Frequently Asked Questions
Maybe you have a few questions about out process. Here’s a quick collection of some of the questions people ask us… along with our answers. If you have a question, don’t hesitate to contact us (or give us a call) and we’ll be happy to answer it for you you may also check our resources page.
Q: Will you be listing my house on the MLS or actually buying it?
A: Great question. Although the real estate is our field, we’re not agents, and we don’t list houses. We are professional home buyers: Better Off Home Buyers buys houses Portland that meet our purchasing criteria. We have several years in the real estate buying business. That is what we do. We will buy your house.
Q: Do you pay fair prices for properties?
A: A property’s fair price is determined by applying several variables, such as location, the property’s current conditions, including repairs needed, and the dynamics and prices of similar houses in the neighborhood. As a real estate investor company, we look for good deals, but also, for us, it is important that everyone involved in a home sale or purchase transaction be satisfied. Even many sellers aren’t necessarily expecting a large “windfall” on the property, but rather appreciate that we can offer cash, and that we are able to close quickly. Our clients do not waste time, effort, or money on fixing up their property or paying agent’s fees. We can come to a fair win-win price. (Besides, our no-obligation pricing commitment means that you do not have to move forward with the offer we give… but it’s good to know what we’re offering!)
Q: Are there any fees or commissions to work with you?
A: This is what makes us stand out from the traditional method of selling your house: There are NO fees or commissions when you sell your house to us. We’ll make you an offer, and if it’s a fit then we’ll buy your house (and we’ll often pay for the closing costs too!). No hassle. No fees.
Q: How are you different from a real estate agent?
A: Real estate agents list properties and hope that someone will buy them. Real estate agents prefer to work with properties in good condition, and easy to sell. Although, there is not a written rule, agents charge a 6% commission over the final home price sale. After they list a house for sale, they show it to prospective buyers if there are any. The average time agents sell a house is 90 days. However, it is not unknown, many properties remain in the market up to 12 months. Agents provide a great service for those that can wait 6-12 months to sell, and don’t mind to carrie-on with the house expenses and are willing to give up some of that sale price to pay for the commissions. That’s where we’re different: We’re not agents, we’re professional home buyers. Our company actually buys houses. We don’t list houses. Since we’re actually the one buying the house from you, and we pay with all cash… we can make a decision to buy your house within a couple of days (sometimes the same day). Typically, we close in 7 days. Our clients save time and money and the most important. They sell their homes when they decide so.
Q: The ban on evictions has tied my hands, would you buy my tenant-occupied rental house?
A: The CARES Act law protects tenants from eviction. The rule prohibits those who struggle with the pandemic and are unable to pay rent from being evicted. However the rules don’t protect landlords in the same grade. Independent, mom-and-pop, and small landlords have been pushed to the edge. Many have to sell their rental properties to avoid foreclosure. In 2020, we purchased several properties and were able to release frustrated landlords from nightmare and problems ahead. We will buy your tenant-occupied rental house. We can be the solution as a small landlord you are looking for.
Q. Can I sell my Portland house for cash to Better Off Home Buyers if it needs major repairs?
Yes, we buy houses in any condition, regardless of how many repairs they need, or the scope of the repairs. We work with skilled contractors to take houses that are in even the most severe states of disrepair, and make them like new again. That includes houses that have mold, that are down to the studs, with roof leaks, that are mid-remodel, hoarder homes, as well as homes that have never been remodeled before, and everything in between!
Q. How fast can Better Off Home Buyers close on a house in the Portland metro area?
We can close on a house in Portland in seven days or less. We have even closed on the same day before! We can move as quickly or as slowly as you need, but generally speaking we can close in the amount of time that it takes the title company to generate a title report and schedule signing, which is usually around a week.
Q. Will I have to pay real estate agent commissions or closing costs when I sell to Better Off Home Buyers?
When you sell your house to Better Off Home Buyers, there are absolutely NO realtor fees or closing costs! The only thing you will be responsible for is any unpaid property taxes or liens.
Q. I’m behind on mortgage payments—or facing foreclosure—can Better Off Home Buyers help me sell my home in Portland?
Yes, if you are behind on mortgage payments or facing foreclosure, Better Off Home Buyers can help you sell your home. We have worked with sellers to stave off foreclosure by paying their past due property taxes for them, in order to cancel the auction. Then we let the sellers stay in their house for almost a full year, while they made transition plans for themselves and their elderly mother. We can also take care of past due mortgage amounts to bring you current on your mortgage in order to stop foreclosure.
Q. Does Better Off Home Buyers buy houses in probate or inherited homes in the Portland area?
Yes, we have bought many inherited homes and homes going through probate. We are very familiar with the process, and are happy to work with you and/or your probate attorney. Sometimes probate can take several months to up to a year, so in the past we have even released funds early to the seller while we all waited for the courts to authorize the sale of the house.
Q. Can I sell my Portland rental property with problematic tenants to Better Off Home Buyers?
We will absolutely buy your Portland rental property with problematic tenants. We have purchased lots of homes in and around Portland with tenants who were not paying rent, who refused to allow entry to either us or the owner, who were destroying the property, and even some tenants who were violent. Trust us – there is no tenant situation that is too difficult for us to handle.
Q. I live out of state—can Better Off Home Buyers purchase my Portland property remotely?
If you live out of state we can still buy your Portland rental property. We have purchased plenty of houses in Oregon with out of state owners. Often times a home is inherited, or somebody passes away and the home is going through probate, and the personal representative lives in another state. We have been able to purchase them by gaining access to the home to make an offer, or sometimes making sight-unseen offers if access is not available. We handle the paperwork with e-signatures, and then the title company will send a notary to the seller where they are located. In these cases, we are able to buy the home without the seller ever leaving their home state.
Q. What neighborhoods in the Portland metro area does Better Off Home Buyers serve?
We will literally buy anywhere in Portland, or Oregon for that matter. Most of our home purchases have been in Beaverton, Tigard, Southwest Portland, North East Portland, South East Portland, and Greasham as well as Eugene, Springfield, and Bend. As for specific neighborhoods, we have purchased many homes in Lents, Woodstock, Irvington, Parkrose Heights, Gladstone, and Summerlake in Tigard.
Q. Is Better Off Home Buyers legit, and what kind of track record do they have in Portland?
Better Off Home Buyers is a legit home buying company in Oregon with an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and it has been operating in Oregon since 2019. Better Off Home Buyers has purchased well over 100 homes since 2019, without any seller complaints or negative reviews, and no legal issues. It is in good standing with the state of Oregon, and its Google My Business page has an average 5-star rating.
Q. How does Better Off Home Buyers determine the cash offer for my house in Portland?
We take into account the current condition of the property, and estimate how much money it needs in repairs to be able to fix it up to its ideal condition. We also run comps to determine the likely resale price, and factor in how long it will take to repair and then sell, and then estimate our holding costs during that time frame. Holding costs are made up of our financing, taxes, insurance, and utilities. Finally we calculate all of the closing costs, and title and escrow fees, as well as realtor fees that we’ll need to pay. We also need to make a profit, so we leave room for a profit. For back of the napkin math, you can use the formula:
ARV (After Repair Value) x 70% – Repairs = Purchase Price
Q. If my house in Portland is significantly damaged (fire, water, foundation), will Better Off Home Buyers still buy it?
Yes, even if your house is significantly damaged due to fire damage, water damage, or a bad foundation, we can and will still buy it. Obviously we need to factor in the cost of repairs when making our offer, but we have a wide network of contractors and can get work done for less money than most homeowners, which lets us pay you the highest possible price for your house.
Q. Do I need to clean, fix or stage my Portland home before selling to Better Off Home Buyers?
You don’t need to do literally anything to get your house ready to sell to Better Off Home Buyers. We will buy it in any condition, so don’t bother cleaning or staging it, and if it is being lived in by you, or tenants, that is not a problem.
Q. What are the advantages of selling my house to Better Off Home Buyers instead of listing it on the MLS in Portland, Oregon?
The advantages to selling Portland house to Better Off Home Buyers instead of listing it with the realtor on the MLS are the following. We will buy it as-is, and we will close quickly without any fuss. When you try to sell a fixer-upper on the MLS, it takes much longer, and there is a lot more drama. Typically, a fixer-upper that is listed on the MLS will go in and out of contract several times as buyers do their inspections, and even though you might sell it for a little bit more, you still have to pay closing costs, pay your realtor, pay the buyers realtor, and pay extra mortgage payments, insurance, and taxes, for having it sit on the market for a few months longer. Generally, you will net close to the same when you sell it to us, with a much faster and smoother transaction.
Q. Can I choose the closing date when I sell my house to Better Off Home Buyers in Portland?
Yes, you can choose the closing date when you sell to us. Whether it is 7 days, or 7 months from now, we can move as quickly or as slowly as you need. And in certain circumstances, once we sign an agreement, we can release some money to you early, and give you additional time, so you can have both available funds, as well as time, to transition to wherever you are going next.
Q. Will selling my house to Better Off Home Buyers affect my credit or show up on my record?
Selling your home to Better Off Home Buyers will not affect your credit score or show up on your record.
Q. What happens to appliances, fixtures, or furniture if I sell my Portland home “as-is” to Better Off Home Buyers?
Under most agreements, the appliances and fixtures stay with the home, and the seller is able to either take their furniture and other belongings, or leave them behind. One of the benefits of selling to Better Off Home Buyers is that you do not need to completely empty out your house and leave it in broom swept condition. You can leave furniture, other belongings, even trash behind, and we’ll deal with it.
Q. I live in a Portland suburb (Beaverton, Tigard, Lake Oswego) — does Better Off Home Buyers buy properties there too?
Yes, we will buy houses in the suburbs surrounding Portland as well. We buy anywhere in the tri-counties area of Multnomah County, Washington County, and Clackamas County. We buy in all of the major markets in Oregon, and have bought in dozens of smaller towns in tertiary markets just because someone called us or filled out a form on our website. We’ll literally consider buying anywhere.
Q. If I accept a cash offer from Better Off Home Buyers but then change my mind, what happens?
When you accept a cash offer from Better Off Home Buyers, you have a 72 hour window to change your mind and back out of the deal. After that point, you are no longer able to back out of the deal without breaking the contract. With that said, we know that sometimes circumstances can change quickly, and we have let sellers out of deals when it was clearly no longer in their best interest to sell.
Q. How does Better Off Home Buyers handle title, escrow, and closing logistics for a cash sale in Portland?
We work with Chicago Title Company which has offices all over the Portland area, as well as throughout Oregon and Washington. Once we both sign our cash offer (either digitally, or on paper), we send a copy to the title company to open escrow. Once escrow is opened, the tile company performs a title search and produces a title report, which they send to both the buyer and the seller. The title report will show any liens that may be on the property, such as mortgage balances, taxes, and perhaps other debt attached to the house. Most of the time, these just get paid off through closing and get deducted from the purchase price of the house. There are no other fees to the seller. The actually closing happens when the buyer and seller sign their respective set of closing documents whcih are prepared by the title company. This happens on the closing date, or a few days before. You can sign in person at the title company, or the title company can send a mobile notary to your location. We send a wire for the full purchase price of the house, plus closing costs, to the title company, either the day of closing or the day before. And on the closing day, your funds will be ready! You can choose to either pick up a paper check, have one Fed-Exed to you, or receive your funds in a wire.
Q. I’m not sure whether I should fix my house and list or sell as-is for cash in Portland — how can Better Off Home Buyers help me decide?
It can sometimes be a tough decision whether to fix up your house before selling, or simply sell it to us as-is. As a general rule, if the house needs some repairs, but not many, and you have the financial ability and willingness to take them on, then it can make sense to get these done before selling your house. Bare in mind, that this means you’ll be making an out of pocked investment, and it may take several months to recoup it. The repairs take time, and then your house may take a few months to sell.
If it is anything beyond a few simple repairs, in most cases it makes sense to sell it as is. Here is a story: last year my mom sold a rental property that had been lived in for 15 years by the same tenants, and when they moved out, it needed a lot of repairs and updates. She decided that she wanted to net the most amount of money on the sale, so she hired a bunch of contractors to fix it up so that it looked great and could be sold on the market. She invested around $70-80k to fix what needed to be fixed, and made some cosmetic improvements, and she sold it for a higher price. However, when all was said and done, she said that she should have just sold it as is. That is because the amount that she net wasn’t that much more than she could have gotten selling to an investor, and it took 5 months of her life driving to the property frequently, and dealing with contractors – some of whom were very dishonest or did poor quality of work. In the end, it wasn’t worth the stress and heartache, nor was it what she wanted to be spending her time on at this point in her life.
Q. Will Better Off Home Buyers purchase a hoarder house in Portland or nearby areas?
Better Off Home Buyers will purchase hoarder homes in Portland and elsewhere in Oregon and Washington. We also offer hoarder home cleanup services, so feel free to reach out to us for both a quote for cleaning, or a cash offer on the home in its as is condition.
Q. Can I sell my home if someone passed away in it or if there’s a biohazard cleanup needed?
We will buy your house even if someone has passed away in it, or if there is a biohazard situation as a result.
Q. Can I sell my Portland property to Better Off Home Buyers while an eviction is still in process?
Yes, you can sell us your Portland house while there is an eviction in progress. As you undoubtedly know, landlords in Oregon, and especially Portland, have to tread very carefully with evictions. Luckily, we are experienced with them and have a solid legal team behind us, so we aren’t afraid to buy your house in the middle of an eviction.
Q. If I sell my house to Better Off Home Buyers, can you give us extra time to move out after closing?
We understand that sometimes sellers are faced with the Quagmire of needing to sell their house in order to access much needed funds, but having nowhere lined up to go to yet. In these situations, and others, we can work out an arrangement where we will buy your house and let you live in it for a period of time afterwords. The period of time depends on what your needs are, and has ranged from a few weeks to a few months.
Q. Can I get part of the payment early before the final closing date when selling my home?
Yes, if you find yourself in a situation where you need money from the sale of your house right away, even before the sale has closed, we can work out an early release of funds. We have done this many times as a way to help our sellers.
Q. Does Better Off Home Buyers buy multi-family properties like duplexes or small apartment buildings?
Better Off Home Buyers does buy duplexes and multi-family properties. We have access to specialized funding needed to take on these larger deals.
Q. Does Better Off Home Buyers purchase mobile home parks in Oregon or Washington?
Better Off Home Buyers is looking to purchase a mobile home park in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California.
Q. Will Better Off Home Buyers buy self-storage facilities or other commercial properties?
Better Off Home Buyers is looking to purchase a self-storage facility in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California.
Q. I don’t want to step foot in the house ever again. Can I sell it without having to go there?
It happens more often than you would think, that a seller doesn’t want to step foot in their house ever again. Not to worry, we can buy your house without you every having to go there again. Either we get access to the house, or we do a drive by and make a sight-unseen offer. The paperwork can be sent for a digital signature, and you can sign final closing documents at the title company or with a mobile notary.
Q. Do you buy meth houses in Oregon?
Yes, we will buy meth houses in Oregon. Whether we are talking about houses with heavy drug use, or drug production, we are willing to buy them and remediatethem.
Q. My house has development potential, will you buy it?
Yes, we are always on the lookout for houses with development potential. We partner with Portland developers and are always looking for a development opportunity.
Q. Will you buy my Portland house sight-unseen?
Better Off Home Buyers does buy houses sight unseen. We understand that sometimes sellers cannot gain access to their own homes, or sometimes they don’t want the occupants to know that the home is being sold. In these situations, we’ll usually do a drive-by and then estimate repairs. We’ve been inside so many thousands of homes, we have gotten really good at figuring out what the inside looks like based on the outside!