Cash Home Buyers in Atlanta:
How to Compare Your Options
Dexter Williams is a licensed Georgia REALTOR® with Chapman Hall Realtors who lists homes, and an active investor. On some properties he may also make a direct cash offer to buy a home himself, disclosed in writing as a licensee buying for his own account. This page explains how cash buyers work, including him, and how to compare any cash offer with an as-is listing.
Who makes cash offers on Atlanta homes
"We buy houses" companies
Buy homes as-is, often to renovate and resell or rent. Offers reflect repairs, holding costs and profit.
iBuyers
Online companies that make offers on homes that fit their criteria, often with service fees and repair deductions after inspection.
Local investors
Individuals or small companies buying to renovate or rent. Terms and reliability vary, so check proof of funds.
Wholesalers
Put the home under contract and then assign or sell that contract to another buyer for a fee. Ask directly whether the buyer intends to assign.
Dexter, on some properties
A licensed Georgia REALTOR® who may make a direct cash offer to buy for his own account, disclosed in writing and in the contract. No offer is promised.
Red flags to watch for
- An assignment clause, or a buyer who will not say whether they plan to resell the contract
- No written proof of funds in the name of the buyer on the contract
- A price cut after the inspection without a clear, documented reason
- Pressure to sign the same day, or fees you are asked to pay up front
- A long due diligence period with very little earnest money
- Any request to sign over your deed outside of a closing attorney's office
How to compare any cash offer, Dexter's included
- Net proceeds after closing costs, payoffs and any commission
- Earnest money amount and when it becomes non-refundable
- Length of the due diligence period and what lets the buyer walk away
- Who pays which closing costs, in writing
- The closing attorney named in the contract
- Proof of funds, and whether the contract can be assigned
Then compare it with an as-is listing on the Georgia MLS. Request a free home value estimate to start, or read selling a house as-is.
If Dexter makes a direct cash offer
With 20+ years as a contractor, Dexter looks at repair scope in detail and explains how the condition affects any offer you receive, from him or anyone else.
A conversation
Tell Dexter about the home, its condition and your timing. He can also show you what a listing could look like.
A walkthrough
Dexter looks at the home and the likely repairs. His walkthrough is an estimate of repair needs, not a home inspection.
His decision
On some properties, Dexter may decide to make a direct cash offer. On others he will not, and there is no promise either way.
A written offer with disclosure
Any offer is in writing, includes his license number and firm, and states that he holds a Georgia real estate license and is buying for his own account.
You decide
Accept, decline, or compare it with other offers and an as-is listing. Talk with your own agent or attorney if you like. If you accept, the closing attorney handles title and closing.
You won't hear "list with me and I'll buy it if it doesn't sell" from Dexter unless a written purchase contract with all of its terms is signed at or before the listing, as Georgia Real Estate Commission Rule 520-1-.11(2) requires.
Need major repairs before you list?
With Repair & List, Dexter lists your home at a 1.5% listing-side commission when you hire Estate Solutions LLC for at least $2,500 of pre-listing repairs. Estate Solutions LLC is a separate construction company owned by Dexter, with separate contracts, and you are under no obligation to use it. You can hire any licensed contractor you choose, and commissions are negotiable. Estate Solutions LLC ↗
When sellers often consider a cash sale
Cash home buyer FAQ
How do cash home buyers in Atlanta work?
A cash buyer pays without a mortgage, so there is no loan approval or lender appraisal. Most cash buyers price in repairs, holding costs and profit, so offers are usually below what the home might sell for on the open market. The trade-off is fewer repairs and showings, and often a simpler closing. Compare any cash offer with an as-is listing before you decide.
Does Dexter buy houses for cash?
On some properties, Dexter may make a direct cash offer to buy the home for his own account. There is no promise he will make an offer on or buy any particular home. If he does, he will disclose in writing, and in the purchase contract, that he holds a Georgia real estate license and is acting as the buyer. Dexter is also a licensed Georgia REALTOR® with Chapman Hall Realtors who lists homes.
Can Dexter list my home and also promise to buy it if it does not sell?
Not with a verbal promise. Under Georgia Real Estate Commission Rule 520-1-.11(2), if a licensee offers to buy a property as part of getting a listing, a written purchase contract with all of its terms must be signed at or before the listing. Ask for everything in writing.
Are there fees when selling directly to a cash buyer?
There is no listing commission when you sell directly to a buyer without listing. You will still have closing costs, such as attorney, title and recording fees, and who pays which costs is negotiated in the contract. Compare your net proceeds, not just the price.
How do I check a cash buyer's proof of funds?
Ask for a recent bank statement or lender letter showing the funds, in the name of the buyer on the contract. Let the closing attorney confirm it before you rely on the timing.
Can I get other offers or talk to my own agent first?
Yes. You are free to compare other offers, list on the open market, and talk with your own agent or attorney before accepting any offer, including one from Dexter.
Meet Dexter Williams, REALTOR® in Metro Atlanta
A licensed Georgia REALTOR® with Estate Realty Group at Chapman Hall Realtors®, with 20+ years as a contractor. Dexter works with buyers, sellers, off-market and distressed sellers, and investors across metro Atlanta.
Search Georgia MLS listings on this site. Results show active listings from participating brokers.
Video transcript
Buying or selling a home in metro Atlanta? Meet Dexter Williams. A licensed Georgia REALTOR® with Estate Realty Group at Chapman Hall Realtors. He also brings 20+ years of construction experience, since 2003. Dexter works with buyers, sellers, off-market and distressed sellers, and investors, across metro Atlanta. Search every Georgia MLS listing at dexterwilliams.net, or request a free home value estimate. Need repairs before selling? Ask about renovation help. Call or text Dexter today, at (770) 692-1923.
Ask Dexter about your home
Tell Dexter about the property. He can walk you through a listing, an as-is sale and cash offers side by side. Whether he makes an offer himself is his decision, and no offer is promised.
Dexter Williams, REALTOR®, Estate Realty Group at Chapman Hall Realtors. GA R.E. Lic. #372280.
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