5 Top We Buy Houses for Cash Companies in Charlotte
- Published on
- 14 min read
- 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.
When life throws you a curveball, a fast home sale may be the best way to reset and move on. In Charlotte, homeowners facing an unexpected or urgent need to sell their homes may consider We Buy Houses companies. These businesses offer an all-cash deal for homes that often require some repairs, providing a quick solution for sellers who may not have the time, expertise, or funds to make the necessary fixes.
A cash sale with a We Buy Houses company can be a lifeline for those in a tight spot. By avoiding the traditional process of home listing and buyer negotiations, you can receive your sale proceeds promptly, allowing you to move forward with your life plans.
In this post, we’ll look at the process and the pros and cons of working with house-buying companies in Charlotte to help you evaluate your options and make an informed decision.
Disclaimer: This post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Links and mentions of Charlotte area “We Buy Houses” companies should not be considered endorsements.
Working with house-buying companies in Charlotte
We Buy Houses companies in Charlotte offer a straightforward process to help you sell your home swiftly and effortlessly. Here are the basic steps to selling your house to a house-buying company in Charlotte:
- Research companies: Start by researching house-buying companies that serve your Charlotte market. Read reviews, check for complaints with the Better Business Bureau, and get recommendations from friends or neighbors who have used these services.
- Contact a company: Once you have narrowed down your options, reach out to a house-buying company. Share details about your property and your need for a quick sale.
- Get a cash offer: After assessing your home, the company will provide you with an all-cash offer. Carefully review the offer to ensure it meets your expectations.
- Accept or reject: If you’re satisfied with the offer, you can accept it. If not, you’re under no obligation to work with the company. It’s wise to request offers from multiple Cash-For-Home businesses and compare them.
- Sign the paperwork: Once you agree on an offer, you’ll sign the necessary documents to transfer ownership of your home to the company.
- Close the sale and move on: The company will handle the closing process, often within a few days to a week. You’ll receive your cash payment and can move on with your life plans.
Popular We Buy Houses for Cash companies in Charlotte
If the process of selling to a house-buying company in Charlotte sounds like a good fit for your situation, 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 Charleston-style house or your parents’ Ranch-style home. By selling to one of these companies, you should be able to sell your Charlotte home in as little as a week or two.
Harmony Home Buyers
Founded with a unique focus on putting homeowners first, Harmony Home Buyers has built a strong reputation in Charlotte and surrounding areas in North Carolina for their transparency, trustworthiness, and reputable service. Even though they are a smaller house-buying company, their commitment to providing a personal experience differentiates them from the pack. As a fully registered and BBB-accredited business, they ensure transactions are conducted with utmost honesty and integrity. Additionally, their real estate portfolio is diverse, including houses, condos, land, mobile homes, apartments, and townhouses, proving they can handle any real estate requirement.
Locations: Charlotte and surrounding areas in North Carolina
Closing costs: Sellers pay no closing costs; Harmony Home Buyers covers them.
Harmony Home Buyers has been BBB accredited since 2020 and holds an A+ rating. Customers of Harmony Home Buyers appreciate the staff for its honesty, helpfulness, and patience. Many note that the team provides an excellent service that engenders trust and resembles family-like treatment. They praise the smooth, fast, and reasonable business dealings, and many express a willingness to work with the company again in the future. They have a Google rating of 5.0.
Website: harmonyhomebuyers.com
Phone number: 704-285-2485
Simple Sale (a HomeLight platform)
Simple Sale, a solution from HomeLight, is an online platform where sellers in Charlotte (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 Charlotte.
With Simple Sale, you can get a no-obligation, all-cash offer in 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 Charlotte
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 4.8 stars on Google based on hundreds of 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.
Learn more: homelight.com/simple
Phone: 844-488-8455
Travis Buys Homes
Travis Buys Homes is a reputable real estate company in Charlotte, founded by industry veteran Travis Howard. Since its establishment in 1999, Travis, leveraging his extensive experience of over 20 years, has assisted over 1,000 North Carolina homeowners with alternative real estate solutions. The company prides itself on its promise of fairness and integrity, vowing to avoid exploiting misfortunes and focusing on win-win transactions. Differentiating itself from others, it eases the selling process by allowing homeowners to leave belongings behind, taking on the responsibility of cleaning, thus facilitating a faster home sale.
Locations: Charlotte and the triad area of North Carolina
Closing costs: Sellers pay no closing costs; Travis Buys Homes covers them.
Customer reviews for Travis Buys Homes highlight the company’s commitment to customer satisfaction, efficient service, and professionalism. Clients appreciate the honesty, clarity, and accessibility offered throughout the non-traditional home-selling process. The company’s willingness to accommodate unique circumstances and help with legal coordination has been highly praised. The team’s diligence and efforts to resolve issues promptly to ensure a smooth transaction have provided customers with significant stress relief, making Travis Buys Homes a recommended choice for homeowners seeking a pain-free and efficient sale. They have a Google rating of 4.9.
Website: travisbuyshomes.com
Phone number: 704-459-5700
Mission Home Buyers
Founded by a family and based in Charlotte, Mission Home Buyers is a well-established real estate solutions company committed to providing win-win solutions for homeowners. Over the years, they’ve successfully assisted numerous clients facing various challenging situations such as foreclosure, the burden of property ownership, probate issues, and more. This company distinguishes itself with its solution-oriented approach, aiming to help homeowners continue doing what they love by resolving their real estate problems. Regardless of the reasons behind the need to sell, Mission Home Buyers is ready to help.
Locations: Charlotte and surrounding areas
Closing costs: Mission Home Buyers often pays for the closing costs.
Mission Home Buyers receives high praise for their professional, knowledgeable, and responsive team. Clients appreciate their expertise in real estate and their ability to guide homeowners in making informed decisions. The company stands out for its honesty, transparency, and the speed of their communication. Clients also commend the simplicity and ease of their process, especially when they can’t or don’t want to handle repairs themselves. The staff’s prompt, courteous service and ability to deliver on their financial offers have led to strong recommendations. They have a Google rating of 4.7.
Website: missionhomebuyers.com
Phone number: 980-533-4950
Cardinal House Buyers
Cardinal House Buyers, located in Charlotte, is a customer-centric, family-owned company specializing in real estate solutions. Proudly helping homeowners navigate issues such as foreclosure, tax problems, bad tenants, or inherited property, they aim to provide win-win solutions that eliminate stress for homeowners. Regardless of the property’s condition, they offer speedy and fair cash transactions for houses, highlighting their commitment to customers first — even if it means they do not buy your house. Over the years, they’ve acquired extensive experience and developed a knack for creating creative solutions to any homeowner’s issues.
Locations: Charlotte and surrounding areas
Closing costs: Cardinal House Buyers often pays for the closing costs.
Reviews for Cardinal House Buyers highlight the company’s professionalism, responsiveness, and trustworthiness. Customers commend the knowledge and expertise of the team, as well as their ability to quickly provide cash for houses without causing any headaches or hassles. The overall experience is reported as highly satisfying, with clients feeling at ease during the process, leading to strong recommendations for others to use their services, especially for quick and efficient house sales. They have a Google rating of 5.0.
Website: cardinalhousebuyers.com
Phone number: 704-850-9879
Why sell your Charlotte house for cash?
There are plenty of compelling reasons a Charlotte 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 Charlotte, it typically takes around 84 days to sell a home on the market using an agent. That includes an average of 41 days on the market, plus the typical 43 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 Charlotte, and it’s clear why these We Buy Houses groups are an attractive option, even though they don’t always offer top dollar for the homes they purchase.
Here are some common scenarios where Charlotte homeowners may find selling to a house-buying company a fitting solution:
- Urgent relocation: You need to move quickly due to a job transfer, personal or family circumstances, or a sudden lifestyle change.
- Financial distress: You’re facing financial difficulties, mounting bills, or foreclosure and need to access your home’s equity as soon as possible.
- Divorce: You need a fast home sale to equitably divide assets and move on with your life.
- Extensive repairs needed: Your house requires significant repairs that you can’t or don’t want to handle, such as roof damage, structural issues, or outdated systems.
- Inherited property: You’ve inherited a property that you don’t wish to keep, maintain, or rent out.
- Tired landlord: You’re a landlord tired of managing a rental property or dealing with difficult tenants.
- Avoiding traditional sale hassles: You want to skip the time-consuming and often stressful process of listing, staging, showing, and negotiating a home sale.
- Privacy concerns: You prefer a private, off-market sale to maintain your privacy.
- Aging homeowners: You’re getting older and moving in with a relative or into a care facility, prompting your family to sell the property for convenience or to help fund the move.
- Out-of-state sellers: You live out of state and want an easy, quick cash sale without having to return to Charlotte.
If any of these situations resonate with you, considering a cash offer from a We Buy Houses company might be a good starting point in your search for solutions. But it’s important to understand the pros and cons, as well as other available options, before making a decision.
Pros and cons of house-buying companies in Charlotte
Here’s a summary of the key benefits and drawbacks to consider when selling your home to a We Buy Houses company in Charlotte.
Pros
The most significant advantages of selling your house to a Charlotte house-buying company are the speed of the transaction and the fact that you can sell your home in any condition, without making repairs or preparations. Here are the key pros to consider:
- Fast sale: House-buying companies can typically close in a matter of days, allowing you to quickly access the proceeds from your home sale.
- No repairs needed: These companies will buy your home as-is, saving you time and money on costly repairs.
- Avoiding traditional sale hassles: Selling to a house-buying company eliminates the need for showings, open houses, and lengthy negotiations.
- Cash offer: You’ll receive an all-cash offer, eliminating the risk of a buyer’s financing falling through and delaying the sale.
Cons
One of the most significant drawbacks of selling your home to a house-buying company in Charlotte is that you’re likely to receive an offer below market value. Here are some common cons to consider:
- Lower offer: Because they aim to make a profit by reselling or renting your home after repairs or upgrades, the cash offer you receive may be markedly lower than what you could get for your home on the Charlotte market.
- Limited competition: Selling directly to a house-buying company means you won’t benefit from competition among multiple buyers, which can drive up the price.
- Lack of representation: You’ll be negotiating directly with the company, without the guidance and representation of a real estate professional.
- Potential for scams: While many house-buying companies are legitimate, it’s essential to do your research to avoid falling victim to a scam.
Vet cash buyers and know your home’s worth
If you’ve decided to work with a We Buy Houses for Cash company in Charlotte, it’s crucial to remember that the level of integrity and service you experience can vary widely depending on the character of the person or group making the offer. Before committing to any cash offer, you should thoroughly vet the company by checking online reviews, reading testimonials, and researching its presence and performance in the Charlotte market.
It’s also essential to understand your home’s worth before accepting any offer. Also, make sure to read the buying agreement carefully before signing to ensure you understand all terms stated in the contract.
HomeLight suggests you consult with an experienced Charlotte 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 your North Carolina market. You can also use HomeLight’s Home Value Estimator to get an initial ballpark estimate in less than two minutes.
Other options to sell your home quickly
iBuyers
iBuyers, or instant buyers, use automated valuation models to provide near-instant home value estimates and a mostly online home sale experience. These companies offer all-cash offers, often closer to market value, for homes in better condition.
The entire process is typically completed within a few days to two weeks. However, iBuyers, such as Opendoor and Offerpad, usually charge service fees of 5%-6% and are best suited for sellers in regions with homogeneous housing and well-maintained properties.
Listing with an agent
Selling your home through a top Charlotte real estate agent can result in a fast sale in a seller-friendly market. A well-priced and well-marketed property can sell quickly and often at a higher price. Consulting with an agent also provides insights through a comparative market analysis (CMA), a tool that calculates the value of a home by comparing it to similar properties that have recently sold in the area. Many agents offer a free CMA, helping you weigh your options and make a well-informed decision.
An experienced agent may even link you with buyers willing to provide a cash offer close to your home’s market value. If interested, HomeLight can connect you with a top-performing real estate agent in your Charlotte community.
FAQs on Charlotte house-buying companies
By and large, most We Buy Houses for Cash companies in Charlotte 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.
Most Charlotte 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 Charlotte ranch-style home could sell for $390,000 after repairs, but it’s going to need $30,000 of work to get there.
($390,000 x .70) – $30,000 = $243,000
In this example, a Charlotte We Buy Houses company might offer you around $243,000 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 85%-95% of market value while charging a fee for their services.
When you accept an offer from a Charlotte 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 side, 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 Charlotte 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 Charlotte vs. top Charlotte agent
Another helpful exercise is to compare how a We Buy Houses for Cash company might stack up against working with a Charlotte 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 Charlotte | Sell with a top Realtor in Charlotte |
Selling timeline | 7 to 30 days | 84 days average; 41 to attract an offer, 43 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 | 3%-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 home in Charlotte is currently worth about $410,000 and needs about $25,000 in repairs. Once the repairs are completed, the home might be worth around $435,000.
Sell to a We Buy Houses for Cash company in Charlotte | Sell with a top Realtor in Charlotte | |
Estimated sale price | ($435,000 x .70) – $25,000 = $279,500 | $410,000 |
Market preparations | 0 | $4,100 (1% of sale price) |
Agent commissions | 0 | $12,300 (3%* of sale price) |
Closing costs | 0 | $6,150 (1.5%) |
Estimated take-home for seller | $279,500 | $387,450 |
As this example illustrates, financially, it’s usually in your best interest to partner with an experienced real estate agent.
Agent commission changes
*On March 15, 2024, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced a landmark lawsuit settlement that will change the way real estate agent commissions are handled in the future. These changes will “decouple” seller and buyer agent compensation. Industry experts predict that this decoupling will likely lower agent fees and give buyers the ability to negotiate commission amounts directly. Learn more.
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.
Key takeaways
- Speed and convenience: We Buy Houses companies in Charlotte offer a fast, hassle-free way to sell your home, especially if it needs repairs or you’re in a hurry.
- Varying offers: Expect to receive less than market value for your home when selling to a house-buying company.
- Vet your buyer: Thoroughly research any house-buying company you consider — check reviews, read testimonials, and look into their market presence and performance.
- Know your home’s worth: Before accepting an offer, get a comparative market analysis from a trusted real estate agent to understand your home’s value. You can get a preliminary estimate using HomeLight’s Home Value Estimator.
- Explore all options: Consider other selling alternatives like iBuyers and listing with an agent, which may offer better financial outcomes, depending on your situation.
Selling to a We Buy Houses company in Charlotte can be a helpful solution for homeowners facing urgent or unexpected circumstances, but it’s crucial to take the time to weigh your options before making a commitment. Gathering multiple offers and consulting with a top Charlotte real estate agent for expert insights on your property’s potential market value and selling timeframe can help you make a well-informed decision.
Whether you’re selling or buying a home, HomeLight is happy to assist you with your real estate needs!
Header Image Source: (isaac macdonald / Unsplash)