There is so much that goes into buying and selling homes, especially in the current real estate market. Many sellers are choosing to work with investors at We Buy Houses Jacksonville Florida. Why? For one thing, investors have significantly lower overhead than direct sellers. Also, they typically deal with multiple transactions simultaneously, which means they can pass on the savings to their buyers and still make a profit.

So how do investors make money? Sellers often purchase at auctions, via newspaper ads, or classifieds in the local paper. They may contact a buyer directly to set up an appointment. If the buyer is interested, the seller then approaches the buyer to buy the property. If a buyer agrees to the sale, the seller then takes on the role of the buyer and proceeds to do one of two things: either (I) pocket the difference between what the buyer paid and what the seller owed and (ii) let the buyer takes possession of the property as-is, in exchange for a down payment of the total amount due.

What happens next? Usually, the sellers pay the down payment and divide the rest between them as commissions. After closing, they make sure they get a written offer from the buyer confirming the purchase and go to work putting everything together. In most instances, sellers will use a third-party company to handle the actual buying and selling of the house. A settlement contingency is standard, meaning the amount due to the buyer will be paid in a settlement (either upfront or if a lawsuit is eventually filed through attorney fees).

While not all sellers go this route, many do. The idea is simple: let someone else handle all the tedious work of buying and selling a new home. The downside? If the buyer backs out of the deal, the sellers do not get their down payment plus their closing costs. They also lose any earnest money they may have had when they made the down payment.

Instead of hiring an investor, consider hiring an experienced local contractor to do the job. While they don’t usually have as many headaches as real estate agents, they can perform some of the same services in far less time. For example, if the investors bring in supplies and other items that must be installed before the buyer gets into their new home, the contractor can make those arrangements without any of the downtime associated with buying and selling houses.

Another advantage of working with a local contractor is the economy of scale. Real estate investors are limited in their business space and ability to install and repair. This limits their range of available markets and makes it difficult to sell houses in all areas. On the other hand, contractors are very mobile and can install or repair in almost any area. In addition, they may be able to negotiate discounts on labor and other repairs as well.

If you don’t have a lot of cash, working with investors may be a good way to avoid paying estate agent commissions or homeowner’s association fees. When you hire a real estate agent, you pay them for the sales leads they generate. However, they also get a portion of the sale price when the house sells. Since investors don’t usually sell very many homes, this portion is minimal, allowing you more control over your investment.

For buyers who have cash, working with investors is also a good option. The real estate investor often works on a “cash only” basis, meaning they receive no commission unless their houses buy through them. For investors, this scenario allows you to buy properties that you otherwise couldn’t afford. Some investors, however, are uncomfortable with purchasing houses in this manner. They would rather pay the commission real estate investors get, especially since they don’t make any upfront deposits. Whatever you choose, working with wholesalers that provide an account with a “seller finance” feature may be a good choice for buyers who cannot finance their own purchase.