses if investors don't meet its ethical standards.
Pros
- Offer in 24–48 hours
- Vetted, reputable real estate investors
- No need to worry about repairs
- Close in just seven days
Cons
- Little to no room for negotiation
- Individual investors have different strategies, so they may value your home differently
- Licenses are exclusive, so there's only one We Buy Houses option in your area
We Buy Houses operates in 200 markets in over 30 states.
Reviews online are available only for local franchises.
The vast majority are positive, with customers saying that the We Buy Houses investor they worked with was fast and professional.
- Website: webuyhouses.com
- Phone: (877) 932-8946
We Buy Ugly Houses
Full reviewTime to offer
Varies
Minimum closing time
3 weeks
Closing costs
No cost for seller
We Buy Ugly Houses has a better reputation than most individual cash buyers, but your experience can vary based on the quality of the local franchise. While We Buy Ugly House can close in as little as three weeks, it pays far less than fair market value.
Pros
- Trusted, nationally recognized brand
- No need to worry about repairs
- Close in just three weeks
Cons
- Quality of service may vary between franchises
- Pays far less than fair market value
We Buy Ugly Houses has over 800 independently owned and operated franchises across 47 states and Washington, DC.
As of October 2022, 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.
- Website: webuyuglyhouses.com
- Phone: (866) 288-9516
How We Buy Houses Companies work
Traditional Listing Process | We Buy Houses for Cash Process | |
|---|---|---|
Prepping the House | 1 to 8 weeks | Immediate |
Time to Offer | 49 days* | 2-3 days |
Closing Process | 30-45 days | 7-10 days |
Minimum Time to Sell | 94** days | 7-10 days |
*Days on market based on Realtor.com metro-level data **Assuming you can find a buyer who will buy your home as-is allowing you to avoid spending time on repairs. | ||
To buy homes quickly and make a profit, most We Buy Houses for Cash companies in Houston use the same process:
- A homeowner submits information about their property, and the cash buyer decides if the home fits their criteria for a profitable investment. If the house fits the investor's criteria, they may give the seller a rough estimate of what they'll pay.
- A representative from the company will evaluate the property and, based on the repair costs and resale value, they'll make a cash offer.
- If the seller accepts, closing happens quickly; there's no need for inspections, appraisals, or financing approval.
- The Houston We Buy Houses for Cash company makes repairs and sells it, earning a substantial profit.
Compare this speedy process with the traditional home selling process:
- If your home needs extensive repairs, it can take months (and tens of thousands of dollars) to complete.
- In Houston, a home typically spends 49 days on the market before the seller receives an offer.
- The closing process can take an additional 30-45 days if the buyer applies for a traditional mortgage. You'll have to deal with appraisals, inspections, and further negotiations with the buyer.
- If financing is denied, or another issue occurs with the buyer, the house has to go back on the market and the cycle starts again.
Houston We Buy Houses companies pros and cons
We Buy Houses for Cash companies are an extremely beneficial option for certain sellers like:
- Homeowners facing foreclosure
- People who've inherited unwanted property
- Homeowners who can't afford extensive repairs
- Homeowners who need to sell fast, due to divorce or other issues
Pros of using We Buy Houses companies
- Cash offers mean speed and certainty: The longest portion of the home selling process involves buyer financing. Cash buyers don't need to go through this lengthy process, though, since they have access to immediate capital.
- No need for repairs: These companies make lower offers to account for repair costs. This solves the difficult problem of finding a buyer if you’re selling as-ison the open market.
- Lower costs: Selling a house is expensive. There are associated costs like concessions, carrying costs, and commissions that reduce a seller's profits. We Buy Houses companies allow sellers to avoid those costs.
💰 Homeowners can usually avoid these expenses by selling to a cash buyer:
|
Cost to sell to a cash buyer vs. a traditional sale
Traditional Sale | We Buy Houses for Cash Company | |
|---|---|---|
Closing Costs | 1-3% | 0% |
Seller Concessions* | 1.2-1.9% | 0% |
Agent Commissions* | 5.6% | 0% |
Carrying Costs** | $70 per day ($5,530 total) | $70 per day ($700 total) |
*Texas seller concessions and commission rates based on a Clever survey of 500+ real estate agents **Carrying costs based on data from the U.S. Census, Insurance.com, Move.org, WalletHub, and Clever Real Estate | ||
Cons of using We Buy Houses companies
- Take-it-or-leave-it offers: There is no negotiating with We Buy Houses for Cash companies. Their representatives evaluate your home and necessary repairs to arrive at a price. If you disagree, your only option is to walk away.
- Predatory tactics: Often, homeowners who consider using these companies are facing difficult life situations. Some "opportunity investors" take advantage of these situations and pressure sellers to accept low offers.
- Lower offers: Even by avoiding other selling costs, selling to a We Buy Houses company still leads to a lower take-home amount because their offers are never more than 70% of after-repair value (ARV).
Consider an example where the home needs 10% of its ARV in repairs. If you sold to a cash buyer, they would deduct that from their offer. If you sold with an agent you could cover that 10% in a variety of ways (by offering lower price, repair credits, etc.).
Selling to a We Buy Houses Company | Selling with a Traditional Realtor | |
|---|---|---|
Sale Price* | 70% max | 100% |
Repair Costs | 10% | 10% |
Closing Costs | 0% | 1-3% |
Seller Concessions | 0% | 1.55% |
Commissions/Service Fees | 0% | 5.6% |
Max Take Home | 60% max | 79% max |
*Compared to fair market value | ||
Alternatives to We Buy Houses companies in Houston
We Buy Houses for cash companies are never your only option. It's important to weigh all important factors (like time to sell, take-home amount, and convenience) before making a decision.
Let's look at a breakdown of how much a seller in Houston could walk away with through three different options: selling to a cash buyer, selling with a traditional realtor, and selling with a discount real estate company like Clever.
We'll use the median listing price in Houston, which is $369,000, and relevant selling cost rates (closing costs, repair costs/credits, carrying costs, etc.)
Houston home selling cost breakdown
We Buy Houses | Traditional Realtor | Clever Real Estate | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sale Price* | $258,300☨ | $369,000 | $369,000 |
Seller Concessions | $0 | $5,720 | $5,720 |
Staging Costs^ | $0 | $1,409 | $1,409 |
Closing Costs | $0 | $7,380 | $7,380 |
Carrying Costs | $700 | $5,530 | $3,787** |
Commissions/Service Fees | $0 | $20,627 | $14,317 |
Take Home | $257,600 | $291,434 | $299,487 |
*Based on data from realtor.com ☨Based on the 70% rule and assuming the house needs 10% of its ARV in repairs ^Based on HomeAdvisor nationaal average **Based on the average time it takes for homes listed with Clever to receive an offer 24.1 days and a 30-day closing process | |||
As you can clearly see in the table above, We Buy Houses companies help people quickly sell their homes. However, your other options are much better in the long run, so if you have time, using a We Buy Houses company is almost never the best option.
Frequently asked questions about Houston We Buy Houses companies
How much will We Buy Houses for Cash companies pay in Houston?
As real estate investors, cash buyer companies need a buffer that increases their chances of a profit. This is where the 70% rule comes in.
Essentially, the 70% rule says a cash buyer shouldn't pay more than 70% of the property's After Repair Value (ARV) — what they hope to sell the house for in a fair market — minus repairs. This gives them some wiggle room if the house's condition is worse than suspected or it takes longer to resell the home.
Are We Buy Houses for Cash companies scams?
Most cash buyers are legitimate companies that have been buying homes in their communities for years. But there are bad apples.
Don't be taken advantage of.
Make sure the offer you receive is legitimate and worth your consideration:
- Never sign a contract without reading it or when you feel pressured to do so.
- Check online reviews of the company. Note that many of these companies have similar names, so double-check that you're looking at the right one.