We Buy Houses
📝 Avg. closing time
1-4 weeks
💵 Avg. time to offer
1-7 days
🌎 Locations
Nationwide
We Buy Houses offers all-cash closings if you need to sell your house fast. But you’ll make a lot less on the sale than you would with a real estate agent.
Get an offer within 48 hours and close within weeks
No need to pay for repairs or prep your house for listing
Get an offer even if you’re in foreclosure, have a derelict house, or have a bad tenant
Pays a lot less than fair market value.
Little to no ability to negotiate the final price
People who are in a difficult situation — such as foreclosure — and need to sell fast. In most situations, however, hiring a realtor is a better option.
Key Takeaways
- We Buy Houses is a national cash buyer brand (sometimes called a house flipping company) with offices across the country.
- Homesellers can submit their information online or over the phone to request a free, no obligation cash offer from We Buy Houses.
- Reviews are typically positive, but service may vary across offices
- The company pays less for homes than what you'd get on the open market, but sellers can avoid costly repairs and close on their own time.
- To get a fair price for your house, compare offers from multiple cash home buyers and pick the best one. Get cash offers from top local cash buyers now!.
What is We Buy Houses?
We Buy Houses is a legitimate cash-buying brand with offices in 49 states.
The name of the business is often confused with a "we buy houses company," a more generic reference to any company that buys houses for cash, such as We Buy Ugly Houses and Sundae Real Estate.
WeBuyHouses.com, just like other we buy houses companies, buys distressed properties for a reduced price. The company purchases homes from sellers in a variety of situations, including:
- Inherited houses
- Houses facing foreclosure
- Houses that are in need of extensive repairs
- A rental property with bad tenants
Important note
The main appeal of a cash buyer like We Buy Houses is that they can close quickly and they'll buy your home as is.
The truth is that these companies rarely pay what you might get for your home on the open market. In some situations, a desperate home seller might prioritize a quick, all-cash sale over getting the most possible value.
Home sellers who want to get top dollar for their homes should always try listing on the open market with the help of an agent.
» READ: We Buy Houses For Cash Companies Reviews & FAQs
Each local We Buy Houses office is independently owned and operated by a We Buy Houses licensee — a vetted real estate investor who has the exclusive right to use We Buy Houses marketing materials and tools in their county or city. Unlike similar companies, like We Buy Ugly Houses, there is only one licensee in each territory.
When home sellers submit their information to We Buy Houses online or over the phone, they're connected with a We Buy Houses investor in their area.
These real estate investors provide fast, all-cash offers and can close in as little as 7 days. However, the offer will be significantly less than what you could get on the open market.
A We Buy Houses investor will purchase your home as is and make all of the necessary repairs themselves.
Who is We Buy Houses best for?
We Buy Houses can be a good option for homeowners who need to sell quickly and find themselves in a difficult situation, such as facing foreclosure, or who can’t afford the time and money for repairs.
But there's a major tradeoff: you'll likely sell your home for a lot less than what it's worth on the open market.
We Buy Houses is essentially a house flipping company. It makes money by buying houses for way less than what they’re worth and then reselling them for profit. For We Buy Houses’ business model to work, they need to buy houses at a steep discount, which ultimately means you’re going to get less than what your home is worth.
If you need to sell quickly, talk to a realtor who specializes in fast home sales before you accept an offer from a We Buy Houses company. You may be surprised about how quickly your home could sell on the open market, even if it needs some TLC.
Even if you don't have time for a traditional sale, a great local agent can help you request offers from legitimate cash home buyers (and warn you about what companies to avoid). Having more offers to compare ensures you get as much money for your home as possible.
Fill out the form below to see how much local cash home buyers would pay for your house. We'll match you with an experienced local agent, who will bring you offers from trustworthy cash home buyers in your area. You'll also get a free home valuation, so you can decide whether selling on the open market is a better fit for your situation.
Pros and cons
✅ Pros
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❌ Cons
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Alternatives
If you need to sell fast, We Buy Houses isn’t your only option. Three main alternatives you may want to consider are:
We don’t recommend using any cash buyer — also called a we buy houses company — or other similar services, including We Buy Houses, except as a last resort. Such companies, like We Buy Ugly Houses and Sundae Real Estate, are only a potentially worthwhile option when you need to sell immediately and you have a house that’s otherwise difficult to sell.
iBuyers are an alternative for selling quickly, although they have more strict buying criteria than a cash buyers would. You’ll need a home that is in fairly good condition and it will likely need to be in a major metropolitan area.
The best option is to use a traditional real estate agent. A good real estate agent will almost always get you more money for your house than either a cash buyer or iBuyer would. Some in the industry also specialize in quick sales, so they can help you get your home sold within your timeline.
We Buy Houses vs. another cash buyer
Company | Avg. time to offer | Avg. closing time |
|---|---|---|
We Buy Houses | 1-7 days | 1-4 weeks |
24-48 hours | As little as 3 weeks | |
24-48 hours | As little as 3 weeks | |
4 days | 10-60 days, flexible | |
Offers can be made the same day | As little as 7 days | |
Varies | Varies |
We Buy Houses is similar to many other cash buyers, such as HomeVestors, Sundae Real Estate, and We Buy Ugly Houses. We Buy Houses will make an offer within 1-7 days and has a closing time of 1-4 weeks, which is about average for a cash buyer.
That speed is the main benefit of these companies. Plus, you don’t have to pay for repairs.
But the downside is that they will offer a lot less for your home than what you could get on the open market. All of these companies, including We Buy Houses, should only be considered as a last resort if you need to sell your house right away and are in a difficult situation, such as foreclosure.
Even then, we strongly recommend contacting a realtor or iBuyer first. Selling with an agent will likely yield the highest offer. But either one will likely get you a much better offer and many will be able to sell your house within a tight timeframe. If you do decide that a cash buyer is your only option, at the very least you should compare offers from multiple companies to make sure you’re getting the best deal.
» MORE: The best companies that buy houses for cash
We Buy Houses vs. iBuyers
iBuyers are similar to cash buyers in that they’ll make you an all-cash offer and close quickly, typically within as little as two weeks. While iBuyers still offer less than fair market value, the offers are nonetheless better than what you’ll get from a cash buyer like We Buy Houses. If you’re looking to sell quickly, they’re a better option.
However, iBuyers have drawbacks. Unlike We Buy Houses, they have strict criteria for which houses they’ll buy. Typically, you’ll need a house that isn’t in need of any major repairs. iBuyers also tend to only operate in major metropolitan areas, so if you live in a smaller market they may not be an option for you.
If you choose to go with an iBuyer, compare your options. Buying criteria can vary considerably from one iBuyer to the next, as can fees and the amount of money you’ll make on the sale.
» MORE: The best iBuyer companies ranked and reviewed
We Buy Houses vs. a traditional realtor
We Buy Houses doesn't hide the fact that you'll probably make more money selling your house with the help of a realtor.
The only advantages We Buy Houses offers over a traditional realtor is that you’ll get an all-cash offer with no contingencies and you can close on your own timeline. They'll also purchase your house as-is and do all of the repairs themselves.
As good as that sounds, just remember that unless you're in a desperate situation, selling as is on the open market is usually the better option. You’re almost guaranteed to make significantly more selling your house with a realtor than you are with We Buy Houses.
Even if you think We Buy Houses is the best choice, there’s no risk in talking to a real estate agent first. Clever can connect you with top local real estate agents who can give you an estimate of what your house will fetch on the open market and a realistic timeline for selling. You’re under no obligation to sign and you’ll have the information you need to make the decision that is best for you.
How does We Buy Houses work?
Home sellers who are interested in selling to We Buy Houses can submit their information on the company's main website or over the phone. This initiates the process of obtaining a free, no-obligation offer from a local We Buy Houses real estate investor.
- As a home seller, you must provide information about your houses that includes:
- The ZIP code
- Your approximate asking price
- Your reason for selling
- The type of property (single-family, multi-family, etc.)
- Whether or not you're working with a listing agent
- Once you've provided all of the necessary information, a local We Buy Houses investor will follow up with you to get more details and schedule a time to visit your property for an inspection.
- Within 24-48 hours of the inspection, We Buy Houses will present you with an all-cash offer. This offer is inclusive of the investor's anticipated repair costs, and there are no fees or closing costs.
- If you accept the offer, you can work with the We Buy Houses investor to choose a closing date and move forward with the sale.
The We Buy Houses real estate investor may claim to present you with what your house could get on the open market, but take the figures they give you with a grain of salt. Their estimates of how much you’ll make from selling on the open market may just be a worst-case scenario to make We Buy Houses’ offer look better than it is.
You should always compare your options by speaking to an agent before accepting a cash offer.
How much does We Buy Houses pay for houses?
We Buy Houses pays significantly less for homes than what you’ll get on the open market. Cash buyers offer as little as 50% of the fair market value of your home, meaning you could be leaving a huge amount of cash on the table.
While you won’t have to pay for repair costs and you’ll close quickly, if you’re looking to sell your home for a fair price, you should look elsewhere.
A real estate agent is almost always the best option for helping you get a fair offer for your home. You’ll likely make tens of thousands more by selling your home with a realtor vs. a cash buyer like We Buy Houses. And many agents are willing to work on tight deadlines to get your house sold fast too.
Clever can match you with a top local real estate agent who can show you what your house is really worth. And if you choose to work with a Clever Partner Agent, you’ll pay a listing fee of just 1.5% — just a fraction of the 3% that traditional realtors usually charge.
Investors with We Buy Houses pay a one-time license fee and an ongoing monthly service fee.
This matters if you’re a seller because it means that We Buy Houses investors aren't padding out their offers with fees that they'll have to pay to We Buy Houses. They'll pay the same amount to We Buy Houses whether they buy your house or not.
For comparison, HomeVestors — another large cash buying brand — charges franchisees fees that represent a percentage of each transaction, so they have even less margin for profit.
We Buy Houses investors pay an upfront license fee that starts at $17,300 per county, with monthly fees that start at $1,730, so they may be motivated to buy a larger volume of homes to offset this cost.
We Buy Houses reviews
We Buy Houses reviews are positive, for the most part.
Average rating | Total reviews | |
|---|---|---|
Weighted average | 4.5 | 689 |
Google | 4.6 | 430 |
Yelp | 3.7 | 16 |
Facebook | 4.4 | 243 |
Common themes from positive reviews are:
- Satisfaction with the end-to-end service that We Buy Houses offers
- Clear communication between the investor and the home seller
- A fast, easy closing process
While we didn’t find many reviews, at least one noted that the repairs We Buy Houses performed were substandard and the buyer eventually had to do their own repairs.
It’s also noteworthy that because We Buy Houses is a franchise company, the service you receive at your local office may vary considerably from what you would get at another office.
If you’re hoping to get top dollar for your home, you’ll likely be left disappointed with We Buy Houses. The company’s business model means that it buys houses for as low as 50% of their fair market value. These practices mean you’ll be leaving a lot of money on the table no matter how good the service is.
We strongly recommend talking to a real estate agent first before agreeing to use any cash buyer, including We Buy Houses. It’s free to talk to an agent in order to get an estimate for how much your home is worth and to learn what a realistic timeline for selling is. Connect with a top realtor today to get a free home valuation report!
Locations
We Buy Houses has over 2,700 offices across 49 states.[1] The brand continues to grow as new or existing investors can purchase a license in any territory that isn't currently under a license.
FAQs About We Buy Houses Reviews
Investors who hold a license to work under the We Buy Houses brand name are vetted by We Buy Houses.[2] Investors who apply for a license with We Buy Houses are evaluated based on criteria that includes:
- Experience level
- Number of homes purchased
- Local reputation
- Length of time in business
We Buy Houses also requires investors to sign an agreement stipulating that they'll adhere to the brand's ethical standards while conducting business. Investors who fail to meet the expectations of We Buy Houses can have their license revoked.
We Buy Houses is a legitimate business, although they will pay you a lot less for your house than you would get on the open market. If you want to avoid leaving a lot of money on the table, your best option is to use a real estate agent. Unlike a cash buyer, such as We Buy Houses, a real estate agent’s job is to represent your best interests when selling your home. Clever can match you with a full service real estate agent who will help you understand what your home is really worth and negotiate with buyers to get you a fair price. When you use a Clever Partner Agent, you’ll also get a steep discount on your listing fee — just 1.5% compared to the standard 3%. Learn more about how Clever works and how much you can save.
We Buy Houses is a legitimate cash buyer with licensed real estate investors who operate in all 50 states. It should not be confused with the more generic term, we buy houses companies, or with the separate company, We Buy Ugly Houses.
Yes — WeBuyHouses.com pays all of the closing costs when you sell your house to them. However, keep in mind that the actual purchase price that We Buy Houses offers is considerably lower than what you'll get on the open market. To get a fairer price while still selling quickly, check out some of the top alternatives to We Buy Houses.
If you're facing foreclosure, We Buy Houses can purchase your home before the foreclosure has been finalized. We Buy Houses might purchase your home for less than what's owed on the mortgage (known as a "short sale"), but your mortgage lender will have to agree to the purchase.
We Buy Houses can typically close in as little as seven days. Most We Buy Houses investors aim to close within 7-14 days.
The BBB business profile indicates a 3.86/5 customer rating across 7 reviews, and "A-" BBB rating.
Methodology
To create this review, our research team spent over a hundred hours collecting information and data on We Buy Houses and other similar companies. We analyzed We Buy Houses’ service offerings and business models, and how they compare to the competition. Our team read through hundreds of online reviews to understand some of the most common complaints and issues real customers have with the service. We update this review regularly to ensure you can make the most informed decision about your real estate needs.
WeBuyHouses.com. "We Buy Houses Offices."