Question 1

Will you be listing my home on the MLS or actually buying it?

Accepted Answer

I am the buyer, not acting as your agent. I’m a licensed Indiana agent, but on these purchases I’m buying for my own account — I’m not going to list your house, put it on the MLS, or go looking for someone else to buy it. I purchase directly with my own funds. After closing I fix the house up and either sell it to a family who wants to live in it or hold it as a rental here in the area.

Question 2

Do I need to make repairs before selling my home?

Accepted Answer

No. Not one. Don’t patch the roof, don’t replace the water heater, and don’t deep clean before I come look. Sellers tell me all the time that they feel stuck because the repair list costs more than they have — that list is exactly what I am taking off your hands. I look at the house as it sits today and make my offer on that.

Question 3

Do you pay fair prices for properties?

Accepted Answer

Honest answer: I buy below retail. I have to, because I’m the one paying for the repairs, the holding costs, and the risk that the rehab runs over. What you get in exchange is a guaranteed number, no lender who can back out, no commission, and no repair bills. For some sellers that trade is clearly worth it. I will show you exactly how I got to the number so you can judge it for yourself.

Question 4

How do you determine the price to offer on my home?

Accepted Answer

I start with what your house would sell for fully renovated, based on what comparable homes nearby have actually closed for. Then I subtract what the repairs will really cost, my closing and holding costs, and a reasonable profit. What’s left is your offer. I’ll walk you through each of those numbers if you want to see them — it’s arithmetic, not a black box.

Question 5

Are there any fees or commissions to work with you?

Accepted Answer

There is no commission and no fee of any kind for working with me, and I pay the standard closing costs. To be straight about what that doesn’t cover: anything already attached to the house still comes out of your proceeds — your remaining loan balance, your share of the year’s property taxes, and any liens the title search turns up. Beyond that, no surprise deductions on the settlement statement.

Question 6

How are you different from a real estate agent?

Accepted Answer

An agent markets your house to find a buyer. That takes time, usually costs 5 to 6 percent in commission, and still depends on the eventual buyer’s lender approving the loan. I skip all of it because I am the buyer. I use my own capital, so I can decide quickly and hold to the date you pick. An agent is the right call if you have time and the house shows well. If it doesn’t, or you can’t wait, that’s where I come in.

Question 7

Is there any obligation when I submit my info?

Accepted Answer

None. You send me the address and some details, we talk, and I give you a number. If you don’t like it, that’s the end of it — no follow-up campaign, no pressure calls. I’d rather you have a real number to compare against than talk you into something you’ll regret.

Author: Grant Howard