Selling to a Cash Buyer: What Actually Happens

The sequence, start to finish

A direct sale has fewer moving parts than a listing, which is the main reason it closes faster.

• You provide the address and basic property information.
• The buyer reviews comparable sales and estimates the repair scope.
• You receive a written offer, usually within 24 hours.
• If you accept, a purchase agreement is signed and sent to the title company.
• The title company runs a title search and orders payoffs for any mortgage, taxes, or liens.
• You sign at closing, in person or remotely, and the title company disburses your proceeds.

What the buyer is responsible for

In a properly structured direct sale, the buyer takes on repairs, resale marketing, holding costs, and the risk that the renovation costs more or the resale takes longer than expected. That transfer of risk is exactly why the offer is below a successful retail listing price.

What to watch for

Ask any buyer to put the offer in writing, name the title company, and show recorded purchases you can look up yourself. A buyer who will not do these three things is asking for trust they have not earned.