We Buy Houses Bartow, FL: Top 5 Companies
- Published on
- 15 min read
- 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.
If you need to sell your Bartow, FL home quickly, a We Buy Houses company could be the answer. These companies make all-cash offers, often buying homes as-is, so you can avoid repairs and close fast.
This option is ideal if you’re dealing with a tight deadline, like a job move, financial strain, or an inherited property. A cash sale lets you skip the traditional market and get your proceeds in days, not weeks.
In this guide, we’ll break down how these companies work, their pros and cons, and how they compare to other selling options. You’ll gain the insights you need to decide if this is your right choice.
Disclaimer: This post is meant to be used for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Links and mentions of Bartow area “We Buy Houses” companies should not be considered an endorsement.
Working with house-buying companies in Bartow
Selling your Bartow home to a house-buying company can be a fast and simple process. These companies streamline the experience, offering cash for your home in as-is condition. Here’s a step-by-step look at what you can expect when working with a house-buying company.
- Reach out for an offer: Contact a local house-buying company through their website or phone to provide basic details about your home.
- Schedule a home visit: A representative will assess your property’s condition, either in person or virtually, to determine its value.
- Receive an offer: After evaluating your home, the company will present a cash offer, often within 24-48 hours.
- Review the contract: Carefully review the purchase agreement to understand the terms before signing.
- Set a closing date: Choose a convenient closing date, often within a week, to complete the sale.
- Receive your payment: Finalize the sale at closing and receive your proceeds, typically via wire transfer or check.
Popular We Buy Houses for Cash companies in Bartow
If the process of selling to a house-buying company in Bartow sounds 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 or your parents’ ranch-style or craftsman home. By selling to one of these companies, you should be able to sell your Bartow home in as little as a week or two.
Revival Homebuyer
Revival Homebuyer is a local, family-owned homebuyer specializing in the Tampa Bay housing market. In the past five years, it has successfully bought over 1,000 properties, helping homeowners sell homes quickly at a competitive price.
Locations: Bartow and surrounding areas.
Closing costs: Sellers pay no closing costs; Revival Homebuyer covers them.
Since 2019, Revival Homebuyer has been BBB-accredited, holding an A+ rating. Given the team’s professionalism, it has achieved an impressive 5.0 Google rating.
Website: revivalhomebuyer.com
Phone number: 813-548-3674
Simple Sale (a HomeLight platform)
Simple Sale, a solution from HomeLight, is an online platform where sellers in Bartow(and across the country) can request a cash offer for their home. Simple Sale connects you to the largest network of cash buyers in the U.S. 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 Bartow.
With Simple Sale, you can get a no-obligation, all-cash offer in 24 hours and sell your home in as few as 10 days, skipping the months it can take to sell the traditional way.
Locations: Nationwide, including Bartow
Closing costs: No prep costs, agent commissions, or fees charged by HomeLight. Individual investor fees may vary.
Simple Sale is a HomeLight platform. HomeLight was founded in 2012 and is BBB-accredited with an A+ rating. The company has 4.8 stars on Google based on hundreds of 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.
Learn more: homelight.com/simple
Phone: 844-488-8455
Priority Home Buyers
Priority Home Buyers provides a fast, fair cash offer process, promising offers within one hour and closings in as little as seven days. They are active in San Bernardino and have a local market specialist on staff.
Locations: Nationwide, including Bartow.
Closing costs: Sellers pay no closing costs; Priority Home Buyers cover them.
Priority Home Buyers has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) since 2023 and holds an A rating. The San Bernardino chapter also has a 5.0 Google star rating.
Website: priorityhomebuyers.com
Phone number: 909-640-3797
Traction Home Offer
Traction Home Offer is a real estate solutions and investment firm that specializes in purchasing homes for cash. They offer homeowners a streamlined process for selling properties in “as-is” condition, eliminating the need for repairs, cleaning, or junk removal.
Locations: Tampa Bay area and surrounding areas.
Closing costs: Sellers pay no closing costs; Traction Home Offer covers them.
Traction Home Offer holds a 4.6-star rating on Google.
Website: tractionhomeoffer.com
Phone number: 813-519-1820
We Buy Houses, Bartow
WeBuyHouses.com was founded in 1997 and buys houses in 200 markets and 30 states in any condition. According to their website, they have been trusted by 1 million homeowners and can present a cash offer even if the homeowner is behind on their mortgage or facing foreclosure.
Locations: Nationwide, including Bartow.
Closing costs: Sellers pay no closing costs; WeBuyHouses.com covers them.
WeBuyHouses.com has been BBB accredited since August 2020 and has an A+ rating.
Website: webuyhouses.com
Phone number: 904-674-8004
Why sell your Bartow house for cash?
There are plenty of valid reasons a Bartow home seller may choose to work with a Cash-For-Homes company. Speed, certainty, and remarkable convenience are some of the main reasons.
In Bartow, it typically takes around 96 days to sell a home on the market using an agent. That includes an average of 52 days on the market plus the typical 44 days a buyer needs to close on a purchase loan.
Compare that to the typical seven to 10 days promised by many house-buying companies in Bartow, and it’s clear why these Cash-For-Homes groups are an attractive option, even though they don’t always offer top dollar for the homes they purchase.
Below are common scenarios where selling for cash might be the right choice.
- Job relocation: You need to sell your home quickly to move for a new job opportunity.
- Divorce: A cash sale can simplify dividing assets during a divorce and help you avoid delays.
- Inherited property: Selling an inherited house for cash prevents ongoing maintenance and tax responsibilities.
- Downsizing: Transitioning to a smaller home? A cash sale makes it easier to focus on finding the right community.
- Costly repairs: If your home needs extensive work, selling in poor condition saves time and money on updates.
- Avoiding open houses: Selling for cash lets you skip hosting open houses and preparing your home for showings.
- Foundation issues: A cash buyer might be your best option if your home has unresolved foundation problems.
- Facing foreclosure: A fast cash sale could help you avoid the financial and credit damage of foreclosure.
- Problem tenants: Tired of dealing with tenants? Selling a rental property for cash offers a clean break.
- Selling from out of state: Managing a sale remotely? A cash buyer makes it easier to sell your home without travel or delays.
Pros and cons of house-buying companies in Bartow
House-buying companies in Bartow offer a fast and simple way to sell your home. They buy houses in any condition, saving you time and money on repairs or preparations. Below are the key pros and cons to consider when working with these companies.
Pros
Selling to a house-buying company can be especially appealing if speed and convenience are your priorities. They offer flexibility and relief from traditional selling stress. Here’s a summary of the top advantages:
- Fast closing: Cash buyers often close within 7-14 days, helping you move forward quickly without waiting for loan approvals or lengthy contingencies.
- Buy as-is: House-buying companies purchase homes in as-is condition, allowing you to skip expensive repairs or updates.
- No showings or open houses: You don’t need to prepare for open houses or showings, making the process less stressful and time-consuming.
- Fewer complications: No financing contingencies mean fewer risks of deals falling through at the last minute.
Cons
While house-buying companies provide convenience, they also come with trade-offs. The most significant drawback is that you’ll likely receive below market value for your home. Here’s a summary of the potential downsides:
- Lower offers: House-buying companies typically pay less than what your home might sell for on the open market, impacting your overall proceeds.
- Limited competition: Without multiple offers, you won’t benefit from potential bidding wars that can drive up your sale price.
- Risk of scams: Some buyers may not be reputable, so you’ll need to be vigilant to avoid scams.
- Less control: You’ll have fewer options for negotiation, and terms are often non-negotiable compared to traditional sales with agents.
Vet cash buyers and know your home’s worth
Not all cash buyers are created equal, and the integrity and service you experience will depend on the company or individual making the offer. Before committing, take these steps to protect yourself:
- Check reviews and testimonials: Look for feedback from previous sellers to gauge the company’s reputation and reliability.
- Research market presence: Verify the company’s length of operation and experience buying homes in your area.
- Request references: Reputable buyers should be willing to provide references or proof of past transactions.
- Carefully review the agreement: Read the purchase contract thoroughly to understand the terms before signing.
- Know your home’s worth: Research comparable sales in your area to ensure the offer aligns with current market conditions.
Other options to sell your Bartow home quickly
If you’re exploring fast-sale options, consider these alternatives:
- iBuyers: Companies like Opendoor and Offerpad use automated valuation models to deliver quick, all-cash offers for homes in good condition. The iBuyer process is fast, often closing in a few days to two weeks. However, they charge service fees of 5%-6%.
- Listing with an agent: Partnering with a top agent can result in a fast sale, especially in a seller’s market. Agents provide insights through a comparative market analysis, which is often free. If speed matters, HomeLight can connect you with a proven local agent.
FAQs on Bartow house-buying companies
By and large, most We Buy Houses for Cash companies in Bartow are legitimate businesses. Their services and transaction fees may differ, but the business model has been around for decades. If you use an established group with a track record, you can be fairly confident that it’s legit.
That said, as with any financial transaction, it’s a good idea to be on the alert for scams. Always research companies before you sign a contract. Check customer reviews, look at their online presence, verify professional licenses, get a referral if possible, and vet the company on the Better Business Bureau website. Watch for anything that just doesn’t seem right.
As described in our pros and cons list above, most Bartow We Buy Houses for Cash companies apply the 70% rule, meaning they’ll offer you about 70% of your home’s after-repair value minus their estimated repair costs.
Here’s an example of what a simplified formula might look like:
(Your home’s ARV x .70) – repair costs
To see how this might work in a real-world scenario, let’s take a look at an example offer equation. Let’s say your Bartow ranch-style home could sell for $280,000 after repairs, but it will need $30,000 of work to get there.
($280,000 x .70) – $30,000 = $166,000
In this example, a Bartow We Buy Houses company might offer you around $166,000 for your home.
However, different types of house-buying companies will offer varying amounts for homes. As mentioned previously, iBuyers tend to pay more than We Buy Houses companies because iBuyers look for homes in better condition. An iBuyer might pay you 90% or more of market value while charging a fee for their services.
When you accept an offer from a Bartow We Buy Houses for Cash company, you will likely be coming to grips with a double-edged sword. On the one side, it shouldn’t cost you any additional money because these companies make an offer and handle almost everything once it is accepted. Conversely, you’ll likely get less money overall for your home.
Because We Buy Houses for Cash companies tend to focus on distressed homes, they typically have zero fees. Many will even cover your closing costs. In most cases, this means that the cash offer you receive will be the price you walk away with at the end of the deal. Of course, asking the company if any hidden program fees might impact your bottom line is always a good idea.
- Research and vet the house-buying companies that serve your Bartow area. Our list above is a good place to start.
- Submit offer requests to a few of the companies you like best.
- Schedule any required on-site property visits.
- Compare offers. Weigh the pros and cons and choose the best option for you.
- Close the sale in a week to 30 days and get paid. (Some companies will let you choose a closing date up to 90 days after accepting the offer, which can be helpful when planning a move.)
We Buy Houses for Cash in Bartow vs. top Bartow agent
Another helpful exercise is to compare how a We Buy Houses for Cash company might stack up against working with a real estate agent. Let’s take a glance at how different aspects of the sale might look and compare possible proceeds.
Aspect of the sale | Sell to a We Buy Houses for Cash company in Bartow | Sell with a top Realtor in Bartow |
Selling timeline | 7 to 30 days | 96 days average; 52 to attract an offer, 44 to close the loan |
Home preparations | None | Deep clean, declutter, make necessary repairs, landscape, stage home |
Showings | None | 10 to 25 showings average |
Inspections / repairs | None | May need to make additional repairs for the buyer or renegotiate the price |
Appraisal | None | May need to lower your asking price if the appraisal comes in low |
Title search | Cash-For-Homes companies often handle title issues | Must clear title before you can sell the home |
Financing contingency | None | Mortgaged buyers use a financing contingency that could hold up the deal if the buyer’s loan doesn’t clear |
Agent commission | None | 3%-5.8% average |
Closing costs | None | 1% to 3% of the home sale price on top of agent commission |
Example net proceeds
Below, we’ve compiled one example of how net proceeds may differ between selling a home to a We Buy Houses for Cash company and an agent-assisted sale.
Let’s say your home in Bartow is worth about $280,000 and needs about $25,000 in repairs. Once the repairs are completed, the home might be worth around $305,000.
Sell to a We Buy Houses for Cash company in Bartow | Sell with a top Realtor in Bartow | |
Estimated sale price | ($305,000 x .70) – $25,000 = $188,500 | $280,000 |
Market preparations | 0 | $2,800 (1% of sale price) |
Agent commissions | 0 | $8,400 (3%) |
Closing costs | 0 | $4,200 (1.5%) |
Estimated take-home for seller | $188,500 | $264,600 |
As this example illustrates, financially, it’s usually in your best interest to partner with an experienced real estate agent.
However, net proceeds are not the only consideration when selling a home. What’s best in your situation will depend on the condition of your property, what level of repairs are needed, and your selling objectives. It could be that selling on the open market will be a challenge in your area, or the agent timeline might not fit your immediate needs.
Key takeaways
- Speed and convenience: House-buying companies in Bartow offer fast closings, often in as little as a week, making them ideal for urgent situations.
- As-is sales: These companies purchase homes in as-is condition, saving you time and money on repairs or upgrades.
- Lower offers: Expect offers to be below market value, as convenience comes with a trade-off in potential profits.
- Limited negotiation: Most offers are non-negotiable, so you’ll need to decide quickly if the terms meet your needs.
- Know your home’s worth: Always be aware of your property’s estimated market value before you proceed with a cash-offer company.
At HomeLight, we’re happy to lend a guiding hand in navigating your real estate journey. Let us help you make an informed and confident decision, whether you’re looking for a no-obligation cash offer through a trusted platform like Simple Sale or seeking to consult with a top Bartow, FL agent.
Header Image Source: (Ethan Walsweer/Unsplash)