Maybe you have a few questions. That’s okay; most people do. So here’s a quick collection of some of the questions people ask us… along with our answers. If you still have a question, don’t hesitate to contact us (or give us a call) and we’ll be happy to answer it for you.
Q: Will you be listing my house on the MLS or actually buying it?
A: At CMJones Homes we’re not like traditional investors or agents. We focus on helping you sell your house with the method that will work best for reaching your goals. If you’re looking for speed and convenience, we can buy your house for cash in as little as seven days. If you’re looking for top dollar, our industry-leading marketing strategy can help you sell your Columbus house faster on the market than the traditional real estate agent.
Q: Do you pay fair prices for properties?
A: Many of the houses we purchase are below market value (we do this so we can resell it at a profit to another homeowner). We are looking to get a fair discount on a property. However, in our experience, many sellers aren’t necessarily expecting a large “windfall” on the property but rather appreciate that we can offer cash, we close very quickly (no waiting for financing), and no time or effort or expense is required on your part of fix up the property or pay agent fees. If that’s what you’re looking for and you see the value in getting your house sold fast… let’s see if we can come to a fair win-win price. (Besides, our no-obligation pricing commitment means that you do not have to move forward with the offer we give… but it’s good to know what we’re offering!)
DOWNLOAD our free guide that walks you through the Pros and Cons (plus the cost and timeline) of selling your house to a real estate investor… plus learn the pros, cons, and costs of the other two alternatives… listing with an agent or selling it yourself.
Q: How do you determine the price to offer on my house?
A: Great question, and we’re an open book: Our process is very straightforward. We look at the location of the property, what repairs are needed, the current condition of the property, and values of comparable houses sold in the area recently. Without getting too technical, we want to pay around 75% of the after-repair value of a property minus the cost of the repairs to renovate the home. For example, if a house after it has been fixed up is worth $100,000 based upon other stuff that is selling in the area, we would multiply that number by 75% coming up with $75,000. If we determine the cost of repairs to be $25,000 then we’re able to offer $50,000 for the house. There are quite a few other factors that go into offer making but that is the basis in a nutshell. This very standard if not a higher price than other home buying companies will offer. Here’s article from Rocket Mortgage that reiterates the process.
Q: Are there any fees or commissions to work with you?
A: Since we are both real estate investors able to pay cash and licensed and reputable real estate agents, we have multiple ways we work. If you choose to have us list your house on the market using our proprietary marketing methods to sell your Columbus house fast and for more than traditional agents, our fees are similar to other agents. However, we do have a NO FEE option, which is our Quick Cash Close option where we make you a fair all-cash offer, charge no fees, and pay all closing costs as well. Contact us at (614) 360-9306 or submit the form on our site so we can walk you through how we can help you sell your house and reach your goals while putting the most money in your pocket.
Q: How are you different from a real estate agent?
A: Great question! Several years ago we discovered that so many Columbus house sellers were being ignored and under-served by real estate investors AND agents who were limited in how they could solve homeowners’ problems. For most real estate agents to take on a listing, the house has to be “show ready,” which often requires you to pay for repairs, hold open houses, show the house to several potential buyers, and deal with the often-stressful problem of buyers backing out at the last minute or financing falling through.
On the other hand, many real estate investors make cash offers based off of a formula that works for their business model, but for a seller who isn’t necessarily in a hurry or is indeed willing to go through the traditional selling process, that offer is often way too low.
At CMJones Homes , we are able to serve you with several options to sell, and you can pick the one that best helps you reach your goals.
If you’re after speed and convenience, don’t want to deal with repairs, and you’re willing to give up a bit of equity for that convenience, great! Our Cash Offer program may be right for you.
If you’re seeking top dollar and can wait for the right retail buyer to come long, great! We can list your home on the market and sell it fast to put the most money in your pocket.
Essentially, the primary way we are different is that we don’t box you in to a single option. We offer choices so you can choose what works for you.
Q: Is there any obligation when I submit my info?
A: There is absolutely zero obligation for you. Once you tell us a bit about your property, we’ll take a look at things, maybe set up a call with you to find out a bit more, and make you an all-cash offer that’s fair for you and fair for us. From there, it’s 100% your decision on whether or not you’d like to sell your house to us… and we won’t hassle you, won’t harass you… it’s 100% your decision and we’ll let you decide what’s right for you.
Q: What do you mean “highest price” or “top dollar” for my house if I list it?
A: To get the highest price, you need to reach the greatest number of potential buyers, and there is no larger pool of potential buyers out there than the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) which is what all real estate brokers and agents use to list and show properties to their clients. Since we’re licensed Ohio real estate agents with Key Realty, we’re able to market your house on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for those other agents to show to their buyers. Selling your home in the greatest pool of buyers is most likely going to result in the highest sale price.
Q: What hassles and inconveniences are there if I list it on the market?
A: When you list a house on the market there are typically several pain points during the selling process that differ in degree depending on your circumstances, your needs, the condition of your home, and also, the buyer’s ability to follow through with the transaction. Here’s the big ones below:
- Showings and open houses can be stressful and intrusive. Open houses and showings happen when people are most available: weekends and after work hours, which is, unfortunately, when you also want to be at home relaxing. Many home sellers find the revolving door of strangers to be a somewhat stressful and having to adjust your plans or clean up the house at the last minute to accommodate a showing to be hassle. The alternative is to move out prior to listing, but this also has it’s own pressures with most home sellers having to juggle two mortgages for a time until the old house is sold. Do showings and open houses bother you?
- When you list a house on the market, many buyers expect you to make repairs or give them a discount for the cost of the repairs prior to closing. In general, buyers on the market aren’t investors or professional home buyers, so they view issues found during the inspection period (or even during a showing) as more or less your problem to fix prior to closing even if you disclose that you’re selling it AS-IS with no repairs. Most home sellers aren’t in a position to fix the issues, and there typically isn’t enough time until closing to make repairs, so buyers will demand a price reduction instead. The more outdated and in need of repairs the house is, the more leverage the buyers think they have in either backing out of the contract or renegotiating the price to accommodate the repairs. Conversely, a house that has been renovated or is newer won’t give buyers the same ability to pick it apart during inspections as one that is in disrepair. Ask yourself, where does your house fall on the spectrum? Is it going to show well?
- Lengthy transaction times. Depending on the contingencies and financing that the buyer is utilizing, transactions can take upwards of 60 days (FHA).
- A buyer’s lender can torpedo a deal. You’ve decided to list your house. You’ve made it past the showings and open houses and after a couple of weeks have accepted a contract from a buyer. After inspections have been completed, some issues were found, and you’ve had to renegotiate the contract and reduce the price to accommodate those repairs. Nothing else can go wrong, right? Unfortunately, no.. when you list your house on the market, most all buyer’s sales contracts will have contingencies that allow them to back out of a home sale without penalty if they are unable to obtain financing – meaning if the appraisal (lender’s opinion of the what the home is worth) comes in lower than the sale price or for whatever reason the lender doesn’t approve the sale, you’re back to re-listing it on the market or lowering the price to meet the appraisal. The hassle in this is that while we, and other real estate professionals, do everything we can to vet buyers during the home selling process, stuff come up from no fault of anyone that can cause the deal to collapse right before the finish line. The way around this issue is if the financing and lenders are not involved, and the buyers are purchasing with cash which is the preferred way for most professional homebuyers and investors like ourselves. Is the certainty of a cash offer now worth more to you?
Ultimately, the decision of whether you list or sell to an investor is a lot like deciding between selling your old vehicle yourself vs. trading it in at a dealership. We know that we’re trading it in to the dealership at a slight discount in exchange for not having to market it ourselves on craigslist, take it to a mechanic shop, discuss what’s wrong it, and haggle over the price. Let us help you figure out which is best for you!
Want To See What We Can Buy Your House For?
Fill Out The Quick Form Below To Get A No-Hassle, No-Obligation Offer
Learn The Pros and Cons Of Selling Your House To Local Professional Home Buyer– FREE Guide:
Download our FREE Guide here. Or, you can always feel free to Contact us anytime if you have questions, want a no hassle Situation Evaluation, or want to just learn more about how we can help homeowners sell unwanted properties for cash.
Get the FREE Guide and then give us a call at (614) 360-9306 and we’ll discuss what your home is worth and what we can offer to buy it for with our Cash Offer Program.