How to Sell Your House in 7 Days in San Francisco Bay Area
In the United States alone, about 13% of people who own homes move yearly. That’s roughly 40 million in the last five years. Among these numbers, many need to sell their homes quickly. But can you sell a house in 7 days?
Yes, it’s possible to sell a house in seven days if you sell to a cash buyer. You can avoid all the steps that slow down the selling process, like fixing up the property, putting it on the market, and waiting for loan approval. Plus, you won’t have to hold open houses, showings, or stage the home since cash buyers buy it as-is.
No matter your reason for wanting to sell your house fast, you can close the deal quickly if you know where to start. Luckily, this blog has everything you need to get started.
Sell Your House to Cash Buyers in San Francisco Bay Area
Selling to a cash buyer is one of two ways to sell your house fast in 7 days. It’s called an off-market sale because you don’t have to list your property, wait for regular buyers to make offers, or go through the usual home search process.
Cash buyers are individuals or companies who can buy your property without needing a mortgage or loan. Basically, they have the money ready, and if there are no legal issues with the property, they can finalize the deal right away. These buyers have been dominating the market lately, and there are many reasons why.
Reasons to Sell to a Cash Buyer
There are several reasons why many homeowners opt to get cash offers. Most of which are connected to situations where they need to sell quickly.
1. Career Relocation
Some companies require their staff to relocate swiftly to another city. To avoid keeping the house and covering two mortgage payments after the move, these employees opt to sell to a cash buyer.
2. Divorce
Selling a house during a divorce can be challenging. disagreements between spouses can slow down the sale process. Some couples opt to sell to a cash buyer to avoid ongoing communication during a standard sale.
3. House Foreclosure
Selling to a quick sale company when a house is facing foreclosure is also the route many take to avoid having their property sold in an auction. By getting a cash offer, they can at least pay for the mortgage they owe.
4. Property Inheritance
A house inherited from a parent can be troublesome for heirs, needing regular payments for mortgage, property taxes, upkeep, and more. Such properties often find quick buyers who pay cash, even if the property is in another state.
5. Liens
Houses with active liens usually stay on the traditional real estate market longer. Cash buyers, known for their prompt offers and quick closings, offer homeowners the chance to quickly resolve their liens, potentially preventing foreclosure. Nonetheless, liens can complicate the title process, posing challenges to closing the deal in 7 days.
6. House Condemnation
Usually, when a house is condemned, the owner only has a short time to sell it before the government takes it, declares it unfit to live in, or tears it down. Buyers who pay in cash move quickly, especially when there’s a deadline. A cash buyer looking to renovate a condemned house wants the deal done in 7 days just like the owner does.
7. Hoarder House Dangers
Owners of hoarder houses may find the job of decluttering and turning a house into a blank canvas to be time consuming.
Luckily, many buyers who pay in cash can buy these properties in 7 days even if they’re still messy. They handle removing all the junk and stuff left behind by the owner.
Pros of Selling to a Cash Buyer
- Quicker Sale: Removing the lender or creditor from the equation can speed up the house sale to 7 days. Moreover, you won’t deal with real estate agents who can complicate things elongating the sales process.
- No House Repairs Required: One of the main reasons why a home’s sale can be done in 7 days with a cash buyer is that they won’t require you to make repairs even if your property is condemned or it is filled with hoarded items. Sellers may even end up with more money selling as-is compared to paying for extensive repairs.
- Odd House Layouts: Odd house layouts and some other weird features can definitely turn off retail buyers. Luckily, cash buyers are less particular with these. They give out cash offers even if your house is strange.
- No Open Houses: Open houses prolong traditional home sales and create hassles for sellers. But with cash buyers, you won’t have to open your house to a lot of strangers just to land a sale. You may have to show it once to the cash buyer to confirm the condition.
- More Certainty: Reliable cash buyers don’t often back out of the sale once they put in a cash offer. Further, the sale won’t fall through due to financing since the buyer pays cash. With most cash home buyers, you can even set the closing date.
- No Real Estate Fees: Real estate fees also slow down the process of selling homes because it leaves more to negotiate. You can skip this when you sell to a cash buyer because they cover all closing costs.
Cons of Selling to a Cash Buyer
- Lower Selling Price: Cash offers are often lower than the market home value. However, if you want to sell fast (i.e. in seven days), a lower sales price to not have to wait months and deal with repairs, fees, etc. may be worth considering.
- Potential Scams: Although it doesn’t happen often, some home sellers are scammed by fraudulent cash buyers. This can be avoided, however, if the home seller verifies the cash buyer’s credentials before doing any transactions.
How to Choose the Best Cash Buyer
Selling a house fast in 7 days, can happen if you find a cash buyer. But it’s crucial for homeowners to be careful, especially if the buyer’s promises seem too perfect.
Before we explain how selling to a cash-buying company usually works, here are a few tips to choose a reputable cash buyer.
- Research and verify their credentials. Conduct thorough research on the cash buying companies in your area. Don’t depend on their websites alone. Search the web for any additional credentials such as reviews and proof that they are indeed legitimate.
- Receive multiple cash offers. Some cash buyers are known for lowballing sellers. Generally, cash offers are lower than traditional sale offers, but they should still be reasonable. Compare multiple cash offers before signing a contract.
- Ensure that their process is simple. No cash buyer would tell you that their process is difficult, but there are instances when it actually is. For this reason, you need to ask them to specify how they really buy houses to avoid any negative surprises once the real estate transaction begins.
- Check reviews and testimonials from previous clients. One great way of verifying if the cash buyer is legitimate and experienced in buying houses in seven days is to look for testimonials of their past clients. Usually, these are posted on the cash buyer’s website, but you can also check Google and other sources for detailed reviews.
- Assess how they answer inquiries. Were they able to answer all your queries about the sale? Do they seem confident and sure when they respond? Fraudulent cash buyers will skimp on the details. If you feel that they’re not knowledgeable about what they’re doing, trust your gut.
- Check if they charge extra fees. There are some cash buying companies that promise faster sales but charge hidden fees, especially when they buy a home as-is. Be upfront in asking about this. If you can get in contact with a previous client, you can ask if they were charged fees.
- Look for flexibility in terms of time frame. While many cash-buying companies can buy your house in 7 days, they should also be able to accommodate sellers when 7 days is too fast due to relocation schedules.
- Ensure they cover closing costs. Many cash buyers cover closing costs so you get your cash in full. Add the price of closing costs to the cash offer. Typically a cash offer plus paid closing costs will be greater than a higher cash offer without paid closing costs.
6 Steps in Selling a House to a Cash Buyer in 7 Days
Selling your home quickly to a cash buyer is your best bet if you want to sell in seven days. This is because their sale process is straightforward. Here’s typically how a cash sale goes, so you know what to expect.
Note: This doesn’t apply to all cash-buying companies. Confirm with the cash buyer on their specific process.
1. Get a Home Market Value Estimate
Before receiving a fast cash offer, it’s essential to estimate your home’s value by comparing it to recently sold or similar properties (comps). This ensures you have a benchmark when soliciting cash offers from multiple buyers, allowing you to identify reasonable offers. Real estate experts can assist in valuing your home, or you can utilize online tools for a nominal fee.
2. Request a Cash Offer
Once you estimated your home’s market value or price, ask several cash buyers for an offer.
Most cash buyers provide an offer without obligation. You’re still free to ask for offers from other companies and compare them against your home’s estimated value.
Generally, you can find cash buyers in your area by searching online. You would have to fill out a form on their website or give them a call to ask for a cash offer.
Cash offers are often delivered as fast as possible, sometimes within hours. But in asking for quick cash offers, ask the cash buyer for proof of funds, especially if you’re selling a large property.
3. Home Walkthrough
The cash buyer may want to visit your property for needed repairs and improvements, focusing on key areas like foundation and roofing. This assessment aids in crafting an accurate cash offer for your home.
These repairs are ones you can skip when selling your house directly to a cash buyer, allowing the process and enabling a sale in 7 days.
4. Set Your Preferred Day to Move-Out
You should communicate with the cash buyer when you plan to move out. Most cash buyers won’t close until the property is vacated, so if you want to sell in seven days, your move out date should fall in 7 days.
5. Review the Contract and Sign
If you agree to the cash offer, the buyer who’s paying cash will send you a contract online. They’ll give you a chance to review the terms and ask questions if there’s anything you’re unsure about.
Certain sellers may decide to get assistance from real estate lawyers to check the contract. Once everything is clear and you’re okay with all the terms, sign the contract to finalize the deal.
6. Closing
On the day the deal closes, you’ll need to go over and sign a lot of documents. If you’re unsure about handling it solo, consider hiring a real estate lawyer to help wrap up the sale.
Once all the paperwork is sorted, the property will be officially transferred to the buyer who paid in cash, and you’ll get your funds deposited into your bank account.
Sell Your House Through Real Estate Agents In San Francisco Bay Area
If the open market in your area is hot, your house could sell in 7 days with a top agent’s help. You’ll set a good price in a seller’s market.
But if it’s average, selling fast is tough, even with an agent. According to NAR, homes sat for 14 days in a seller’s market.
If your house needs fixes, a 7-day sale is unlikely. Most buyers prefer move-in ready homes, even if pricey. So, if it’s as-is, don’t expect a quick sale at market value.
7 Steps in Selling a House with a Real Estate Agent in 7 Days
If you still think that you can sell your house in seven days to traditional buyers, we have listed the steps you need to take. Most of these steps are geared towards making your home irresistible on the real estate market.
1. Find a Top Real Estate Agent
The first and most important step to selling a house fast traditionally is to find a real estate agent who has great pricing skills, effective marketing strategies, and great negotiating superpowers.
2. Conduct a Pre-Listing Inspection
Having a pre-listing inspection can avoid unexpected issues that may slow down transactions. When an inspector outlines all necessary repairs, you can share this list with potential buyers to inform them of the needed work upon purchase. If you sell your home as-is, this process isn’t needed.
3. Boost the Curb Appeal
Another effective way to sell your house fast is by amping up the curb appeal of your house. Choose things you can accomplish in only a couple of hours such as power washing the driveway and cutting the grass.
4. Price under the Home’s actual Market Value
To attract buyers quickly and make the sale smoother, consider pricing your property competitively. This involves setting a lower asking price.
Working with a real estate agent makes it simple to determine the optimal listing price. They understand market analysis and various pricing techniques.
Your agent will establish a price that draws in potential buyers while ensuring you still make a profit upon selling.
5. List Creatively
Your real estate agent needs to work hard when putting your property up for sale to draw in many potential buyers. Along with emphasizing the affordable price, the description should use words that will captivate potential buyers.
Additionally, high-quality photos will help sell your property quickly. Your agent should steer clear of posting blurry photos or ones that don’t showcase your home’s best features.
6. Leverage Social Media
According to NAR’s research, using social media, besides traditional methods, can help sell your home faster. To sell in just 7 days, post on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram to reach more buyers.
7. Prioritize Offers with Lower Contingency
If you received multiple offers through effective marketing, choose the offer with fewer complications. It is better to settle with a potential buyer who won’t need mortgage approval and can pay you directly so you can sell your home fast.
Final Thoughts:
How to Sell Your House in 7 Days in San Francisco Bay Area
Selling a house on the open market with limited time can be stressful. This is why it is suggested to go off-market and sell to a cash buyer in as-is condition.
By doing so, you can sell rapidly without concerns about closing costs and processing fees. Additionally, selling to a cash buyer provides more certainty since they don’t require financing approval.
If you’ve decided that selling to a cash buyer is the best option, reach out to us at We Buy Houses in San Francisco Bay Area
. Our process is straightforward, and our cash offers come with no obligations.
Complete the form below or call us at (408) 557-7554 to discover more about selling your property within 7 days in San Francisco Bay Area.
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We Buy Houses AS-IS In San Francisco Bay Area
Our fast home sale service gives you advantages that pay off in profits to you. We are a local company that buys houses and land as professional cash home buyers, not agents or brokers. You can sell your house for cash in San Francisco Bay Area. Our goal is to serve homeowners with a simple selling experience and provides a financial solution for sellers. You can start to sell your house in San Francisco Bay Area and surrounding areas by calling us or filling in the online form. Within days, you can schedule a closing date and get cash for your house.
Alameda CountyThe Easiest Way To Sell Your House Fast In San Francisco Bay Area
You’re in the driver’s seat when you accept our cash offer for your house. We make the process simple, fast, and easy to follow when working with us. You have no obligation to accept our cash offer for your home when contacting us for a fair cash offer for your home. No matter the reason you want to sell your house, we want to buy your home as is. Remember that you get many benefits that include no real estate agent commissions, no cleaning, no improvements, and no stress. Our cash offer for your as-is house assures you of fast cash payment at closing with a reputable Title company. You can count on our company to give you a fair cash offer for your home! If you’re still thinking, “I need to sell my house fast”, calling us could be your best decision all day. 🙂
Author: Saini
My name is Saini, and I founded the We Buy Houses in San Francisco Bay Area team with years of experience in the real estate industry. I have assisted numerous sellers in selling their homes quickly, “AS-IS”, and for a fair price.
He’s been featured in multiple publications including Yahoo Finance, GoBankingRates, LegalZoom, The Mortgage Report, Apartment Therapy, US News and World Report, and SuperMoney among others.