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Des Moines Best House Buyers

Sell Your Des Moines House Through Realtor vs Selling Your House for Cash

May 15, 2019 • Thomas

Selling your house can be a difficult process because there are so many options. Should you sell your Des Moines house through realtor, sell to a cash buyer, or sell it on your own?

One of the many advantages of owning real estate is having plenty of options. There are options for buying as well as selling it. As a homeowner that is interested in selling your home, you need to know what your specific options are.

sell des moines house with a real estate agent

Selling Your House Yourself

For sale by owner is often the type of sign you see today on homes for sale. This is certainly something homeowners can do. Many don’t understand how difficult this can be. Putting up with the hurdles that come with not listing with a real estate agent can save money.

The Pros of How To Sell Your House By Owner

The Time Factor

If you are not in a hurry to sell your home then listing it for sale by owner can be a distinct advantage. You can set your asking price and hold firm to this. The schedule for showing the home will be dictated by you. This can be done during the times that are most convenient for you.

Change of Mind

If you decide that you don’t want to sell your home you can simply stop your efforts to do so. You have the option of when you want to sell and you can change your mind as often as you like.

Potential Savings

The biggest reason that most people prefer not to use the option of listing with a real estate agent is because they can save money on the realtor fees. This is usually a 6% fee, which can be a big saving on the home sale.

The Cons of Selling Your Home Yourself

cons of selling des moines house yourself and listing with a real estate agent

Time Commitment

Not using a listing with a real estate agent means being prepared to devote plenty of time to the home sale.

You need to be available to take calls from interested buyers who will want to set up an appointment for a showing. You will then have to be available to show the home. Closing without a realtor means knowing the legalities that are involved.

You will need to be involved in some form of advertising. This takes time in writing up the ad copy. Then there will be some research involved as to where to advertise.

Learning Curve That Comes With How To Sell Your House By Owner

When you go the route of listing with a real estate agent you are relying on their expertise. There is a lot that goes into selling a home. You are going to have to learn at least the basics of this to be successful. These professionals know how to sell a home by emphasizing its strong points. With you having a personal attachment to the home you may focus on this. Potential buyers may not find what you consider to be strong points applicable to them.

Safety Factors

It is important to consider the safety factors when allowing strangers into your home. Most often those who want to look at the home come in pairs or groups. This may make you feel uncomfortable as you don’t really know what their true intentions may be. Closing without a realtor can leave you open to making some serious mistakes.

Selling Your House for Cash

Another option besides listing with a real estate agent is to simply sell your home for cash. This is a good solution for a quick sale with a flexible asking price.

The Pros of Selling Your House for Cash

stop listing des moines house with a real estate agent and sell for cash - dmhomebuyers.net

Convenient

You don’t have to go through the inconvenience of having to show your home to potential buyers. Most often when a home is up for sale it means multiple showings before it sells. There may also be a need for several open houses which can be a nuisance.

Quick Cash

Some individuals are in poor financial shape. If you need quick cash then selling your house for cash may help with this

Fast

Selling your house for cash is the fastest method for home selling. It takes very little time for the sales contract to be drafted.  Usually, a very quick closing date can be arranged.

The Cons of Selling Your House For cash

Less Money

A cash sale usually doesn’t give you much room to negotiate the selling price. The buyer has a set amount they are willing to spend. You need to decide whether the cash price is something you feel is fair and that you are willing to accept.

Limited Time

Normally with a cash sale, the closing is much quicker. You need to decide whether it will allow you enough time to make the move and find new lodgings.

Listing with a Real Estate Agent

There are a lot of good reasons why most home sellers want to follow through with a listing with a real estate agent.

The Pros of Listing with a Real Estate Agent

sell des moines house fast no fees no commissions no hassles - dmhomebuyers.net

Their Expertise

Real estate agents are professionals. They have all the knowledge necessary to sell real estate. They have the expertise to analyze the market in the areas in which they work.

Their Contacts

Agents have many different resources to draw from when it comes to potential buyers. They usually have access to large databases. These connect to other realty agencies that list potential clients.

Advertising Resources

A real estate agent has the expertise to be able to advertise the home in the right venues. They know how to write the copy and how to promote the sale.

Time

Realtors dedicate their time to showing the home and have the knowledge of how to close the sale. They have the negotiating skills when it comes to the financial aspects of the sale.

Legalities

There is a lot of paperwork and legalities to tend to for a home sale. Real estate agents are trained in this area. They can avoid some of the costly mistakes that can be made during a home sale.

The Cons of Listing With a Real Estate Agent

The Fees

The 6% realtor fee is the biggest disadvantage. You will have to pay this once the sale is closed.

A Commitment

You are making a commitment with your chosen realtor. They will be the only one allowed to sell your home during the duration of the contract.

Being Realistic

You have the ultimate say in what your house should be listed for. Your realtor will encourage you to be realistic in the listing price. This will be based on his analysis of sales in your area.

sell your house without listing with a real estate agent

Sell Your House Now!

Realistically, listing with a real estate agent takes anywhere from 4 – 10 months depending on your market. In Des Moines, it could take a minimum of 6 months. You don’t have that time, and we understand that. At DM Homebuyers, we specialize in quick home sales for cash.

We’ll get your house closed, and write you a check on the spot! Call us today to get a no obligations quote for your house, or just to get your questions answered. We’re always happy and ready to talk! Contact us at 515-953-3535.

The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, or as any other type of advice.
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Can you sell a property in Des Moines through Power of Attorney?

April 3, 2019 • Thomas

There comes a time when parents are no longer able to care for their affairs in a proper way. They may  have to sell their home. This can take place for a variety of reasons. It may be that you will need a power of attorney sell property option. The power of attorney is not just for selling property. It allows you to help them with many  legal matters. At least in most cases. People are often faced with the selling my parents house dilemma.  If you want to sell a property in Des Moines through Power of Attorney, keep reading.

Power of Attorney sell Property

Sold House to DM Homebuyers Des Moines Best House Buyers

The power to sell property is just one part of the authority  that comes with a power of attorney. To get this there are some steps that one needs to go through.

The first thing that you need to do is talk to your parents. You want to do this while there are in good mental health. It can be more difficult to get a power of attorney if they are not. They have to give you power of attorney by their own free will . If they are  mentally capable of making this decision. If not you will need professional help. A medical professional will have to find them incompetent. From there lawyers will need to help draft up a power of attorney. It is for this reason that it is better to have the power of attorney once the parents begin to age.

It should begin by talking to them. They will most likely appreciate being able to put the major decisions in your hands. Big responsibilities like selling a house can be too much of a strain for them. It comes with a lot of decision making. They may prefer that you take on this task. It will become part of your willingness that comes with selling my parents house.

 Selling My Parents House

Once you have the power of attorney in place it allows you to make the decisions that are  necessary. One of these may be to sell your elderly parents home. You will be able sign papers on their behalf. It is not unusual that many people need to deal with the question of how to sell my parents house before death. They don’t realize there is the power of attorney sell property option. This gives the authority for you to make binding decisions on their behalf.

How to Get a House Ready to Sell

Once you have the power attorney sell property authority you need to know how to get a house ready to sell. It can be difficult if you are have the the sell my parents house before death challenge. It is because most likely the parents are still living n the home. When you go to sell your elderly parents home they can get confused and upset. Then when you start doing repairs on the home this is unsettling for them.

For Sale By Owner

Selling house to DM Homebuyers Des Moines Best House Buyers

You may decide with the power of attorney sell property authority to sell the home yourself. It is so it makes it easier on your parents. Meaning that instead of using a realtor you will do all the work. This presents extra stress and challenges for you. But, you may be thinking that it will be easier on your parents.

If you use a real estate agent it can be difficult for your parents. They will have one stranger bringing other strangers into their home. Yet, if you do a for sale by owner then you will be the one showing the house.

It means that you are going to have to to dedicate the time to this. The power of attorney sell property authority is creating a lot more responsibilities. Selling a house by owner will add to this.

Aside from having to show the house there are many other tasks that come with this way of selling. You have the job of letting people know its on the market for sale. But before that you need to do some research. You have to determine how much to list the home for. It can be difficult do the necessary research. You don’t have the tools and resources to do this in the proper way.

If you don’t list the home within a proper price range you won’t get any showings. Then you have to determine where you are going to list the home. You can do this in the local papers. Or even online if you know where to go on the web to do this. There is some level of danger to this . Strangers could come to the door unannounced. Your parents may be prone to letting them in when you are not there. This is not a position you want to put them in.

Sell Parents House Fast

Sold house to DM Homebuyers Des Moines Best House Buyers

You will be doing your parents a favor if you look at the sell parents house fast option. It is an option that allows you to sell the house for cash.  You can make this decision on behalf of your parents.  You have the power of attorney sell property authority. It is the one option with the least amount of hassle when you want to sell your elderly parents home.

There are professional investors who specialize in buying homes for cash. They will determine a fair price for the home. They will take into account the condition of the home. At the same time they will not expect you to do any repairs or upgrades. They will want to buy the house as is. Plus, they are willing to pay the total amount in cash and in a quick manner. Also, you won’t have the expense or hassle of trying to sell the property yourself. There are no real estate fees so you are saving money there. Also, you have saved money on not having to do any repairs.

The power of attorney sell property is the best option to sell fast.  The sell for cash is a clean hassle free simple way to sell the house.

Sell Your Parents House Without The Hassle

Selling your parents house is stressful. Although there are lots of ways to do it, using power of attorney takes time and money. Don’t wait for the house to get sold. If you need your parents house sold ASAP then selling to a cash buyer is your best option.

Here at DM Homebuyers we specialize in closing on houses quickly so that you can move on to more important things in your life. Selling a house has a lot involved, but not if you’re selling to us. You don’t have to repair your home, we’ll buy it as-is! Have a question about the process or want to get your no obligations offer today? Give us a call at 515-953-3535. We’d love to talk to you!

The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, or as any other type of advice.
Categories: sell a house, sell house, Selling a House Fast, selling parents home, selling parents house, We Buy Houses • Tags: , , , ,
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Des Moines Best House Buyers

We Buy Houses Fast in Des Moines, IA

October 31, 2018 • Thomas

You’ve probably seen ‘we buy houses fast’ signs in Des Moines, IA, and wondered what they were about. Well… we buy houses fast in Des Moines, IA and I’ll tell you why.

First of all, welcome to our blog. Here you’ll find plenty of helpful articles on real estate, ranging from buying and selling your house to renting out your property. We offer tips and advice to anyone interested in the real estate business.

we buy houses fast

I need to sell my house fast!

You came to the right place.

In this article, I’ll discuss the importance of our house buying business and why you should consider a cash house buyer instead of going through the usual long house-selling process.

Companies that buy houses quickly are on the rise and you probably know a few people who buy houses fast. Are you ready to discover this real estate industry changer? We buy houses fast!

What are the pros of selling to a cash house buyer?

Selling to a cash house buyer has many advantages you’re probably not aware of. In this article, we’ll look at a few detailed ways selling your house fast can benefit you more than selling to an agent.

  • You can avoid foreclosure

Many people are looking for tips and tricks on how to avoid foreclosure. With a cash house buyer company, you can do just that. Being able to sell your house before it goes into a foreclosure is extremely rare and almost impossible when you’re selling to an agent. But with a cash house buyer, avoiding foreclosure is just one of many benefits you can get.

We have bought from a client that was facing foreclosure the very next day by getting the bank to agree to avoid having the house go to auction because we were going to buy it and then closed on the very next day. It’s fast, it’s safe and reliable. And we help you every step of the way.

  • We buy houses fast

It’s a fast process. Your house can be bought in just a few days, or, if you’re not ready yet, in a few months. It’s completely up to you. It’s an ideal choice for those who need to relocate quickly and don’t have time to go through the long process of selling to an agent. We are safe, reliable and completely trustworthy.

  • No hidden fees

We don’t charge fees. Not even for offering you real estate advice. You simply fill out a form, we call you back and it’s a done deal. Real estate business is fast and selling your house used to take a lot of time away from people – not anymore.

  • No repairs!

We buy houses fast and take them in any state – you won’t have to worry about making repairs or making sure your house is in a perfect condition. All those things just delay the selling process and that’s the last thing you want. We completely get it.

  • Absolutely no paperwork

We mean it when we say no paperwork. No bank loan approvals, no foreclosure, nothing. Just a quick and safe sale. Imagine never having to fill or scan piles of documents, get references, and deal with all unnecessary things again.

  • You decide when you want to sell your house

So, you need cash in 2 days time? No problem! Or do you want to take your time and can’t currently move out, but you’re still thinking about selling your house? Are you a veteran from Des Moines who needs to relocate? It doesn’t matter – we will cater to your needs. Try us!

So how safe is cash house buying?

we buy houses fast with cash

It’s natural for people to question a no stings attached process. I talk more about how to spot cash house buying scammers in my other articles, but you should know that scammers can be found in absolutely every profession. Cash house buying is completely safe if you know who to trust and how to spot scammers – there are as many scammers as there are legitimate companies. Always be careful and always be safe. Remember, there are people who use the popularity of the ‘we buy houses’ campaigns to take advantage of homeowners. Always be careful of ‘we buy houses’ scams!

How do you spot cash house buying scammers?

When researching the company, it’s important to check their credentials. Google their name beyond the first page and use different keywords to see what comes up.

A safe and legitimate company that buys houses quickly will always be ready to answer any questions you might have about the process. As us, they might even have a detailed blog with benefits on selling or buying your house.

The team behind DM Homebuyers works hard to make sure you are provided with the best information possible- Sell your house fast and do it the right way.

What is the biggest benefit of buying houses fast with cash?

we buy houses fast for sale

We talked about the pros of selling to a cash house buyer. But the biggest benefit of people who actually buy houses fast is the freedom of living without a mortgage. Imagine no monthly mortgage payments, nothing that takes away a huge portion of your income. That feeling of being mortgage-free is absolutely incredible, and this why many people are buying houses with cash.

Buying a house with cash also benefits your credit score. Applying for various types of credit is easy when you don’t have mortgage payments holding you down.

We buy houses fast

We buy houses fast. It’s what I do. I’m ready to help you with anything you might need. My website can provide you with all answers you might have on the house-buying process, but we don’t just stop there. Thinking of becoming a landlord? Going through a divorce? Wondering how to stop foreclosure? Or just in need of simple advice on how to sell your house fast? All information is available to you for FREE.

And if you’re still not happy with what you find – give me a call. I’ll make sure all your questions are answered so you can sell your house for cash fast and safe.

The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, or as any other type of advice.
Categories: sell a house, sell house, Selling a House Fast, selling parents home, selling parents house, We Buy Houses • Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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Sell A House Fast in Des Moines: 5 Tips For Success

October 24, 2018 • Thomas
5 tips to sell a house fast des moines

5 tips to sell house fast des moines

Check out DM Homebuyers to sell your Des Moines house fast

Considering selling your house and want to do it as quickly as possible? Of course! Most people want that. We buy and sell houses all the time and have some proven tips on how to sell a house fast in Des Moines… or any other town or city.

We use these tips every time we sell a house we’ve fixed up. Most were learned when the real estate market tanked back around 2008.

With foreclosures up 81% back then, there were a lot of houses on the market clamoring for the attention of the reduced amount of buyers looking to buy a home.

We were forced to find ways to compete and get houses sold. In this article we are passing those hard-earned lessons on to you so that you can better be able to sell your house fast in Des Moines or anywhere.

sell a house fast

Selling a House Fast Requires the Right Price

We quickly noticed that the single biggest factor in getting a house to sell fast in any market is the price.

Yes, how much you are asking for your home plays a huge role in being able to get offers right out of the gate.

Consider this from the point of view of buyers looking to buy a house in your neighborhood or area. They are likely going through dozens or even hundreds of listings that are most likely sorted by price.

Everybody wants a bargain. They are judging your house and its price against what your neighbors are asking for a similar house.

Pricing a house is not the easiest thing to do in the world so we wanted to provide some quick tips to help you determine a great price:

  • Check compsFind out what other similar houses are selling for and how fast they are selling. Take the closest matches that sold quickly and average the selling prices.
  • How does your home compare?If you are working with an agent, you can have them show you pictures of the houses that sold. If you aren’t working with an agent, many times you can see pictures of houses that sold on Zillow.com or Realtor.com. Compare the fixtures and finishes to what you have in your house and adjust your price up or down based on what you find. Always be considering this from the buyers’ perspective. What would you think when you saw the houses that sold and then came and saw your house? It’s very important to be objective here.
  • Have friends give their opinionsSometimes we as homeowners are seeing things through a different lens. We need to get unbiased opinions from friends or family that are completely objective.

For more great tips on pricing your house for sale, check out this article on Zillow.

cash offer from a house buying company

Get an Offer from a Cash Home Buyer

Not everybody is aware there are people who buy houses cash that will make you an offer to buy your house quickly.

You might wonder,”why do they buy a lot of houses?” They buy for investment purposes and usually have the cash to close faster. This allows you to sell your house without even putting it on the market.

What’s the catch with these house buying companies? They usually don’t pay full market value. That might be an issue if you need to sell for top dollar.

Of course, this option doesn’t make sense for all home sellers. It makes the most sense for people that don’t have the time or energy to deal with getting their house fixed up and put on the market. This is also a good solution for sellers that don’t like the idea of having dozens of complete strangers going through their house, looking at all of their stuff.

We buy homes in Des Moines and would love to talk with you about what we can pay for your house.

market your house for sale everywhere

Market Your House Everywhere

The quickest way to sell a house you put up for sale is to get as many eyes on it as possible. You need to make sure everybody knows the home is for sale.

 

Get an ad in the local newspaper

If you want to sell a house fast in Des Moines, you might consider putting an ad in the local newspaper or their website.

 

Use a Listing Agent

Real estate agents can list your house on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) which will help you get maximum exposure.

If you decide to sell your house without an agent, you can get a ‘For Sale By Owner’ sign from HomeDepot or Lowe’s and stick it in your front yard. I highly recommend you get the directional signs as well. This will allow you to point people driving around your area to your house that is for sale.

 

Use Social Media

Take lots of pictures and do a video walk through. You can post these on Facebook and Youtube.

One social media platform is perfect for pictures: Instagram. Give it a try.

 

Tell everybody you know

Tell everybody you know that your house is for sale. Ask everybody you talk to if they know of anyone looking to buy a house in the area. You never know who might be looking for a house just like yours. This will certainly help you sell a house fast.

gives concessions to sell a house fast

Give Concessions to Sell Quickly

There are lots of ways to entice buyers to give your house a little extra attention.

Here are some of our favorite ways to sell a house fast by giving concessions:

 

Agent bonus

Reward agents for finding you a buyer. We’ve given bonuses of $1,000 or more for buyers’ agents that sold their buyers on our houses. You can do the same.

There are agents that look for listings of houses for sale where these bonuses are available and start showing their clients these houses first. Get yourself on the top of potential buyers’ must-see lists with this tip.

When buyers see your house first, they may just fall in love with it and make you an offer. Offering an agent bonus has allowed us to sell a lot of houses faster over the years.

Try it!

 

Closing cost assistance

Not all buyers need assistance with their closing costs…but most do!

If you offer to help pay closing costs for your buyers, they will much more likely to buy your house over others on the market.

In order to sell a house fast, you should consider offering this assistance. Be sure to write into the description of your listing your willingness to pay some closing cost assistance. It really goes a long way in persuading buyers to give your house more consideration.

 

Home warranty

This tip for selling a house fast is not mentioned often. Providing a home warranty gives buyers a peace of mind.

They might be nervous that they are overextending themselves when buying your house. They will likely feel better knowing that if something goes wrong, they have a warranty that will cover it.

American Home Shield offers a great home warranty that is pretty comprehensive. It’s great because it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg either. We’ve offered their warranty dozens, if not hundreds of times.

Offering a home warranty gives your home a competitive advantage that will allow you to sell your house quicker.

If you want to shop around and find the perfect home warranty, check out these reviews.

stand out when selling your house

Be Different

This piece of advice is one that I hope my competitors that sell houses don’t catch wind of. We make it a point to find economical ways of setting our houses apart so that they sell much faster.

The secret is spending some time to see what houses are for sale that your home will be competing with. Then, make note of the similarities between the houses.

  • Do they all have beige walls with white trim?
  • Do they all have formica counters?
  • Do they all have oak cabinets?
  • Do they all have brown exterior paint?

What you want to do now is find some things to do that will make your house stand out because it doesn’t just match all the others that are for sale.

You sell a house fast by making it unforgettable.

Great websites to get cheap design tips are Houzz.com and Pinterest.

Final Thoughts About How to Sell A House Fast in Des Moines

Whether you situation dictates you sell a house fast in Des Moines or somewhere else, you can follow these 5 tips we’ve outlined to pretty much guarantee a quick sale.

If you feel you’ve benefited from this article, please share it!

We’d love to hear any tips you might have for selling a house fast. If you have some tips, please don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments below.

The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, or as any other type of advice.
Categories: Selling a House Fast, We Buy Houses • Tags: , ,
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We Buy Houses Scams In Des Moines and How To Avoid Them

October 17, 2018 • Thomas

Have those advertisements for people saying, ‘we buy houses’ caught your eye and made you question whether they are we buy houses scams? This is a very real concern for people considering this kind of service.

we buy houses, sell house fast, sell des moines house

we buy houses signs

DM Homebuyers

Trying to sell your house fast in Des Moines? Are you concerned that you might get taken advantage of or have the wool pulled over your eyes?

Join the club.

The traditional way to sell a house is using a real estate agent and having them list your house.

Maybe you would rather skip the hassles and sell to a Des Moines cash home buyer instead. Every year, thousands of people sell their homes directly to investors rather than listing with an agent. In fact, nationwide, pending home sales jumped to 5.5% in February of 2017, according to Investor’s Business Daily.

If you’ve never sold a home before or never sold one without the services of agent, it can be quite scary. It can seem downright overwhelming.

I’m going to share some tips for you to make sure that who you are working with is a legitimate house buyer and not someone looking to scam you. By the end of this article, you’ll be armed with what you need to know to choose the right company to buy your house.

The Sniff Test For We Buy Houses Scams

There are a lot of legitimate house buyers in Des Moines, but there are also some people that are running we buy houses scams. It can be difficult to know which one you might be dealing with.

The stakes are high. People have lost lots of time, money and even their houses to scams run by investors that don’t have any sort of moral compass.

It can be difficult to determine if who you are dealing with has your best interests at heart. Most of the time there are “tells” that will clue you in to their true intentions. These signs can mean you are caught in some of the we buy houses scams being used today.

  1. Application Fees – If a house buyer wants you to pay them any kind of fees to evaluate your house, run away as fast you can. This person is likely a scammer. Honest home buying companies don’t make money charging application fees. They make their money from buying houses, fixing them up and either renting or selling the house.
  2. Kitchen Table Closings – If a buyer wants you to sign over the deed to your house anywhere other than a title company or attorney’s office, you’re likely going to be making a costly mistake. Any sale you have should happen at a title company so that you can make sure the paperwork is handled properly and all liens are taken care of.Please do not mistake this for signing a contract to sell your house. That can and probably will happen at your house. Just don’t sign any Warranty Deeds, Quitclaim Deeds without the services of a real estate attorney or title company.
  3. Too Much Information is Given – Phony bank statements and pre-approval letters for loans are given without being requested from untrustworthy real estate investors. These investors present these documents to make them appear legit but these documents can easily be faked.This occurs a lot when the supposed “investor” lives in a different city than Des Moines and communicates almost entirely by email. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather work with somebody local that I can meet face to face. Just because they are not local doesn’t immediately make them a scammer, but I sure would rather know who I’m dealing with.

Scammers Don’t Always Look and Act Like Used Car-Salesmen

used car-salesman

It’s not always easy to pick out who the scammer is in a crowd.

Sometimes it’s the overly nice gentleman.

Sometimes it’s the straight and to-the-point woman.

Don’t let your guard down just because someone smooth talks you. You need to get the facts about who they are and what they can do for you.

We will discuss exactly what to ask for to determine whether you are dealing with the right kind of house buyer or not later in this article.

It may seem impossible to determine whether someone is genuine or running we buy houses scams…but it’s not.

One way is to trust your gut. If something doesn’t seem right…it probably isn’t.

Another way is to determine whether their actions match their words. Actions always speak louder than words and I’ve found them to be very telling about people.

If a Des Moines home buyer says he or she is going to meet you at your house at 2:00 on Wednesday and they show up at 2:20…they might not be trust worthy. They certainly don’t value your time or respect it.

If they walk through your house and tear it apart with harsh words about the house or your situation, you are probably dealing with someone that could care less about your feelings or what you get out of the deal.

Harsh words about your house are solely intended to force you to lower your opinion of the value of the house. This type of investor may as well be wearing a plaid suit and lots of gold chains. They are worse than a used car salesman…

A respectable and reputable real estate investor will always treat you with respect. They will show up on time and show empathy. When viewing houses, trustworthy house buyers will look for the positive aspects of the house as they know full well they will be making repairs and breathing new life into the home.

Other Not-so-obvious Semi-Scams to Watch Out For

There are many other situations that I call ‘semi-scams’ to watch out for. These may not be illegal or full-blown we buy houses scams but are intended to take advantage of you and your situation.

It’s best to avoid these at all costs.

  • Sub2 or Subject To Scams – Some investors use a strategy called ‘Subject To’ or Sub2 when using shorthand. This is where they buy your house from you “subject to” the existing mortgage. They will want you to deed them the house without paying off your mortgage.The biggest problem with this is that the mortgage is in your name and, if it goes unpaid, directly impacts your credit!It’s pretty easy to see why this type of deal is important to avoid. You would basically be trusting an almost complete stranger with your credit. No thanks!
  • Short Sales Scams – Short sales are where a bank or mortgage company agrees to release their lien on your house in exchange for less than the principle balance of your loan. Typically, you have to pay off any principle balance and interest due for them to release the lien. When they agree to accept less, you are performing what is called a short sale.A short sale in and of itself is not a problem, it’s when this is attempted when it doesn’t make sense that causes a lot of problems for Des Moines homeowners.If you are behind on payments but have a lot of equity and a home that doesn’t need any major repairs, you might have an investor convince you to attempt a short sale.Short sales can drag on for months and the bank may wait until just before a foreclosure auction to deny it. Then what are you going to do? You won’t have time to sell it. It’s almost certain to be lost to foreclosure.

    Some careless investors don’t give you all the facts when they attempt a short sale on your house. You also need to be aware that even if the bank agrees to take less for the lien to be released, they could put a deficiency judgement on you for the amount the loan was shorted. You will probably also have to report the amount shorted as income which could cause your income tax owed to be a real problem for you.

How to Avoid These Potential Scams

Do your homework to avoid we buy houses scams.

With some quick research you can easily determine whether somebody has a history of doing what they say. You can also find out if they’ve been in business for a while which shows they are stable and worthy of your business.

Crooks rarely stay in business long and almost always have negative reviews.

reputations are everything

  • Check testimonials – Be sure to look for online reviews and testimonials for the house buying company you are considering. Any reputable business will have statements from previous customers that can attest to how they do business. You can read dozens of reviews from customers of DM Homebuyers here on our website. Take a look at them for an example of the types of things you will find for any honest business owner.
  • Check the Better Business Bureau – The Better Business Bureau (known as the BBB) allows consumers to leave reviews and rate local businesses. You should only work with house buying companies that have a strong rating with the Better Business Bureau.If a company is not rated with the BBB you can not have as much faith in their ability to do what they say.
  • Check how long the company has been in business – Great businesses have been around for a while. According to the Small Business Administration, nearly one third of all businesses fail within the first 2 years. If you find a business that’s been around for longer than 5 years, you can probably bet they are still around for a reason. They probably are doing something right.
  • Make sure to close with a title company or real estate attorney – There is so much legal talk in contracts and deed documents that you simply must have a title company or real estate attorney handle the closing.This is to ensure that everything is done properly.The last thing you want is for something to be done incorrectly that you have to deal with years down the road.You could even run into a situation where you are sued because something wasn’t handled properly.

    Title companies provide title insurance that will protect you from most of these problems. It’s definitely worth it.

  • Don’t sign documents you don’t understand – This one seems to be common sense but is definitely not common practice. If you don’t understand something, don’t sign it.This is also where a good real estate attorney or title company can be worth their weight in gold. They should be able to break it down for you in layman’s terms so that you know what you are getting into.  DM Homebuyers  recommends  that you take the purchase agreement to your personal attorney for review prior to signing.  DM Homebuyers uses a purchase agreement  based on the one authored by the Iowa State Bar Association and  approved by our attorney.Great house buying companies will also take the time to clearly explain everything you are agreeing to in a way that makes sense to you. If you find you are working with someone not willing to do that, don’t work with them. Find someone else that buys houses.

Conclusion

When selling a house fast to a local house buying company, you should be aware of the signs of a potential we buy houses scam.

Armed with the knowledge from this article you are much better prepared to find a great house buyer for your house that will treat you with respect and do what they say they are going to do.

If you would like to get a fair cash offer for your Des Moines house, do not hesitate to give us a call at 515-953-3535. We would be glad to answer any questions you have and help you in any way we can.

The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, or as any other type of advice.
Categories: Selling a House Fast, We Buy Houses, We Buy Houses Scams • Tags: , ,
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