Selling a house to an investor: the full process, from first call to wire.

People ask us "what's the process?" twice on the first call. Once at the beginning, when they're trying to decide if we're worth talking to, and again at the end after we've already explained it. Both times the question is the same. Both times the answer comes down to six stages most articles compress into three. The compression is where confusion lives, so we're going to uncompress it.

The investor sale process is more like buying a used car than listing on the MLS. Direct buyer, direct seller, no auction, no contingencies stacked on contingencies. That makes it faster, but it also makes the moments where things can go sideways more concentrated. Knowing where those moments are is half the game.

Stage 1: Address submission and pre-call research

You give the investor your address and a sentence about your situation. Online form, phone, or text. From the moment your address hits our screen, we're pulling property tax records from Hillsborough or Pinellas County, comparable sales from the last 90 days, ownership history, and the lien report. By the time we call you back (usually within 60 minutes during business hours), we already have a working number in our heads. We just don't share it yet because we haven't seen the inside.

What you should do at this stage: be honest about the condition. Vague answers like "it needs some work" produce vague offers. "The roof was last replaced in 2009 and there's a soft spot in the master bath floor" produces an actual number we can stand behind.

Stage 2: The walk-through

30 to 60 minutes. One person from the investor's team, sometimes two. We're not running an inspection report and we're not judging your housekeeping. We look at four things: structure (foundation, framing, roof), systems (HVAC, plumbing, electrical), layout (walls in the right places for resale), and cosmetics (paint, flooring, kitchen, bath). Each goes into a rehab estimate that drives the offer.

What sellers underestimate: the walk-through is also where you interview us. Ask how many houses we've bought in Brandon, Riverview, Lakeland, or wherever you are. Ask to see proof of funds. Ask if we're going to assign the contract or close in our own name. A real investor expects all three questions and answers in under two minutes.

Stage 3: The written offer

Within 24 hours of the walk-through, you should have a number, in writing, with a contract attached. The contract is a standard Florida purchase agreement (the FAR-BAR or a similar form) modified for cash. Read it before you sign. The pieces that matter most:

• Purchase price. The dollar amount.
• Earnest money deposit. What the buyer puts in escrow as good-faith. Usually $1,000-$5,000 on small deals.
• Inspection contingency. The window in which the buyer can re-inspect and back out. Typical: 5-7 days. Negotiate it shorter if you can.
• Closing date. Set in calendar days from contract execution. 14-21 days is normal.
• Assignment clause. If it allows assignment, you're potentially dealing with a wholesaler. Strike it.

If the offer doesn't work, you push back. How cash buyers actually work goes deeper into the math behind the number, so you can negotiate from a position of understanding instead of frustration.

Stage 4: Title work and the inspection window

Once you sign, the contract goes to a Florida title company. They run a title search (looking for liens, judgments, easements, prior ownership issues), order a payoff statement from your mortgage company if applicable, and prepare the closing disclosure. This typically takes 5-10 business days for clean title, longer if anything turns up.

Meanwhile, the investor's inspection window is running. They may bring in an inspector for a second look or just confirm what they saw on the walk-through. If the home is materially different from what was disclosed (the foundation issue is bigger, the roof is leaking actively, there's mold the seller didn't mention), the investor can renegotiate or walk. If everything's as described, they're locked in.

Stage 5: Closing

Closing on an investor sale takes about an hour. You sit at the title company conference table or use a mobile notary at your kitchen table. You sign a stack of about 25 documents. The big ones:

• Warranty Deed. The legal transfer of ownership.
• Closing Disclosure. Line-by-line of every dollar in and out.
• Affidavit of Title. You swear you own the property free and clear (or with the disclosed encumbrances).
• 1099-S form. For tax reporting.
• FIRPTA affidavit. Only relevant for non-US-citizen sellers.

The title company collects the buyer's wire, pays off any mortgages and liens at the top, deducts closing costs (which most reputable Tampa Bay investors cover entirely), and wires the remainder to you.

Stage 6: The wire

Same-day if you sign before noon. Next business morning otherwise. Once the funds clear, they're irrevocable. The deal is closed and the property is the investor's.

Where most sellers hesitate (and shouldn't)

Three points on the timeline trip people up.

The walk-through. Sellers worry the investor is going to spot something and lower the offer. We don't lower offers off cosmetics. We lower them off material undisclosed issues. If your house is what you said it is, the offer doesn't move. If it isn't, that's not a "lowball." That's accurate pricing.

Signing the contract. Sellers feel locked in once they sign. They aren't. You have the same inspection contingency the buyer has, in reverse. Florida real estate contracts include disclosure provisions that protect you if facts change.

The wait between contract and close. Five to ten days of nothing happening on your end while title work runs. This feels uncomfortable for people who've never sold a house. It's normal. The title company is doing the work; your job is to wait.

The Tampa Bay-specific stuff

Florida's title insurance and closing process is different from most states. We use a Florida title company, not an attorney, and the buyer typically picks. Hillsborough and Pinellas counties have busy recorder's offices, so deeds usually record within 1-3 business days of closing. If you're selling a homestead property, the homestead exemption transfers off the parcel the moment ownership changes, so coordinate with your tax planner if you're buying another Tampa Bay home in the same calendar year.

If you haven't even taken the first step yet, our guide on how to start the home-selling process walks through what to do before you talk to any investor. And the full complete Tampa Bay cash sale guide covers the math, the negotiation levers, and the special situations.

Frequently asked questions