I get a lot of calls from people who are trying to decide whether to list with a Realtor or sell to a Real Estate Investor.  There are advantages to both but in the end it just boils down to your specific situation.  People are worried that it may take months to get their house sold, and for good reason.  The housing market in Amarillo is not as bad as some parts of the country.  In fact, home sales are up for 2012.  Many Realtors say that this is the best market that they have seen since 2008.

So why does it take some people so long to sell their house?

In my opinion there are really two housing markets.  One market for pretty houses and one for houses that need work.  It is very simple.  There are still a lot of houses on the market.  Competition is fierce.  Buyers are very picky and are looking for houses in good condition and for a good price.  If you have a house that needs a lot of work it will probably take a while for it to sell.  When the housing market was at its peak, distressed properties could be sold without too much trouble.  But now, mainly because of Foreclosures, the market is flooded with ‘fixer-uppers.’  In the past fixer uppers were hard to find.  Now they are on every block.  This makes it very difficult to sell a distressed property on the open market.   As banks keep discounting these properties in order to get them off of their books, the market just keeps getting softer.  That is why it makes sense to get an offer from Real Estate Investor.

If you have a fixer upper should you list with a Realtor or sell to an investor?

I say this to people over and over.  If you have a house that is in good condition, in a good neighborhood, and you have months for it to sell, then listing with a Realtor is the way to go.  Keep in mind that you will end up paying around 6% in Realtor fees, about 2% in your closing costs, and usually 3% in buyers closing costs.  You will probably get hit with a list of repairs that you will need to make.  You will have holding costs for the time that it sets on the market.  But in the end you will come out ahead.

But what if you have a house that needs work and you can’t afford to make the repairs?  What if you can’t wait for months for it to sell?  That is when it may be best to sell to an investor.

We are a local husband and wife team who specialize in buying houses in the Amarillo area.  Why should you work with us?

1. We are super easy to work with! We make sure you understand all of your options.
2. We pay cash!  You don’t have to worry about long drawn-out bank approvals.
3. We close whenever you want! You are in complete control.
4. We buy property in as is condition. You don’t have to fix anything or clean anything!
5. We don’t put a sign in your yard and try to sell your house to other buyers. WE BUY IT!

If you have a house that needs a lot of work, or you have a house that you need to sell fast, call us today at 806-359-7653 or visit us online at Amarillo Real Estate Investors.