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Selling to an Instant Offer Company: What Are the Pros and Cons?

Selling to an Instant Offer Company: What Are the Pros and Cons?

Should You Sell to an Instant Offer Company? There’s a new term in real estate: iBuyer.

iBuyers, short for instant buyers, give sellers an almost instantaneous offer on their homes. Also called instant offer companies, iBuyers promise sellers an offer within a couple of days and closing dates within one to two weeks. Some popular iBuyers include Opendoor, Offerpad, Redfin, and Zillow Offers.

Unlike house flippers, iBuyers aren’t looking for distressed homes. iBuyers purchase moderately-priced homes, fix them up as needed, and relist them.

The obvious downside to selling to an iBuyer is that you will not get top dollar for your home. They are looking for homes where they can make a specific profit margin. Typically, the company will analyze your home online, using algorithms to come up with a value. For example, Zillow Offers will most likely offer you their Zestimate price. Sellers should expect an offer of about 10% under fair market value.

iBuyers accept a tiny percentage of the homes submitted. If the company decides to make you an offer, they may send a home inspector out to determine what costs they will have in preparing to resell the house. If you work with an iBuyer, make sure to read all the terms, as you may be required to cover some repairs.

While using an iBuyer saves you from paying real estate agent fees, watch out. You may not have to pay the 5-7% real estate commission, but iBuyers charge fees that may run anywhere from 6 to 9%. The total costs of working with an iBuyer can sometimes run as much as 12-15% of your selling price.

Working with an iBuyer benefits sellers who don’t have the time or desire to market their home traditionally. If you are in a situation where you need to sell your home quickly and are willing to take less than your home is worth, then an iBuyer may work out well for you.

Before you offer your home to an iBuyer, please allow me to discuss your options with you.

2022 Housing Market Predictions

2022 Housing Market Predictions

Though not predictable, you can always rely on the real estate market in Wake County to change. Here are some predictions for the housing market in 2022.

2022 will fall just short of record-breaking


“Zillow’s forecast calls for 11% home value growth in 2022. That’s down from a projected 19.5% in 2021, a record year-end pace of home value appreciation, but would rank among the strongest years Zillow has tracked. Existing home sales are predicted to total 6.35 million, compared to an estimated 6.12 million this year. That would be the highest number of home sales in any year since 2006.”

Zillow

Mortgage rates may rise, but inventory may rise as well


“The market is likely to cool compared to 2021, but it will still be active… It may still be a seller’s market in many areas, but there’s likely to be more opportunities and wiggle room for homebuyers. A ‘priced out’ buyer should be able to find many more options. Experts also reinforce that 2022’s housing market is not at all likely to crash — the conditions we’re seeing are nothing like those that led up to the crisis of 2008.”

Andrina Valdes

Rents are expected to outpace home price growth over the next year

“Nationwide, rent growth went from minimal to double-digit pace in 2021 as the U.S. made substantial progress against the pandemic. With the rental vacancy rate continuing near its historic lows during the pandemic, in which just 5.7% to 6.8% of rental housing units are vacant at any point in time compared to 7% or more, historically, renters are also contending with limited supply and excess demand that leads to upward pressure on rents. In 2022, we expect this trend will continue and fuel rent growth. At a national level, we forecast rent growth of 7.1% in the next 12 months, somewhat ahead of home price growth as rents continue to rebound from slower growth earlier in the pandemic.”

Realtor.com

Curious what your home would sell for in the current market? Give me a call or an email for a free home value estimate.

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