Sundae Real Estate Reviews for Selling a House As-Is
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Dena Landon, Contributing AuthorClose
Dena Landon Contributing AuthorDena Landon is a writer with over 10 years of experience and has had bylines appear in The Washington Post, Salon, Good Housekeeping and more. A homeowner and real estate investor herself, Dena's bought and sold four homes, worked in property management for other investors, and has written over 200 articles on real estate.
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Richard Haddad, Executive EditorClose
Richard Haddad Executive EditorRichard Haddad is the executive editor of HomeLight.com. He works with an experienced content team that oversees the company’s blog featuring in-depth articles about the home buying and selling process, homeownership news, home care and design tips, and related real estate trends. Previously, he served as an editor and content producer for World Company, Gannett, and Western News & Info, where he also served as news director and director of internet operations.
Editor’s note: Information in this article is current as of its publication date. Processes, rates, and services from real estate companies can change based on market conditions, housing trends, changes in technology, and customer needs.
A home is most Americans’ largest asset — but sometimes it can feel like a liability. Whether you can’t keep up with maintenance, are trying to help an elderly relative downsize, or have fallen behind on payments, there are times when you just need to sell your house and move on. Cash buyers or iBuyers, like those on sundae.com’s network, offer buyers in situations like these a quick, convenient sale — but what might you be giving up in return?
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Sundae.com reviews online are largely positive, and we’ll share some review notes and rankings later in this post. Of course, as with any company involved in the homebuying process, there are pros and cons to using their services. Even if you’re in a hurry to sell, take a few minutes to read up on their service — after all, your home is likely your largest investment.
What is Sundae?
Sundae.com is an online marketplace that connects sellers with cash buyers. Their tagline is “Sell as-is fast for the best price.” The website caters to home sellers who either don’t have the time, willingness, or money to get their home ready to sell on the open market.
Unlike other “cash for houses” buyers, such “We Buy Ugly Houses” or iBuyers, sundae.com doesn’t buy homes directly. Instead, they offer a marketplace where multiple pre-vetted buyers — typically investors — can bid on your home. Because there’s competition, and you could receive multiple bids, sundae.com claims that this leads to a fairer price for as-is sellers.
How does sundae.com work for home sellers?
Home sellers who are facing foreclosure, have inherited a distressed property, or simply don’t want to spend the time and money to fix up their home for a sale could possibly benefit from sundae.com’s services. The company states that homes sold through their platform can close in as little as 10 days, and if you agree to an offer they will even advance you up to $10,000 before closing.
The process to list on sundae.com is simple. After you call sundae.com, they send a “market expert” to visit your home. If you agree to their estimate of your home’s value, you sign an agreement and are listed on their site. Sundae.com’s buyers do have a home inspection performed, after which the website brings you the four highest offers.
Buyers in sundae.com’s network don’t negotiate for repairs after a home inspection, unlike buyers in the open market. They take your home’s condition into account when making their offer. If you know that your home needs considerable work, and just need to get out of it, sundae.com is one option to consider.
How does sundae.com work for homebuyers?
Homebuyers in the open market cannot shop for homes listed on sundae.com’s website. They only serve investors. Investor reviews praise the site for saving them time on cold calls, digging through the multiple listing service (MLS), and following up with agents. Sundae.com also offers investors analytical tools they can use before making an offer.
If you’re a real estate investor in one of the states sundae.com serves, it might be worth checking them out.
Does sundae.com serve your area?
As of this article’s publication date, sundae.com serves cities in California and Texas. They have been slowly expanding into other states. Check to see if your city is listed.
Is there a cost to use sundae.com?
There are no fees, including agent fees, when you list with sundae.com. Their website makes the offer of “zero fees,” and home sellers don’t even pay for the home inspection or escrow fees.
However, when sellers work with an investor, they typically will receive less than market value for their home, and sometimes significantly so. Investors buy distressed properties with the intention of fixing them up to either rent or sell for a profit. If they paid market value, they would almost always lose money.
While there is no direct cost to use sundae.com’s services, you may “pay” in terms of losing out on the higher price, and therefore profit, you might get by selling on the open market.
How does sundae.com make money?
You’ll find the clues to how sundae.com makes its money in the investor FAQs. Because nothing is charged to the sellers, they make their money through agreements with investors on their network.
Investors must pay the Sundae Buyer Premium, the home inspection fee, and a $1,000 Admin Fee. If they select a late closing, there’s another $250/day fee. The Sundae Buyer Premium is between 5%-7% of the purchase price, depending on the price and market. That means that if the buyer pays $150,000 for a home, they could pay sundae.com between $7,500 to $10,500 to Sundae.com in fees.
For some investors, this might be worth it due to the time savings. They’re also not paying a buyer’s or seller’s agent fees, which in many markets would be roughly the same as sundae.com’s fees.
Sundae.com reviews
Sundae real estate reviews online are primarily favorable.
Better Business Bureau: 3.9 out of 5 stars. Positive reviews say that it was a smooth process, and mention excellent service and professionalism. Several of the negative reviews were simply upset that they ended up on sunade.com’s mailing list and couldn’t remove themselves, but hadn’t actually used their service.
Reviews.com: 4.9 stars out of 5. Reviewers say that they felt “relief” working with Sundae, mention a smooth process from start to finish, and say they received great service. Negative reviews claim that the company pulled a bait and switch with them, rescinding higher offers and lowering them, or are upset that the investor made a large profit after buying and reselling the property.
Smart Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars. Reviewers expressed appreciation for receiving multiple offers and consistently mention the site’s professionalism. Negative reviews relate, again, to difficulties getting off their mailing list.
Pros and cons of using sundae.com
There are pros and cons to working with cash buyers to sell your homes. In general, if you own a property that is in good condition and don’t need to sell it quickly, there’s little reason to sell to investors.
Why sign up for sundae.com’s service?
- Sell your home quickly for cash: You’ll typically get an offer within four days of the completed home inspection, and buyers on the site can most often close quickly.
- Investors are pre-vetted: Investors must complete an application and the onboarding process to join sundae.com’s network.
- Skip repairs, marketing, and staging: For many homeowners, getting a house ready to sell can take weeks or months. After making minor repairs and cosmetic improvements, they may also have to hire a stager and keep it clean for showings. If you need to move an elderly relative into assisted living and just want a faster, easier sale, sundae.com could fit the bill.
- Receive multiple offers: Many cash buyers are one corporation or franchise (such as We Buy Houses). Their offer price could reflect a lack of competition, but with sundae.com multiple investors look at your property, so you could make money overall.
- Get a cash advance: If you’ve accepted an offer on your house, sundae.com will advance you up to $10,000. You could use this money to cover moving costs or help rent an apartment, or as part of a down payment on a new home.
- Close quickly, or take your time: Need to get out of your house in a hurry? Sundae.com says you can close in as few as 10 days. Or, if you need more time to pack and move, they can close in up to 60 days.
Possible downsides
- Offers will likely be below market value: Real estate investors who intend to resell follow a basic principle of — buy low, sell high. Even investors who buy and hold properties to rent typically pay under market rates to maximize their profit.
- Sundae.com doesn’t operate in all areas: Sundae is slowly expanding its footprint, but right now it’s primarily focusing on the West Coast. Even in states where they’ve begun to establish a presence, they often only serve one metro area. If you live in another state or city, you won’t have access to their services.
- It may take longer to receive offers: Other cash for houses buyers can make an offer in as little as 24 hours. Because sundae.com has a home inspection performed before even listing your house, and then investors have three days to bid, it can take longer to get an offer.
Alternatives to sundae.com
Sundae.com is hardly the only cash buyer in the marketplace. You could also list with an experienced agent who would likely get you more money for your house.
- HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform
- We Buy Houses companies
- iBuyers like RedfinNow, Opendoor, and Offerpad
- Local cash buyer services
How do HomeLight’s seller and buyer services work?
A lot of times, sellers of distressed properties who might be facing foreclosure, think that a cash buyer is their only option. But, an experienced real estate agent still might be able to sell your home quickly and get you more money. It’s always a good idea to talk to one in your area to find out your options, and HomeLight can match you with a local, top-performing agent.
After you answer a few questions, HomeLight analyzes over 27 million transactions and thousands of reviews to determine which agents in your market get the best results. You can pick from a list of potential matches and contact the agents for an interview, or just schedule a quick chat with your top choice. With over 28,000 top agents in our network, you’re sure to find a proven professional who can offer insights and options.
HomeLight’s Simple Sale can also provide you with a full cash offer for your home within as little as 24 hours. With a Simple Sale offer, you can avoid paying agent fees, close in as few as 10 days, and often pick your own close date. Similar to sundae.com, you can sell your home without having to make repairs, prep, stage, and keep it clean for showings.
Other services and tools offered by HomeLight
HomeLight offers additional services, too, as well as more tools for home sellers.
- HomeLight Buy Before You Sell: What if you’re selling so that you can buy another house and move? In hot markets, it’s hard to shop for a new house if your offer has a sales contingency in it, and you might have to rent for a while before you can buy again. With HomeLight Buy Before You Sell, we give you a back-up offer on your home, allowing you to make an offer without a sales contingency, which makes your offer more attractive to sellers. If you’re in the states of California, Texas, Florida, or Colorado, consider exploring HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell program.
Additional tools & resources
- Home Value Estimator: Curious about how much your home is worth? Our Home Value Estimator analyzes up-to-date sales information for comparable properties and gives you a ballpark estimate of your home’s value.
- Agent Commissions Calculator: How much will you pay in commission to an agent when you sell your home? Our commissions calculator will help you estimate it.
- Home Affordability Calculator: How much house can you afford to buy? After answering a few questions about income and expenses, our calculator’s result will help inform your potential home shopping budget.
- Net Proceeds Calculator: How much will you make selling your home? Use our calculator to estimate the cost of selling your home and the net proceeds you could earn from the sale.
- Best Time to Sell Calculator: If you’re trying to sell quickly and for top dollar, when is the best time to list? Our Best Time to Sell calculator analyzes your market’s sales data to determine the best time for you to list your home.
- Informative blog posts in the HomeLight Seller and Buyer resource centers with expert advice, checklists, and quick tips.
FAQs about sundae.com
Just want the quick rundown? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about sundae.com.
Is Sundae a legitimate company?
Yes, the company is a licensed brokerage in the states where it operates and is a registered corporation.
What types of properties are best to sell on sundae.com?
If your home is: badly in need of repairs (major and minor) and improvements and upgrades, or is in very poor shape, it might be best to list it on a cash offer service like sundae.com. Homes in good condition which only need minor cosmetic work could likely still sell in the open market for more money.
Should I use sundae.com to sell my house?
If you own a distressed property, need to sell quickly, or are trying to avoid a foreclosure, then it might be beneficial to sell your house on sundae.com. Their marketplace model — which gives you multiple offers on your house — could net you a larger profit. But, there are iBuyers and other cash offer platforms out there. To maximize your profit, you might want to get multiple quotes.
Does sundae.com charge sellers any fees?
No. Sundae.com makes its money on the buy side. Investors pay to have access to properties, particularly since sundae.com has already had a home inspection performed before listing a home on the site. Therefore, investors have a better idea of what they’re getting into. The user cost risk is primarily in the lesser amount of money you will typically receive from an investor offer compared to selling on the market with a top agent.
Weigh the benefits of using Sundae.com’s Services
If you have a home in good condition, especially in a hot market, an experienced agent could likely sell it quickly, even if it does need a little work. Before signing up to work with Sundae, take the time to talk to a top-rated agent. If you do decide to go with a cash buyer or investor, there are other platforms you can consider, such as HomeLight’s Simple Sale.
Even if you’re pressed for time, taking just a few minutes to explore your options could result in a better outcome overall.
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