An iBuyer — also known as an instant buyer — is a tech-enabled company that handles the purchasing of properties online, often sight-unseen. And in recent years, a growing number of time-crunched homeowners are turning to iBuyers as an antidote to the typical selling headaches.

iBuyers bring the power of cash, speed, and certainty to a complex and traditionally stressful process (though you will pay a fee for this convenience). Not to be confused with home flippers, iBuyers typically purchase homes in good to fair condition, make only light repairs, and turn over a higher volume of homes on thinner profit margins.

The ability to skip house showings and zoom straight to closing can be appealing to sellers who need to unload their houses quickly, whether it’s due to a job relocation, divorce, urgent need for cash, deteriorating neighborhood, or another circumstance. Sellers who’d prefer to skip the hassle of showing their home may also be drawn to the iBuyer route.