Compare net, not headline price
A listed sale has a higher sticker price and a longer list of deductions: commission, the money spent getting the house ready, whatever comes back after the inspection, and every month of mortgage, taxes, insurance, and utilities while it sits. A cash sale has a lower price and almost none of that.
Neither is automatically better. What this calculator does is put them on the same basis so the comparison is honest in both directions — including when listing wins.
The costs people leave out
- Holding costs. Four months at $1,900 is $7,600 that never appears in a listing presentation.
- Pre-sale spend. Repairs, cleaning, and staging are paid before any money comes in.
- Post-inspection concessions. Most contracts reopen after the inspection, and the seller usually funds the difference.
- The risk of a failed financing contingency, which resets the clock and adds months.
- Two mortgages, if you have already moved.
When listing is genuinely the better choice
If the house is in reasonable condition, you can fund the pre-sale work, you are not under time pressure, and it will pass a lender's appraisal and an insurer's underwriting, a listed sale will usually net more. We would rather tell you that than talk you out of it.
A direct sale earns its keep when the property will not finance, when the repair list is beyond what you want to fund, when the timing is driven by something outside your control, or when certainty is worth more than the last few percent.
Frequently asked questions
Is a cash offer always lower than market value?
The headline number usually is. Whether you net less depends on commission, pre-sale spend, concessions, and how long a listing takes — which is what this calculator compares.
What if my house would not pass a lender's appraisal?
Then the listed-sale column is optimistic, because a financed buyer may not be able to close at all. That is the situation a cash sale is designed for.
Do you charge any fees?
No commission and no fees when we buy directly. Normal closing costs still apply.
How long does a listing really take?
It varies by market and by the condition of the house. Try a longer figure in the calculator and see how much the comparison moves — for many sellers, time is the deciding variable.