Investor Offers? Bad? Good?

Every once in a while, someone calls me and says:

“Jesse, I think I’m just going to call one of those companies that buys houses.”

My answer is almost always the same.

Would you mind if I came over and took a look first?

Not because I’m trying to talk them out of it.

Honestly, sometimes after walking through the house, I end up agreeing that selling directly to an investor is probably the right decision.

What I don’t like is when someone feels they only have one option.

I Actually Like Having Investors Around

That may sound strange coming from a Realtor.

But it’s true.

I’ve worked with some very good investors over the years. Some of them I’ve worked with multiple times because they do exactly what they say they’re going to do.

There are homes that simply aren’t a good fit for the traditional market.

Maybe the house needs a new roof.

Maybe it has years of deferred maintenance.

Maybe the owner doesn’t have the money—or the desire—to fix it up.

Maybe they’re overwhelmed.

Sometimes the fastest, simplest solution really is the best solution.

There’s nothing wrong with that.

The Part That Makes Me Nervous

The only thing that makes me nervous is when someone has already decided what they’re going to do before they’ve had the chance to understand all of their options.

Because there usually are options.

• Maybe selling directly to an investor is still the answer.
• Maybe listing the home as-is makes more sense.
• Maybe the property would attract multiple investors instead of just one.
• Maybe there’s a way to make a few strategic repairs without paying for them upfront.
• Maybe, after looking at everything together, we end up exactly where we started—with a cash offer.

That’s okay too.

I just want the decision to be an informed one.

It’s About More Than the Price

People often assume every conversation starts with:

“What’s my house worth?”

Sometimes it does.

But more often, the conversation sounds like this:

I just don’t know what to do.

That’s a very different conversation.

Sometimes someone has inherited a house.

Sometimes they’re behind on repairs.

Sometimes they’re moving out of state.

Sometimes they’re simply exhausted.

At that point, selling the house isn’t really the problem.

The situation surrounding the house is.

The property is just the vehicle.

“I Want a Family to Buy My Home”

Every now and then, a seller tells me something that I completely understand.

“I’d really rather see a family buy this house than an investor.”

I get it.

Homes hold memories.

It’s easy to picture another family creating memories there too.

But sometimes reality looks a little different.

If the house needs significant repairs, an investor may actually be the right buyer.

They may have the resources to take on work that many families simply can’t.

After the repairs are finished, that same home may very well become the place where another family starts its next chapter.

I try not to think about it as family versus investor.

I think about what gives the property—and more importantly, the seller—the best outcome.

My Job Isn’t to Push You in One Direction

If you’ve spent any time reading the articles on my website, you’ve probably noticed a pattern.

I don’t believe there is one answer that fits everyone.

Real estate would actually be pretty easy if there were.

Instead, I find myself saying the same phrase over and over:

It depends.

It depends on your goals.

It depends on your finances.

It depends on the condition of the house.

It depends on your timeline.

It depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.

My job isn’t to convince you to list your house.

My job isn’t to convince you to sell it to an investor either.

My job is to help you understand what each option looks like so you can decide which one makes the most sense for you.

My Perspective

One of the things I’ve learned after years in real estate is that people rarely call me because of the house itself.

They’re calling because something in life has changed.

The house is simply where that change shows up.

Maybe it’s an inheritance.

Maybe it’s a divorce.

Maybe it’s deferred maintenance.

Maybe it’s a move across the country.

Maybe it’s simply time for a new chapter.

Every situation is different.

That’s why I don’t start with an answer.

I start with a conversation.

Sometimes that conversation ends with a traditional listing.

Sometimes it ends with a cash buyer.

Sometimes it ends with a solution neither of us expected when we first sat down.

And honestly, I’m okay with any of those outcomes.

I don’t measure success by whether you listed your home with me. I measure success by whether you understood your options well enough to make a decision you felt good about.

Still Have Questions?

If you’re thinking about accepting a cash offer—or you’re simply trying to figure out what your options are—I’d be happy to sit down and talk through your situation.

No pressure.

No obligation.

Just a conversation.

Before you decide what’s best for your property, I think it’s worth making sure you’ve seen the whole picture.

Jesse Lapham
Realty Executives Arizona Territory