Homeward is a cash home buyer that offers home sellers two solid options to get close to full market value for their house:
- You can sell directly to Homeward for a fast cash offer worth 89% of your home equity, AND still list your home on the market to potentially make even more more from your home sale.
- You can borrow a portion of your current home’s value from Homeward to buy a new house, THEN list your current home with a realtor and pay Homeward back once it sells.
First-time home buyers can also use Homeward's services to make a cash-backed offer on a house, upping their chances of winning in a competitive market.
Our Homeward rating
| ⭐️ Homeward: Overall score | 4.4/5 🟢 |
|---|---|
| Service quality | 4.25/5 🟢 |
| Offer quality | 4.5/5 🟢 |
| Fees and other costs | 4.25/5 🟢 |
| Customer reviews | 4.5/5 🟢 |
| Credibility | 4.0/5 🟡 |
Is Homeward worth it?
Pros
- Guaranteed cash offer, with flexibility to sell for additional proceeds
- Option to make a competitive, cash-backed offer on a new house
- Choice of agent to list and market your home
- In-house mortgage and title solutions that reduce program fees
Cons
- Stricter purchase criteria than a typical cash buyer
- Multiple points of contact
- Possible lack of clarity around fees and other selling costs
Homeward can be a great option for when you want to:
- Buy and sell a house at the same time
- Sell quickly for cash without giving up your home equity
- Purchase a home in a competitive market
However, the convenience of Homeward’s services is accompanied by high service fees, especially when compared to simply buying or selling with a traditional real estate agent. They range from 1.9–6% of your home price, depending on the program. That said, many reviews expressed the benefits of Homeward's services are worth the costs.
When you need the equity from your current home to buy a new one, Homeward can front you the funds to purchase your next house and then pay them back once your old house sells. That way, you can free up the funds to make a down payment on a new house without having to sell your house first and find a temporary place to live while your house hunting — or write a home sale contingency into your offer, which can make it less attractive to sellers.
When you need to sell fast— or just want to avoid the traditional listing process — Homeward will make a cash offer on your home worth of up to 89% of the market value. After Homeward closes on your home, Homeward will work with your realtor of choice to list the home on the market.
You'll receive any additional proceeds from the home sale, minus Homeward's fees and carrying costs (which include items like insurance, property taxes, HOA fees, and utilities).
If you're simply looking to buy a home, you can use Homeward's lending services to make a cash-backed offer to up your chances of winning in a competitive market.
Homeward also offers ways to reduce your costs. For instance, you can find your own agent to save on commissions, or opt for Homeward’s Mortgage and Title services to get a a discount on service fees.
⚡Take the guesswork out of selling your house
With Clever Offers, you can compare multiple offers from the nation's leading cash buyers — including companies like Homeward and iBuyers like Opendoor. You can also request a free consultation with a top local realtor to see how cash offer compare with listing on the open market.
Compare your best options side by side with no hidden fees or obligation to move forward. Simply tell us about your property, and we'll do everything we can to get you the best possible price for your home."
However, you will need to get pre-approved to ensure you qualify for Homeward’s services and buy and sell in a location they serve. Like most companies, Homeward’s services may not fit everyone, and not every home buyer or sell will not qualify. For instance, homeowners selling as-is or with homes in poor condition may not be eligible.
Homeward vs. alternatives
Other buy before you sell companies | Other cash home buyers | Traditional realtor listing
Homeward’s main competitors include:
- Other buy-before-you-sell companies, such as Knock and Orchard
- Cash buyers, including iBuyers, '”We Buy Houses”' companies, and cash offer networks that let you compare offers from a variety of cash buyers
Here are some of the top alternatives to Homeward
Customer Rating
Service Fee
Time to Close
Why We chose it
Pros and cons
Specifics
Clever Offers helps you find and compare offers from leading cash buyers in your area — all with a proven track record of ethical dealings with home sellers.
Because Clever's network includes local/national investors, iBuyers, and agents with experience listing homes as is, you get a range of offers to choose from — including alternative deal types that deliver a higher payout over time.
The 5-star rated company gets top marks for helping you make an informed decision without pressuring you to move forward. See our full Clever Offers review.
Customer Rating
Service Fee
Time to Close
Why we chose it
Pros and cons
Specifics
Knock's Bridge Loan lets you borrow against the equity in your current house to buy a new home before you sell.
The loan covers your down payment, moving expenses, home prep costs (like minor repairs and staging), and ongoing mortgage payments while your house is being listed. You can also borrow up to $35,000 for home improvements before listing.
If your current home doesn’t sell within six months, you have a guaranteed cash offer to fall back on, worth about ~80% of your home's market value. See our full Knock review
Customer Rating
Service Fee
Time to Close
Why we chose it
Pros and cons
Specifics
Orchard is a solid option if you want to try selling on the open market, but you like the certainty of having a backup cash offer.
Its trade-in service lets you borrow the equity in your current home to make a non-contigent offer on a new one, meaning you don't have to wait for your house to sell to free up funds for a down payment and closing costs.
The downside? Orchard's fees start at 8% of the sale price. And if your house doesn’t sell on the open market, Orchard’s backup offer will be less than your house is worth. See our full Orchard review
Customer Rating
Service Fee
Time to Close
Why we chose it
Pros and cons
Specifics
Opendoor is for home sellers who want to skip the hassles of a traditional home sale — without sacrificing too much on price.
You can get an initial offer within 24–48 hours, choose your closing date, and skip repairs and showings. The company also pays much closer to market value than traditional house flippers.
Opendoor does charge a 5% service fee, and some customers complain that final offers are lower than initial estimates. See our full Opendoor review.
» 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.
Homeward vs. competitors
Competing buy-before-you-sell companies (also called home trade-in services) like Knock and Orchard also let you tap into the equity in your current home to purchase a new house before you list.
Homeward and Knock let you find your own real estate agent and list your home on the open market, while Orchard does not. That flexibility gives you the best chance of selling for top dollar and negotiate realtor fees.
However, Homeward charges a 6% service fee when you opt to sell directly for cash rather than using its Buy and Sell program.
Each buy-before-you sell program offers a unique combination of fees and perks. Most allow you to choose your closing date or move on your timeline.
Some companies also offer an equity advance you can use to make improvements to your home before listing. Homeward does not.
Homeward vs. other cash buyers
Among cash buyers, Homeward is most similar to many iBuyers in that it typically:
- Pays closer to market value than “We Buy Houses” companies (up to 89%, compared to the 60–75% offered by investors)
- Doesn’t buy homes that need a lot of renovation
- Doesn’t buy homes with financial complications (like delinquent mortgage payments)
- Operates in limited service areas
However, one obvious difference is that iBuyers don't give you the option to list your house on the open market after accepting their cash offer. That said, iBuyers' services fees are lower — typically 5%, with no additional realtor commissions or holding costs added in. So if you get an offer for close to market value from an iBuyer, it may be worth considering.
The main upsides of selling to a typical “We Buy Houses” company is that it will purchase just about any house as is — including a home that needs a lot of work to make it livable — and can usually close in a matter of days without any fees, commissions, or closing costs.
Cash offer networks like Clever Offers let you compare multiple offers from companies like Homeward and Opendoor, as well as leading local investors, to help you make an informed decision and get the most competitive price for your house — all without any extra fees or obligation to move forward.
Homeward vs. traditional realtor listing
A traditional realtor can get you top dollar for your sale, but it takes time and effort preparing your house for sale. With Homeward, you get a guaranteed fast sale — without repairs or showings.
If you accept Homeward’s cash offer, worth about 89% of your estimated home value, you can then relist the house on the open market using the realtor of your choice. This flexibility gives you the benefits of both a cash offer and a realtor’s expertise.
However, to take advantage of Homeward's cash offer, you'll pay a service fee of 6% of your home sale price ($18,000 on a $300,000 home), plus your real estate agent commissions (another 6%), standard closings costs, and carrying costs on your old home until it sells.
You'll pay a lower service fee of 1.9% if you use Homeward's Buy Before You Sell program to also purchase your next home, but your carrying costs will be higher.
Many reviewers acknowledge that you’ll pay more fees using Homeward compared to selling with a traditional realtor. But several customers also report that they they were able to sell faster and make more money overall.
Whether you work with Homeward or opt for a traditional realtor listing, we recommend comparing a few different real estate agents in your area to find one whose experience matches your needs. If keeping selling costs low is important to you, you can often find a top realtor through a discount brokerage that offer pre-negotiated commission discounts through their agent referral networks.
⚡ Find the best low commission real estate agents in your area. Answer these five simple questions to get matched with local agents and take advantage of Clever's pre-negotiated 1.5% listing fee. Compare realtors from top local brokerages and major brands like Keller Williams and RE/MAX.
In-depth Homeward review
Service quality
📊 Our rating: 4.25/5
|
Most customers praise the flexibility afforded by Homeward's cash offer, giving them the ability to move when they want and make a competitive offer on a new house if needed. But some also note the convenience comes at a high cost.
For instance, Yesenia A. in July 2023 stated, “Efficient, friendly, fast BUT expensive!” So potential Homeward customers will need to decide for themselves whether the benefits outweigh the expense.
For the most part, Homeward has earned high scores from reviewers for being transparent and in continuous contact with customers. Still, some customers find the complexity of Homeward's fees a little difficult to decipher.
When you sell your house to Homeward, your service fees and related charges are assessed in two different installments — first when you accept Homeward's cash offer, and again when you sell your house on the open market. The second set of charges will depend on how much your home sells for on the open market, making it difficult to predict your overall selling costs.
Finally, multiple reviews described Homeward’s team as “easy to work with,” “professional,” and “prompt.” Yet others report problems getting straight answers and resolutions to their problems due to multiple points of contact being involved in the process:
“[Homeward] would not let me continue the process with my VA lender. I canceled before the inspection period ended so I can get my $12K back. I was supposed to get my money back within 2 business days and it’s been more like 2 weeks. … They have the worst communication because you are working with 5 different people at once instead of one person.”
— Autumn B., November 2023, Trustpilot
Offer quality: How much does Homeward pay?
📊 Our rating: 4.5/5
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Homeward's initial cash offer is worth 89% of your fair market value as determined by the company.
However, Homeward reports a successful track record of helping seller list their homes on the open market for additional proceeds: According to Homeward:
- The majority of sellers (94%) make money on the second transaction.
- Sellers stand to make about 10% more on average with the Homeward program than with a traditional cash buyer, even when considering service fees and agent commissions.
- Earnings on the second transaction average $30,000.
Homeward provides a detailed Preliminary Offer that includes a line-by-line explanation of your home's estimated market value, Homeward's estimated offer price, and the costs you’ll be responsible for.
Keep in mind that your final proceeds will include deductions for Homeward's service fee (1.9–6%, depending on whether you opt buy and then sell or sell and then list), carrying costs (what it costs Homeward to maintain ownership of your home until it sells), standard realtor fees, and closing costs.
You'll be assessed these fees based on your home's final sale price and the amount of time it takes to sell, which can be difficult to predict.
Homeward fees and other costs
📊 Our rating: 4.25/5
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Homeward's service fees vary by program and range from 1.9–6% of your home sale price.
| Sell to Homeward | 6% |
| Buy Before You Sell | 2.4% or 1.9%* |
| Make a Cash Offer | 1.9% or 0%* |
Home sellers will also be responsible for some additional costs associated with Homeward's Sell to Homeward and Buy Before You Sell programs, including:
- Standard closings costs, such as transfer taxes and attorney fees
- Carrying costs, such as property taxes, utilities, and HOA dues, which Homeward covers while your home is being listed and sold
- Daily rental fee, if you take advantage of Homeward's optional 14-day leaseback for extra move out time
- Rent on your new home if you opt to buy before you sell
- Realtor commissions, which average 6%, depending on your local market
While Homeward's fees and other costs can add up, most home sellers seem to think they're worth it for the opportunity to unlock your home equity to move to your next place before having to worry about selling your current house.
“Homeward helped us get our dream home. I don’t regret using them at all, despite the price tag. It’s worth it! Ask as many questions as possible so you don’t end up disappointed.”
Customers also note that you can cut down on costs by using other Homeward services, like its mortgage and title options.
“While you end up paying more for using Homeward, I believe we ended up saving money in the long run by being able to negotiate our buying price down, avoiding high-cost, short-term rentals during the transition, and the credits that Homeward gave us for managing the title.”
— Christian B., June 2023, Trustpilot
Still, some cusotmers were less than satified with their final amount from Homeward.
"Homeward will pad their out of pocket with the line item adjustment/listing cost adjustment for your final payment even though you are charged a significant fee in this category when you do your original closing. We are talking $1,000’s…
— Stacey, April 2024, Trustpilot
Customer experience
📊 Our rating: 4.5/5
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Homeward reviews are mostly positive. The company has an average customer rating of 4.6/5 from 1,055 online reviews across Google and Trustpilot.
Several customers credited Homeward's cash offer for giving them the ability to land their dream home. And while managing a simultaneous home sale and purchase is a complex proposition, positive reviews mention a smooth, transparent process led by a professional team.
Negative Homeward reviews focused on poor communication. Some also noted closing delays, which made several wish they hadn’t gone with Homeward.
✅ Smooth buying and selling process
Many positive reviews mention an easy, transparent process that helps reduce the stress of buying and selling a house at the same time.
“The experience was incredibly positive. What stands out about Homeward is how it seamlessly integrates into the real estate process, allowing agents like myself to be actively involved in both the buying and selling aspects for our clients. It alleviates the pressure of having to sell their current home hastily, ensuring they get the best deal possible while also securing their new dream home.”
— Amy L., December 2023, Google Reviews
✅ Ability to make a competitive cash offer on a new home
Several reviewers noted that without being able to make a cash offer, they would not have been able to buy their dream home.
“We were able to buy the house we wanted as a cash buyer and were told they would have accepted the other offer if not.”
— Stephen H., July 2023, Google Reviews
“Homeward enabled me to be a cash buyer and get the home of my dreams. So pleased with my experience.”
— Denise B. May 2024, Trustpilot
😕 Varying communication quality from Homeward's team
Most customers are pleased with Homeward's communication regarding their process and fees.
“Just as advertised. … The Homeward team shared all costs up front, educated us fully on the entire process and made this possible. Absolutely ‘no surprises’” through this process. Great communication from all team members!”
— Gregg M., April 2024, Google Reviews
That said, some home sellers felt that Homeward made major decisions without their input — negatively affecting their bottom line.
“We were told we’d be part of this process. They lowered the price without consulting us and also ended up accepting a contract on our home without negotiating with us. They accepted an offer $30K lower than what they said they could sell it for and originally listed the house for.”
— Stacy, February 2024, Trustpilot
Other sellers felt like communication was erratic and that they couldn’t get straight answers — especially around fees.
“I was balanced between three different people who didn’t seem to know what was going on, and just skip [sic] very minimal invoices. Nothing in detail. I have yet to speak to a person over the phone. It’s all by email. If you want to get hit with hidden fees at the end and terrible communication by all means, go with them, but I would steer clear.”
— T. Abbott, January 2023, Trustpilot
❌ Occasional closing delays and canceled contracts
Some negative reviews focused on delays in the closing and settlement process.
“Our closing was significantly delayed because we needed to pause to catch up with the house we were buying. However, no one ever informed us that if we didn’t close as originally scheduled, we’d have to wait 11 more days to close due to them not closing during the end of the month. This caused significant problems with the house we were buying. ... It took Homeward 13 days and having to ask several times for them to send the [final] payment.”
— Stacey, February 2024, Trustpilot
“My house closed on 4/30. Today is 5/6 and the only communication has been when I reached out to them and they responded that it takes 2-5 days to calculate proceeds. That was 5 days ago. Nothing since. Bottom line - no communication, no money.”
— Eric P., May 2024, Trustpilot
Rare reviews highlight significant issues, such as Homeward backing out in the middle of the process.
“Homeward backed out of the deal after we moved out! This was the worst thing that could happen,ed and now we have two mortgages because of Homeward.”
— Jamie D., May 2024, Trustpilot
Credibility
📊 Our rating: 4/5
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Homeward was started in 2018 by real estate agent Tim Heyl, whose brokerage was recognized five times as an Inc 5,000 business and as a top 25 agent team by the Wall Street Journal Top 1,000.
Homeward has over 1,000 customer reviews from both customers and real estate agents and maintains an above-average rating of 4.6/5.
Agents love Homeward because it gives them a ready solution for home sellers seeking a fair cash offer, while sellers appreciate the option to use their own agent in a complicated home sale (something that competitors like Orchard and Flyhomes— which make extra money by charging brokerage fees and requiring customers to use their in-house agents — don't allow).
““Love the Homeward program! [As an agent,] I utilize it as part of my listing packet so I can show my clients multiple options for selling a home and then they decide what is best for them.”
— Amber L., May 2024, Google Reviews
While Homeward prides itself on being transparent about its process and fees — even providing a step-by-step guide to each of its services on its website — customers reviews around its fee transparency are mixed. Many customers feel that Homeward works exactly as advertised, while others feel the company is less-than-upfront about what it really charges.
“I can’t say enough great things about Homeward. They are transparent about the entire process before you begin so you can track where you are in the process.”
— Jeanette, March 2023, Trustpilot
“Fees were not fully disclosed until less than 1 hour before closing. The actual fees were 80% higher than initial disclosure. Initial fees were not disclosed upfront — although very nice people — opaque process.”
— Leah M., July 2022, Trustpilot
The varying degrees of satisfaction around Homeward's pricing transparency may be because final fees and carrying costs are based on your actual home sale price and the amount of time it takes to close the sale. In othercwords, the costs only become clear once your home sells.
Given that some sellers are clearly surprised by additional bite taken out of their final home sale proceeds upon closing with Homeward, it's best to do your due diligence up front. That way, you can plan for a worst-case scenario while hopefully selling quickly for the highest possible price with the help of a good realtor.
If you're selling your home, Clever can save you thousands on commissions. List with a top agent for just 1.5%— half the typical rate!
If you're looking to buy, Clever offers cash back on qualifying home purchases.
Our matching service is 100% free with no obligation. Give us a try today!
How does Homeward work?
Homeward offers three core products:
- Sell to Homeward allows you to sell quickly to Homeward for cash and potentially receive more money if your home sells for more on the open market. The Homeward Offer will make a cash offer on your home of up to 89% of the market value.
- Buy Before You Sell allows you to buy a home first with a Homeward cash offer, move, and then sell your old home without have to find temporary housing or carry two mortgages at once.
- Make a Cash Offer lets you borrow Homeward's cash to make a strong offer on a new home and win in a competitive market, then get traditional financing to pay Homeward back.
Homeward also offers in-house title and mortgage services. You’re not obligated to sign up for these services, but using them in conjunction with one of their three core products may save you some money.
Sell to Homeward
The Sell to Homeward program provides you with a guaranteed cash offer of up to 89% with an option to also list on the open market.
Step 1: Find a local realtor
You and your agent will be working with the Homeward team, so you’ll want to find the right agent for you before proceeding.
Step 2: Get approved for a Homeward Preliminary Offer
If your home is eligible, you’ll typically receive a Preliminary Offer within 24 hours. It’s a detailed breakdown of the estimated offer amount, fees, and earnings. On the offer, you will see Homeward Program Fee, plus other standard real estate transaction fees that you would need to pay even if you didn’t go with Homeward.
The Preliminary Offer is based on Homeward's initial estimate of your home’s market value. It is NOT the final offer.
Step 3: Finalize the Homeward Cash Offer
If you want to move forward, your agent will help you in take pictures of your property, provide basic property information, and complete an optional comparative market analysis to submit to
Homeward. Based on this information, the Homeward team will then revise its estimate and present you with a final cash offer.
Step 4: Accept the Homeward Cash Offer and close
If you accept the final offer, you can close on your home on a date you choose. You typically will be paid within 21 days of the closing, though sometimes there may be some variability.
Step 5: List your home on the open market
After closing with Homeward, your agent will list your home as they would with a traditional sale. If your home sells for more on the open market than what Homeward paid, you can keep the remaining proceeds — minus theirremaining fees and other costs.
Step 6: Settle up when you sell
After the second closing, you’ll need to pay the remaining portion of Homeward's service fee and carrying costs (utilities, taxes, HOA fees, etc.) it covered while owning your home, plus standard closing costs and realtor fees owed your and the buyer's agent — all of which can take a big bite out of your final proceeds.
Buy Before You Sell
Homeward buys your new home for you with cash. This allows you to move on your own timeline before you list and sell your old home. Once you sell your old house, you use the proceeds to buy your new home from Homeward.
Some benefits of the program:
- A strong cash offer on a new home — with no contingencies
- Guaranteed purchase offer from Homeward
- Moving to your new home before you list your existing one
Step 1. Find a local realtor
You and your agent will be working with the Homeward team, so you’ll want to find the right agent or agents to help you buy a new home and sell your existing one.
Step 2. Get approved
As with the Sell to Homeward program, you’ll typically receive a Preliminary Offer, followed by a final Homeward Cash Offer amount. You and your agent will work closely with a Homeward Loan Officer Assistant to help you complete and submit your application.
You can work with your agent during this time to find a new home if you haven’t already. You’ll likely be in contact with other Homeward team members, such as the Customer Experience Manager who helps you navigate the Homeward process.
Step 3: Make an offer on a new home
Once your new home is approved, you and your agent can make a cash offer. Your real estate agent will make the offer request through Homeward’s platform and work with your assigned Customer Experience Manager to write an offer.
You’ll likely be selecting a lender during this time. You can work with Homeward Mortgage or another company of your choice.
Step 4: Close on your new home and move in
If the seller accepts your offer, Homeward will close on your new home. You may need to pay your earnest money deposit during this time and finalize your loan.
You’ll complete the closing with a Customer Purchase contract and residential lease. Essentially, you’re renting your new home from Homeward until you can buy it back.
You can now move into your new home and rent it from Homeward for up to 6 months — whether your old home has sold or not. Homeward does require that you list your old home within two weeks after closing on the new home.
Step 5: Sell your old home
Your agent will help you prepare and list your old home on the open market. You will have up to 6 months to sell. If your home doesn’t sell, Homeward can buy your old home for the guaranteed price, up to 89% of its market value.
Step 6: Buy back your new home from Homeward
If you're leasing your new home from Homeward, you can now buy back your new home using the proceeds from the sale of your old home. Your agent will assist you with the closing — called the Customer Purchase. There will be a new contract for this second closing.
According to Homeward, most Buy Before You Sell clients are able to buy back their new home in 45 days.
Homeward does not mark up the house price when you buy it back. But you will need to pay Homeward's carrying costs (utilities, taxes, HOA dues, etc.) when you buy it back. Homeward calculates carrying costs by day and does not mark up the costs.
Make a Cash Offer
The Homeward Make a Cash Offer program allows you to make a competitive offer on the home of your choice with a Homeward Offer, even if you don’t have a home to sell.
Make a Cash Offer has a program fee of 1.9%. But you can reduce this fee to 0% if you use a Homeward Mortgage.
Step 1: Find a local realtor
You and your agent will be working with the Homeward team, so you’ll want to find the right agent or agents to help you buy a new home.
Step 2: Get approved
Similar to applying for a traditional home loan, you'll need to go through a credit approval process to verify your eligibility and determine your Homeward Cash Offer amount. You and your agent will work closely with a Homeward Loan Officer Assistant to help you complete and submit your application.
If you haven’t already found a new home, you can work with your agent during this time to find one.
Step 3: Make an offer on a new home
Once approved, you and your agent can make a cash offer to a potential seller on the home of your choice. Your real estate agent will make the offer request through Homeward’s platform and work with your assigned Customer Experience Manager to write an offer.
You’ll likely be selecting a lender during this time, with an option to work with Homeward’s Mortgage company.
Step 4: Close on your terms
If the seller accepts your offer, you can close on the property directly with traditional financing or have Homeward buy the new home for you with your Homeward Cash Offer. Homeward will sell you your home back to you for the same price when you’re ready.
Homeward Mortgage and Title
You can use Homeward’s services with any lender or title company you choose, but there are benefits if you choose Homeward’s Mortgage and Title services.
Customers who use Homeward Mortgage get lender credits when buying their house back from Homeward at closing. This reduces — or sometimes removes — the Homeward’s service fee, depending on the program.
Additionally, using Homeward Title allows you to skip duplicate fees when you sell a home and buy a new one using the Homeward Offer. (Typically, you'll pay title fees for both transactions.)
While savings are a benefit, you’ll want to shop around to see if you can get a better rate or lower fees elsewhere that will save you more in the long run.
Homeward Mortgage does offer competitive rates and provides a best price guarantee, where it will match more competitive rates up to 1% of the loan amount.[1]
What types of homes are eligible for Homeward's cash offer?
Homeward accepts most single-family homes and fee simple townhomes valued between $200,000 and $1.7 million. Homes should be built after 1950 or renovated and on lots under five acres.
However, Homeward’s eligibility requirements are more stringent than many cash buyer companies that are more likely to accept homes being sold as-is, or work with homeowners in financial distress.
Your old home may not be eligible for some programs if it:
- Is in poor condition or needs significant work
- Has unpermitted additions
- Has outdated plumbing or electrical
- Has an active or coming soon listing on the MLS
- Is occupied by tenants with a lease in place
- Is under renovation
- Has solar that is leased or financed
- Is a multi-family dwelling, condo, mobile or manufactured home, land leases, lot purchase, or commercial building
To take advantage of Homeward's Buy Before You Sell or Make a Cash Offer programs, you’ll need to meet conventional financing standards. You can use Homeward's cash advance to buy a pre-owned or new construction home with Homeward. If new construction, the home will need to qualify based on specifications, price, proposed completion date, and construction progress.
Homeward locations
Homeward’s services are available in the following areas:
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- Maryland
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington, DC
According to Homeward’s website, the company plans to expand into California soon.
Frequently asked questions
Is Homeward a legit company?
Yes, Homeward a legitimate company providing cash offer and buy-before-you-sell services in 12 states, with plans to expand into California.
Founded by Tim Heyl in 2018, Homeward has had several rounds of funding over the years, most recently getting $371 million in May 2021.[2]
Homeward is headquartered in Austin, TX, and has three divisions: Homeward Cash Offers, Homeward Mortgage, and Homeward Title.
What does it cost to use Homeward?
Homeward charges 2.4% to use its Buy Before You Sell and 6% for the Selling a Home program. The fee for the Make a Cash Offer program is 1.9%, but drops to zero if you use Homeward Mortgage to finance your home loan. The Buy Before You Sell fee is also offset to 1.9% if you use Homeward Mortgage.
Keep in mind that, as a home seller, you'll also be responsible for traditional closing costs (typically 1–3%), realtors fees (typically 6%), and carrying costs (utilities, HOA fees, taxes, interest, etc.) covering the period between accepting Homeward's cash offer and selling your house on the open market (typically ~1%). If you're using Homeward's cash to purchase your next home, you'll also rent and carrying costs on your new home. Find out how Homeward stacks up against the competition.
How does Homeward make money?
Homeward’s primary income is derived from the service fees it charges for using its Cash Offer and Buy Before You Sell services. The company also makes money on secondary services, like its mortgage and title companies. Finally, Homeward may make the occasional profit on home price appreciation from its trade-in service. Learn more about Homeward.
Can you buy a new construction home with Homeward?
Yes! Homeward will require information about the new home’s specifications, price, proposed completion date, and percentage of completion.
Methodology
We evaluate each company that buys houses for cash based on four core criteria and create a weighted score:
- Service quality (20% of final score)
- Offer quality (20% of final score)
- Fees and other costs (20% of final score)
- Customer reviews (20% of final score)
- Credibility (20% of final score)
Service quality
Customer experience. We rely on secret shopping and fact-checking interviews with company representatives to look for indicators that the company is professional, communicative, customer-focused, and ethical in its dealings with customers. We verify this information against customer reviews and interviews with past customers or professionals (realtors, former employees) who have had direct experience working with the brand.
Offer quality
Price. While nearly all cash buyers pay less than market value for homes, we look at how competitive the company's offers are compared to similar companies.
Purchase criteria. We also look at the company's purchase criteria to see how flexible and accommodating they are in making offers. Companies that offer a fair price for homes that other buyers won't purchase can still get a high rating for offer quality.
Fees and other costs
Competitiveness. We look at how the company's fees and other costs compare to competitors.
Value. We consider whether the fees are justified by the value offered.
Customer experience
Review analysis. We perform an in-depth analysis of all the available customer reviews to determine trends. We break down the reviews by theme and sentiment, and filter out spam reviews to determine our rating.
Company responsiveness. Negative reviews are part of doing business; however, we take note of whether a company is actively involved in resolving customer complaints.
Credibility
Trust signals. We look at how long the company has been in business, the number of verified customer reviews it has, how willing the company was to answer questions about their business model when we contacted them, and how easy it is to find detailed information on their website — including the names and contact details of specific team members. We also look at customer reviews indicating whether the company acts with honesty and integrity in their business dealings.
