From first call to closing, step by step.
Most sales take two to five weeks. Estates, tenants and title problems can stretch that out, and that's fine. The closing date is always yours to set.
No obligationYou can stop at any point before you sign a purchase agreement, and it costs you nothing.
The six steps
Day 1
You tell us about the house
Fill in the form or call (203) 233-5703. We'll ask about the property, what shape it's in, who lives there now and when you'd like to be done. It takes about ten minutes.
Day 1 to 3
We look at the public record
Before we visit, we pull the town assessor's record, recent sales nearby, the permit history and any recorded liens. This is how we avoid surprising you with a lower number later.
Day 2 to 5
One walk-through
One of us visits for 30 to 45 minutes. Don't clean or fix anything. We check the roof, electrical panel, plumbing, windows and any damage, and we'll answer your questions while we're there. If you live out of the area, a family member, tenant or lockbox works too.
Within 48 hours of the visit
A written offer, with the math
You get a cash offer in writing that shows how we arrived at it: our estimate of the repaired value, the repair costs, the costs of buying and holding, and our margin. The offer stays open for seven days. Take the time to compare it, talk to family or ask an attorney.
After you sign
Title and paperwork
A licensed real estate attorney opens the file and our earnest money deposit goes into their escrow account. They search the title, request mortgage payoffs and find any liens. If there's an estate, a blight lien or an open permit, we work through it with them and your own attorney if you have one. You don't chase paperwork.
On the date you choose
Closing
Sign at the attorney's office or, if you've moved away, sign the documents by mail with a notary where you live. The closing attorney pays off any mortgage and liens and sends the rest to you by wire or cashier's check, usually the same day. Leave anything you don't want in the house.
CostsThis is what's typical. Your purchase agreement will spell out exactly who pays what.
What you pay, and what we pay
- Commission
- None. There's no agent on either side.
- Our closing costs
- We pay our own attorney, title search and recording fees.
- Conveyance tax
- Many states and towns charge a transfer or conveyance tax on a sale. Your written offer shows the amount and who pays it.
- Your mortgage and liens
- Paid from the sale price at closing, so they come out of your proceeds.
- Property tax
- Adjusted to the closing date, as in any home sale.
What to have ready
- A photo ID for everyone on the deed
- Your most recent mortgage statement, if there is one
- Any leases, and the tenants' contact details
- For an estate: the death certificate and, if probate is open, the letters of administration and your attorney's contact
- HOA or condo association contact details
Missing something? Tell us. The closing attorney can usually find it.
Questions first?Read the common questions
Start with a ten-minute call
Tell us about the house and we'll tell you honestly whether selling to us makes sense.