When should a sellers should consider selling their home to cash buyer

Have you seen those signs that say "We buy houses" or "We buy ugly homes" or "We buy houses for cash?"  Did you ever wonder about them?  I know I did for the longest time.  I was kind of puzzled by the whole concept.  

So, lately I've been learning more and more about the topic.  Basically, there are investors looking to buy houses (on the cheaper side) so that they can fix them up and flip them for a profit.  I think many people get this, but the real question that most have is "Why would I want to do this?"

The concept is that you're selling your house at a discount...essentially to get it off your hands quickly.  Now, most people don't really have an interest.  The prefer to get as money as possible for the house...even if that means waiting a while (e.g. 6 to 12 months).  Now going this route has costs associated with it too.  After all, you almost always need to invest some money to fix your house up so that it's market ready.  And, you have to keep your house in tip top condition.  And, of course there a realtor fees.  Oh, and don't forget that during this whole time, you need to continue to pay real estate taxes (and if you still owe money on your mortgage, you need to pay that too).

This is the traditional way of doing things, and for many, it makes sense.  But, for others a much faster route makes more sense.  Here are some reasons you may consider this option:

1) You have an inherited house and you really need to/want to sell it quickly so that you can settle the estate and the inheritance quickly.  By the way, for those in that situation, you will probably find this helpful guide very useful:  Guide to selling an inherited house when you need to settle an estate.  It's a massive guide (over 6,000 words) that will walk you through the process from start to finish.

2) You have a house that costs a lot to get into saleable condition (and you don't have the cash funds to do that).  This could be because the house has been maintained well and it is dated.  It could need a whole bunch of cosmetic renovations (e.g. paint, remove paneling, hardwood floors sanded (underneath dirty carpet), tons of furniture and stuff to clear out, landscaping help, dated appliances.  Or, it could be because there are major repairs needed (e.g. no heat/HVAC, water issues, septic issues, leaking roof or mold).  Many of these items are expensive, especially if they all need to be done at once.

3)  You have (or inherited) a house with excessively large maintenance costs...and you don't have the cash on hand to maintain it until it sells.  This can happen if you in an area with extremely high taxes or a large property that needs a lot of landscaping or if a mortgage is still in process.

4)  You are in the process of getting divorced and you just need to sell the house quick so that you can settle the divorce and have both spouses living in housing that they both can afford.

5)  You've relocated for a job and need to get your house sold so you can get settled in your new location...or you already bought another house and you need to sell this one fast as you can't afford tow mortgages.

6)  You are in a bad financial situation and can't (or soon won't be able to) pay the mortgage.  You want to get out before it's too late and there may be a foreclosure.  Time is of the essence.

Well you'll be happy to know that if you are in any of these situations, there are people that can help you.  They can buy your house for cash, so you can get it sold quickly.  They can usually close in 2-4 weeks and make the process painless.  In one fell swoop, they can buy the house and take care of all your troubles so you can move on to the next phase of your life.