We Buy Houses companies in California provide all-cash offers for homes that often need some work in the Golden State, enabling sellers who lack the time, expertise, and money for repairs to move quickly and receive the cash sooner if they need it. Maybe you own a bungalow on an oceanside street that needs some TLC or are looking to unload your cozy fixer-upper in Sacramento. Or perhaps a new job offer in Reno or the sudden inheritance of a Los Angeles home means you’re giving these companies a second look. If you need to sell your California home quickly, a We Buy Houses for Cash company could be the best solution. However, before you request a cash offer, it’s important to understand how much a California house-buying company might offer for your home and weigh your options. Once you’re familiar with the process, you can opt to select a company on our list of some of the top contenders and get moving. We Buy Houses companies in California typically promise quick, all-cash offers and ultra-fast closings, often in as few as seven days. They tend to target distressed properties in need of repairs, and work with sellers who need to move ASAP. Here’s what you can expect from the process: Many of the We Buy Houses companies in California follow some version of the above steps to help people sell their home quickly. However, details such as the amount a company is willing to offer for your home, how much of the process can be done online, and the time required to close may vary depending on who you work with. If these benefits of selling to a house-buying company in California sound good to you, 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 parent’s mission style home in San Diego or your Oakland duplex. By selling to one of these companies, you’ll be able to sell your California home in as little as a week or two. Website: https://www.sellquickcalifornia.com/Phone number: (866) 497-8248Locations: All of California Since 2018, Sell Quick California has been buying homes of any condition, no repairs or cleaning required. If you’re overwhelmed with an abundance of clutter or home in complete disarray, Sell Quick California will take the burden off your hands. The company goes so far as to say you don’t even have to clear out the rotten food from your refrigerator. Just request a fair cash offer, choose your closing date, and walk away. Sell Quick California was accredited with the Better Business Bureau in 2019 and has an A+ rating. Closing costs: You pay no closing costs; Sell Quick California covers them. Reviews: Although the company only has 16 Google reviews, Sell Quick California maintains a 5-star rating. Past sellers comment on fast and transparent communication from owner Marc as well as quick sales and fair offers. Some reviewers remark that Marc was excellent at informing sellers of all their options, even if that led them to sell elsewhere. Website: https://www.homelight.com/simplePhone number: (855) 999-7975Locations: Across the US, including all of California Simple Sale, a solution from HomeLight, is an online platform where sellers in California (and across the country) can request a cash offer for their home. Simple Sale has a network of cash buyers on its platform, and 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 California. Closing costs: No prep costs, no agent commissions, and no fees charged by HomeLight. Individual investor fees may vary. Reviews: Simple Sale is a HomeLight platform, and HomeLight has 4.6 stars on Google based on 355 user 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. Website: https://socalhomebuyers.com/Phone number: (951) 331-3844Locations: San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, and San Diego SoCal Home Buyers is a family-run investment firm that buys properties including single-family fixer-uppers and turn-key multi-family homes. After receiving information about your home and completing an inspection, the company can offer a closing as short as seven days. SoCal Home Buyers has been in operation for over 11 years and has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Closing costs: You pay no closing costs; SoCal Home Buyers covers them. Reviews: SoCal Home Buyers has 27 Google reviews, including 25 5-star reviews. Reviews speak of a quick process all around, from the initial communication all the way to closing. Customers also praise the employees’ friendliness and warmth as well their transparency and professionalism. Website: https://www.premierpropertybuyers.com/Phone number: (786) 847-7605Locations: Southern California Premier Property Buyers is a Southern California house-buying company that purchases homes, no matter their condition or the owner’s situation. The company has been in operation since 2003 and became Better Business Bureau accredited (A+ rating) in 2018. When Premier Property Buyers provides you with an offer, the company also shares the numbers that went into calculating that amount. They charge no fees, cover your closing costs, and can close on homes in as little as a week. Closing costs: You pay no closing costs; Premier Property Buyers covers them. Reviews: Southern California customers praise Premier Property Buyers with 19 5-star Google reviews. Past sellers speak to owner Eric’s service and demeanor, commending his knowledge, patience, and responsiveness throughout the entire sale process. Reviewers also note fair offers, especially compared to other area companies they explored. Whether you want to avoid listing and showing your Land Park home or you need to quickly sell the home you’ve inherited near Folsom, these Sacramento home buying companies may be able to help. Website: https://www.sellquickcalifornia.com/Phone number: (866) 497-8248Locations: Throughout California, including Sacramento As mentioned above, Sell Quick California buys homes throughout California. But the company is based in Sacramento, which may appeal to sellers seeking out cash home buyers specializing in the state capital. Website: https://www.laurelbuyshouses.com/Phone number: (916) 476-2381Locations: Sacramento area Laurel Buys Houses has purchased over 300 homes in the Sacramento area over the past 20+ years and has been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since 2017. The company purchases all kinds of houses as-is, no matter the condition. After collecting information about your home online or over the phone, the company will conduct a home visit either in-person or virtually and provide an offer. If you accept the offer, the company emphasizes it can accommodate a very tight schedule and in some cases close in a few days if necessary. Closing costs: You pay no closing costs; Laurel Buys Houses covers them. Reviews: Laurel Buys Houses has accumulated 59 reviews on Google for a 4.7/5 rating. Many reviews speak of Laurel’s kindness, honesty, and interest in doing what’s right. Customers also praise quick closings as well as a stress-free and seamless process. While selling your home for cash isn’t for everyone, it does provide the following benefits. According to data from the California Association of Realtors, in November 2022 the median time on market for a California home was 24 days. However, when working with a financed buyer (a likely scenario if you list your home) you also have to account for the typical 50 days a buyer needs to close on a purchase loan. In contrast, when you work with a We Buy Houses for Cash company in California, you can usually expect to receive an offer in as little as a day or two and close in as few as seven days. Lenders may not agree to provide financing for homes that fail to meet minimum property standards as evaluated by a home appraiser. That means past fire damage defects, foundation cracks from earthquakes, or incorrect wiring — all common issues for California homes — could trigger a delay or cause the deal to fall through. In contrast, California cash-for-homes companies generally purchase homes as-is and are usually going to be a lot more willing to accept issues both large and small with your home. This creates a clearer path to settlement and can be a huge relief if you don’t have the funds or time for repairs. When you choose to sell your California home with a real estate agent, you’re expected to put away your surfboard or organize your giant Hollywood movie collection before buyers come through. Selling to a cash buyer allows you to skip many of these stressful tasks related to prepping and repeatedly showing the home. In an agent-assisted sale, you’ll likely pay an agent commission amounting to 5%-6% of the sale price and may be on the hook for additional concessions and closing costs. Selling to a cash buyer will likely eliminate at least some of these fees if not all of them. Many We Buy Houses companies in California and across the nation cover a seller’s closing costs in full as part of the deal. When considering an offer from a We Buy Houses site, remember that these are house-buying companies, which means they’re ultimately trying to make a profit. They plan to fix up your home and either resell it or rent it out. That takes considerable time, skill, and investment. Here are some potential downsides to weigh: Most companies follow the 70% rule, meaning they’ll offer you 70% of your home’s after-repair value (or the value that your house could sell for on the market once it’s all fixed up) minus repair costs. So the price you get for your home may be appreciably lower than what you’d get on the market. Not all cash homebuying companies are equal. Some are more localized, have specific neighborhood knowledge, and are able to leverage that expertise into more competitive offers. Others are less knowledgeable about the specifics of your community, which could result in lowball bids. Some companies make extremely low offers to desperate homeowners and try to pressure you into making a quick decision. A few bad players may even engage in fraud tactics, though it’s uncommon. These companies know that homeowners looking to sell quickly are often desperate, and some do take advantage of that by using pressure tactics. You should never feel pressured to accept an offer, especially since there are plenty of We Buy Houses for Cash companies in California to choose from. If anyone makes you uncomfortable, it’s time to move on to another option. Your home is more than a place where you make memories with family, it’s also likely your biggest asset. Sure, you want to sell quickly, but you could be leaving major money on the table if you choose to work with one of these We Buy Houses for Cash companies. Always do your research, compare your options, and consult with a trusted advisor before accepting any offer. For many home sellers, We Buy Houses for Cash companies can be a solid solution to get a property sold quickly or to access cash for an expected life challenge. On the other hand, the “cash for your home” rehabbing business model has also led to what some housing advocates call predatory tactics. The level of integrity and customer service you experience can vary, even within an established house-buying company that strives to maintain consistent business standards. This is because many We Buy Houses for Cash companies are franchises and often use independent investors or local wholesaling outfits. Your experience greatly depends on the character of the person or group making the offer. If you are considering a cash offer, vet the company thoroughly. Check reviews, read testimonials, and research its presence and performance in the market. And, of course, read the buying agreement carefully before signing. Before committing to a We Buy Houses for Cash company, HomeLight suggests you consult with a top agent to get a better idea of what your home might be worth if sold on the open market. Then compare cash offers to what a top agent might be able to get for your home. HomeLight can connect you with a top-performing agent in your market. You can also use HomeLight’s free Home Value Estimator right now to get an initial ballpark estimate in less than two minutes. Within the cash-for-homes business you’ll also encounter a particular group of companies known as iBuyers, or instant buyers. iBuyer companies offer sellers many of the same conveniences of other house-buying operations, but they also leverage algorithmic technology, otherwise known as automated valuation models (or AVMs), to make you a near instant offer on your home and provide a user-friendly, mostly online home sale experience. iBuyers have only been around since the mid-2010s, but are now available in many California cities including the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, Sacramento, and Los Angeles. iBuyers offer all-cash and can close in a matter of days to a few weeks. But unlike more traditional We Buy Houses for Cash companies, iBuyers tend to look for homes in better condition and offer much closer to market value, typically in the 90% range — and sometimes more, particularly in a hot real estate market. Though one thing to note is that major iBuyers like Opendoor and Offerpad usually charge sizable fees for their services, between 5% and 13%. Sellers who may be a good fit to work with an iBuyer in California include those who prefer to skip staging and showing their home, who live in an area with somewhat similar housing, and who have a home in relatively good shape. We know, we know. You want to sell your house quickly, not in 66 days. But hear us out! With California housing markets heating up in favor of sellers, many listings are flying off the market in a matter of days, especially those that are priced strategically. Going with an agent could pay off big time. Selling on the market generally fetches the highest home price, and that’s especially true if you work with a skilled professional. Our internal transaction data at HomeLight shows that the top 5% of real estate agents sell homes for up to 10% more than average agents. This is a big financial decision, so it may make sense to consult with a trusted real estate agent who can complete a comparative market analysis (CMA) to help you understand your home’s value and how quickly it’s likely to sell. Your agent may even be able to connect you with cash buyers who are willing to offer closer to market value for your home. Plus, a CMA is usually free and you’re under no obligation to list with the agent, so this may be a good tool to explore your options. Even if you end up deciding to work with a Cash-For-Homes company, at least you’ll know you’re making a sound financial decision. Overwhelmed by finding an agent? HomeLight would be happy to connect you with a top performer in your area today. Most We Buy Houses for Cash companies are legit, and you can rest assured that this business model has been around for decades. However, it’s always a good idea to keep an eye out for scams, or anything that just doesn’t seem right. Always thoroughly research companies ahead of time. Verify all professional licenses, check customer reviews, get a referral if possible, and vet the company on the Better Business Bureau website. Most Cash-For-Homes companies follow the 70% rule, meaning they’ll offer you 70% of your home’s after-repair value, minus repair costs. Here’s what that simple formula looks like: (Your home’s ARV x .70) – repair costs Now let’s take a look at a practical example. Let’s say your Sacramento home could sell for $350,000 after repairs, but it’s going to need $80,000 of work to get there. ($350,000 x .70) – $80,000 = $165,000 In this example, a California cash-for-homes company will probably offer you around $165,000 for your property. However, different types of house-buying companies will offer varying amounts for homes. As mentioned previously, iBuyers tend to pay more like 90%-95% of market value while charging a fee for their services. Selling a home to a We Buy Houses for Cash company shouldn’t cost you any money, though you’ll likely get less overall for your home. Since these companies are geared toward distressed homes, they tend to have zero fees, and will even cover your closing costs. That means the offer you get is the price you should walk away with. Make sure to ask about any hidden program fees that could eat into your bottom line. Wondering how a We Buy Houses for Cash company stacks up against working with a real estate agent? We’ve got you covered. Imagine you’re selling a home in the Sacramento neighborhood of North Natomas currently worth $545,500 — but it needs about $15,000 worth of repairs. Once repairs are made, the home should be worth about the median home sale price for the area of $560,500 as of Jan. 2022. Here’s what you can expect to earn working with a We Buy Houses company and a top California real estate agent. House buying companies can be a good alternative for California sellers in need of a quick exit from homeownership, but they’re not without drawbacks. However you choose to sell your home, it’s important to avoid making a hasty decision. For best results, take the time to weigh your options, gather offers from multiple companies, and consider consulting with a top agent to see how easily your property could sell on the market. Whatever you decide, HomeLight would be happy to help with your real estate needs!Working with house-buying companies in California
Popular We Buy Houses for Cash Companies in California
Sell Quick California, LLC
Simple Sale
SoCal Home Buyers
Premier Property Buyers
We Buy Houses for Cash Companies in Sacramento
Sell Quick California, LLC
Laurel Buys Houses
Why sell your California house for cash?
Quick sale
Skip repairs
Less hassle
Reduced closing fees
Cons to working with We Buy Houses companies
Lower offers
Inconsistent market knowledge
Not all companies are trustworthy
They may use pressure tactics
Vet cash buyers and know your home’s worth
Other options to sell your California home quickly
iBuyers
Listing with an agent
FAQs on California house-buying companies
Are We Buy Houses companies in California legit or scams?
How much will We Buy Houses companies in California pay?
How much does selling a home to a We Buy Houses company in California cost?
How do you sell a house for cash in California?
We Buy Houses for Cash in California vs. Top California Realtor
Aspect of the sale
Sell to a We Buy Houses company in California
Sell with a top Realtor in California
Sale timeline
7 to 30 days
66 days
Home preparations
None
Make necessary repairs, deep clean, declutter, landscape, stage home
Showings
None required, although some companies will complete a walk through
10 to 25 showings average
Inspections / repairs
None required prior to closing, though iBuyers may deduct a repair credit at closing
May need to make repairs for the buyer or renegotiate price
Appraisal
A traditional appraisal is not required, but many companies will use their own analytics to come to a fair price
May need to lower the price if 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 loan doesn’t clear
Agent commission
None
5.8% average
Closing costs
None
1% to 3% of sale price on top of commission
Example Net Proceeds
Sell to a We Buy Houses company in California
Sell with a top Realtor in California
Estimated sale price
($560,500 x .70) – $15,000 = $377,350
$545,500
Market preparations
0
$5,450 (1% of sale price)
Agent commissions
0
$31,639 (5.8% of sale price)
Closing costs
0
$8,182 (1.5% of sale price)
Estimated take-home for seller
$377,350
$500,299
Key Takeaways
