A cash offer is a written offer to buy your house with the buyer's own funds, without a mortgage contingency. Removing the lender is what makes it fast and certain. It is also why the price is lower: the buyer is paying for the repairs, the holding costs, the resale costs and the risk that a retail buyer would never take on.
Where the number comes from
Most home-buying companies start from the price the house would sell for after it is fixed up, subtract what they expect to spend on repairs, subtract the costs of owning and reselling it — holding costs, closing costs, agent fees on resale — and subtract a margin for their risk and profit. What is left is the offer.
That means the offer moves most with two things: the condition of the house and the strength of the neighborhood's resale market. You are entitled to ask how the buyer got to its number, and a straightforward buyer will walk you through it.
| Piece | What it covers | Ask the buyer |
|---|---|---|
| After-repair value | What the house sells for once updated | Which comparable sales did you use? |
| Repair estimate | Roof, systems, updates, clean-out | What did you assume needs doing? |
| Holding and resale costs | Taxes, insurance, utilities, closing and agent fees on resale | Roughly how much? |
| Margin | The buyer's risk and profit | Is the offer negotiable? |
From first call to closing
- Request. Address, name and phone — that's it.
- Conversation. Timeline, condition, what is owed, who is on title.
- Look at the house. In person, by video, or with a local family member.
- Written offer. Price, closing costs, closing date, and what can be left behind.
- Your decision. Compare it. Ask questions. Say no if it doesn't fit.
- Title and closing. A Utah title company checks title, pays the mortgage and liens from the proceeds, and pays you the balance.
How to compare it with listing
Compare net to net, not price to price. For a listing, start with the expected sale price and subtract agent commissions, seller closing costs, repairs and prep, months of holding costs, and any concessions to the buyer. For a cash offer, subtract only what the written offer says you pay. Then weigh the difference against time, certainty and effort.
For a house in good shape with no deadline, listing usually wins on money. For a house that needs significant work, a family spread across states, or a hard date, the cash offer often wins on everything else. Plenty of people get both numbers before deciding — that is the sensible way to do it.
What a fair process looks like
- No fee from you, ever.
- An offer in writing, with the closing costs spelled out.
- Time to review it with family, an attorney or a counselor.
- A licensed Utah title company handling the money.
- Nobody asking you to stop talking to your lender or to sign a deed before closing.
Selling a house in Utah, city by city
- Selling a House in Salt Lake City, UT
- Selling a House in West Valley City, UT
- Selling a House in Provo & Orem, UT
- Selling a House in West Jordan, UT
- Selling a House in Sandy, UT
- Selling a House in Ogden, UT
- Selling a House in Layton, UT
- Selling a House in St. George, UT
- Selling a House in Lehi, UT
- Selling a House in South Jordan, UT
Situations we explain in detail
Questions homeowners ask
Is a cash offer negotiable?
Often. If you have a reason to think the number is off — a recent repair, a better comparable sale — say so.
Who pays closing costs?
It varies by buyer and is written into the offer. Read that line before you accept.
What if the buyer finds a problem after the offer?
Ask up front whether the offer can change after an inspection, and on what terms. A clear offer says so in writing.
See what an offer on your house looks like
A free cash offer, no obligation, no pressure to decide. Call (385) 217-2467 or request a quote.
Get My No-Obligation Offer