How to Sell My House for Cash

Selling your home for cash can be a faster, simpler way to close the deal, especially if you’re looking to skip the traditional financing hurdles. Unlike a financed sale, where loans and lender requirements can slow things down, a cash sale often closes quicker and involves fewer steps because you work directly with a buyer who already has the funds in hand.

A cash sale can often close in just two weeks, which is far faster than the 30–60 days it typically takes when a mortgage is involved. Whether you’re moving on a tight timeline, want to avoid a long listing process, or just like the idea of a smoother sale, here’s a step-by-step guide to selling your house for cash.

1. Know your home’s value

Before you accept any offer, it’s critical to understand what your home is worth in your current market. Without this, it’s easy to accept less than your home’s fair market value, especially when dealing with cash buyers, who may be looking for a discounted deal.

Start by using online home value tools to get a general idea of your home’s worth. Then, compare recent sales of similar homes or “comps” in your neighborhood. If you want a deeper analysis, a real estate agent can create a comparative market analysis (CMA) showing what other homes like yours have sold for and where your home fits in.

Knowing how to price your home to sell means you’ll recognize a strong cash offer when it comes along and have the confidence to negotiate if the offer seems low.

2. Find a cash buyer

Unlike a traditional sale where your home is listed on the market for a wide pool of buyers (most of whom will need to apply for a mortgage), finding a cash buyer means focusing on those who are ready and able to buy your home outright. You have a few ways to approach this:

• Work with a professional cash buyer: Some companies specialize in making competitive cash offers on homes to help you skip listing, showings, and negotiations.
• List your home “as-is” for cash buyers: Some investors or individuals regularly scan public listings for homes that might sell fast. If you sell your home “as-is”, be prepared to market your home yourself or through an agent.
• Reach out to local investors: In some markets, local investors actively buy homes for cash, renovate them, and resell or rent them out.

3. Compare offers

If you receive multiple offers on your house, don’t just look at the purchase price. Consider the terms and conditions that could affect how quickly and smoothly the deal closes. For example:

• Closing timeline: A fast closing may be worth accepting a slightly lower price.
• Contingencies: Some cash buyers waive home inspections and appraisals, making the sale more certain.
• Seller costs: An offer that covers more of the closing costs may feel more attractive.
• Reputation: When considering selling to an investor or company, check reviews and ratings online to assess their business practices and reputation.

4. Verify proof of funds

Even cash buyers need to prove they have the money to follow through. Before accepting an offer and taking your home off the market, ask for documentation like:

• A recent bank statement showing sufficient funds
• A letter from a financial institution verifying the buyer’s balance
• Proof of investment account liquidity

It’s common for buyers to also provide earnest money, which is a good-faith deposit that shows they’re serious about buying your home. Typically, this is 1–2% of the sales price and is held in escrow until closing.

A real estate agent can help facilitate this process. Consider working with one of our Zillow partner agents to make the selling process more straightforward. They’ll handle the verification and transfer of funds for you.

5. Sign a contract

Once you agree on the offer terms, you and the cash buyer will sign a purchase and sale agreement. This legal document outlines:

• The final sale price
• What, if anything, is included in the sale (like appliances or fixtures)
• Any real estate contingencies
• The expected closing date
• Any other responsibilities for each party before closing

Make sure you carefully review the contract, and consider having your agent or an attorney look it over to confirm you’re protected. Once this is signed, your home is officially “under contract,” and you’ll move forward toward closing.

6. Work with a title and escrow company

Depending on the state, you might choose the companies, or the buyer might. A title company is responsible for making sure the property lines are drawn correctly and that there are no property liens that need to be addressed. They will issue title insurance, and ensure that the actual property ownership changes hands on closing day. 

The escrow company is responsible for managing all closing documents, facilitating the transfer of funds, and completing the legal paperwork that records the sale. Note that sometimes the same company can handle both the title and escrow tasks. The title and escrow process protects both you and the buyer by making sure there are no surprises at closing.

7. Pass the home inspection

It’s common for buyers to submit their offer with a home inspection contingency, which is an addendum that states that they will pay to have an inspection done, but they have the option to request repairs or renegotiate the agreed-upon sale price based on findings. Once this last negotiation is complete, you’re usually ready for closing.

8. Review and sign closing documents

Cash deals may skip mortgage paperwork, but there’s still plenty to sign. On closing day, you’ll meet with your escrow officer or attorney (or sign remotely in some cases) to finalize. The names and order of these documents vary from place to place, but here’s a general idea of what you can expect to review and sign:

Final closing instructions: Closing instructions are sometimes signed when your escrow account is first opened, but if you haven’t signed them yet, you’ll do it now. It’s basically a detailed outline of the tasks your escrow company is responsible for, and the process they’ll follow to complete your closing. Make sure to double-check all amounts.

HUD-1 settlement statement: Required by federal law, the HUD-1 is a detailed accounting of all money involved in the deal. It includes everything you will have negotiated up to this point, and more: sales price, payoff balances, pro-rated tax and utility bills, and more. You’ll want to keep this form for your taxes. Make sure to have your closing agent go through line by line before you sign so you can check for errors.

Certificate of title: In this document, you sign to swear you have the right to sell the property.

Title Deed: The deed is the piece of paper that actually transfers ownership to the new owner. You’ll sign it at your closing, but your transaction will actually be considered closed when it’s recorded at the county courthouse.

Loan payoff statement: If you have a mortgage on the property you’re selling, this document shows how much you owe to your lender as of closing day, which should match the amount the escrow company is going to pay off on your behalf.

Mechanics liens: On this document, you swear that there are no additional liens on your property from contractors or laborers.

Bill of sale: If you and the buyer have negotiated any additional items into the deal — say, they’re paying you more money to leave the backyard swing set or some specific furniture — these items will be outlined here.

Statement of closing costs: By signing this document, you state you were told about all closing costs and other fees ahead of time.

Statement of information: Simply put, you swear that you are who you say you are.

Once all of these are signed and filed, the funds are released to you, and the house officially belongs to the new owner.

Want a faster, simpler way to sell your home for cash?

Skip the stress of finding a buyer and negotiating terms. Zillow’s trusted partner Opendoor makes it easy to sell your home for cash:

• Get a competitive, all-cash offer — often in just a few days
• Skip listing your home and coordinating showings
• Close on your timeline, often in as little as two weeks

This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not real estate, legal, tax, or financial advice. Speak to a licensed professional for personalized advice specific to your needs.