Mark Spain is a licensed real estate broker serving southeast home buyers and sellers. The company is known for its Guaranteed Offer, which it advertises as a way to get a competitive cash offer without having to put your home on the market.
But there's a catch — the offer doesn't actually come from Mark Spain.
In order to receive a cash offer, you have to sign a listing agreement with a Mark Spain agent, who then looks for offers from investors and iBuyers like Opendoor. In exchange, the agent charges a standard realtor commission (typically 3–3.5%) — an unnecessary expense when selling to a cash buyer, especially considering that most already offer less than market value.
While Mark Spain has mostly positive reviews from traditional sellers, homeowners looking to sell for cash are often disappointed by the low offers and high realtor fees associated with the Guaranteed Offer.
If you're serious about getting a cash offer for your home, we recommend getting offers directly from cash buyers in your area or using a free service like Clever Offers to find legitimate cash offers on your behalf. You can compare offers without any pressure to move forward and sell in as little as 7 days — all with no added fees or commissions.
⭐️ Avg. rating: 4.61/5 (5,691 reviews) | 💼 Services: Cash offer, traditional brokerage | 💵 Fees: 3–3.5%
Who does Mark Spain work best for?
Pros
- Mark Spain agents generally earn high ratings
- Compare a cash offer vs. a traditional listing
- Clients who list generally have a positive experience
Cons
- Must sign with a Mark Spain agent to get a cash offer
- High commission fees, which apply even if you sell to an investor
- "Guaranteed Offer" depends on investor availability in your market
- Cash offers typically range from 65-75% of market value
Mark Spain works best for sellers who are on the fence about a cash sale and would prefer to have a listing agent represent them during the cash offer process. Consider Mark Spain if you:
- Are on the fence about listing vs. selling for cash
- Want to see what your house would sell for with either option
- Would prefer to work with an agent vs. negotiating with a cash buyer directly
- Are willing to pay a full listing agent commission
Sellers are required to sign a listing agreement before seeing cash offers from Mark Spain's partners, so you'll need to pay a standard seller's agent commission if you accept one — something that most cash offer companies don't require.
Your home must also meet the requirements of the Guaranteed Offer program, including being built after 1950, owner occupied or vacant, and no major issues (flood zone, foundation issues, unpermitted additions, pre-foreclosure, etc.).[1]
By comparison, most cash home buyers will let you sell the home as is, regardless of condition. You can also avoid paying realtor fees and other closing costs.
If you'd prefer to work with an agent, we recommend hiring a realtor that offers better commission rates than you'll find with Mark Spain. Plenty of highly rated low commission real estate companies can match you with a top local listing agent for far less than the 3–3.5% Mark Spain charges.[2]
Mark Spain vs. alternatives
Mark Spain Real Estate may be a decent choice for traditional listings, but if you're seeking a straightforward cash offer, you may want to explore other options.
Here are a few alternatives to consider.
» 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.
How does Mark Spain work?
Mark Spain Real Estate advertises a "strong cash offer" through its Guaranteed Offer program, which connects home sellers with a real estate agent to shop offers from real estate investors and iBuyers on their behalf. To view cash offers, sellers must sign a listing agreement with a Mark Spain agent.
Sellers can also choose to list their home the traditional way — and reviews indicate that most home sellers end up going the traditional route after seeing the realities of cash.
Here’s how the process works:
- Step 1: Initial contact. You complete an online form or contact your local Mark Spain offices directly to let the company know you’re interested in a cash offer.
- Step 2: In-home appointment. The brokerage assigns you an agent, and you schedule an appointment to view your home and discuss your options for listing or receiving a cash offer.
- Step 3: Listing agreement. At this point, the agent will ask you to sign an agreement allowing them to represent you during your home sale. The agreement will spell out their responsibilities, as well as their compensation.
- Step 4: Market your home. If you opt for a cash offer, your agent will submit your home to companies like Opendoor and other local investors in your network and present you with the offers. If you decide to list with Mark Spain, your agent will market your home on the MLS and represent you through closing.
- Step 5: Close. Mark Spain says that it can close a cash offer in as little as 21 days, while a traditional home sale often takes as many as 60 days or more.
How much does Mark Spain's Guaranteed Offer pay?
🔑 Key takeaways
- Mark Spain’s 'Guaranteed Offer' isn’t a purchase offer from Mark Spain
- Offers typically come from iBuyers like Opendoor or local 'we buy houses' companies
- Cash offers generally range from 65-75% of market value
- Sellers are also charged a 3–3.5% commission at the close of the sale
Mark Spain advertises a strong cash offer with the ability to close in just 21 days, but that offer doesn't actually come from Mark Spain. Typically, it comes from either an iBuyer like Opendoor or a local 'we buy houses' company. Therefore, the strength of your offer will depend on the buyers your realtor reaches out to on your behalf.
- A recent survey of over 700 real estate investors found that they typically aim to offer between 60% to 80% of a home's ARV, with a median offer of 67.5%.
- iBuyers may offer closer to market value, but they also charge service fees and make deductions for repairs
After learning how little cash buyers offer, most sellers are convinced to put their home on the market, since pursuing a cash offer typically means selling their house for far less than it's actually worth. Either way, Mark Spain collects its commission, which — at 3–3.5% of the home sale price — is higher than the average realtor commission rate.
Mark Spain fees and other costs
🔑 Key takeaways
- Mark Spain charges a 3–3.5% commission on ALL sales, including cash offers
- This is higher than the industry average of 2.5-3%
- Most direct cash buyers charge no commission at all
Mark Spain charges home sellers a standard realtor commission — whether you list with a Mark Spain agent or request a cash offer.
In a typical cash offer scenario, you can avoid paying realtor fees, since you'll be dealing directly with the buyer. While selling directly to a cash buyer often nets you less money than you’d make on the open market, the process is typically a lot faster and more convenient. You can sell your home in its current condition, close in as little as 1-2 weeks, and even leave unwanted furniture behind. The best cash home buying companies also cover closing costs.
Accepting a guaranteed offer from Mark Spain Real Estate doesn’t fit the same mold. Instead of cutting out the middleman, a Mark Spain cash offer ensures an agent gets a cut of the deal. While some sellers appreciate having a realtor walk them through their options, others are put off by the lack of transparency over the process and fees.
Mark Spain doesn’t disclose the exact percentage you’ll pay to your agent, but reviews indicate you'll pay as much as 3.5%, which is higher than the industry average commission rate of 2.5–3%. Many top-rated brokerages charge lower realtor fees of just 1.5–2%.
Which homes are eligible for Mark Spain's Guaranteed Offer?
To qualify for Mark Spain's Guaranteed Offer program, your home must meet the following requirements:
- Built after 1950
- Valued between $50,000 and $1.5 million
- Owner-occupied or vacant
- Non-distressed and not bank-owned
- Located out of flood zones
- Without un-permitted additions or foundation issues
Mark Spain reviews and complaints
| Source | Average Rating | Review Count |
|---|---|---|
| BBB | 3.9 | 214 |
| 4.7 | 5,329 | |
| Yelp | 2.4 | 148 |
| Weighted Average: | 4.6 | 5,691 |
Customer reviews for Mark Spain are generally positive. The company maintains an average rating of 4.61/5 across 5,691 online reviews.
Customers seem particularly pleased with the traditional brokerage services offered by Mark Spain, with many noting that they were able to sell their homes quickly or buy a home in a competitive market with the help of their agent.
However, reviews that mention Mark Spain's Guaranteed Offer program trend lower, with common complaints including false advertising, lower-than-expected offers, and high commission fees.[3] [4] [5]
Mark Spain representatives do respond to negative reviews, but many replies are generic, simply stating that the complaint has been forwarded to the sales team.
Here's how customer sentiment around Mark Spain breaks down.
🔎 How we analyzed Mark Spain reviews
Our review analysis 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 use AI to check for positive and negative sentiment around the following evaluation criteria:
- Offer quality: Whether customers were pleased or disappointed with the amount of money offered for their homes
- Service quality: Measures the ease and convenience of the process, as well as the level of support provided throughout
- Fees and other costs: Whether customers felt the value provided justified the fees and other costs of doing business
- Credibility: The degree to which customers report being treated professionally and ethically
To ensure an accurate depiction of the customer experience, we run all available company reviews through AI to check for mentions of each theme and tally the percentage of mentions across the entire review set. The themes mentioned most prominently in reviews are discussed here.
Positive themes from Mark Spain Reviews
✅ Solid agents
Mark Spain agents are consistently praised for their knowledge, dedication, and responsiveness. Customers feel guided and supported throughout their real estate transactions by expert agents who are available when needed and look out for their best interests.
Ericka was truly amazing. This was my first time buying a home and looking to move from NJ to GA is a lot. She would do virtual tours for us. We took some time and went down to Georgia she showed us all the houses we wanted to see in 2 days. She was very supportive and on top of everything. She definitely went the extra mile for us and it is much appreciated! We’re now moving into such a lovely house and starting fresh in a new place and a lot of the credit goes to her.
Cherin came in at the 11th hour & did everything in such a short time that prior agents had failed to do for months! She’s amazingly kind, considerate & compassionate and an expert in her field! I couldn’t have survived this selling process without her! I will forever be grateful!!
✅ Positive buying and selling outcomes
Many clients report positive outcomes from buying or selling with Mark Spain, including the ability to secure a home in a tough market or sell at or above asking price.
Michelle is the best realtor we've worked with. She is communicative, punctual, and very knowledgeable. She has the experience and track record to prove that she can help sell your house or help you find the home of your dreams. She helped take the weight off of the home buying process and went above and beyond to make it a pain free experience.
Colin was great to work with. We went through the cash offer process, which did not work out for me. Gave me time to get my home in order to go to market with continuous support. Once on market worked well with agents looking at home providing fair negotiations ultimately leading to the sale of my home at full asking.
Mark Spain complaints
❌ Low cash offers
A common concern among Mark Spain customers is that the offers presented through the Guaranteed Offer program are often significantly below market value.
I explored his cash offer, and the offer seemed very low for my neighborhood. I simply threw it on a popular website, and immediately had people come look with offers from the first ones. I took the 2nd offer and got my asking price which was $36,000 more than [Mark Spain] offered.
The TV commercial and promises of a fair cash offer are severely oversold. My offers were 70-75% of the fair market value. My home was in a good real estate market and very good shape with new appliances and new roof. These offers did not include the extra fees which lowers the cash offers below 70%. I will not say that these are predatory practices but one has to wonder."
❌ Misleading advertising around the Guaranteed Offer
Several Mark Spain clients felt that the marketing around the Guaranteed Offer program was not entirely transparent. For example, many customers were surprised to learn that Mark Spain doesn't actually make the offer on your house. Instead, they ask you to sign a representation agreement giving them the exclusive right to advertise your home to investors.
Clients were also surprised by Mark Spain's commission rates, feeling they were not at all competitive, especially when combined with low cash offers.
I called Mark Spain about their "cash offer guarantee" only wanting to understand how it works. Instead they sent a realtor to my house. The agent told me that this program only works for a small percent of their clients. I was also told that I would have to sign an agreement stating that he would be my exclusive listing agent and that this would have to signed before they would even consider looking into this program. I was shocked just based upon the tv ads, the supposed happy clients, etc. I feel deceived by this and would not recommend Mark Spain to my worst enemy.
The guaranteed offers are a bait & switch to get you the appointment with the home seller. The GO is unreasonably low and really ends up just angering the homeowner who is left to feel like they were misled.
We made the mistake of falling for the 'guaranteed offer' ploy that you hear constantly on the radio, billboards, TV and everywhere else and did not get a single offer on our house. Mark Spain Real Estate does not actually make you an offer. All they do is advertise your house to a bunch of investors (for a hefty 3% commission) and hope that those investors make an offer (which we got none).
Since Jan 2024 I have been receiving monthly updates on the value of selling my home to Mark Spain Real Estate. Beginning in Jan 2024 the offer was at $544K - $555K. By June the offer was up to $600K - $612K. So I arranged for a meeting with their agent in July 2024. When the agent arrived he indicated he was not even aware of the offers from his own company. Added to that, his rate would be 6%, whether he marketed and sold our home, or they purchased from us.
Is Mark Spain Real Estate legitimate?
🔑 Key takeaways
- 30 years of experience serving the Southeast United States
- Formerly ranked the #1 Real Estate Team in the U.S. by sales volume (currently ranked 77th, according to Real Trends)
- Customers raise concerns around the validity of its Guaranteed Offer program
Mark Spain is a legitimate real estate brokerage with offices in multiple states across the Southeast. Founded in 2016, the company has won several real estate awards, including being named The Wall Street Journal's #1 Real Estate Team in the US by sales volume in 2022.
However, the marketing tactics around its Guaranteed Offer program raise some concerns.
Mark Spain Real Estate uses its "guaranteed cash offer" primarily as a lead-generating tool aimed at home sellers looking for the convenience of cash. But in order to receive a cash offer, you need to sign a listing agreement with a Mark Spain agent — which allows them to collect a commission on the sale.
📍 Mark Spain locations
Mark Spain currently operates in the following markets. Select your local market to find additional cash home buyers available near you.
Mark Spain FAQs
Does Mark Spain give a good offer?
Mark Spain doesn't actually make offers on houses. Instead, it acts as a middle man connecting sellers with third-party cash buyers like Opendoor and local 'we buy houses' companies. To receive offers, you must sign a listing agreement with a Mark Spain agent, who then solicits offers from these buyers on your behalf — and charges you a commission for the service (typically 3–3.5%).
Does Mark Spain charge a commission?
Yes, Mark Spain charges a commission whether you list your home or accept a cash offer from one of its buying partners. By contrast, most reputable cash home buyers allow you to eliminate realtor commissions from the equation, which — in addition to the accelerated timeline — is one of the key benefits of selling for cash.
What happens if I don't like the cash offers?
If you don't like your cash offers, your Mark Spain agent will typically encourage you to list the home on the open market instead — which was likely their plan all along, according to some customers and former employees. Either way, you're still bound by the listing agreement you signed, which means Mark Spain gets their commission whether you accept a cash offer or list traditionally.
