6 Top We Buy Houses for Cash Companies in East Texas
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Sandy John, Contributing AuthorCloseSandy John Contributing Author
Sandy John is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in real estate, homeownership, and personal finance articles. Previously the real estate editor for The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, her byline has appeared in several national and regional publications. Sandy has purchased homes in four cities and she has lost track of how many DIY home-improvement projects she’s done.
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Richard Haddad, Executive EditorCloseRichard Haddad Executive Editor
Richard Haddad is the executive editor of HomeLight.com. He works with an experienced content team that oversees the company’s blog featuring in-depth articles about the home buying and selling process, homeownership news, home care and design tips, and related real estate trends. Previously, he served as an editor and content producer for World Company, Gannett, and Western News & Info, where he also served as news director and director of internet operations.
A swift, straightforward home-selling process is sometimes necessary for East Texas homeowners, especially when dealing with an urgent life situation. Those facing foreclosure, navigating a divorce, or inheriting a property that requires significant repairs often prefer a quick home sale to get the cash they need to move forward with their lives. In such cases, “We Buy Houses” East Texas companies can help.
These businesses make all-cash offers for distressed homes, allowing sellers to avoid the hassle and huge costs of preparing their homes for prospective buyers. If you need to sell your East Texas home quickly, a We Buy Houses for Cash company could be the best solution.
Before you request a cash offer, it’s important to understand how much an East Texas house-buying company might offer for your home and weigh your options. Once you’re familiar with the process, you can opt to select a company on our list of some of the top contenders and get moving.
Working with house-buying companies in East Texas
We Buy Houses companies in East Texas typically promise quick, convenient all-cash offers and exceptionally speedy closings, often wrapping up the property sale in as few as seven days. These house-buying companies have polished their processes to help sellers who need to move ASAP and tend to target distressed homes in need of repairs.
Here’s how the process of selling a house for cash generally works:
- Contact the company: Find a reputable house-buying company in East Texas and provide them with details about your property.
- Schedule an evaluation: The company will schedule a time to visit your home and assess its condition and value.
- Receive an offer: After the evaluation, the company will present you with a cash offer, typically within 24 to 48 hours.
- Accept the offer: If you agree to the terms, accept the cash offer and proceed with the sale.
- Close the deal: The company will handle the necessary paperwork and coordinate the closing process, often within a few weeks.
- Receive your payment: At closing, you will receive the agreed-upon cash amount, and the transaction is complete.
Popular We Buy Houses for Cash companies in East Texas
If the quick process of selling to a house-buying company in East Texas sounds good to you, it’s time to find a legitimate operation you can trust.
We’ve compiled some of the top companies that will pay cash for your parent’s property, whether that is a brick ranch house or a Colonial. By selling to one of these companies, you should be able to sell your East Texas home in as little as a week or two.
East Texas Property Buyers
East Texas Property Buyers purchases properties in East Texas cities, such as Texarkana, Jacksonville, Nacogdoches, and Canton. This family-owned firm helps people sell fast and dispose of properties in foreclosure. The owners are real estate investors who fix up the properties to either rent out or sell to buyers.
Locations: Mount Pleasant, Henderson, Tyler, Kilgore, and neighboring cities
Closing costs: Sellers pay no closing costs; East Texas Property Buyers covers them.
East Texas Property Buyers has a 5-star rating on Google, with customers highly recommending the company to others who need to sell a home quickly. They say the process went very smoothly and that the company’s representatives kept them well-informed during the purchase and closing process. Many reviewers mentioned the professionalism of the people they worked with.
Website: easttexaspropertybuyers.com
Phone number: 903-402-1279
Simple Sale (a HomeLight platform)
Simple Sale, a solution from HomeLight, is an online platform where sellers in East Texas (and across the country) can request a cash offer for their home. It has one of the largest networks of cash buyers on its platform, and partner investors have a wide range of investment strategies, including fix-and-flip and buy-and-hold.
This enables Simple Sale to provide cash offers for a wide array of properties, even those that need some or a lot of work, in different locations throughout East Texas. With this platform, you can get an all-cash offer in as few as 24 hours and sell your home in as few as 10 days, skipping the months it can take to sell the traditional way.
Locations: Nationwide, including East Texas
Closing costs: No prep costs, no agent commissions, and no fees charged by HomeLight. Individual investor fees may vary.
Simple Sale is a platform by HomeLight, a real estate solutions company founded in 2012. Given its strong focus on excellent customer service, it has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) since 2019 and now holds an impressive A+ rating. It has 4.5 stars on Google based on more than 500 user reviews.
Below, you can hear about how Baohan Wu, a seller who used Simple Sale to sell his high-rise apartment, closed within three and a half weeks, and what he thought of the process overall.
Website: homelight.com/simple
Phone: 844-488-8455
Texas Land & Home
Texas Land & Home is a local cash home buying company based in Tyler, Texas, specializing in helping homeowners sell quickly and efficiently. It purchases houses in any condition, eliminating the need for repairs, cleaning, or commissions.
The company provides fair cash offers within 24 hours and can close in as little as seven days, or schedule a closing that suits the seller’s timeline. By handling all the details of the transaction, Texas Land and Home removes the usual hassles associated with selling a home.
Locations: Tyler
Closing costs: Sellers pay no closing costs; Texas Land & Home covers them.
Texas Land and Home earned an A+ grade from the BBB and a 4.9-star rating on Google. Reviewers note the company’s professionalism and knowledge of local real estate, which helped them sell properties fast. They praise the company’s responsiveness and punctuality, enthusiastically recommending the company’s services to homeowners who need to sell quickly.
Website: texaslandhome.com
Phone number: 903-202-2220
TX Cash Home Buyers
TX Cash Home Buyers is a real estate investment firm that provides fast, practical solutions for homeowners dealing with burdensome properties. As experienced investors, the company formulates fair, competitive cash offers within 24 hours tailored to each homeowner’s situation.
Sellers can choose their closing timeline, whether they want to sell quickly or need additional time. TX Cash Home Buyers simplifies the home-selling experience.
Locations: Throughout Texas
Closing costs: Sellers pay no closing costs; TX Cash Home Buyers covers them.
TX Cash Home Buyers has been BBB accredited since 2021 and holds an A+ grade. On Google, past sellers give positive comments and rate the company an average of 4.8 stars.
Clients appreciate the team’s transparency and honesty throughout the process, which allowed transactions to move quickly and smoothly. Many note that the company delivers fair cash offers and handles every step with care, reducing stress for sellers.
Website: txcashhomebuyers.com
Phone number: 281-595-7550
We Buy Houses
Founded in 1997, We Buy Houses is a national homebuying network with independent franchise offices across the country, including East Texas. It buys single-family homes, condos, land, and other types of real estate.
Once an offer is accepted, the company sets the closing date, and sellers can expect to close within seven to 14 days on average. We Buy Houses OKC also works with foreclosures, sellers behind on payments, short sales, landlord-tenant situations, and vacant properties.
Locations: Nationwide, including East Texas
Closing costs: Sellers pay no closing costs; We Buy Houses covers them.
Recognized by the BBB since 2020, We Buy Houses has an A+ grade from the bureau. Its Google Business Profile earned 3.7 out of 5 stars, as the client feedback is varied. Many rave about the excellent service and give high ratings, praising the overall experience.
Others, however, raise concerns about how they were contacted, especially when callers didn’t introduce themselves. While some transactions go smoothly and professionally, others highlight uneven communication and a less consistent customer experience.
Website: webuyhouses.com
Phone number: 877-932-8946
We Buy Ugly Houses / HomeVestors
We Buy Ugly Houses, a HomeVestors brand founded in 1996, pioneered the franchise model in the home-buying industry. With decades of experience, it has grown into one of the most recognized and trusted names in the field.
Its nationwide network of independently owned franchises has purchased more than 150,000 homes. Homeowners usually receive a cash offer soon after a walkthrough, with closings commonly completed within three weeks.
Locations: Nationwide, including East Texas
Closing costs: Sellers pay no closing costs; We Buy Ugly Houses covers them.
HomeVestors has been BBB accredited since 2013 and has an A+ rating. On Google, it received a high average review score of 5 stars. Clients say the team made the home-selling process simple. The positive word-of-mouth from friends reinforced the company’s strong reputation. Overall, clients recommend them to anyone looking to sell a house quickly and easily.
Website: webuyuglyhouses.com
Phone number: 877-415-6581
Why sell your East Texas house for cash?
If you’ve ever sold your home through the traditional real estate market, you know the process can drag on for months, and there’s no guarantee of a sale. But when you sell to a We Buy Houses company, you’re looking at a guaranteed sale in just a matter of days. Speed, convenience, and certainty are the top reasons many homeowners choose to work with a cash-for-homes firm.
In East Texas, selling on the open market with an agent takes about 97 days. That includes an average of 56 days listed on the market until a signed contract plus the typical 41 days a buyer needs to close on a purchase loan.
Compare that to the usual seven to 10 days promised by many house-buying companies in East Texas, and it’s clear why these cash-for-homes groups are an attractive option, even though they don’t always offer top dollar for the homes they purchase.
Here are some of the most common reasons homeowners choose to sell their homes for cash:
- Job relocation: You need to move quickly for a new job and can’t wait for a traditional home sale.
- Divorce settlement: You want to quickly divide assets and move on with your life.
- Inherited property: You’ve inherited a house and prefer a quick sale over dealing with maintenance or renting.
- Downsizing transition: You’re looking to move into a smaller home or retirement community without the hassle of prepping and showing your current home.
- Expensive repairs: Your home requires significant repairs that you can’t afford or don’t want to manage.
- Traditional sale stress: You prefer to avoid the stress and inconvenience of multiple showings and open houses.
- Structural damage: Your home has foundation problems, making it less attractive to traditional buyers.
- Foreclosure fix: You’re facing foreclosure and need to sell quickly to settle your debts.
- Problem tenants: You’re a landlord tired of managing tenants and want to sell your rental property quickly.
- Remote sale: You own a property in East Texas, but live elsewhere, and you’re looking for a way to make selling from out of state easier.
Pros and cons of house-buying companies in East Texas
We Buy Houses for Cash companies in East Texas can trigger a mixed bag of thoughts that can be difficult to sort. You may like the idea of speed and convenience, but you might be concerned that you’re passing up financial opportunities.
In this next section, we’ll walk you through some of the pros and cons of using a We Buy Houses company so you can better consider your options.
Pros
One of the biggest pros of working with a house-buying company in East Texas is that they offer speed and will buy your house in any condition without needing repairs or preparations. Here are some key benefits at a glance:
- Speedy transaction: You can typically sell your house in as few as seven to 10 days, providing a quick solution for urgent situations.
- As-is sale: Companies will buy your house as-is, meaning no repairs or cleaning are required before the sale.
- Guaranteed deal: These companies offer firm cash deals with few or no contingencies, ensuring a smoother, more predictable process.
- Convenient process: Skip the hassle of showings, open houses, and negotiations, making the sale process much easier and less stressful.
Cons
The most significant con of selling to a house-buying company is that they will likely offer you below market value for your home compared to selling on the market with an experienced real estate agent. Here are some of the key drawbacks:
- Lower offers: Expect offers to be lower than what you might receive on the open market.
- Scam proposals: While most cash-for-homes companies are legitimate, some are dishonest, engaging in scams. This is why it’s important to always vet your buyers.
- Limited negotiation: There’s typically little to no room for negotiating the price.
- No agent expertise: You miss out on the professional guidance and market knowledge that a real estate agent provides.
Vet cash buyers and know your home’s worth
For many home sellers in East Texas, We Buy Houses for Cash companies can be a solid solution to selling a property quickly or accessing cash for an expected life challenge. On the other hand, the “cash for your home” rehabbing business model has also led to what some housing advocates call predatory tactics.
That said, before committing to a cash offer, it’s crucial to vet the company thoroughly. The level of service and integrity you experience from a house-buying firm can vary, so make sure to:
- Research market presence: Investigate how long the company has been buying homes in your area and how they’ve performed in the market.
- Check reviews: Look for online reviews and ratings to see what other sellers have said about their experience with the company.
- Ask for referrals: Go beyond reviews and ask actual clients to get a better sense of the company’s reputation and trustworthiness.
- Examine the agreement: Before signing anything, read the buying agreement carefully to ensure you fully understand the terms and conditions of the sale.
HomeLight suggests you consult with an experienced local agent to get a better idea of what your home might be worth if sold on the open market. Then, compare your cash offer.
HomeLight can connect you with a top-performing agent in East Texas. You can also use our free Home Value Estimator to get an initial ballpark estimate in less than two minutes.
Other options to sell your home quickly
Working with iBuyers
Instant buyers or iBuyers use automated valuation models (AVMs) to offer near-instant home value estimates. They provide a mostly online experience, offering all-cash deals typically closer to market value for homes in good condition.
These iBuyer companies quickly move from offer to closing, usually within a few days to two weeks. However, firms like Opendoor and Offerpad charge service fees of 5% to 6% of the home’s sale price.
Listing with an agent
Listing with a top real estate agent can also result in a fast sale, especially in a seller-friendly market. An agent can provide a comparative market analysis (CMA) for free, which helps determine an appropriate listing price and estimate the time to sell.
Partnering with a proven agent can yield the highest selling price, and they may even connect you with cash buyers willing to pay closer to market value. If you are interested in exploring the agent option, HomeLight can connect you with a top-performing real estate agent in Texas today.
FAQs on East Texas house-buying companies
By and large, most We Buy Houses for Cash companies are legitimate businesses. Their services and transaction fees may differ, but the business model has been around for decades. If you use an established group with a track record, you can be fairly confident it’s legitimate.
That said, as with any financial transaction, it’s a good idea to be on the alert for scams. Always research companies before you sign a contract. Check customer reviews, look at their online presence, verify professional licenses, get a referral if possible, and vet the company on the BBB website. Watch for anything that just doesn’t seem right.
Most We Buy Houses for Cash companies apply the 70% rule, meaning they’ll offer you about 70% of your home’s after-repair value (ARV) and deduct their estimated repair costs.
Here’s an example of what a simplified formula might look like:
(Your home’s ARV x .70) – repair costs
To see how this might work in a real-world scenario, let’s take a look at an example offer equation. Let’s say your East Texas three-bedroom ranch could sell for $235,000 after repairs, but it’s going to need $25,000 of work to get there.
($235,000 x .70) – $25,000 = $139,500
In this example, an East Texas We Buy Houses company might offer you about $139,500 for your home. However, different types of house-buying companies will offer varying amounts for homes.
As mentioned previously, iBuyers tend to pay more than We Buy Houses companies because they look for homes in better condition. An iBuyer might pay you 90% or more of the market value while charging a fee for their services.
When you accept an offer from a We Buy Houses for Cash company, you will likely be coming to grips with a two-edged sword. On the one hand, it shouldn’t cost you any additional money because these companies make an offer and handle almost everything once the offer is accepted. On the other hand, you’ll likely get less money overall for your home.
Because We Buy Houses for Cash companies tend to focus on distressed homes, they typically have zero fees. Most will even cover your closing costs. In most cases, this means that the cash offer you receive is going to be the price you walk away with at the end of the deal. Make sure to ask the company for any hidden program fees that could affect your bottom line.
- Research and vet the house-buying companies that serve your East Texas area. Our list above is a good place to start.
- Submit offer requests to a few companies you like best.
- Schedule any required on-site property visits.
- Compare offers. Weigh the pros and cons and choose the best option for you.
- Close the sale in a week to 30 days and get paid. (Some companies will let you choose a closing date up to 90 days after accepting the offer, which can be helpful when planning a move).
We Buy Houses for Cash in East Texas vs. top East Texas agent
Another helpful exercise is to compare how a We Buy Houses for Cash company might stack up against working with a real estate agent. Let’s take a glance at how different aspects of the sale might look and compare possible proceeds.
Aspect of the sale | Sell to a We Buy Houses for Cash company in East Texas | Sell with a top Realtor in East Texas |
Selling timeline | 7 to 30 days | 97 days average; 56 to attract an offer, 41 to close the loan |
Home preparations | None | Deep clean, declutter, make necessary repairs, landscape, and stage the home |
Showings | None | 10 to 25 showings on average |
Inspections and repairs | None | May need to make additional repairs for the buyer or renegotiate the price |
Appraisal | None | May need to lower your asking price if the appraisal comes in low |
Title search | Cash-for-homes companies often handle title issues | Must clear the title before you can sell the home |
Financing contingency | None | Mortgaged buyers use a financing contingency that could hold up the deal if the buyer’s loan doesn’t clear |
Agent commission | None | 3% to 6% of the home’s sale price |
Closing costs | None | 1% to 3% of the home’s sale price on top of agent commission |
Example net proceeds
Below, we’ve put together one example of how net proceeds may differ between selling a home to a We Buy Houses for Cash company and an agent-assisted sale.
Let’s say your traditional-style home in East Texas is currently worth about $210,000 and needs about $25,000 in repairs. Once the repairs are completed, the home might be worth about $235,000.
Sell to a We Buy Houses for Cash company in East Texas | Sell with a top Realtor in East Texas | |
Estimated sale price | ($235,000 x .70) – $25,000 = $139,500 | $210,000 |
Market preparations | 0 | $2,100 (1% of the sale price) |
Agent commissions | 0 | $6,300 (3% of the sale price) |
Closing costs | 0 | $3,150 (1.5% of the sale price) |
Estimated take-home for seller | $139,500 | $198,450 |
As this example illustrates, it’s usually in your best financial interest to partner with an experienced real estate agent. However, net proceeds are not the only consideration when selling a home.
What’s best for your situation will depend on the condition of your property, the level of repairs needed, and your selling objectives. It could be that selling on the open market will be a challenge in your area, or the agent’s timeline might not fit your immediate needs.
Key takeaways
- Fast transaction: We Buy Houses for Cash companies in East Texas allow you to conveniently sell your home in as few as seven days with no repairs, open houses, or showings.
- Due diligence: There are several reputable cash-for-homes companies serving East Texas, but it’s important to vet each potential partner to ensure they can accommodate your selling needs and goals.
- Quick sale alternatives: Using a We Buy Houses company could mean leaving a significant amount of money on the table compared to an agent-assisted or iBuyer sale.
- Legitimate cash buyers: HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform provides no-obligation, all-cash offers for homes in almost any condition in East Texas. Because the platform has partner investors with different buying parameters across the region, it can be a great starting point if you aren’t sure who would buy your home.
House buying companies can be a good alternative for East Texas sellers in need of a quick home sale, but it’s important to consider both the benefits and drawbacks. When it comes to selling your home, it’s wise to avoid making any hasty decisions.
Before committing to a cash-for-homes company, gather multiple offers and take the time to consider your options. Consider consulting with a top agent for expert insights on how soon and for how much your property might sell on the market. Whatever you decide, HomeLight would be happy to help with your real estate needs.
Editor’s note: This post is for educational purposes only. Links to and mentions of East Texas area “We Buy Houses” companies are not endorsements. Moreover, the program details mentioned above may change. Visit the home-buying company’s website for the most up-to-date information.
Header Image Source: (fotoluminate / Deposit photos)