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How selling your house for cash actually works

The full process, the math behind the offer, and an honest read on when a cash sale is the wrong choice.

House keys and closing documents on a bright table

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The four steps

  1. You send the address. Takes a minute. We pull the county record, the ZIP's recent sales, and the tax and lien picture before we call you.
  2. We walk it once — in person or on a video call. We are looking at roof, mechanicals and structure, not at your housekeeping.
  3. You get a written offer, usually within 24 hours, with the comps and repair numbers it came from. No obligation.
  4. You pick the closing date. Title company handles the paperwork; we pay standard closing costs. Cash means no appraisal and no lender.

The math, shown

Every legitimate cash offer is the same four-line calculation:

After-repair value (what it sells for renovated)from recent comparable sales
− Repairsroof, HVAC, electrical, cosmetics
− Holding & resale coststaxes, insurance, utilities, agent fees on resale
− Buyer's marginwhat makes it worth doing
= Your cash offer

When you should not sell to a cash buyer

If your home is move-in ready, you are not on a deadline, and you can absorb 5-6% in commissions plus 60-90 days of carrying costs, the open market will usually pay you more. We would rather tell you that up front than waste a walkthrough. Where a cash sale genuinely wins is repairs you cannot fund, a deadline you cannot move, an inherited property in another state, a tenant you cannot get out, or a listing that already failed.

Questions people actually ask

How is a cash offer calculated?
Start with the after-repair value - what comparable renovated homes in your ZIP actually sold for in the last 6 months. Subtract the cost of the repairs the property needs, subtract the cost to hold and resell it, and subtract the margin the buyer needs to stay in business. What is left is the offer. Any buyer who will not walk you through those four numbers is hiding one.
Is selling to a cash buyer a mistake?
It is a trade, not a mistake. You give up some of the retail price in exchange for speed, certainty, and paying nothing. If your house is in good condition and you can wait 60-90 days and pay 5-6% in commissions, listing it will usually net more. If it needs work, has tenants, or you need a date you can count on, a cash sale often nets more after real costs.
How do I tell a real cash buyer from a lead broker?
Ask for proof of funds and ask who is actually going to be on the deed. Many 'we buy houses' sites sell your information to a list of investors. Ask directly: are you buying this, or assigning it? A straight answer is the test.
What does 'as-is' actually mean?
You do nothing. No repairs, no cleaning, no hauling anything away, no pre-listing inspection, no staging. Leave what you do not want.

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Also from Restar

Want the data behind all of this?

Restar Acquisitions is the acquisitions arm of Restar — a housing-market analytics platform tracking 180+ metrics across every U.S. market, with composite scores and 12-month price forecasts. The numbers on this page come from the same work.