How Does a Cash Offer on a House Work in Florida?
By Alon Melamed, Head of Acquisitions · Updated
Short answer: a cash offer means the buyer pays with their own money instead of a mortgage. With no lender involved there is no loan approval or bank appraisal to wait for, so a cash sale in Florida can close in one to three weeks instead of the month or more a financed sale usually takes. The closing still happens at a title company: the buyer sends the funds, the title company pays off your mortgage and any liens, and you receive the rest.
What Is a Cash Offer on a House?
A cash offer on a house is an offer to buy it without a mortgage. The buyer already has the money, so the sale does not depend on a lender approving a loan or an appraisal coming in at the price. That removes the most common reasons a sale falls apart and most of the waiting. It does not mean the buyer hands you cash: the money moves by wire through a Florida title company at closing, the same as in any other sale.
How a Cash Sale Works, Step by Step
- You share the address and a few details about the house: condition, occupancy, mortgage, and when you would like to move.
- The buyer looks at the property, usually with a short walk-through. Nothing needs to be cleaned or repaired first.
- You get a written offer. From us that takes 24 hours or less. Read it for the price, who pays closing costs, the closing date and any inspection period.
- You sign a purchase contract and the buyer places an earnest money deposit with a Florida title company.
- The title company searches the title for mortgages, liens, unpaid taxes and code fines, and arranges the payoffs. This step usually sets the closing date.
- You close. You sign the deed (in person or by mail), the title company pays off what is owed, and you receive your money by wire or check.
Three Kinds of Cash Buyers
| Buyer | What they want | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| A person buying a home to live in, paying cash | A move-in ready home | Close to full market price, but usually through an agent, with showings, an inspection and repair requests |
| A local investor or home-buying company | Any condition, including homes that need work | A price below the after-repair value; no repairs, showings or commission; flexible closing date |
| An online instant-offer company | Newer homes in good condition | Offers can come with a service fee and a price adjustment after the inspection, so read both before you compare |
Comparing a specific company? See how we compare with Opendoor, Offerpad, Mark Spain and Prime Buyers, built from what each company publishes about itself.
How a Cash Buyer Sets the Price
An investor works backwards from what the house would sell for once it is fixed up, called the after-repair value. They estimate it from recent sales of similar homes nearby, then subtract:
- the repairs and updates the house needs
- the costs of owning it until it resells: taxes, insurance, utilities and financing
- the costs of selling it again, including agent commission and closing costs
- a profit for taking on the risk
That is why a cash offer from an investor is lower than the list price of a renovated home down the street. It is also why the gap is smaller than it looks: if you listed the house yourself, you would pay the same repairs, closing costs and months of carrying costs out of your own pocket.
Cash Offer vs. Listing: Compare What You Net
| Cash sale to a home buyer | Listing with an agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Lower, based on as-is condition | Higher, if the house shows well |
| Commission | None | About 5.7% on average |
| Seller closing costs | Often paid by the buyer | About 1.5% (doc stamps, title, fees) |
| Repairs | None | Pre-listing work plus inspection requests |
| Showings | None | Weeks of showings and open houses |
| Time to close | Days to a few weeks, on your date | Time on market plus a month or more to close |
| Risk of the deal falling apart | Low once the contract is firm | Financing, appraisal and inspection can all end it |
To put real numbers on the listing column, use our Florida seller closing cost calculator.
Is Selling Your House for Cash a Good Idea?
It usually makes sense when one of these is true:
- The house needs repairs you cannot or do not want to pay for
- You inherited it and want a clean, simple sale (see selling an inherited house in Florida)
- It has tenants, code violations, liens or storm damage
- You are behind on payments, divorcing, relocating or need a certain date
- You value certainty and speed more than the last dollar
It is usually not the best choice if your house is updated and move-in ready, you are in no hurry, and you are comfortable with showings and a longer timeline. In that case listing it will likely net you more.
How to Tell a Real Cash Buyer From a Weak One
Every cash buyer advertises a fast close and no fees. What separates them is what the contract says. Before you sign with anyone, including us, ask:
- Can you show proof of funds? A bank statement or letter, not a promise.
- Where is the earnest money held, and is it refundable? It should sit with a licensed Florida title company you can call yourself.
- Can you cancel during an inspection period, and for how long? An open-ended inspection period lets a buyer walk away late in the process.
- Can the price change after I sign? The price in the contract should be the price at closing.
- Will you be the one buying, or will you assign the contract? If someone else closes, the terms can change with them.
- Will I pay anything? A real buyer never charges the seller an application or inspection fee.
Then check the company itself: its registration on Sunbiz, its Google reviews, its BBB profile and a real local address.
How Our Cash Offer Works
Florida Cash Home Buyer is a CASA One Residential company based in Jacksonville, buying houses across northeast Florida. Send us the address or call 904-788-7964. You get a written cash offer within 24 hours. We buy as-is, so take what you want and leave the rest. There are no fees or commissions, we pay the closing costs, and you pick the closing day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a cash offer on my house within 24 hours?
Often, yes. Many local cash buyers can look at the property and put a written offer in front of you within a day; we do it within 24 hours. A fast offer is only useful if it holds, so read whether the price can change after an inspection before you sign.
Are cash home buyers legit?
Many are, and some are not. A legitimate cash buyer shows proof of funds, puts earnest money with a licensed Florida title company you can call yourself, closes at that title company, and never asks you for a fee. Check the company on Sunbiz (Florida’s business registry), Google reviews and the BBB before you sign.
How fast can you close with a cash offer in Florida?
Often in one to three weeks, and sometimes in a few days. The title company still has to search the title and clear any liens, which usually sets the pace. A financed sale commonly takes a month or more because of the lender’s appraisal and underwriting.
Is a cash offer lower than market value?
From an investor, usually yes. A company that buys as-is prices in the repairs, its holding and resale costs, and its profit. What you give up in price you may get back in commission, closing costs, repairs and months of carrying the house, so compare what you net, not the headline price.
Who pays closing costs when you sell a house for cash?
It depends on the contract. In a normal Florida sale the seller pays the deed doc stamps and, in most counties, the owner’s title policy. Many cash buyers, including us, pay all the closing costs. Make sure the contract says so in writing.
Can a cash buyer back out of the contract?
Yes, if the contract lets them. Many cash contracts include an inspection period during which the buyer can cancel. Read how long it is, whether the earnest money is refundable, and whether the buyer can change the price after signing.
Do I need a real estate agent to accept a cash offer?
No. In Florida you can sign a contract directly with a buyer and close at a title company. You can still have a real estate attorney read the contract before you sign, which is a good idea for any sale.
Alon Melamed is Head of Acquisitions at CASA One Residential, the Jacksonville company behind Florida Cash Home Buyer. He leads the team that reviews each house and makes the cash offers to homeowners across northeast Florida.
Sources
- Sunbiz: Florida Division of Corporations business search
- BBB: Better Business Bureau business search
- Florida Statutes §201.02: documentary stamp tax on deeds
- Florida Statutes §689.302: flood disclosure in residential sales
This guide is general information about Florida real estate, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change; check your own situation with a Florida real estate attorney, title company or tax professional.