In recent years, iBuyer activity has doubled when compared to pre-pandemic levels. iBuyers are companies that buy houses using technology to calculate an instant offer on your home.
They use algorithms to examine real estate data so that you receive an offer that’s as close as possible to the market value of your home.
4 Best iBuyers
To receive an instant offer, all you need to do is enter your home address in a search bar and the algorithm generates an accurate offer within a few minutes.
Once you accept the initial offer, a representative of your chosen iBuyer will conduct a brief walkthrough of your home and submit a final offer. They usually charge a nominal service fee for repairs necessary to prepare the home for resale.
Although they offer owners the ability to sell their homes as-is, iBuyers have strict selection criteria and don’t buy homes that need extensive work.
Most iBuyers operate only in metro areas.
1. iBuyer.com
iBuyer.com is an online real estate platform that connects homeowners with established and reputable iBuyers across the country.
You simply enter your home address on the webpage, and you’ll receive an instant home valuation. This straightforward system uses 55 technologies to provide you with an accurate estimate of your home’s worth in the iBuyer market.
At the same time, iBuyers in your area receive notification of your intention to sell your home.
Interested in your home’s current market value? Receive a free online home value estimate!
This method can yield multiple offers from interested iBuyers looking for real estate in your area. You might receive your first cash offers within hours of inquiring with iBuyer.com.
Pros & Cons
iBuyer.com is a quick and convenient way to receive an accurate offer on your home. It’s also a free service and there’s no obligation to sell your home once you’ve requested a price.
You don’t need to go looking for iBuyers or enter your home address on multiple websites. The iBuyers come to you and you can decide on the best option for you.
The only drawback with iBuyer is that it doesn’t cover the entire country at present. You don’t get to choose which iBuyer to approach for your home sale, either.
Locations
iBuyer.com gives you access to all the best, most established iBuyers in the United States. The service currently covers major centers in 40 states and is growing fast.
Fees
iBuyer does not charge any fees for its services. The iBuyer you end up working with will deduct a percentage of their offer to pay for any repairs to the house.
Reviews
iBuyer.com has a 4.4-star rating with Trustpilot. The vast majority of reviewers were happy with the service provided by iBuyer.com and mentioned the following benefits:
- Convenience
- Fair price
- Ongoing assistance
- Efficient service
- Quick, clean sales
Only one reviewer posted a negative comment which the company resolved quickly.
2. Opendoor
When you sell a home with Opendoor, you’ll receive a free virtual assessment of your home, followed by a firm offer from Opendoor. You can choose between accepting a quick cash sale or listing your home on the open market.
Pros & Cons
You’ll receive a no-obligation offer within minutes of entering your details on the Opendoor website. This iBuyer typically purchases homes valued between $100,000 and $600,000.
They pay closer to market value than most iBuyers, but won’t accept short sales or homes with the following defects:
- Un-permitted additions
- Major foundation issues
- Flood or fire damage
- Dated building materials
This iBuyer isn’t a good option if you’re selling a home in a rural area as they restrict their service to major metro areas.
Locations
Opendoor operates in over 50 metropolitan areas nationwide. These include Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Nashville, Phoenix, and Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Fees
You don’t pay for the initial cost estimate with Opendoor. They charge a service fee comprising a maximum of 5% of the home’s value and an estimated closing cost of around 1%.
Reviews
Opendoor has a low rating on Trustpilot but has a star rating of over 4 stars on most other review sites. The most common complaints revolve around Opendoor lowering its offer on occasion.
Overall, customers commend Opendoor for:
- Ease
- Speed
- Professionalism
- Favorable outcomes
- Prompt and courteous service
3. Offerpad
Established in 2015, Offerpad buys homes, renovates them, and sells them for a profit. Offerpad has two ways in which they buy homes:
- Express – a standard cash offer
- Flex – sellers list their homes with a backup cash offer from Offerpad
Along with Opendoor, Offerpad is one of the most successful iBuyers in the USA by transaction volume and ranks among the best companies that buy houses for cash.
Pros & Cons
Speed and flexibility are the biggest benefits of selling your home to Offerpad. Homeowners can expect to receive an initial cash offer within 24 hours of requesting one.
With the Express option, homeowners get up to 90 days to move out and Offerpad includes a free move within a 50-mile radius of their old home.
The process is simple and comprises little more than completing a three-minute questionnaire. They can also enjoy the option to upload photos or undertake a 15-minute virtual walkthrough of their home.
On the negative side, Offerpad requires that homeowners sign a contract before they receive a final offer from Offerpad. This means they could end up accepting an offer that’s well below the company’s initial offer.
That said, like most iBuyers, Offerpad offers are usually closer to market value than other types of cash buyers.
Locations
Offerpad operates in 1,800 cities and towns. It covers the following states:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- Texas
- Tennessee
Fees
You pay a 7% service fee when you work with Offerpad. Closing costs are typically around 1% of the sale price.
Reviews
Offerpad has Better Business Bureau accreditation and has an A+ rating on this website. Out of 264 reviews, most customers award Offerpad 4 out of 5 stars.
The most common comments about Offerpad include:
- Competitive purchase price
- A hassle-free experience
- Great service
- Convenient, flexible closing date
There are some complaints about Offerpad canceling contracts shortly before closing, and reducing their price below the initial offer.
According to Offerpad’s Q3 report, they earned a 93% customer satisfaction rating for this time frame.
4. Sundae
Sundae works a little differently from other iBuyers.
This iBuyer specializes in working with homeowners selling distressed properties. It serves as a central hub connecting these sellers with a range of local investors.
You contact Sundae to express your desire to sell your home. They perform an in-person inspection before listing your property on their website.
You usually receive your first four offers to review within four days of the home visit.
Location
Sundae has its base in San Francisco and serves about two dozen metros across the country. It’s available for homes in the following states:
- California
- Texas
- Seattle
- Las Vegas
- Atlanta
Pros & Cons
The biggest benefit of selling your home with Offerpad is that you could get multiple offers within days of listing your home.
The company puts you in touch with committed and qualified investors without you having to go through the hassle involved in listing your home.
If you find an offer you like, you can close on your home sale between 10 and 60 days later, according to your wishes. Sellers may also receive a cash advance of up to $10,000 before closing.
Overall, Sundae’s business model affords you a chance to get the best possible off-market price for your home.
An obvious drawback of this system is that you won’t receive top dollar for your home, as these investors are always looking for a deal.
Fees
There are no fees involved when you sell your home via Sundae. Home sellers can sell their homes as-is at no cost to them.
Reviews
Sundae has an A+ rating with the BBB and averages 4 out of 5 stars. Most customers note that the pros of collaborating with Sundae are:
- Knowledgeable representatives
- Professional services
- Smooth, easy process
- Stress-free experience
4 Best Trade-in Companies
Most people use funds from the sale of their homes to pay for their next home. This is a time-consuming and complicated process.
Trade-in companies help you buy your next home before you sell your existing one, by lending you the money to help you buy your new home faster.
These companies remove the need for a home-selling contingency when buying a new home, as they free up your equity to proceed with the sale.
These are your top choices when you decide to go this route:
1. Orchard
Orchard gives you cash to help you buy a new home. This could be as much as 90% of the value of your home.
Once you’ve found your perfect fit, you move out, and they take over the task of refurbishing your old house to sell it at a profit.
Pros & Cons
The biggest benefit of working with Orchard is that it removes some of the uncertainties and worries surrounding securing your dream home. Orchard also helps you avoid paying two mortgages while you try to sell your home.
Orchard takes care of listing, cleaning, and showing the homeowner’s residence as well as any necessary repairs.
This company doesn’t buy homes, and their high commission means you could achieve a higher price for your home by working with a real estate agent.
Locations
Orchard operates only in select metro areas. These are San Antonio, Denver, Dallas-Fort Worth, Portland, Atlanta, Austin, Seattle, and Houston.
They will list homes on behalf of homeowners outside these areas.
Fees
Orchard charges a once-off fee of $1,500 for its services. You’ll also pay 6% of the sale price of your home.
They don’t charge any interest on the costs incurred to sell your home. They deduct all fees and expenses at the closing table.
Reviews
Despite an A+ rating with the BBB, Orchard has a 2.7 out of 5 rating, stemming from just 14 reviews. Trustpilot reveals a different story, with 457 reviews and an average rating of 4.4 out of 5.
Most customers favor Orchard for its simple, streamlined process and laud the company for its responsive, informed, and professional service.
2. Knock
Knock works a little differently from Orchard in that it doesn’t give you money to buy a new home. Instead, Knock underwrites a new loan for you.
They also provide a down payment advance, so you can make a non-contingent offer on a new house.
Pros & Cons
With Knock Home Swap, you can move into a new home before selling your existing one. They provide a six-month equity advance to cover your mortgage while selling your old home.
You can also borrow up to $25,000 to complete any repairs necessary to help you sell your home. You pay this amount back after the sale.
Knock offers a 30-day closing guarantee.
Locations
Knock Home Swap is in 75 markets nationwide and is available in 16 states. These are:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Washington
Fees
When you work with Knock, you pay a 1.25% commitment fee based on the cost of your new home. You can pay this amount at closing or add it to your equity advance.
You’ll also need to pay regular closing costs and real estate commissions when you sell your home.
Reviews
Knock has a lower BBB rating than most cash offer companies, achieving a B+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Despite this, most reviewers awarded them 4.53 out of 5 stars for their service.
According to these reviews, home sellers appreciated Knock’s smooth process, professionalism, and responsive service.
3. Homeward
Homeward buys your new home for you using their cash. You can move in right away and buy the house back from them later.
Pros & Cons
This ”Buy With Cash” concept gives you the edge in the competitive real estate market. When you ”Buy Before You Sell”, you can avoid the costs of carrying two properties simultaneously or trying to orchestrate a home sale and purchase at the same time.
Unlike other companies that buy your home this way, Homeward allows you to use a low-commission agent, potentially saving you thousands in the process.
You can also reduce the costs involved in working with Homeward by using a Homeward Mortgage to pay for your new house.
The cons associated with Homeward include high fees and no assistance with any home repairs needed to sell your home.
Locations
You can take advantage of Homeward’s offering in just 7 states currently. These are:
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- Oregon
- Texas
- Washington
Fees
The costs involved in working with homeward include a service fee of around 1.9%. You also pay rent while staying in your new home before you buy it.
Reviews
Homeward has favorable reviews on both Trustpilot and Google. Out of 860 reviews, the company achieves an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5.
Customers praise Homeward for transparent communication and excellent customer service.
4. Flyhomes
Founded in 2016, Flyhomes has helped homeowners buy and sell $3.7 billion worth of real estate since then. The company’s ‘Buy Before You Sell’ program pre-underwrites sellers for their new homes.
Pros & Cons
Flyhomes programs provide homeowners with a short-term loan so they can make a competitive offer on a new property. They also help them sell their homes by listing, preparing and staging their homes for sale.
After the sale, they assist with refinancing to achieve a long-term loan for their new residence.
Some homeowners find the costs associated with Flyhomes prohibitive.
Locations
You can collaborate with Flyhomes in five states. They operate in the following markets:
- Seattle
- Southern California
- Denver
- Boulder
- Boston
- The San Francisco Bay Area
Fees
With Flyhomes, you pay most of the usual costs associated with home sales. These include:
- The loan origination fee
- Home appraisal fees
- Titles costs
- Escrow charges
- Transfer taxes
- Broker’s fees
Holding costs on with Flyhomes are between $100 and $200 a day.
Reviews
FlyHomes is BBB accredited and has an A+ rating, although it has no reviews on this website. This high rating is thanks to 308 Yelp reviews averaging 5 stars.
Clients enjoy the peace of mind they experience when working with Flyhomes and enjoy the smooth, seamless process.
6 Best We Buy Houses Companies
These are traditional cash offer companies that answer the call of homeowners who want to sell a house for cash without a realtor. They pay fast, but offer prices well below market value.
The following are the most legit companies that buy houses for cash:
1. HomeVestors & We Buy Ugly Houses
We Buy Ugly Houses falls under the wing of HomeVestors of America, the largest house-buying franchise in the United States.
This company specializes in buying distressed properties at low prices. It’s well known for its yellow billboards and caveman branding.
Pros & Cons
With companies like We Buy Ugly Houses, sellers can sell their homes as-is, achieve a fast sale, and determine the closing date. You’ll usually have a firm offer within 48 hours, and you could close the deal within a few weeks.
Although they offer low, low prices, We Buy Ugly Houses covers all closing costs for sellers. You’ll also save on all the costs associated with a traditional home sale.
On the downside, you can expect to receive as little as 60% of the market value for your home when you sell it to We Buy Ugly Houses.
Locations
You’ll find over 1,000 We buy Ugly Houses franchises across 47 states. Due to the franchise nature of this business, service may vary depending on which franchise you work with.
Fees
You pay no fees when you work with We Buy Ugly Houses. They benefit from fixing up your home and selling it for a profit.
Reviews
Is selling a house for cash better when you engage with this established home investor? According to reviews, customers value this company’s no-pressure approach as well as their honest, kind, and helpful approach.
Yet others complain about unsolicited calls, junk mail, and texts. You can avoid these negatives by reading reviews of individual We Buy Ugly Houses franchises before deciding which one to work with.
2. We Buy Houses
We Buy Houses came about in 1997 and buys homes in any condition. It isn’t a franchise but allows professional investors to use its branding and marketing materials.
Pros & Cons
We Buy Houses buyers provide a no-obligation offer within 24 hours. It’s a good option for those wanting to sell their home quickly with no questions asked.
The term, ”We Buy Houses” isn’t trademarked, so do some background research with companies advertised under this banner.
Locations
This company serves more than 200 markets in 30 states nationwide. You can find nearby buyers by entering your zip code on their website.
Fees
We Buy Houses covers all closing costs. Like most cash home buyers, they cover their costs by refurbishing run-down properties and selling them at a profit.
Reviews
We Buy Houses has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Reviews vary depending on which branch you work with.
3. HomeGo
in 2018, HomeGo prides itself on a simple three-step process. A company representative conducts a home walkthrough and makes a firm cash offer on the spot.
Finally, they’ll close on the deal in as little as seven days.
Pros & Cons
Apart from their extremely fast process, HomeGo will take care of cleaning out the house after you leave. So, you don’t need to worry about taking unwanted items with you.
As usual, low prices are the biggest downfall when working with this company.
Locations
HomeGo has 30 offices in 22 states from coast to coast, including D.C. As such, they provide good nationwide coverage despite their small size.
Fees
HomeGo covers all closing costs. They don’t charge any fees for their services.
Reviews
HomeGo is BBB accredited and has an A+ rating. Customer reviews consider the process well-explained, simple, and stress-free.
Some reviewers complain about receiving unsolicited junk mail offers featuring photos of their homes.
4. MarketPro Homebuyers
MarketPro Homebuyers have franchises across four states. They buy homes in any condition and then flip or redevelop them.
Pros & Cons
MarketPro Homebuyers offers fast, efficient service. They close within a week, but also offer flexible closing dates to suit the seller.
This cash buyer offers very low prices for homes, but they do offer a free moving service.
Locations
MarketPro focuses on home-buying services in the Mid-Atlantic region. They have offices in 18 counties across Maryland, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, and Northern Virginia.
Fees
Sellers pay no closing costs with MarketPro. They don’t charge any fees for their services, either.
Reviews
MarketPro Homebuyers has over 400 reviews and a 4.3-star rating on Google and 4.6 stars out of 5 with the BBB. Some customers complain about aggressive marketing tactics and poor communication in their dealings with this company.
Overall, people enjoy their professional service and easy transaction process.
5. I Buy Houses
I Buy Houses acts as a go-between for a network of independent investors and home sellers. There are over 6,000 investors involved in this network.
Pros & Cons
I Buy Houses doesn’t vet the investors, so it’s impossible to gauge the level of service you’ll receive when you deal with I Buy Houses. You’ll also need to do all the negotiating yourself. In some cases, you might not receive a response after submitting your information.
On the plus side, it’s quick and easy to submit your application and sellers get exposure to a wide range of investors.
Locations
I Buy Houses operates in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. You can sell your home to any one of a network of national investors.
Fees
I Buy Houses does not charge the seller any service fees. You can expect to receive between 50% and 70% of the market value for your home when you sell it this way.
Reviews
I Buy Houses has no customer reviews. In this light, it’s important to proceed cautiously when working with this company.
6. Express Homebuyers
Express Homebuyers is a franchise network of investors that buy houses for cash. The company started in 2003 and has helped sell over 4,000 homes since then.
Pros & Cons
Sellers who need cash right away can benefit from a $10,000 cash advance when they collaborate with Express Homebuyers. According to this company, you’ll receive an offer within 24 hours, and they can close on the sale within 7 days.
Express Homebuyers buys homes in any condition, including condemned properties.
They offer very low prices for houses and adopt aggressive marketing tactics.
Locations
Express Homebuyers operates in just 27 states and Washington, D.C. It has its headquarters in Virginia.
Fees
You don’t pay any fees when you sell your home with Express Homebuyers. They cover all the closing costs.
Reviews
This company has a 4.2 out of 5-star rating on Google. Positive reviews center on the smooth closing process and attentive service offered by Express Homebuyers.
Negative reviews center around low prices and underhanded marketing ploys.
Getting the Best Offer From Companies That Buy Houses
Finding the best companies that buy houses can become an arduous task involving hours of research. iBuyer helps streamline this process by connecting you with the best cash home buyers across the country.
We help you cast your net as wide as possible to ensure you get the best cash price for your home. Enter your home address into our free valuation tool to get the process started.
