Questions sellers ask me
These are the questions I get on the phone most often. If yours isn't here, call or text me and ask.
Should I just list with an agent?
Often, yes. If the house shows well and you can give the market a few months, a listing will usually bring in more money than I can pay. The sellers I'm a good match for want certainty sooner, or they'd rather skip repairs, showings and open houses. See the side-by-side comparison if you want to weigh both.
Why isn't my offer the Zillow number?
Because Zillow's estimate is built without anyone stepping inside. It has no idea if the bathrooms are original or the furnace is on its last legs. The other common gap is comparing your house to a fully renovated one down the street: if theirs sold for $700,000 and yours needs $150,000 or more of work, yours might be worth closer to $400,000 today. I go into more detail on how I buy houses.
Do you buy houses that are already listed?
Generally not. A home on the MLS is usually priced near retail, and that leaves too little room in the deal for me to make a fair offer and still cover the work. If your listing has ended, you're welcome to reach out.
Who pays closing costs?
It varies from deal to deal. Sometimes I cover the closing costs and sometimes the seller does, and we agree on which before anything is signed. One cost the state puts on sellers is the Realty Transfer Fee, which New Jersey's Division of Taxation says the seller pays when the deed is recorded. Your accountant or attorney can tell you what applies to your sale.
Can you buy an inherited house before probate is finished?
Here's the general picture, not legal advice. When a house is titled in the late owner's name alone, the Bergen County Surrogate's Court explains that someone has to be appointed executor, or administrator if there's no will, before the title can change hands. The Surrogate can't admit a will to probate until at least 10 days after the death, and the Letters Testamentary it issues are what confirm an executor's authority to act. We can certainly talk and look at the house before then. Ask an estate attorney what your situation needs before anyone signs a contract.
Do you buy outside your counties?
I buy across all of New Jersey, so any NJ address is in my area. If your property is in another state, I may pass your information along or refer you to a partner who buys there, but only if you've given that consent on the form.
Do I have to fix anything or clean out the house?
No. I buy as-is. Leave the old furniture, the boxes in the attic and the dated kitchen exactly where they are.
Will you buy with tenants still living there?
Yes. Your tenants can stay put while we work out a sale, because I buy rentals with people still living in them. Leases and what you owe your tenants are questions for a landlord-tenant attorney, so ask one before you sign a contract. My guide to selling a rental with tenants covers more.
Do you buy condos?
Yes, condos are on my list along with houses. Send me the unit's details and I'll size it up the way I would any property: what it needs and what it could be worth.
Will you buy a fire-damaged or unlivable house?
Yes. A house scarred by fire, or one nobody can live in right now, still gets a real offer from me. The damage goes into my numbers, so there's nothing for you to repair first.
What happens to everything left in the house?
Take only what you want to keep. Furniture, boxes, old appliances and anything else you leave become my job once we've closed, and I handle the cleanout.
Am I committed to anything if I ask for an offer?
Not at all. The offer is free, and you can say no, sleep on it, or compare it with other options. I'd rather you make the decision that's right for you.
Do I pay a commission when I sell to you?
No. When you sell straight to me there's no agent involved on your side, so there's no agent commission to pay.
How do you come up with your number?
I weigh what the house needs, its value after a full renovation, and the costs of getting it there. I want the price to work for you and for me, and to leave enough room for the renovation or for the investor who takes the project on. I built Appraize.ai to speed up the first pass of that analysis.
Who handles the paperwork at closing?
Usually attorneys, a title company, or a combination of the two, which is typical for New Jersey. A title company acting as settlement agent usually receives the funds and pays off liens such as your mortgage, according to the state's Department of Banking and Insurance. The Division of Taxation also requires every seller to hand in a completed GIT/REP form at closing so the deed can be recorded.