How selling to LMS works
Three steps on the surface, and here is what sits underneath each of them. If something below is unclear, that is our fault — call and we will explain it.
Three steps, no surprises
Selling directly should be simpler than listing, not just faster. Here is the whole thing.
- 01
Tell us about your property
Send the address and a few details. It takes about two minutes, and we do the research on our end rather than handing you homework.
- 02
Receive your offer
We look at the property, then give you a real number in writing along with the math behind it. Not a range, and not a number that changes later.
- 03
Choose your closing date
If you accept, you pick the day. Need weeks to move out? Take them. Need to be done sooner? We can work with that.
How we calculate your offer
Most buyers will not show you this. Here is the arithmetic behind every number we put in front of a homeowner.
If listing with an agent would put more money in your pocket, we will tell you that instead. It costs us nothing to be straight with you.
- Estimated value after repairs
- What the house would be worth on the open market once it is fixed up. We use recent nearby sales, not an estimate off a website.
- Repairs we take on
- Roof, systems, cosmetics — everything we would have to fix, priced from real contractor costs rather than a rule of thumb.
- Selling and holding costs
- Closing costs on both ends, insurance, property taxes, and utilities for the months we own it.
- Our margin
- What we need to make for the purchase to be worth doing. We would rather show you this line than hide it inside another number.
- Your cash offer
- The figure we put in writing. It does not change after you accept.
The details underneath
- What we look at before making an offer
- Recent sales of comparable houses nearby, the condition of yours, what the repairs would cost at real contractor rates, and how long we would likely hold the property. Those four things produce the number. Nothing else does.
- Whether we need to walk the property
- Usually yes, and it takes under an hour. For some properties photos and a video walkthrough are enough. Either way we would rather see it before giving you a number than give you a high one now and reduce it later.
- What you sign, and when
- Nothing at all until you have the offer in writing and have decided you want it. At that point it is a standard purchase agreement. A licensed title company handles escrow, the payoff of any loan, and the closing itself — the money does not run through us.
- What it costs you
- Nothing. No commission, no listing fee, no charge for the offer. Standard seller closing costs are handled at closing and are laid out on the settlement statement before you sign it.
- How the closing date gets set
- You choose it. The earliest possible date depends on how quickly the title work clears, which the title company controls rather than us. If you need more time than that, take it — a later date costs us very little and can matter a great deal to you.
What we put in writing
Anyone can say they are straightforward to deal with. These are the specific things we commit to on every purchase, stated plainly enough that you can hold us to them.
- 01
No obligation, ever
Getting an offer costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Look at the number, take a week to think about it, or say no and never hear from us again.
- 02
No fees, no commissions
You do not pay us. There is no listing fee, no commission taken out at closing, and no charge for the offer itself.
- 03
We do not renegotiate
The number we give you after seeing the house is the number we close at. No last-minute reductions once you have already made plans.
- 04
You pick the closing date
Close as soon as the title work allows, or take the time you need to move. We schedule around you.
- 05
We will tell you if listing is better
If putting the house on the market would leave you with more money, we will say so and explain why. That advice is free and it costs us nothing to be straight with you.
Questions about the process
How does selling my house to LMS work?
You send us the address and a few details about the property. We look at recent nearby sales and the condition of the house, then come back with an offer in writing along with the math behind it. If you accept, you choose the closing date and a title company handles the paperwork. If you do not, nothing happens and you owe us nothing.
Am I obligated to accept your offer?
No. Asking for an offer commits you to nothing at all. There is no fee, no contract at that stage, and no penalty for saying no. Plenty of people ask for a number, compare it to their other options, and decide to list instead. That is a reasonable thing to do.
Do I need to make any repairs?
None. We buy as-is, which means the condition is priced into the offer rather than turned into a list of things you have to fix first. Repairs made right before a sale rarely return what they cost, and anything you fixed we would likely redo anyway.
What types of properties does LMS buy?
Single-family houses, condos and townhomes, small multi-unit buildings, and vacant land in some cases. Occupied or empty, updated or original, in good shape or in very rough shape. If you are not sure whether your property fits, ask — it costs nothing to find out.
How quickly can I sell?
Once you accept an offer, the timeline is mostly set by the title company and how quickly the title work clears. A cash purchase moves considerably faster than a financed one because there is no lender, appraisal, or loan underwriting in the way. We will give you a specific date with the offer rather than a vague promise now.
Can I choose my closing date?
Yes, and that is often the main reason people call. Close as soon as the title work allows if you need to move on quickly, or take weeks to sort out a move, a lease, or another purchase. We schedule around you.
What if the property has tenants?
We buy occupied properties and take over the lease at closing. You do not need to evict anyone, end a tenancy, or empty the unit first. If the tenant has stopped paying, tell us — it affects the number but not whether we are interested.
What if I inherited the property?
Inherited houses are one of the most common situations we deal with. You do not need to clean it out, settle every disagreement among the heirs first, or repair anything. Everyone on title does have to agree to sell, and we are happy to walk all of the heirs through the same numbers together.
What if I still owe money on the mortgage?
That is normal and it is not a problem. The remaining loan balance is paid off out of the sale proceeds at closing, exactly as it would be in a traditional sale, and whatever is left over goes to you. You only need to know roughly what you owe — the title company confirms the exact payoff.
What if the house has liens or back taxes?
Liens, judgments, and unpaid property taxes generally get paid out of the proceeds at closing rather than out of your pocket beforehand. The title search finds them whether or not you mention them, so telling us up front just means the offer accounts for them from the start.
See what your house could sell for
Send the address and we will come back with a real number and the math behind it. No obligation, no pressure, and nothing to pay to find out.
Would rather just talk it through? 951-363-0706
Get your no-obligation offer
Step 1 of 2Start with the address — that is all we need to begin.
Step 1 of 2: The property