How Long Does it Take to Sell a House to a Cash Home Buyer?

Cash sales of homes can be quick and painless (compared to normal, financed sales). However, certain factors might influence how rapidly a transaction can be completed.

We’ll go through the actions involved in a typical cash sale, starting from the seller’s viewpoint. We’ll also list events that might cause delays in the process, most of which are avoidable if you’re proactive about addressing them.

There are several steps to selling / buying a home in cash:

Negotiations

Both the buyer and seller will need to work out a settlement that is acceptable to both. These talks may cover things like the price of the sale, closing date, earnest money, payment of closing costs, whether there are any sales contingencies, and so on.

Verifying proof of funds

When purchasing a home, you should always check to see whether the cash buyer is able to genuinely access the funds required to complete the purchase; this is referred to as “proof of funds.” Bank statements or a letter from a private lender (typically seen in “cash” transactions – more on that later) might be used to prove proof of funds. Always double-check the validity of preapprovals with any private lenders.

Signing the contract

Once both parties have agreed on the sale, a contract is signed by both the buyer and the seller. This document outlines all of the details of the sale that were negotiated, including purchase price, earnest money deposit, whether there are any sales contingencies, and so on.

Opening of title

A title company is a non-affiliated third party that serves as a “middle man” during the transaction. The title company’s duty is to ensure that the buyer receives exactly what he or she was promised in the sales contract (free of encumbrances and other problems that may affect it). The title company verifies that the seller has the appropriate legal authority to sell it and that any liens on the property are dealt with at closing. The sale may be completed as quickly (or slowly) as the title company can.

Delivery of earnest money to title

The buyer’s earnest money is money put down as a promise to follow through with the contract. Cash house purchasers in LA should be prepared to put their money where their mouths are. In LA, the typical amount for earnest money is 1% of the sales price. If someone isn’t willing to put down 1% in non-refundable earnest money, it’s probably because they’re unsure if they’ll be able to close on the house. As a result, the sale may fail later on. If a buyer fails to meet their obligations under the agreement, the earnest money is generally deemed “damages”.

Getting through the option / inspection period

In LA real estate, an “Option Period” is a distinct term. If the buyer elects to continue past the option period, they have the option to purchase at the terms agreed upon should they choose to do so. During the option period, the buyer has the opportunity to terminate the contract for any cause and receive a complete refund of their earnest money. The option period is usually intended to allow the buyer time to look at the property.

If you’re selling to a cash buyer who is an owner-occupant, they’ll almost certainly want a 5-14 day option period so that inspectors may check the property. Experts often request no option period (because they are typically familiar with what to look for and the numbers after touring the home). If the house has components such as septic systems or wells that need experts to examine, they may request a 3-to-5-day option period.

The longer the option period, the more time a buyer has to back out without suffering any financial penalties. The absence of negative consequences for a buyer who escapes a sale during the option period is why short or no option periods are preferable if you need a fast cash sale.

Appraisals

The market value of the home is determined by an appraisal. Appraisals are conducted by a state-licensed appraiser. Buyers who intend to live in the property as their primary residence should have these done; We, for example, do not often do this type of evaluation.

Closing

The closing is the last step in the process, when you sign all of the necessary documents to transfer the property from your name to that of the buyer. Once all of the closing paperwork has been completed, the title firm verifies that they have all of the required papers. They make the payment to the seller’s escrow account and subsequently transfer money from the buyer to the seller. They pay off any liens on the property before giving any remaining proceeds from the sale by wire or check to the seller.

So how long does it take to close on a house when it’s purchased in cash?

The time it takes for a cash sale to complete varies considerably. In ideal circumstances, a financial transaction might be completed in 4-10 business days. However, this assumes that there is only one living individual on the title and that payouts have already been made or provided swiftly by the lending institutions involved. This timeline also assumes that the buyer will be able to acquire the house quickly.

Ensuring clear title

To begin, keep in mind that even if a buyer is purchasing a house for cash, the transaction will still go through the title insurance and underwriting procedures. The title procedure might take anything from a few days to several months; it all depends on how many issues the title insurance underwriters find linked with the property after it’s insured.

The typical timeframe is 2-3 weeks. If you have a good relationship with your title company, you may usually push to get title research completed sooner rather than later.

Things that can slow the process down:

Not being honest with the buyer

If you have any other liens, another party who should be a party to the transaction, or you’re in arrears on property taxes or HOA dues, be honest with your buyer. Because the title firm will most likely find any problems, it’s best to address them head-on from the start and get them resolved before closing so

When making a LA Seller’s disclosure, be truthful. In LA, the seller’s disclosure survives the transaction, and not disclosing an issue with the property you were aware of at the time of sale may lead to legal difficulties for you later.

Option periods

The longer the option period, the greater the buyer’s flexibility to back out of a transaction without suffering any financial or legal consequences. To ensure a rapid sale, make sure there is no option period or it is as short as possible so that if the buyer intends to back out, they do so quickly.

When you make an offer, it can be withdrawn at any time during the option period. If the buyer fails to acquire the property after the option period has elapsed, their earnest money will reimburse you for the failure to close.

A low appraisal

If the home is appraised and the appraisal value is lower than the house’s sales price, the buyer may ask for a sales price discount to the appraisal value. If a property “under-appraises,” however, it may be more difficult for both parties to come to an agreement on pricing, which might cause the sale to fall apart.

A buyer may be entitled to have their earnest money refunded if the transaction doesn’t go through as planned, owing to a low appraisal or unfavorable contract terms.

A deceased person being on title

When someone who has died is on the title or deed, further proof is required. The extra papers needed depend on whether the estate has gone through probate.

Whether or not all of the heirs have been verified and agree to the sale conditions may have an impact on the transaction speed. If a conventional mortgage or a reverse mortgage was taken out by the deceased person, and more, it can influence things. These are not issues that cannot be resolved; rather, they just take additional time.

Additional liens aside from the mortgage

The title company receives a fee for each lien on the property and must satisfy it before the sale closes. There are several nuances to receiving payouts promptly, such as how the payment is requested. (Only fax or snail mail a payoff; sending by fax is always faster.) Some lienholders may also charge additional charges to provide hurry payoffs (such as HOAs or other liens handled by legal professionals).

A nasty divorce

When it comes to how quickly a property may sell, selling during a divorce is not an issue in and of itself. However, if two former spouses are fighting throughout the transaction for the sake of fighting, it might cause delays. If each participant can set aside their differences to ensure a rapid sale, the sale will go through more quickly.

An active bankruptcy

If the seller is presently going through bankruptcy, he or she may need the court’s approval for the sale.

Financing

This article focuses on cash sales, but we believe it’s important to point out that if your buyer is receiving a mortgage for the house, it might slow things down. Many “cash buyers” use what are known as “hard money” lenders to buy houses. Hard money lenders operate at a faster pace than standard mortgage providers, although they may cause delays. It may take anywhere from 10 days to 6 weeks for a loan to be funded, depending on the lender, their relationship with the borrower, and their lending criteria.

“Private money” is a term used by some people to describe the act of investing in real estate “in cash.” Private money lenders generally get things done much more quickly than other sorts of creditors and do not cause any delays in the transaction beyond what is acceptable for standard title underwriting.

Get a fast cash offer today

Contact us to obtain a cash offer on your house if you’re looking to sell it fast. We don’t use hard money financing, usually take no option period or require an appraisal, and have fantastic coordination with our preferred title service. These features enable us to work at the quickest possible pace throughout the process. Our quick closing abilities might be beneficial to homeowners who must sell their houses by a certain date as a result of impending foreclosure or other financial concerns.

Click on sell your home quick to learn more about how we buy houses quickly for cash. You may also check our LinkedIn page to learn more about us and our services. We buy houses in the following cities: