Selling a house for cash is a real estate transaction where the buyer purchases the property using their own funds — no mortgage lender, no appraisal required by a bank, no 30-day underwriting process. The transaction closes faster, the seller skips repairs and commissions, and the close date is agreed upon upfront rather than contingent on a lender's timeline.
In our DFW transactions, our standard cash close runs 20–30 days from first contact to funded close. The shortest we have closed is 7 days. The longest, when title complications required resolution, was several months — but the funded result was the same.
Here is exactly what happens at each step.
By Zareena Samidon | Samidon Realty Group | Colleyville, TX
Table of Contents
- Step 1: The Initial Contact — What the First Call Actually Covers
- Step 2: The Walkthrough — What We Look At and Why
- Step 3: The Written Offer — What It Contains
- Step 4: Accepting the Offer and Opening Escrow
- Step 5: The Title Search — What Happens and Why It Takes Time
- Step 6: Closing Day — What the Seller Signs and When Funds Arrive
- How a Cash Sale Compares to a Traditional Listing
- What Sellers Actually Receive — The Net Proceeds Reality
- Frequently Asked Questions
Step 1: The Initial Contact — What the First Call Actually Covers
The first conversation is not a sales call. It is a situation assessment.
When a seller contacts us — by phone, by the website form, or by referral — the first conversation covers:
- What situation they are in: Foreclosure, divorce, probate, tired landlord, vacant property, financial hardship, or none of the above — just a seller who wants speed and simplicity
- The property's basic details: Location, approximate age, general condition, any known issues
- Their timeline: When they need to close, whether there are external deadlines (auction date, divorce decree, probate court, assisted living placement)
- Their goals: What does a good outcome look like for them? Some sellers need maximum proceeds and have time. Others need certainty and speed. Most are somewhere between.
What we do not do in the first call: make an offer. We do not have enough information to make a meaningful offer over the phone. We schedule a walkthrough.
Timeline for this step: Same day or next business day.
Step 2: The Walkthrough — What We Look At and Why
A walkthrough is not an inspection. It is an assessment.
We walk the property to understand:
- Overall condition: What is visible, what is obviously deferred, what might require a professional assessment
- HVAC, electrical, plumbing: These are the three categories that most commonly produce major post-purchase repair costs. On the majority of DFW homes we purchase, we find $25,000–$50,000 in deferred maintenance — most commonly HVAC systems at end of life, electrical code violations, and foundation issues
- Foundation: In Tarrant and Dallas County, the Blackland Prairie clay soil makes foundation movement endemic. We look for visible signs — sticking doors, hairline cracks near window frames, uneven floors
- Title situation: Are there known liens, co-heirs, or encumbrances? Do they know the mortgage balance?
The walkthrough takes 30–60 minutes. We do not require the seller to clean, stage, or prepare anything. We have purchased homes filled floor-to-ceiling with possessions, homes with active pest infestations, and homes that had been sitting vacant for years. The condition informs the offer price — it does not prevent the offer.
Timeline for this step: Typically within 24–48 hours of first contact.
Step 3: The Written Offer — What It Contains
Within 24 hours of the walkthrough, we provide a written offer. Not a phone call with a number — a document.
A legitimate written cash offer contains:
| Element | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Purchase price | The amount we will pay at closing |
| Property address | The specific property being purchased |
| Close date | The specific date we expect to close (or a range) |
| Earnest money | The deposit we put down, held by the title company, forfeited to seller if we back out without cause |
| Title company | The specific company that will handle the closing |
| As-is condition | Confirmation that no repairs are required of the seller |
| Contingencies (if any) | What conditions, if any, would allow either party to exit |
| Expiration | How long the offer is valid |
We explain every element. We give sellers time to review it and consult an attorney if they choose.
How we calculate the offer price: We start with the property's estimated after-repair value — what it would sell for fully renovated in the current market. We subtract estimated repair costs (based on the walkthrough), estimated carrying costs during renovation, and our margin. What remains is the offer price. This is not a formula we hide — we explain it to sellers who want to understand it.
Timeline for this step: Written offer within 24 hours of walkthrough.
Step 4: Accepting the Offer and Opening Escrow
When a seller accepts the offer, two things happen simultaneously: the purchase agreement is signed by both parties, and escrow is opened at the title company.
Escrow means the title company is now holding the transaction. They have received the signed contract, have begun collecting the information they need, and are working toward closing on the agreed date.
Earnest money is deposited by us with the title company at this point. This is our commitment: if we back out without a legitimate reason specified in the contract, you keep the earnest money. This protects sellers from buyers who make offers with no intention of closing.
What the seller does at this stage: Essentially nothing. They do not need to move, clean, or prepare the property. They can continue living in the home until closing if they choose. The title company handles the process from here.
Timeline for this step: Same day or next business day after offer acceptance.
Step 5: The Title Search — What Happens and Why It Takes Time
The title search is the most time-consuming part of a cash sale — and the one sellers understand least.
A title search is a review of public records to confirm clear ownership and identify any outstanding claims against the property. The title company examines county deed records, court dockets, tax records, and UCC filings to answer one question: can this property transfer cleanly?
What a title search finds:
- Outstanding mortgage balance: The payoff amount the buyer pays from closing proceeds
- Property tax delinquency: Back taxes that must be paid before title can transfer
- HOA liens: Unpaid assessments, fines, and attorney fees
- Judgment liens: Civil court judgments filed in county deed records
- Probate complications: Whether the property is in an estate and what authority exists to sell
Title problems affect approximately 25% of all real estate transactions. [Source: Amerisave, 2026] Most are resolvable — they add time, not impossibility. Our experience includes a Mississippi probate deal where a $10,000 back property tax lien, multiple title complications, and a title company switch extended the timeline significantly — but the deal funded.
What the seller does at this stage: Respond to requests for information from the title company. This may include a mortgage payoff request (contact your lender), HOA payoff request (contact your HOA), or documentation of probate authority (contact your estate attorney). The faster sellers respond, the faster the title search completes.
Timeline for this step: 7–14 business days for standard title work. Longer when complications require resolution.
Step 6: Closing Day — What the Seller Signs and When Funds Arrive
Closing day is the day the transaction funds. The seller signs, the buyer signs (or their representative does), and the title company distributes the money.
What the seller signs at closing:
- Warranty deed or special warranty deed: Transfers ownership from seller to buyer
- Seller's disclosure notice: Confirmation of property condition disclosures
- Settlement statement (HUD-1 or Closing Disclosure): A line-by-line accounting of all money in and out of the transaction — purchase price, mortgage payoff, lien payoffs, closing costs, and proceeds to seller
What happens to the money:
The buyer's funds have been wired to the title company before closing. At closing, the title company distributes in order:
- Mortgage payoff to the lender
- Tax liens and other priority claims
- Title insurance and closing fees
- Net proceeds to the seller
When does the seller receive the money? Most closings fund same day or next business day. Cash sales do not have a lender funding delay — the buyer's funds are already at the title company.
The seller does not need to be physically present. Remote closings using a mobile notary or electronic signatures are standard. We have closed transactions where sellers were in different states, in correctional facilities, and managing medical situations. The title company accommodates.
How a Cash Sale Compares to a Traditional Listing
| Cash Sale | Traditional Listing | |
|---|---|---|
| Time from decision to close | 7–30 days | 70–120 days |
| Repairs required | None | Typically $15,000–$50,000 |
| Agent commission | None | 5–6% of sale price |
| Closing costs to seller | Often $0 (we pay) | 1–1.5% |
| Certainty of close | High — no lender to fall through | Lower — 15–18% of offers fall through |
| Inspection negotiations | None — as-is | Typical post-inspection request 1–2% |
| Lender appraisal required | No | Yes for financed buyers |
| Seller carries costs during sale | 20–30 days average | 70–120 days average |
The gross offer price is lower in a cash sale. The net to the seller is often much closer to the traditional listing net than sellers expect — because the costs subtracted from the traditional listing (repairs, commission, carrying costs, concessions) are absorbed by the investor in the cash sale.
What Sellers Actually Receive — The Net Proceeds Reality
On a representative DFW home — $300,000 market value, 14-year-old HVAC, original kitchen, one missed foundation inspection finding:
| Cash Sale | Traditional Listing | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross price | $248,000 | $295,000 |
| Pre-sale repairs | $0 | −$22,000 |
| Agent commission (5.5%) | $0 | −$16,225 |
| Carrying costs (avg. 75 days) | −$2,500 | −$7,500 |
| Seller closing costs | $0 | −$2,950 |
| Inspection concessions | $0 | −$4,425 |
| Net to seller | $245,500 | $241,900 |
On this property, the cash offer nets the seller $3,600 more than the traditional listing — despite a $47,000 lower gross price. This outcome is not universal, but it is more common than sellers expect when the full cost stack is applied to the traditional listing.
We run this comparison for every seller we work with. The right path depends on the specific home's condition, the seller's timeline, and what each option actually produces in net proceeds — not what it produces at the top line.
📞 (817) 880-0904 | Get a Cash Offer
Frequently Asked Questions
How does selling a house for cash work?
In a cash home sale, a real estate investor or cash buyer purchases your property directly — no mortgage financing, no agent, no repairs required. The process runs in six steps: initial call and situation assessment, property walkthrough, written offer within 24 hours, purchase agreement and escrow opening, title search and resolution of any title issues, and closing day when funds are distributed. Our DFW cash closes run 20–30 days on average from first contact to funded close.
How long does a cash home sale take?
A standard cash home sale takes 14–30 days from accepted offer to funded close. Title work typically takes 7–14 business days. Complications — outstanding liens, probate requirements, missing documentation — extend the timeline but rarely prevent the sale from closing. Our fastest close was 7 days. Sellers with hard deadlines (foreclosure auction dates, divorce decree timelines) should contact us as early as possible to maximize what the timeline can accommodate.
What fees do sellers pay in a cash home sale?
In our transactions, sellers pay no agent commissions, no pre-sale repair costs, and typically no closing costs — we cover those. The seller receives the agreed purchase price minus any existing mortgage payoff, liens, or other encumbrances that the title company clears from the proceeds. The settlement statement at closing shows every dollar in and out of the transaction in one document.
Do I have to move out before closing?
No. Sellers can remain in the property until the closing date. The agreed close date gives you a defined timeline to make your arrangements. We have also structured post-close occupancy agreements when sellers need additional time after close — this is documented in the purchase agreement.
What if the title search finds a problem?
Title problems — liens, delinquent taxes, ownership complications — are found in approximately 25% of all real estate transactions. Most are resolvable. The title company coordinates the payoff or resolution of the issue, which is funded from closing proceeds. The closing date adjusts to accommodate the resolution timeline. We do not walk away from title issues — we have resolved tax liens, HOA liens, judgment liens, multi-state probate complications, and a closing-day seller refusal that required an attorney letter to complete.
Related: Are Cash Home Buyers Legitimate? · What Is a Fair Cash Offer? · Cash Offer vs. Listing With a Realtor · List Price vs. What You'll Actually Net · 1 in 4 Titles Has a Problem
References:
- Amerisave — "Critical Steps to Finding Property Liens in 2026" (25% of titles have problems). amerisave.com
- Redfin — Cash home sale data, 2024. redfin.com
- Experian — "Are Cash Offers Better for Sellers?" May 2025. experian.com
- CFPB — Closing disclosure and escrow guidance. consumerfinance.gov