Agent, iBuyer, or Us? An Honest Comparison.
Here's the truth most "we buy houses" sites won't print: if your house is market-ready and you can wait, listing with a good agent will usually net you the most money. The comparison below is for everyone else — sellers whose house, timeline, or situation makes the traditional path expensive, slow, or impossible.
| Listing with an agent | Selling to us | iBuyer / national offer site | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commissions & fees | ~6% commission + fees | None | 5–7% service fee |
| Repairs before sale | Usually required or negotiated | None — true as-is | Deducted after inspection |
| Cleanout required | Yes — staged and emptied | No — leave what you like | Yes |
| Showings | Weeks to months of them | One walkthrough | Inspection visit |
| Financing risk | Deals die at the bank regularly | None — cash | Low |
| Inspection renegotiation | Common | Never — first number is real | Common (post-inspection credits) |
| Time to close | 60–90+ days typical | 7 days possible; your date | 14–60 days |
| Old, damaged, or occupied houses | Hard or impossible to list | Our specialty | Usually rejected |
| Sale price | Highest — for market-ready homes | Below retail, honestly priced | Below retail minus fees & deductions |
The real math
A listing price isn't what you keep. Subtract the commission, the repairs the buyer's inspector demands, months of carrying costs (mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities) while you wait, and the risk of a financing fall-through that restarts the clock. For a house that needs work, the "higher" retail price often shrinks to within reach of an honest cash offer — without the certainty. For a house in great shape, it usually doesn't shrink enough, and we'll tell you so.
Why not an iBuyer?
National offer sites generate algorithmic offers that look strong — then charge a 5–7% service fee and deduct repairs after their inspection. They also decline most houses that need real work, which is exactly the kind we buy. Our offer comes from a person who has bought 532 houses in your area, holds firm without inspection games, and charges nothing.