When you’re selling a home, three little words can change everything:
“We’ll pay cash.”
A cash offer in real estate simply means the buyer is purchasing your home without getting a mortgage. Instead of waiting on loan approvals, lender appraisals, and a stack of conditions, the buyer uses their own funds (often via wire or cashier’s check) to pay the full purchase price at closing.
For you as the seller, that usually means:
- Faster closing – often in days or a couple of weeks instead of 30–60+ days
- Less risk – no lender = much lower chance the deal falls apart over financing
- Less hassle – often fewer showings, fewer repairs, fewer last-minute surprises
So if you’re wondering whether it might make sense to sell your home for cash—especially to a company like Offerpad—this page is for you.
What Is a Cash Offer in Real Estate?
Let’s keep it simple:
A cash offer is when a buyer purchases your home using their own funds instead of getting a mortgage loan.
In a typical financed sale, your buyer:
- Applies for a mortgage
- Waits for underwriting
- Has to pass lender guidelines
- Often has a financing contingency (if their loan is denied, they can walk away)
With a true cash offer:
- There’s no home loan approval involved
- The buyer provides proof of funds (bank statement or letter)
- Money shows up at closing via wire transfer or cashier’s check
Less red tape. Less “cross your fingers and hope the lender says yes.”
Why Cash Offers Are So Popular with Sellers Right Now
A lot of homeowners are gravitating toward cash buyers, and not just investors. Here’s why.
1. Speed in a Slow, Complicated Market
In a standard financed sale, closings commonly take 30–45+ days, thanks to underwriting, appraisals, and lender conditions.
A properly structured cash offer can cut that down to a week or two in many situations, because you’re not waiting on a bank.
This speed is a game-changer if you’re:
- Relocating for work
- Under contract on your next home
- Dealing with a major life event (divorce, inheritance, new baby, etc.)
2. Less Risk of the Deal Blowing Up
Financing issues are one of the top reasons traditional home sales fall apart. Loans can be denied, ratios can shift, appraisals can come in low—lots can go sideways.
With a real cash buyer:
- There’s no loan to deny
- Often no financing contingency
- Fewer reasons for a last-minute collapse
3. Fewer Showings and Less Disruption
Many cash buyers—especially professional home-buying companies—are set up for minimal showings and a more streamlined process. That’s a big relief if you have kids, pets, or just don’t love strangers walking through your home every weekend.
4. Potential to Sell “As-Is”
Cash buyers are often more comfortable with homes that need work and may allow you to sell as-is, meaning:
- No major pre-listing renovations
- Less scrambling to fix every inspection item
- More predictable timeline
That doesn’t always mean zero repairs or credits, but it usually means less pressure to “perfect” the home before you can move on.
Pros and Cons of a Cash Offer for Home Sellers
Let’s be honest about the trade-offs.
Big Benefits of Accepting a Cash Offer
-
Faster closing
Cash deals can close in as little as 7–14 days in many cases, versus the 30–60+ day timeline of a financed sale. -
Lower chance of fallout
With no lender in the mix, there’s less risk that the buyer backs out because their financing changed or rates moved. -
Fewer contingencies
Many cash buyers waive or streamline things like financing and appraisal contingencies, making the path to closing far smoother. -
Less prep work
Cash buyers—including companies that buy homes directly—often allow more flexibility on condition so you can skip full remodels and heavy staging. -
Flexible move-out timing
Professional buyers often let you choose a closing date and may offer short rent-back or extended-stay options, giving you breathing room between closings and movers.
Potential Downsides to Watch For
-
Lower sale price vs top-dollar listing
Some investors and “we buy houses”-style buyers are looking for deep discounts—sometimes well below what you might get on the open market, especially for homes that need work. -
Bad actors & lowball offers
Not all cash buyers are equal. Some pitch super-fast closes but offer far below fair market value, or don’t clearly explain fees and fine print. -
“As-is” still has realities
Even cash buyers may adjust for major safety or structural issues, either through credits or required repairs. Those issues are likely to matter no matter how you sell.
That’s why who you sell to matters as much as how they pay.
Who Actually Makes Cash Offers on Homes?
You’ll usually see three main types of cash buyers:
-
Everyday buyers using savings or equity
Think homeowners who just sold another property or downsizers who don’t want another mortgage. -
Real estate investors
They buy to flip, remodel and resell, or turn into rentals. They move quickly, but their offers often reflect their desired profit margin. -
Instant-offer companies like Offerpad
These are tech-enabled companies that make near-instant cash offers online, then handle renovations and reselling later. They typically aim for more transparent pricing, predictable timelines, and a smoother customer experience than one-off investors.
Offerpad falls squarely in that third category—we’re a real estate solutions center, not just a single investor chasing a bargain.
How a Cash Offer Works (in General)
No matter who the buyer is, most cash offers follow a similar path:
-
You get an offer
The buyer reviews basic details about your home and sends a price and terms. -
You review and negotiate
You compare that offer to your needs and maybe other options, then accept, decline, or negotiate. -
Home assessment / inspection
Even cash buyers typically do some kind of walk-through or inspection to confirm condition and needed repairs. -
Title & closing prep
A title company or attorney checks for liens, prepares documents, and gets everything ready for closing. -
Closing day
You sign, ownership transfers, and the buyer sends the funds. No underwriting. No mortgage lender. Just you, the buyer, and the closing team.
Now let’s talk about how that looks specifically with Offerpad.
How Offerpad’s Cash Offer Works for Home Sellers
Hi, we’re Offerpad. We think real estate is way more complicated than it needs to be. So we built a way to get a competitive cash offer online—and then give you options, not pressure.
Here’s how our cash offer experience typically works:
1. Tell Us About Your Home (Takes Just Minutes)
Go to Offerpad.com and fill out our simple online offer request form. Share basics like your address, home type, condition, and any updates.
In just a few minutes, we’ll send you:
- An express all-cash offer range, and
- Other selling options that might fit your situation (like listing or hybrid options).
2. Review Your Options with a HomePro Representative
You’re not on your own with a random number on a screen. Our HomePro representatives—licensed real estate experts—walk you through:
- Your cash offer details
- What you’d likely net vs listing
- Any hybrid options (cash + upside)
We’ll help you understand your choices so you can pick what works best, not just what’s fastest.
3. Free Home Assessment (No Pressure, No Cost)
If you like what you see and move forward, a trusted partner comes out for a free, on-site assessment of your home to verify condition and identify any needed repairs.
If repairs are needed, you usually have options:
- Let us handle repairs in exchange for a credit at closing (most popular), or
- Do them yourself with your own licensed contractor, or
- Decline repairs and see if we still want to proceed with adjusted terms.
4. Lock In Your Offer & Pick Your Closing Date
Once the details are set, you sign your purchase agreement electronically (yep, from your couch). Then you:
- Choose your closing date—typically anywhere from about 8 business days out (varies by state) to several weeks or even a couple of months
- Can often adjust that closing date later if your plans change (within allowed timelines)
5. Move Out on Your Schedule—with a Free Local Move
This is where we really try to be the opposite of “traditional real estate”:
- Free local move when you sell to Offerpad (within 50 miles, up to certain size/weight limits)
- Extended Stay Program that lets many sellers stay up to 3 days after closing at no extra charge so you’re not moving and closing on the same day
You pack. Professional movers do the heavy lifting. Then you’re off to your next chapter.
Why Choose a Cash Offer from Offerpad vs Other Cash Buyers?
There are a lot of “we buy houses for cash” signs out there. Here’s what sets Offerpad apart:
-
Competitive, data-driven offers
We combine local real estate experts with our own market analysis and pricing technology to build your offer—this isn’t just a quick lowball based on a rough estimate. -
Clear, simple service fee
We charge a straightforward service fee instead of a maze of hidden costs. You’ll see the numbers up front—along with typical seller closing costs you’d pay in almost any sale (title, escrow, taxes, etc.). -
One-stop real estate solutions
If our cash offer isn’t your best move, we can also help you list your home or choose a hybrid option that combines cash up front with potential additional upside when the home sells. -
Free local move & extended stay
Very few cash buyers throw in a free local move and let you stay a few extra days after closing. For us, that’s standard when you sell directly to Offerpad (subject to program terms).
In short: we’re not just buying your house—we’re trying to give you the best home selling experience possible.
When Does a Cash Offer with Offerpad Make the Most Sense?
A cash offer can be the MVP in situations like:
-
You’ve already found your next home
You want certainty and speed so you’re not carrying two mortgages or risking your purchase. -
You need to sell on a specific timeline
Job transfer, new build completion date, school year change—you pick your closing date so everything lines up. -
Your home needs work you don’t want to do
Instead of spending months renovating, you’d rather sell as-is, at a fair price, and move on. -
Life just got complicated
Inheritance, divorce, sudden life events—sometimes you want less chaos and more control. A cash sale can help you simplify quickly.
If your top priority is absolute top dollar and you’re not in a rush, listing may be the better bet. The good news? With Offerpad, you can compare paths side by side before you decide.
Cash Offer vs Listing Your Home: Quick Comparison
Cash Offer with Offerpad (Sell Directly to Us)
- No showings or open houses
- Pick your closing date (with the option to move quickly)
- Sell as-is, with flexible repair options
- Free local move (with program limits)
- High certainty, lower stress
Listing on the Open Market (Including Listing with Offerpad)
- Potential for higher top-line sale price
- More buyer competition (which can drive price up)
- More prep: cleaning, staging, showings, negotiations
- Less control over timing and contingencies
With Offerpad, you don’t have to guess. You can see what you’d net with a cash offer vs listing and choose the path that fits your life.
How to Get a Cash Offer from Offerpad
Ready to see your numbers?
-
Go to Offerpad.com and request an offer
Take a few minutes to answer questions about your home on Offerpad.com. -
Get your express cash offer range and options
We’ll share an estimated offer range and other ways to sell (including listing and hybrid choices). -
Talk it through with a HomePro
Ask all your questions. Compare scenarios. Zero obligation. -
Pick your path
Go with the all-cash offer, list the easy way, or choose a hybrid option if available in your area. - Close, move for free (locally), and get on with life
Freedom. Simplicity. Peace of mind. That’s what a cash offer from Offerpad is really about.
FAQs About Cash Offers & Offerpad
Do I Have to Take the Cash Offer if I Request One?
Nope. Your Offerpad cash offer is free and comes with no obligation. It’s information you can use to decide your best move.
Will I Always Net Less with a Cash Offer Than with Listing?
Not always. In many cases, a traditional listing might bring in a higher top-line price—but after time, repairs, holding costs, and fees, the difference may be smaller than you expect. In some situations (tight timelines, tricky condition, changing markets), the certainty and speed of cash can be worth more than squeezing out every last dollar on paper.
That’s why we show you multiple options so you can compare.
What Fees Do I Pay if I Sell to Offerpad for Cash?
You’ll typically see:
- A simple service fee to Offerpad (varies by market)
- Standard seller closing costs like title, escrow, taxes, and HOA transfer fees—costs you’d often pay in a traditional sale as well
We’ll break everything down clearly so you know your bottom line.
What If My Home Has Big Issues—Roof, Foundation, Old Systems?
We buy many homes that need work. If significant repairs are required, you can often:
- Give us a credit and let us handle the work, or
- Do the repairs before closing with a licensed contractor
If the condition is beyond what we can reasonably take on, we can still help you explore listing options instead.
Is Every Home Eligible for an Offerpad Cash Offer?
We buy a wide range of single-family homes and townhomes in our service areas, with some limits around age, price point, and condition. Even if we can’t buy your home directly, we may still help you list with Offerpad.
If you’re thinking, “I just want this to be easy,” a cash offer from Offerpad might be exactly what you’re looking for.
You bring the address.
We’ll bring the competitive cash offer in minutes and options to match your life.
