Maybe you have found yourself in a less than desirable situation with an unwanted house, or perhaps due to unforeseen circumstances you have a house you need to get rid of quickly. Maybe you are researching “how to sell a house quickly”. Typically homeowners are able to sell a home on their own terms…they perform repairs on their own schedule, set up a meeting with a realtor, and get the house listed and wait a couple months for it to sell.

However, sometimes homeowners need to sell their house quickly to access capital, relocate, or for just peace of mind due to a burdensome property. In these situations, it may make sense to consider selling your home to a real estate investor. Typically an investor can close with cash, and as a result, the closing will not take close to 30 days like a conventional loan process…since they are paying with cash, the closing is closer to 7-10 days when using a local experienced closing attorney.

Another benefit is that investors typically buy “as-is”. This means the investor is buying the condition in its current condition, with no requests for costly repairs or to even clean up the house. Now if the house needs significant repairs and/or clean-up the investor will factor this into their offer price for your property.

Depending on the price you accept for the home, the investor may be able to assist with moving expenses and in many cases they will also cover the closing costs. Also, since the investor is buying directly from you, there is no 6% realtor commissions like a normal real estate transaction (typically 3% for buyer’s agent and 3% for seller’s agent).

Taking all these factors into account, its clear why selling your investor is one means to sell a house quickly. Investors act quickly and aren’t super picky when it comes to houses that need work. If you have time to wait, sure you can sell to a retail buyer through a real estate listing, but you can be assured that they will be comparing your property to those out there on the market. Typical retail buyers want the house in move-in ready condition, and aren’t as open to fixer uppers as real estate investors.

Steps in How to Sell a House Quickly

1. Search “real estate for sale” or “real estate wanted” sections of Craigslist for ads that say “we buy houses”. Call the phone number in the ads or email them through the Craigslist link.
2. Call the signs in your local area that are placed at intersections and on telephone poles that say “we buy houses.”
3. Google “we buy houses” and your local area…like “we buy houses charlotte, nc”. Contact the phone numbers or email information in these websites.
4. Clearly communicate your situation to the investor. Be sure to tell them exactly why you are selling and what you are trying to accomplish so they can help solve your problem.
5. Tell them about any major problems with the house like structural issues, electrical, plumbing, roofing, termites, etc.
6. Tell them your preferred schedule for the closing date.
7. Be sure to have any information ready that they find useful about the property or your personal situation. If you are facing judgments on the property, such as back taxes, HOA fees, missed mortgage payments, let them know. Before buying the house they will run a title search, and these items will come up. The investor will need to factor in payment of these items, or buying the property subject to these judgments.