We Buy Houses vs Listing With an Agent

List with an agent if the home is in good condition, you can wait three to six months, and you can live with showings and an inspection negotiation — you will almost certainly net more. Sell to a cash buyer if the home needs work, a deadline is real, the property is inherited or tenant-occupied, or the certainty of a fixed date and a fixed number is worth more to you than the last few percent of price.

You will accept a lower gross price, but the net gap is far smaller than it looks. Against a traditional sale you save the commission, the pre-listing repairs, the inspection-driven concessions and every month of mortgage, taxes, insurance and utilities you would otherwise keep paying. Run both columns on our closing cost calculator with your own numbers rather than trusting either side's rule of thumb.

A cash sale can close in as little as seven days once title is clear. A listing involves preparation, then time on the market, then roughly 30 to 45 days for the buyer's mortgage to be underwritten and funded after they go under contract. Even in a fast market, the loan stage alone usually exceeds the entire cash timeline.

Not to SilverCrest — there is no commission and no fee, and we cover standard closing costs on our side. Be aware that this varies across cash buyers: iBuyers charge a published service fee and still deduct normal seller closing costs. Whichever route you take, ask for the amount that will actually reach you at closing, in writing.

Yes, and it is a sensible way to make the decision. A written cash offer is free and carries no obligation, so getting one first gives you a real floor before you sign a listing agreement. Take the number to a local agent, ask what they expect you to net after all costs and how long it will take, and choose from two real options instead of one guess.

An agent markets the home to the widest possible pool of buyers, which is what produces the highest price, and they manage pricing, negotiation, disclosures and the transaction through closing. A cash buyer replaces all of that with a single direct transaction. You are trading market exposure — the thing that lifts the price — for speed, certainty and the removal of repairs, showings and fees.

Usually a cash sale, for practical reasons rather than financial ones. Inherited homes often need clearing out and repair, may still be working through probate, and frequently have heirs in different states who all have to sign. Tenant-occupied homes are difficult to show and narrow the buyer pool to landlords. A direct buyer purchases the home with the tenants in place and the contents still inside.

Then the choice may already be made for you. Homes with structural problems, a failed roof, fire or water damage or serious code violations often cannot be financed by a retail buyer, because the lender will not approve a loan against the property. That leaves a cash buyer, a repair budget you fund yourself before listing, or a lower list price aimed at buyers who can pay cash anyway.