We Buy Houses Review: How It Works, What It Pays

We Buy Houses is a nationally recognized cash home buying franchise with a strong track record in the industry. Franchise licensees operate similarly to other house flippers — meaning they buy homes with a goal of fixing them up and reselling or renting them out for a profit.

When you sell your house to We Buy Houses, you can typically expect a quick, frictionless sale — you don’t need to worry about making repairs, cleaning and decluttering, or upping your home's curb appeal. You can often close in just 1–2 weeks.

Offers will be significantly lower than what you’d get on the market, and there’s little room to negotiate, since investors need to make a profit. However, the company vets all its investors and reserves the right to rescind licenses if investors don't meet its ethical standards.

If you’re planning to request an offer from We Buy Houses, it’s smart to compare it with a few others before deciding. Sellers with multiple offers to fall back on often tend to get better outcomes.

To save yourself some time, consider starting with Clever Offers. With Clever, you can compare legitimate cash offers from top-rated iBuyers, local investors, and more. Recent sellers who compared offers with Clever saw an average price gain of +$66,735. Submit a quick form to find your best offers — no added fees or pressure to move forward.

Is We Buy Houses worth it?

We Buy Houses can be a good option if you need to sell quickly or if you’re in a difficult situation with your property. You might consider We Buy Houses if:

• You’ve inherited a home out of state
• You’re facing foreclosure or need cash funds quickly
• Your home is in disrepair, but you can’t afford repairs
• You need to sell quickly due to a move, divorce, or other life change
• Other factors are making your home hard to sell (problem tenants, flood zone, probate sales, etc.)
• A bank won't approve a mortgage loan to purchase your home in its current condition

Igor Avratiner, who operates We Buy Houses in Philadelphia, says he regularly works with sellers in all of these situations.[1] He also sees sellers who simply want privacy — people who "don't want their house publicly displayed" and prefer to have just a few vetted buyers come through before making a decision.

One such customer was Yvonne O., who spoke to us by phone about needing to sell her mother-in-law's home in Philadelphia in order to relocate her to North Carolina — a transaction she and her husband were coordinating entirely remotely.[2]

We Buy Houses' wide availability and positive customer ratings make it a good contender for people like Yvonne, who need a quick, discrete sale. In these cases, We Buy Houses will buy your property as is — no repairs needed. You can also choose your closing date, leave any unwanted things behind, and generally expect that the company will do its best to accommodate you in extenuating circumstances.

However, Avratiner is upfront with potential sellers that We Buy Houses isn't right for everyone.

How much does We Buy Houses pay?

As with most cash buyers, We Buy Houses investors typically pay less than fair market value. While the precise offer will depend on your local franchise, most cash buyers start by estimating the home's after-repair value (ARV) — what comparable homes in the area are selling for after renovation — and work backward from there.

The so-called "70% rule" is a commonly cited benchmark: Investors offer roughly 70% of a home's after-repair value, minus estimated repair costs. Our 2024 survey of over 700 real estate investors found that the majority (56%) cap their offers at 70% of ARV, with another 21% saying their max offer is 80% of ARV, minus repair costs. In 2026, we saw similar results, with most investors pointing to 70–75% of ARV as their typical offer range.

That said, individual investors often deviate from that formula based on the specifics of a deal. Avratiner says he's never used the 70% rule. "It really depends on how long the project will take and how difficult it is," he says. "A straightforward cosmetic renovation is going to command a higher offer than a burned-down shell that requires an engineer and multiple safety inspections by the city."

An investor's local market knowledge can also work in a seller's favor. Avratiner notes that he'll sometimes pay more than a competitor would for a property on a specific block he knows well — because past experience has shown him that homes there sell for more than surrounding streets would suggest. "There are cases where we can actually pay more because we know something somebody else doesn't," he says.

We Buy Houses vs. alternatives

We Buy Houses vs. Clever Offers 

We Buy Houses will give you a quick cash offer and can close quickly. But you’ll only get one offer, and it’s essential to shop around to get the best deal.

Clever Offers is an offers marketplace that gives you multiple offer types to choose from. You can explore direct cash offers from local/national investors, plus hybrid options that give you cash upfront to fund your move, then list for additional upside. 

You can also test the market with a short-term MLS listing from a top-rated agent that you can cancel anytime. That way, you can cast a much wider net to see what the market will pay compared to the offers you already have in hand.

We Buy Houses vs. Opendoor

An iBuyer could be a good alternative, and Opendoor is the nation’s largest. It typically pays more than a cash buyer and will buy your home as is. But final offers may be lowered to deduct repair expenses.

What’s more, Opendoor won’t buy homes with significant damage, and you’ll pay a 5% service fee. We Buy Houses, on the other hand, purchases homes in any condition and charges no fees or commissions.

We Buy Houses vs. We Buy Ugly Houses

We Buy Houses’ most direct competitor is We Buy Ugly Houses, another cash home-buying company with franchises in most states. Neither company charges service fees, and both will take homes in just about any condition. They also have similar customer ratings.

Initial offers from either company will probably be comparable. But if they're available in your area, it's worth getting offers from both to see if one company is willing to beat the other's price.

We Buy Houses vs. HomeLight Simple Sale

HomeLight Simple Sale (or HomeLight Cash Offers) is another way to get multiple cash offers in one place. This makes it easy for you to compare bids, and there’s no obligation to accept any of them. By contrast, you’ll only receive one offer from We Buy Houses.

One plus of HomeLight Simple Sale is that, if you reject the cash offer, you can connect with a realtor through HomeLight’s agent-matching service. You can then list your home on the open market for a higher price.

» MORE: Looking for more cash buyers near you? Check out the best companies that buy houses for cash to see our comprehensive guides for all 50 states. 

We Buy Houses reviews and complaints

What recent We Buy Houses customers have to say

We analyzed 1,622 recent We Buy Houses reviews (all reviews since 2023) across 3rd-party platforms like Google. Past We Buy Houses customers highlight the company’s service quality and competitive offers. Reviewers say company representatives provide good communication, fair offer, and a smooth and hassle-free sale. While scattered reviews mention unwanted marketing, there are no consistent complaints.

How We Buy Houses works

We Buy Houses investors make cash offers to purchase properties as is. This means sellers can avoid making repairs, updating, or even cleaning up the home. 

Here's what to expect when you sell to We Buy Houses:

• Call or submit your info online. A local We Buy Houses investor will follow up to get more details and schedule a time to visit in person.
• In-person walkthrough. Avratiner says he always visits the property himself before making an offer — and considers it a red flag if a buyer skips this step. "If they're saying they're actually going to buy your house, but they never come out to see it, that's a red flag," he says. He'll typically provide a range over the phone beforehand, but only commits to a firm offer after the walkthrough.
• Same-day offer. You'll usually receive an all-cash offer on the same day as the visit. Avratiner's contracts include no contingencies. He contrasts this with a model used by some competitors, where a buyer secures a signed contract first and sends an inspector afterward — a practice he warns sellers about. "A very high percentage of the time the inspector will find some things and they'll renegotiate with the seller," he says.
• Review your offer. There's no obligation to accept. Avratiner says he doesn't pressure sellers to sign on the spot. "It's never like, 'if you don't sign today, it's going to change tomorrow.' We don't operate that way."
• Choose your closing date. If you accept, you'll work with the investor to pick a closing date. Avratiner typically targets two to four weeks, but adapts to whatever timeline the seller needs — including situations where sellers need extra time to move or want to retrieve belongings after closing.
• Close and get paid. There are no fees or closing costs for the seller.

Yvonne O.'s experience followed this arc closely. She called We Buy Houses in November 2021, a representative visited the property and presented an offer within a couple of days, and the house closed in January 2022. "What surprised me was how quickly, how smoothly everything went through," she says. "Doing this process with my mother-in-law was a lot easier than when we bought our own home."

We Buy Houses fees and other costs

It’s free to request an offer from We Buy Houses. There are no service fees or commissions, and the cash buyer will also typically cover the closing costs. Avratiner frames his offers as "net" to the seller — meaning the number you're quoted is the number you walk away with.

One thing worth asking your local franchise about is whether they plan to wholesale the property. Wholesaling — where the investor assigns your contract to another buyer for a higher price rather than purchasing the home themselves — can increase the risk of a deal falling through, since the third party will also want to assess the property before closing the deal. It also generally results in lower offers, since there are now two buyers trying to profit off the deal.

Avratiner says wholesaling isn't part of his business model. Still, practices may vary by location, so it's worth confirming directly with your local branch.[3]

What types of homes does We Buy Houses buy?

We Buy Houses will buy nearly any type of property. This includes single-family homes, multi-family properties, rentals, and fix-and-flips. Some branches may also purchase mobile homes and commercial properties.

The company is known for buying homes in almost any condition, including:

• Foundational or structural problems
• Outdated plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems
• Uninhabitable or distressed properties

We Buy Houses will also make offers to sellers in difficult positions, such as those facing foreclosure or delinquent taxes, or those with homes located in areas with high crime or depreciating value.

In addition to helping sellers in most situations, We Buy Houses offers a lot of flexibility in terms of the types of offers they make. While most deals are cash offers, Avratiner says he’ll also do:

• Novation agreements
• Seller financing
• Short sales
• Lease options

These alternatives may be particularly helpful in situations where you're underwater on your mortgage, need to net a certain dollar amount from the sale, or want to avoid a foreclosure form appearing on your credit.

How to evaluate an offer from We Buy Houses

Selling to a cash buyer can be a smooth, low-stress experience — but the industry also has its share of bad actors. Avratiner, who has been investing in real estate since 2007, offers several concrete tips for protecting yourself.

• Know your home value. “Clarify how the cash offer compares to your property’s retail market value. If possible, get a comparative market analysis (CMA) from a realtor,” says investor Brian Harbour, Senior Acquisition Manager at Real Deal Home Solutions. “Factor in saved costs like repairs, commissions, and closing fees to evaluate if the cash offer is truly advantageous.”
• Find out if you're dealing with the end buyer. Some companies that present themselves as direct buyers are actually wholesalers — they'll put your home under contract and then sell that contract to another investor for a profit. "Some are really professional and transparent about it," Avratiner says, "but unfortunately I've seen a lot that hold themselves out to be the end buyer but actually aren't." Wholesaling adds another party to the transaction, and there may be loopholes that let the investor out of the contract if their buyer falls through, so it helps to know what you're dealing with upfront.
• Ask for proof of funds. Any serious cash buyer should be able to provide documentation showing they have the money to close. Avratiner says he often provides this without being asked.
• Read the contract carefully, especially the contingencies. Avratiner tells the story of a seller who turned down his $50,000 offer in favor of a competing offer for $90,000 — only to have that buyer cancel 40 days later and come back with a $35,000 offer. When the seller showed Avratiner the contract, it contained a clause allowing the buyer to cancel at any time for any reason. "That contract wasn't worth anything," he says. His own contracts contain no such contingencies.
• Make sure there's a meaningful earnest money deposit. A deposit gives the buyer skin in the game. Avratiner typically puts down 1–2% of the sale price, though he's flexible for sellers who want more assurance. "We've had people say, 'I need you to put down $20,000 because if you back out, this is going to jam me up.' And we'll do that."
• Be cautious if the buyer won't see the property first. A buyer who makes a firm offer without visiting the home — or who sends an inspector out after the contract is signed — may be setting up to renegotiate later. "All this due diligence should be done before we sign a deal," Avratiner says.
• Remember that getting a cash offer isn’t an either/or scenario. You can get offers from cash home buying companies to use as a baseline. Then, set your terms with a listing agent and give them a timeframe to beat your highest offer. That way, you'll know for sure what buyers are willing to pay and can be confident that you’ve made an informed decision without leaving money on the table. Getting even one or two competing offers could net you significantly more from your home sale.

FAQs about We Buy Houses

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About our reviews

Our review process includes gathering all verifiable customer reviews from 3rd party sites such as BBB, Google, Consumer Affairs, TrustPilot, and Yelp. In addition to tallying total review counts and average customer ratings, we run all available reviews through AI to identify the most common positive and negative themes mentioned across the entire review set.

Whenever possible, we also talk directly to customers, company reps, and industry professionals (such as real estate agents) who have firsthand experience with the company.

For our We Buy Houses review, we consulted the following sources:

• Igor Avratiner, Franchise licensee at We Buy Houses Philadelphia
• Yvonne O., a customer, who helped sell her mother-in-law's home to We Buy Houses Philadelphia in 2022
• Brian Harbour, Senior Acquisition Manager at Real Deal Home Solutions