Home Sales Go High-Tech

published 7 March 2019

Selling a home is a hassle. Smart sellers spend time and money to clean, repaint and stage it, and the final sale price and date are uncertain. But a growing number of companies are offering a high-tech and more sophisticated version of “ugly home” flippers. They could make selling your home easier, faster and more predictable—for a price.

7 Reasons Your House Is Still on the Market

Opendoor, which operates in 19 cities, and Offerpad, in 13 cities, are the leading so-called iBuyers. Redfin Now and Zillow Offers launched in 2018. Coldwell Banker, ERA and Keller Williams are testing programs, too. Convenience comes at a cost: iBuyers charge a service fee of 6% to 13% of the price. That’s higher than the 4% to 6% commission for a traditional real estate agent, but sellers don’t have to pay carrying costs and the expense of fixing up the home for sale. If you’re interested, go to one of the iBuyers and provide your address and other information about your property. If your home meets the iBuyer’s criteria, it will provide a free, no-obligation purchase offer and make a home visit. If you accept the iBuyer’s offer, you can close for cash within as little as a week.

Subscribe to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

Be a smarter, better informed investor.

Save up to 74%

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hwgJ7osrMtUWhk5koeVme7-200-80.png

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters

Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.

Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.

Esswein joined Kiplinger in May 1984 as director of special publications and managing editor of Kiplinger Books. In 2004, she began covering real estate for Kiplinger's Personal Finance, writing about the housing market, buying and selling a home, getting a mortgage, and home improvement. Prior to joining Kiplinger, Esswein wrote and edited for Empire Sports, a monthly magazine covering sports and recreation in upstate New York. She holds a BA degree from Gustavus Adolphus College, in St. Peter, Minn., and an MA in magazine journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School at Syracuse University.