6 Top We Buy Houses for Cash Companies in San Luis Obispo
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Amna Shamim Contributing AuthorClose
Amna Shamim Contributing AuthorAmna Shamim is a writer and digital marketing consultant who works with local and e-commerce businesses, ensuring they are easily findable online to and trusted by their clients. Her words have been featured in Glamour Magazine, Business Insider, Entrepreneur, Huff Post, Thrive Global, BUST, Paste, and other publications.
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Richard Haddad Managing EditorClose
Richard Haddad Managing EditorRichard Haddad is the managing 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.
At HomeLight, our vision is a world where every real estate transaction is simple, certain, and satisfying. Therefore, we promote strict editorial integrity in each of our posts.
We Buy Houses companies in San Luis Obispo make all-cash offers for homes that often need some work, enabling sellers who lack the time, expertise, and money for repairs to move quickly and receive the cash proceeds from their home sooner if they need it.
Perhaps you’re in a hurry to sell your house in order to relocate for a new job. Or maybe you need to sell rapidly to settle a divorce or you have inherited a house that needs to be sold to close out an estate quickly and easily from out of state. Being able to sell the property fast and with as little fuss as possible is a key part of success.
Need to Sell Your House in San Luis Obispo?
Get an all-cash, no-obligation offer through HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform whenever you’re ready. Receive your offer in as little as 24 hours and close in as few as 10 days. No showings, no repairs, no open houses. Available to sellers in San Luis Obispo, California.
When you need to sell your San Luis Obispo home quickly, a We Buy Houses for Cash company could be the best solution. However, before you request a cash offer, it’s important to understand how much a San Luis Obispo 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.
Disclaimer: This post is meant to be used for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Links and mentions of San Luis Obispo “we buy houses” companies should not be considered an endorsement.
Working with house-buying companies in San Luis Obispo
We Buy Houses companies in San Luis Obispo typically promise to give home sellers 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 generally works:
- You request an all-cash offer. The company will ask you to provide information about your house and property. Some We Buy Houses groups will make a preliminary offer shortly after you submit the request. However, the initial offer is typically subject to change after they have inspected your home.
- The company performs a walk-through. This on-site property visit is typically completed within 24 to 48 hours. The timeframe may vary depending on the company and market.
- You receive a firm offer. Your official cash offer is typically received within 24 hours of the on-site visit, but can sometimes be presented at the end of the walk-through. At this point, you can accept or decline the offer. The majority of house-buying companies do not negotiate. They usually present a take-it-or-leave-it sale price.
- If you accept the offer, you’ll both sign a sales contract. With a signed sales agreement, the closing process will begin. Some house-buying companies will initially provide a large deposit or funds to assist the seller with moving costs. Others will pay for the property upfront.
- Close the sale and get paid quickly. We Buy Houses companies can typically close your home sale within seven days to a few weeks. This can vary by company, and sellers who work with a house-buying company often enjoy flexibility in selecting a move-out date that works for them.
Popular We Buy Houses for Cash companies in San Luis Obispo
If these benefits of selling to a house-buying company in San Luis Obispo sound 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 Victorian or Spanish-style home. By selling to one of these companies, you should be able to sell your San Luis Obispo home in as little as a week or two.
Note: Individual program details frequently change — please visit a company’s website for the most up-to-date information on each program’s fees, market coverage, business model, and more. HomeLight always recommends doing your own research to determine which selling option is best for your situation.
SLO Cash Buyer
Founded by Abel Contreras, a Central Valley native, SLO Cash Buyer is one of the most local companies on this list. While they do offer a traditional listing option, SLO Cash Buyer also has a Quick Cash Close option where they’ll make you an all-cash offer, charge no fees, and pay all closing costs.
Being local, SLO Cash Buyer’s team has a good handle on the market trends and can share realistic costs and timelines for both traditional sales and fast cash offers with potential clients.
Locations: Focused on San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County
Closing costs: Sellers pay no closing costs; SLO Cash Buyer covers them.
Operating since 2018, SLO Cash Buyer holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, but they are not listed as BBB accredited. One reviewer on Google praises the company’s professionalism and promptness, and calls the closing process “effortless.” Reviews on the company website call out Abel by name, showing this is a small team where the owner is involved in many of the transactions.
slocashbuyer.com
Phone: 805-779-3472
Simple Sale (a HomeLight platform)
Simple Sale, a solution from HomeLight, is an online platform where sellers in San Luis Obispo (and across the country) can request a cash offer for their home. Simple Sale connects you to the largest network of cash buyers in the U.S. 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 San Luis Obispo.
With Simple Sale, you can get an all-cash offer in as little 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 San Luis Obispo
Closing costs: No prep costs, no agent commissions, and no fees charged by HomeLight. Individual investor fees may vary.
Simple Sale is a HomeLight platform. HomeLight was founded in 2012 and is BBB accredited with an A+ rating. The company has 4.6 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.
homelight.com/simple
Phone: 844-488-8455
Quick Home Offers
Quick Home Offers focuses on working with California sellers and provides up to $25,000 as a cash advance before closing. Sellers do not have to make any repairs before selling and can choose their closing date.
From offer to viewing to settlement, Quick Home Offers expects the entire process to take between five to 10 days, depending on your schedule. They calculate an offer based on location, condition, and market conditions. They sometimes give multiple offers, with one of them being all cash, and the others are term offers.
Locations: California, including San Luis Obispo
Closing costs: Sellers pay no closing costs; Quick Home Offers covers them.
Founded in 2013, Quick Home Offers has an A+ rating with the BBB but is not listed as accredited. The company holds a 5-star rating on Google. Multiple reviews comment on the speed with which Quick Home Offers closed on their property. Reviewers also mention the honesty, integrity, and responsiveness of the sales representatives.
quickhomeoffers.com
Phone: 805-870-5749
We Buy Houses San Luis Obispo
Founded in 1997, We Buy Houses has long been helping homeowners sell their properties quickly and for cash. The company says it is trusted by over 1 million homeowners and that it will generally be able to provide a no-obligation cash offer in 24-48 hours. Home sellers can close in as little as seven to 14 days.
Because “We Buy Houses” is no longer a trademarked term, be aware that not every company you see using “We Buy Houses” in their marketing or name is associated with WeBuyHouses.com. Before you choose to work with a company with that branding, ensure they are legitimate on their own and not just leveraging WeBuyHouses.com’s legitimacy.
Locations: Over 200 markets, including San Luis Obispo
Closing costs: Sellers pay no closing costs; We Buy Houses covers them.
We Buy Houses has been BBB accredited since 2017 and holds an A grade rating. Customer reviews for We Buy Houses speak to how professional the company is from start to finish. Reviewers praise the quick, smooth, hassle-free process.
webuyhouses.com/CA/San_Luis_Obispo
Phone: 877-932-8946
Sell Quick California
Sell Quick California is a Sacramento, California-based business that was established in 2002. Owner Marc Afzal has lived in California since 1986 and founded the company after years of experience working in traditional real estate made him realize how much many home sellers hate the traditional sales process.
Based on reviews, Marc handles the offers and transactions himself with just three other people on the team page, so you can get to know them, down to their most recently read book. They promise a fair cash offer and closing with a reputable local title company in under seven days.
Locations: Across California, including San Luis Obispo
Closing costs: Sellers generally pay no closing costs; Sell Quick California covers them.
Sell Quick Inc not only has an A+ rating and BBB accreditation, it also received several glowing reviews on the BBB site, on Google, and on Yelp. One BBB reviewer praised the service, saying that Marc “was clear about what needed to be done and what to expect. Everything went well. This was a very quick process.”
sellquickcalifornia.com
Phone: 866-947-8248
We Buy Ugly Houses / HomeVestors
In business for over 25 years, We Buy Ugly Houses / HomeVestors has worked with over 140,000 homeowners who have trusted their process and sold the company their homes. In each area, they work with local homebuyers and investors who know the local market.
We Buy Ugly Houses/HomeVestors usually makes a cash offer immediately after reviewing property information and conducting a home visit. The offer is firm and includes all fees, which enables them to complete the closing in as few as three weeks.
Location: Nationwide, including San Luis Obispo
Closing costs: Sellers pay no closing costs; We Buy Ugly Houses/HomeVestors covers them.
BBB accredited since October 2011 and with an A+ rating, We Buy Ugly Houses/HomeVestors has a long and positive track record. Their customer reviews speak to a professional and smooth process. Reviewers express how the company representatives provided a fair offer price, excellent communication, and flexibility with closing dates.
webuyuglyhouses.com
Phone: 866-492-7781
Why sell your San Luis Obispo house for cash?
There are plenty of valid reasons a San Luis Obispo home seller may choose to work with a Cash-For-Homes company. Leading the list are the benefits of speed, certainty, and remarkable convenience.
In San Luis Obispo, it typically takes around 79 days to sell a home on the market using an agent. That includes an average of 35 days listed on the market until a signed contract, plus the typical 44 days a buyer needs to close on a purchase loan.
Compare that to the typical seven to 10 days promised by many house-buying companies in San Luis Obispo, 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.
These companies are growing in popularity, especially for sellers who do not have the typically required long weeks or months to prepare, market, and close on a traditional home sale. Let’s look at some of the most common reasons San Luis Obispo sellers decide to use a We Buy Houses for Cash company over listing a property the traditional way.
- The home has significant repair issues common in San Luis Obispo, such as flood damage.
- The seller needs to cash in quickly or move ASAP due to a divorce, medical need, financial strain, job relocation, or some other pressing family or life change.
- The seller doesn’t have the necessary funds or desire to make home repairs.
- The seller doesn’t want the stress, work, or headaches of prepping the home, coordinating showings, negotiating, or navigating a lengthy or complex sales process.
- The seller desires the privacy of selling their property quietly off-market to a cash buyer.
- The seller is facing foreclosure and just wants to sell the home and settle their debts with the lender before the situation (or credit history) gets worse.
- The seller wants a convenient and fast way to unload an inherited property.
- The seller is a landlord who no longer wants to manage a rental property, or wants to relieve themselves of a problem tenant.
- The homeowner is growing old and moving in with a relative or into a care facility, prompting their family to sell the property for convenience or to help fund the move.
- The seller is living out of state and desires the benefits of an easy, quick cash sale.
If you are a homeowner facing any of these circumstances, requesting a cash offer from a We Buy Houses company might be a good option to consider. However, it’s prudent to think of this as a starting point in your search for solutions. You won’t know if it’s your best move until you know more about other options available to you, which we’ll help you review in a minute.
Pros and cons of house-buying companies in San Luis Obispo
At this point, you’ve probably noticed that We Buy Houses for Cash companies in San Luis Obispo 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 having trouble balancing these with the premium you might pay for a cash-offer service.
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 weigh your options.
Pros to We Buy Houses for Cash in San Luis Obispo
One of the biggest advantages of working with We Buy Houses for Cash companies in San Luis Obispo is that you can sell your home as-is with no repairs required, and they’ll buy homes in any condition.
If your home was severely damaged in a weather event, or you’ve fallen years behind on routine maintenance, you can still sell without needing to make the extensive repairs that financed buyers may require.
Here are some other pros to consider:
- Speed: You can typically sell your house in as few as seven to 10 days.
- More certainty: With a pre-offer walk-through, a house-buying company can provide a firm cash offer that comes with few contingencies, or no contingencies at all. We Buy Houses companies have refined their transaction methods in such a way that they can clear away many traditional roadblocks so sellers can plan with more confidence.
- No repairs: Again, if your home is in need of repairs you can’t afford, you can skip them altogether. Or, if you don’t have the desire or time to tackle repairs, a We Buy Houses company can be a fitting solution to sell a home in poor condition.
- Less hassle: You won’t need to worry about showings, open houses, fielding offers, negotiating, low appraisals, or the risk of the buyer’s financing falling through. When you work with a reputable We Buy Houses for Cash company in San Luis Obispo, you’re likely going to experience a smooth journey from offer to close.
That all may sound pretty great to you as a seller if you’re looking to move within weeks rather than the months it might take you to list and sell your home on the market with an agent. However, there are downsides to working with Cash-For-Homes companies. Namely, they typically offer substantially below market value for your home.
Cons to We Buy Houses for Cash in San Luis Obispo
When considering an offer from a We Buy Houses site, remember that these are house-buying companies, which means they’re ultimately trying to make a profit. They plan to fix up your home and either resell it or rent it out. That takes considerable time, skill, and investment.
Here are some potential downsides to weigh:
- Lower-priced offers: Most companies follow the 70% rule, meaning they’ll offer you about 70% of your home’s after-repair value (or the value that your house could sell for on the market once it’s all fixed up) minus repair costs. This means the cash offer you receive may be markedly lower than what you could get for your home on the market.
- Inconsistent market knowledge: There can be a vast difference in a house-buying company’s knowledge of a market. One may have localized information, such as specific neighborhood data, which enables the company to leverage that knowledge into more competitive cash offers. A company without this expertise may give you a lowball offer.
- A company may be untrustworthy: As with any industry, there’s a risk of falling in with a less trustworthy company. Some cash-offer outfits deliberately make low offers to desperate homeowners and then pressure them into making a fast, unvetted decision. An unprincipled group may even engage in fraud tactics, though it’s rare.
- Pressure tactics: We Buy Houses for Cash companies know that homeowners in need of a quick sale are often facing a desperate situation. While many offer real solutions, some companies take advantage of this urgency by applying pressure tactics. If you feel pressured to accept an offer, step away and reassess your options. There are a good number of established We Buy Houses for Cash companies in San Luis Obispo to choose from.
Your home is more than a place where you make memories with family, it’s also likely your biggest asset. Sure, you want to sell quickly, but you could be leaving major money on the table if you choose to work with one of these We Buy Houses for Cash companies.
Always do your research, compare your options, and consult with a trusted advisor before accepting any offer.
Vet cash buyers and know your home’s worth
For many home sellers, We Buy Houses for Cash companies can be a solid solution to get a property sold quickly or to access 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.
The level of integrity and customer service you experience can vary, even within an established house-buying company that strives to maintain consistent business standards. This is because many We Buy Houses for Cash companies are franchises and often use independent investors or local wholesaling outfits. Your experience greatly depends on the character of the person or group making the offer.
If you are considering a cash offer, vet the company thoroughly. Check reviews, read testimonials, and research its presence and performance in the market. And, of course, read the buying agreement carefully before signing.
Get a home value estimate
Before committing to a We Buy Houses for Cash company, HomeLight suggests you consult with a top agent to get a better idea of what your home might be worth if sold on the open market. Then compare cash offers to what a top agent might be able to get for your home. HomeLight can connect you with a top-performing agent in your market.
Curious What Your Home Is Worth?
Get a near-instant real estate house price estimate from HomeLight for free. Our tool analyzes the records of recently sold homes near you, your home’s last sale price, and other market trends to provide a preliminary range of value in under two minutes.
You can also use HomeLight’s free Home Value Estimator right now to get an initial ballpark estimate in less than two minutes.
Other options to sell your home quickly
iBuyers
Within the Cash-For-Homes industry, you’ll also encounter a particular group of companies known as iBuyers, or instant buyers.
iBuyer companies offer sellers many of the same conveniences of other house-buying operations, but they also leverage automated valuation models (AVMs), which use algorithmic technology to apply historic and current market data to their estimates. AVMs allow iBuyers to make a near-instant offer on your home and provide a user-friendly, mostly online home sale experience.
iBuyers have only been around since the mid-2010s, but are now widely available across California.
iBuyers provide all-cash offers for homes and can close a sale in a matter of days to a few weeks. However, unlike typical We Buy Houses for Cash companies, iBuyers generally seek out homes that are in better condition and usually provide cash offers that are closer to market value, typically in the 90% range.
When considering the iBuyer option, it’s important to note that major iBuyer companies like Opendoor and Offerpad typically charge sizable service fees that can range between 5% and 6%.
Sellers who may be a good fit to work with an iBuyer in San Luis Obispo include those who prefer to skip staging and showing their home, who live in an area with somewhat similar housing, and who have a home in relatively good shape.
Listing with an agent
It might be surprising to see this agent option included in our story about Cash-For-Homes businesses. Most homeowners seeking information about house-buying companies want to sell a home quickly, not in 79 days. But it’s wise to consider all your options.
If your home is in a housing market that’s seller-friendly, listing your property with a top real estate agent can result in a fast sale, especially if the house is strategically priced and superbly marketed.
Depending on the property and local market conditions, using an agent could pay off. Selling on the market typically yields the highest selling price, even more so if you partner with a proven professional. HomeLight’s internal real estate transaction data shows that the top 5% of agents sell homes for up to 10% more than average agents.
Another significant benefit of consulting with a trusted agent is the insight they can provide through a comparative market analysis (CMA). This is a market report that real estate agents provide to home sellers that acts as a tool to calculate the value of a home. The CMA evaluates a home’s size, features, location, age, and other details in relation to similar properties that have recently sold in the area. A CMA can help you determine an appropriate listing price, which can help estimate how quickly it might sell.
In addition, an experienced agent who knows your market may even be able to connect you with buyers who are willing to provide you with a cash offer that’s closer to your home’s market value.
Many agents will provide a CMA for free, with no obligation to list your home with them. It can be a valuable tool to weigh your options. If, in the end, you decide to sell to a house-buying company, you can proceed with more confidence, knowing you fully examined your options and made a sound financial decision.
If you are interested in exploring the agent option, HomeLight can connect you with a top-performing real estate agent in your area today.
Key takeaways
- We Buy Houses for Cash companies in San Luis Obispo can make it possible to conveniently sell your home in as few as seven days with no repairs, open houses, or showings.
- There are a number of reputable Cash-For-Homes companies serving San Luis Obispo.
- 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.
HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform provides no-obligation, all-cash offers for homes in almost any condition in San Luis Obispo. 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.
FAQs on San Luis Obispo 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 that it’s legit.
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 Better Business Bureau website. Watch for anything that just doesn’t seem right.
As described in our pros and cons list above, 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, minus 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 San Luis Obispo Spanish-style home could sell for $350,000 after repairs, but it’s going to need $30,000 of work to get there.
($350,000 x .70) – $30,000 = $215,000
In this example, a San Luis Obispo We Buy Houses company might offer you around $215,000 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 iBuyers look for homes in better condition. An iBuyer might pay you 90% or more of 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 side, 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. Many 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. Of course, it’s always a good idea to flat-out ask the company if there are any hidden program fees that might impact your bottom line.
- Research and vet the house-buying companies that serve your area. Our list above is a good place to start.
- Submit offer requests to a few of the 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 San Luis Obispo vs. top San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo | Sell with a top Realtor in San Luis Obispo |
| Selling timeline | 7 to 30 days | 79 days average; 35 to attract an offer, 44 to close the loan |
| Home preparations | None | Deep clean, declutter, make necessary repairs, landscape, stage home |
| Showings | None | 10 to 25 showings average |
| Inspections / 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 title before you can sell 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 | 5.8% average |
| Closing costs | None | 1% to 3% of the home 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 Spanish-style home in San Luis Obispo is currently worth about $634,000 and needs about $25,000 in repairs. Once the repairs are completed, the home might be worth around $659,000.
| Sell to a We Buy Houses for Cash company in San Luis Obispo | Sell with a top Realtor in San Luis Obispo | |
| Estimated sale price | ($659,000 x .70) – $25,000 = $436,300 | $634,000 |
| Market preparations | 0 | $6,340 (1% of sale price) |
| Agent commissions | 0 | $36,772 (5.8% of sale price) |
| Closing costs | 0 | $9,510 (1.5%) |
| Estimated take-home for seller | $436,300 | $581,378 |
As this example illustrates, financially, it’s usually in your best interest to partner with an experienced real estate agent.
However, net proceeds are not the only consideration when selling a home. What’s best in your situation will depend on the condition of your property, what level of repairs are needed, and your selling objectives. It could be that selling on the open market will be a challenge in your area, or the agent timeline might not fit your immediate needs.
House-buying companies can be a good alternative for San Luis Obispo 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 making a commitment to a Cash-For-Homes company, gather multiple offers and take the time to weigh 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!
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