Cash only sellers
New to Real Estate · Cookeville, TN · Member since 2026 · 11 posts · 8 votes
Cash only sellers
Most Popular Reply
Investor · Member since 2022 · 9 posts · 2 votes
1moHI Brian
They are more than likely doing a cash deal because it probably will not pass inspection for traditional financing. Are you considering getting the home inspected? Would love to help you in any way that I can. Can you tell me a little more about your buying criteria of what you're looking for? Is this a home being purchased to live in or you're buying as an investor?
Thanks - N. Copeland
13 Replies
- Investor · Member since 2022 · 9 posts · 2 votes1mo
HI Brian
They are more than likely doing a cash deal because it probably will not pass inspection for traditional financing. Are you considering getting the home inspected? Would love to help you in any way that I can. Can you tell me a little more about your buying criteria of what you're looking for? Is this a home being purchased to live in or you're buying as an investor?
Thanks - N. Copeland
- New to Real Estate · Cookeville, TN · Member since 2026 · 11 posts · 8 votes1mo
NC…
This would be a STR investment for me. I am going to be doing a DSCR loan on property. I already have a leader lined up for when I find a deal. And it the property is in a condo/townhouse community complex. So with DSCR loans they have different inspector criteria than conventional loans. I think they are just trying to save money on extra fees.
- Investor · Member since 2022 · 9 posts · 2 votes1mo
Quote from @Brian Bubel:
NC…
This would be a STR investment for me. I am going to be doing a DSCR loan on property. I already have a leader lined up for when I find a deal. And it the property is in a condo/townhouse community complex. So with DSCR loans they have different inspector criteria than conventional loans. I think they are just trying to save money on extra fees.
HI sorry for the delayed reply That makes more sense. Since you already have a DSCR lender lined up, I’d ask your lender to review the property and the condo/townhouse community requirements before walking away. “Cash only” can sometimes be the seller trying to avoid financing delays or additional requirements, but it can also indicate an issue with the property or the association that makes financing difficult.With it being on the market 154 days, I’d definitely find out why they're requiring cash before assuming the deal won't work. If your DSCR lender is comfortable with the property and the community, I'd still consider making an offer and letting the seller decide.
Also make sure the HOA/condo documents actually allow STRs—I'd want that confirmed before spending money on inspections or due diligence. Hope your having a fantastic day !
- New to Real Estate · Cookeville, TN · Member since 2026 · 11 posts · 8 votes1mo
Quote from @N C.:
Quote from @Brian Bubel:
NC…
This would be a STR investment for me. I am going to be doing a DSCR loan on property. I already have a leader lined up for when I find a deal. And it the property is in a condo/townhouse community complex. So with DSCR loans they have different inspector criteria than conventional loans. I think they are just trying to save money on extra fees.
HI sorry for the delayed reply That makes more sense. Since you already have a DSCR lender lined up, I’d ask your lender to review the property and the condo/townhouse community requirements before walking away. “Cash only” can sometimes be the seller trying to avoid financing delays or additional requirements, but it can also indicate an issue with the property or the association that makes financing difficult.With it being on the market 154 days, I’d definitely find out why they're requiring cash before assuming the deal won't work. If your DSCR lender is comfortable with the property and the community, I'd still consider making an offer and letting the seller decide.
Also make sure the HOA/condo documents actually allow STRs—I'd want that confirmed before spending money on inspections or due diligence. Hope your having a fantastic day !
- New to Real Estate · Cookeville, TN · Member since 2026 · 11 posts · 8 votes1mo
NC. Thanks for advise I will look deeper into the deal. I am working with an agent/broker to find a property. I have about 8 that I am interested in. I am going to FL this weekend to look at them. And I have meeting set up to meet with my lender and a property management company while I am there. I have kept in contact with them through email and phone calls so I hope that I am doing my due diligence.
- Real Estate Agent · Kansas City · Member since 2018 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes1mo
Most likely needs work so they don't want to deal with financing. You should be able to use hard money if the deal was worth it. You can just ask the listing agent or have your agent ask. Explain what financing you are using, worst they can say is no
- Investor · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 10k+ votes1mo
If it’s a condo/townhome with too many rentals it might be hard to get financing approved, hence cash only. They might have had a bad experience with people putting in offers and using financing as a way out without forfeiting earnest money. They might know it wouldn’t appraise for asking price. And yes, lastly it could be the condition of the home, but that would be rare. The live ability for financing hurdles are so low a seller would be dumb to li it buyers to avoid things like running water, toilet, water heater. You could just ask them.
If you are truly already approved and trust your DSCR lender you could offer "cash" which never means "CASH" and just have your lender send the funds at closing. I don't know what you'd lose if your lender screwed yiu but PROBABLY just your EMD, and then you'd know not to use them again.
- Investor · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 10k+ votes1mo
If it’s a condo/townhome with too many rentals it might be hard to get financing approved, hence cash only. They might have had a bad experience with people putting in offers and using financing as a way out without forfeiting earnest money. They might know it wouldn’t appraise for asking price. And yes, lastly it could be the condition of the home, but that would be rare. The live ability for financing hurdles are so low a seller would be dumb to li it buyers to avoid things like running water, toilet, water heater. You could just ask them.
If you are truly already approved and trust your DSCR lender you could offer "cash" which never means "CASH" and just have your lender send the funds at closing. I don't know what you'd lose if your lender screwed yiu but PROBABLY just your EMD, and then you'd know not to use them again.
- 1moVijay FriedmanBusiness MemberMiami, FL · Member since 2026 · 766 posts · 122 votes
Quote from @Brian Bubel:
Found a deal for in the area I am wanting to be in. Now the seller is doing a cash only sale. I have looked up a few reasons why someone do that. I don’t know why they are doing cash only. My question to experienced buyers is should I, or could I even try to negotiate with this seller or just pass on the whole deal? Place has been on market 154 days.
@Brian Bubel
Before walking away, I’d find out why the seller is requiring cash only. If it’s mainly because they want a quick/clean close or the property needs work, there may be bridge or private financing options. If there’s a property-specific issue behind it, that’s important to know before making an offer. - Member since 2020 · 147 posts · 39 votes1mo
Could be a lot of reasons, not dealing with lenders on buyers side delaying the process is one of them, if the state of the property bothers you, why not put in the contract that you will put it through inspection if there are big red flags you can walk from deal, what type of property, condition and asking price ?
- Investor · Get yourself trained before doing something inadvisable. · Member since 2024 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes1moIt's common to want "cash only" to avoid dealing with the myriad of untrained creative finance buyers. Since in a "traditional" lender funding transaction , it is cash, they are likely referring to that they want to be completely cashed out. That doesn't mean they won't negotiate the price, condition or timing.
Quote from @Brian Bubel:
Found a deal for in the area I am wanting to be in. Now the seller is doing a cash only sale. I have looked up a few reasons why someone do that. I don’t know why they are doing cash only. My question to experienced buyers is should I, or could I even try to negotiate with this seller or just pass on the whole deal? Place has been on market 154 days.
- Investor · Tampa · Member since 2026 · 9 posts · 3 votes2w
Hi Brian,
The 154 days is the part I'd focus on. If cash-only were about the seller wanting a fast, certain close, they would have given that up by now. Five months in, it's almost certainly about the property rather than their preference.
In Florida the usual reason a house can't be financed is that it can't be insured, or only at a number nobody will accept. A lender requires a bound policy, so if the roof is past its life, or there's a claims history, or there's permitted work that was never closed out, the loan dies and the listing goes cash only. Panama City Beach adds a wrinkle. A lot of that stock was re-roofed after Michael in 2018, so roof age there tends to be either about seven years or about twenty-five, not much in between. Which side this one falls on probably explains the whole thing.
I wouldn't pass just because it's cash only. I'd ask the listing agent two things: has it been under contract with financing and fallen out, and are there any open or expired permits on the parcel? Those answers tell you whether this is a discount or a money pit, and at 154 days you have room to ask.
I'm based in Tampa, my family runs vacation rentals on the Gulf coast, and I'm building a tool that pulls Florida public records to help assess carrying costs. If you want to send the address I'll pull what the records show, sale history, flood zone, taxes and what insurance is likely to run. No cost or catch, the tool is in development and I'm looking for real deals to run it against.
Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.