How to Find Cash Home Buyers in Salt Lake City for a Hassle-Free Home Sale
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- Joseph Gordon EditorCloseJoseph Gordon Editor
Joseph Gordon is an Editor with HomeLight. He has several years of experience reporting on the commercial real estate and insurance industries.
Selling your Salt Lake City home quickly and with minimal hassle might be at the top of your list, especially if you’re eyeing cash home buyers. Whether you’re relocating to a new city or just want to move on from your current property, finding the right buyer can make a big difference in how smoothly the process goes. Cash buyers often present an appealing option for homeowners looking to close fast and avoid the drawn-out steps of traditional sales.
Salt Lake City has established itself as a stable port of call for real estate investors, owing to the city’s reasonable costs of living and strong demand for rental property. Though it has experienced a dip in home sales, pricing is expected to maintain stability and sales are expected to increase.
This could be a good time to consider a cash home buyer, especially if you value speed and convenience. In this guide, we’ll explain how to find and sell to Salt Lake City cash home buyers and walk you through the entire cash sale process, step-by-step.
Disclaimer: As a friendly reminder, this blog post is meant to be used for educational purposes, not legal or tax advice. HomeLight always encourages you to reach out to your own advisor.
How to find cash home buyers in Salt Lake City
If you’re looking to sell your home quickly, cash buyers can offer a fast and hassle-free option. Here’s how to find trustworthy cash home buyers in Salt Lake City.
Work with a local real estate agent
A real estate agent can connect you with reliable cash buyers, saving you the time and stress of doing it yourself. Agents often have existing relationships with investors looking for properties. If you don’t have an agent, HomeLight can connect you to one. While agents do earn real estate commissions, their expertise can help ensure a smooth transaction.
Target property investors
Salt Lake City has a growing number of institutional cash buyers, like corporations and LLCs. To attract them, list your home on investment websites or attend local real estate events. Be cautious with “We Buy Houses for Cash” companies as they often follow the 70% rule, offering less to ensure a profit.
Do your research
Verify any buyer’s legitimacy by checking the Better Business Bureau and reading reviews on platforms like Google or Yelp. Look for a solid track record and client referrals.
Ask for proof of funds
Before accepting an offer, request proof of funds, such as a bank statement. If a buyer refuses, that’s a warning sign—consider working with someone else.
Inside the Salt Lake City cash home buyers market
Salt Lake City’s cash home-buying market is largely driven by real estate investors, but other groups may be willing to buy your bungalow mortgage-free. Let’s look at these cash buyers and what motivates them.
New residents
Salt Lake City is attracting new residents from high-cost areas like California, many of whom are using the profits from their previous homes to buy with cash. These buyers are drawn to the area’s lower cost of living and outdoor amenities, often looking for homes near nature or with mountain views.
Baby Boomers
Baby Boomers are major players in the cash home-buying market. Over half of older Boomers and a significant share of younger Boomers paid cash for their homes in 2023. If your home features amenities like first-floor bedrooms or low-maintenance yards, highlight these in the listing description to appeal to this demographic.
Property investors
Real estate investors in Salt Lake City, including institutional buyers, house flippers, and buy-and-hold investors, are drawn to the area’s strong rental demand and increasing property values. Investors can offer quick, cash-based deals, often simplifying the sale process for homeowners looking to close fast.
Pros of working with a Salt Lake City cash home buyer
Cash offers can be an attractive option for Salt Lake City homeowners seeking an efficient and streamlined sales process. Let’s explore the key benefits of working with a cash home buyer:
- Quick closings
Cash buyers typically don’t rely on mortgage approval, allowing the sale to close faster than a traditional transaction. You could finalize your sale in as little as a week, cutting out the delays that come with bank financing. - No contingencies
With cash buyers, you often avoid complicated contingencies such as home sale or appraisal clauses. This means fewer hoops to jump through, making the process smoother and more predictable. - As-is purchase
Many cash buyers are willing to buy homes as-is, which means you don’t have to worry about making repairs or updates before the sale. This can save you both time and money, especially if your home needs significant work. - Less paperwork
With fewer steps involved, there’s usually less paperwork to manage when selling to a cash buyer. This can reduce the stress of handling documents and make the transaction much more straightforward.
How to request a cash offer in Salt Lake City
If you’re looking for a simpler way to get a cash offer on your home, HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform connects you with a large network of pre-approved investors. After answering a few basic questions about your property, you can receive an all-cash offer within 24 hours. Once you accept, the sale can close in as few as 10 days. You’ll avoid repairs, staging, and showings and can even choose your move-out date up to 30 days from closing.
Keep in mind that cash buyers often pay less than what you might get on the open market. However, selling traditionally can involve fees that eat up 9% to 10% of your sale price. Depending on your priorities, a cash offer could save you time and reduce overall costs.
How much are Salt Lake City cash home buyers willing to pay?
Cash home buyers typically pay below market value for properties in exchange for speed and convenience. One common approach, especially among house flippers, is the 70% rule, which suggests they won’t pay more than 70% of the home’s after-repair value minus the cost of repairs. This allows them to generate a profit once they renovate and resell the property.
Salt Lake City’s housing market is currently stable but trending towards a seller’s market. However, when the market slows, cash buyers often offer lower amounts, knowing they have more leverage. The average days on market has increased to 37 from last year, a 23.3% increase.
Ultimately, the speed of a cash sale is often the major factor when selling for cash, but it’s important to weigh the trade-offs between convenience and the potential for a higher sale price on the open market.
Given the current conditions, offers from house-buying companies might be lower than what you could get on the open market.
During periods with high demand and low inventory (seller’s markets), cash buyers often come closer to a home’s market value. Offers in this scenario can sometimes range from 80% to 85% of the ARV of the property.
What’s the process of selling to a Salt Lake City cash home buyer?
If you’re looking for speed and simplicity, a cash home sale may be right for you. Here’s a breakdown of how the process generally works:
Complete the Utah Seller’s Property Condition Disclosure
Most states have mandated disclosure laws and require you to fill out a form detailing any material defects in the home. In Utah, sellers are required to disclose any defects before accepting an offer by completing the Seller’s Property Condition Disclosure. If you’ve never lived in the home or are unaware of any defects, you’ll want to sign the Seller’s Property Condition Disclosure form.
If you’re working with a Salt Lake City “We Buy Houses” company, they will likely prepare all of the necessary documents for you, including this one. However, you can speed up the process by filling it out ahead of time. These companies conduct their own inspections and purchase homes in any condition, so filing the disclosure statement is more of a legal obligation from their perspective.
The buyer runs a title search on the property
The cash buyer will also verify the property’s title. This ensures you have legal ownership and checks for any liens or claims that could prevent a smooth sale. Some of the most common reasons for title issues include boundary disputes, unknown easements, undisclosed heirs, public record errors, and forgery.
Deciding to sell to Salt Lake City cash home buyers
Homeowners have a good chance of selling for cash, as Utah remains a popular state to invest in real estate. Whether you decide to compare buyers yourself, enlist the help of a real estate agent, or request an offer from Simple Sale, HomeLight can connect you with top professionals and valuable resources. We’re here to help you streamline your selling experience, leveraging Salt Lake City’s investor-rich market to find a fast and efficient solution for your home sale needs.
Header Image Source: (Lydia Venjohn / Unsplash)
- "Cash Rules," National Association of Realtors, Jessica Lautz (April 2023)
- "Salt Lake City Real Estate Market Report," Joel Carson (August 2024)
- "6 Title Issues that Slow Down Real Estate Transactions in Florida…," Estevez Law Group, PA (May 2024)
- "5 Best (and Affordable) States to Invest in Real Estate," Law Depot, Kyle Adam (February 2024)