Are Cash Home Buyers Legit? How Our Offers Actually Work

Most cash home buyers are legitimate businesses, but the industry has bad actors, and the way offers are made is often unclear. This page explains how to check any buyer, including us, and exactly how our offers work.

Seven checks for any cash buyer

• They explain how they reached their price (after-repair value, repairs, costs, margin).

• They never ask you for an upfront fee.

• A licensed title company or closing attorney handles the closing and holds the money.

• The contract has a clear closing date, earnest-money amount and limited, explained conditions for backing out.

• They are a registered business you can look up with your state's business registry, with a real address and phone number.

• They do not pressure you to sign the same day.

How we calculate our offer (no secret formula)

Every cash offer starts with the same five numbers. We share each one with you:

• After-repair value (ARV): what the house would likely sell for once fixed up, based on recent comparable sales nearby.

• Repair estimate: the cost of the work a buyer would need to do.

• Holding and closing costs: taxes, insurance, utilities and loan costs while the house is renovated and resold, plus closing and resale costs.

• Buyer margin: the profit an investor needs to take on the risk.

• Our fee: what Local 411 Partners earns for finding, contracting and closing the deal.

Offer = ARV - repairs - holding and closing costs - buyer margin - our fee.

Illustration only, not an offer: if similar fixed-up houses nearby sell for $300,000, the house needs $40,000 of work, and holding, closing and resale costs come to $30,000, an investor might pay around $190,000-$200,000 after their margin and our fee. Your number depends entirely on your house and your local market.

If the numbers do not work for you, we will say so, and we will tell you if listing with an agent is likely to net you more.

What happens after you accept

• Written purchase agreement; you can review it with an attorney.

• Title company opens title, orders the payoff and checks liens.

• We or our buyer may walk through the house to confirm condition.

• Closing on the agreed date; funds paid by the title company.

Our commitments

We share the numbers behind every offer. We do not charge you fees to receive an offer. We do not use fake reviews or testimonials. We have worked with about 150 customers, and we are glad to answer any question before you sign.

Your options: cash sale, retail-price option, or listing

A cash sale is not the right answer for everyone. Here is an honest side-by-side so you can compare.

• What you get: Cash sale to Local 411: A cash price below full retail value, because the buyer takes on repairs, holding costs and resale risk; Retail-price option (novation) - only where legally permitted: Closer to market value, because the house is sold to a retail buyer on the open market; List with a real estate agent: Market value, minus agent commission and the costs of getting the house ready

• Repairs and cleaning: Cash sale to Local 411: None. Sold as-is; Retail-price option (novation) - only where legally permitted: Usually light cosmetic work only, agreed in writing; List with a real estate agent: Often needed to compete with other listings

• Timeline: Cash sale to Local 411: Flexible. Often a few weeks once title is clear; Retail-price option (novation) - only where legally permitted: Longer and less certain; depends on finding a retail buyer; List with a real estate agent: Depends on the market; U.S. supply reached 4.8 months in Sep 2026, the most since 2019 (NAR), so many listings take longer

• Commissions and fees to you: Cash sale to Local 411: No agent commission. Written offer lists every cost; Retail-price option (novation) - only where legally permitted: Spelled out in the written agreement before you sign; List with a real estate agent: Commission is negotiable; a 2026 survey put the average total at about 5.46% (Clever Real Estate)

• Certainty: Cash sale to Local 411: High once the contract is signed and title is clear, but no sale is guaranteed until closing; Retail-price option (novation) - only where legally permitted: Lower; the retail buyer still needs to buy; List with a real estate agent: Buyer financing, inspection and appraisal can fall through

• Best for: Cash sale to Local 411: Houses needing work, inherited or vacant homes, tenant situations, tight timelines; Retail-price option (novation) - only where legally permitted: Houses in decent shape where you want more money and can wait; List with a real estate agent: Move-in-ready houses where time is not pressing

About the retail-price option: in some states, and only after review by our attorney, we may be able to offer an agreement where we prepare and market your house for a retail sale and you receive an agreed price at closing. It can mean more money but takes longer, and in some states this kind of arrangement must be handled by a licensed real estate broker. Ask us whether it is available for your property; we will tell you plainly if it is not.

Who you will be working with

Local 411 Partners is an owner-led company, founded and owned by Alfredo Vilchis. We have worked with about 150 customers. Our only office is at 800 SE 4th Avenue, STE 702, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009. We buy houses across most of the United States, and we will tell you straight away if your property is outside the areas we can serve.

We do not promise a price, a closing date or a response time before we have looked at your property. We do promise to explain our numbers and to respect your decision.

How selling your house to Local 411 Partners works

• 1. Tell us about the property. Use the form or call (305) 873-7746. We ask about the address, condition, what is going on, and the timeline you have in mind.

• 2. We review it and explain the numbers. We look at recent nearby sales, the repairs we can see or that you tell us about, and what it will cost to own and resell the house. Then we walk you through how we got to our number.

• 3. You decide. There is no obligation. If you accept, a licensed title company or closing attorney handles the paperwork, the payoff of any mortgage or liens, and the funds. You pick a closing date that works for you, subject to title being clear.

Common questions

Are "we buy houses" companies legitimate?

Many are.

How do cash buyers make money?

That margin is why cash offers are below retail.

What is a wholesaler?

A wholesaler is a company that finds a house, gets it under contract, and then closes the deal, sometimes with an investor buyer who pays for the house. Our fee is what Local 411 Partners earns for finding, contracting and closing the deal, and we or our buyer may walk through the house after you accept. We share every number behind our offer, including our fee, and you can review the written purchase agreement with an attorney.

Can a cash buyer back out?

Contracts may allow it under certain conditions, such as inspection or title problems. Read those clauses and ask what happens to the earnest money.

Related pages: where we buy

Get your no-obligation offer

Tell us about your property and we will review it and explain your options, including whether a cash sale makes sense at all. No obligation, and your information stays private.

Get My Property Offer

Local 411 Partners | 800 SE 4th Avenue, STE 702, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009 | (305) 873-7746 | info@local411partners.com. We are a real estate investment company, not a real estate brokerage, and we do not provide legal or tax advice.