Frequently Asked Questions
Are you a Real Estate agent?
How are you different from a real estate agent?
Real estate agents list properties and hope that someone will buy them. The agent shows the properties to prospective buyers and then takes a percentage of the sale price if they find a buyer. Oftentimes, the agent’s commission is 4-6% of the sale price of your house. Agents provide a great service for those that can wait 45 days or more to sell and who do not mind giving up some of that sale price to pay for the commissions.
But that is where we’re different: We are professional home buyers. Our process does not involve getting pre-qualified by a mortgage bank in order to obtain a home loan or listing the property on the MLS or any other listing platform. The reason our team at Ohana Legacy Properties can purchase properties very quickly is that we use our own money, which means the sale is more secure and we can close faster than a traditional buyer.
How does the process work to sell my home?
How much will your services cost me?
How fast can I close?
Ohana Legacy Properties are easy to work with. We work within the customers’ timeline, and we can usually close as fast as 10 days.
What price?
How do you determine the price to offer on my house?
Why should I trust you with the sale of my home?
What kind of houses do you buy?
What do you mean “any condition”, “price range”, “situation”?
What Is an As-Is Home sale?
Who will Handle the repairs?
And all of this is before the house is even on the market! We buy houses on your terms AS-IS, without requesting any repairs. Take what you want with you and leave everything else behind. We handle the clean-up.
What does the Certified Probate Real Estate Specialist badge mean?
Ohana Legacy Properties is trained and certified in the Probate process and we are registered with the United States Probate Service (www.usprobateservices.org). We can work with Executors, Personal Representatives and Attorneys to help with options for the estate.
What do you mean by Cash Offer?
Am I under any obligation to sell my home to you if I fill out your form?
Completely your choice.
Is my information kept confidential?
What if I’m behind on payments, in foreclosure or bankruptcy? Are you still able to help?
Will you be listing my house on the MLS or actually buying it?
Great question. We are not agents, and we don’t list houses. We are professional home buyers: We buy houses in the greater Houston area that meet our purchasing criteria. From there we may repair the house and resell it to another homeowner or keep it as a rental ourselves.
Can I Work With an Attorney?
Why sell to a house/home buying company?
Not all sellers have the time or budget for hefty renovations necessary for a proper listing, and that’s OK. In addition, some sellers hate the idea of repeated showings. It raises their blood-pressure and they want an easy, fast solution. Many of these iBuyers will quote you a very high price for the house, then after an inspection they will revise that number lower and lower. We don’t do that. Our offer is solid.
Can I Sell My Home With A Tenant?
What is the process of using an escrow entail?
An escrow is a term that refers to a neutral third party hired to handle the exchange of money, property transaction, and related documents. The escrow holds the money and documents in a trust until all terms and conditions of the sale are satisfied. When depositing earnest money, it is wise to use an escrow account.
How long will it take to sell my home?
You are under no obligation to sell your house to us. If our fair, fast and cash offer is the right option for you, we will open escrow and you can receive your cash in as little as 7 to 14 days, or on your timeline. It is that easy and stress-free to sell your house fast on your terms when you use our service.
Do you have a good team?
We spent our first year obtaining professional education with the nation’s premier real estate education company. This included hundreds of hours of video training, zoom coaching programs, live training workshops and multiple 5-day live bootcamps. Everything including Sales & Negotiations, Marketing, Acquisitions, Contracts, Financing, Rehabbing, Deal Analysis, Systems & Processes and more. This allows us to be networked with 20,000 other graduates.
Our Certified Probate Real Estate training was with the nations #1 Probate training school. This included multiple hours of training, video training and passing a certification test. Again, this allows us to be networked with thousands of other graduates.
Let’s not forget the experience of helping many owners.
Our team is also comprised of Texas licensed: Real Estate Attorneys, Real Estate Appraisers, a nationwide Title Company and a licensed and bonded General Contractor.
Yes, we have a very strong team… and getting better.
Do you pay fair prices for properties?
Are there any fees or commissions to work with you?
This is what makes us stand out from the traditional method of selling your house: There are NO fees or commissions when you sell your house to us.
Once we evaluate the property, we then present a written offer that is fair based on the condition of the house. If you decide to move forward with the deal, we’ll give you 100% cash for your house. At Ohana Legacy Properties, we strive to make every aspect of selling your home easier. We are a real estate consulting & problem-solving company who work hard and fast to provide you with the best result and service possible!
Does It Matter If I leave stuff behind?
Since we buy properties in as-is condition you can leave whatever items you do not want behind. So if you have odds & ends that you haven’t touched for the last 5 years and have no plans to, we will take care of it. In most cases we either donate or dispose of any unwanted or garbage items.
When is the best time to sell a home?
Early spring and summer, especially June, is a great time to sell a home. Research shows that home sales in May, June, July, and August account for 40% of total annual sales volume.
Overall, home sales are still pretty good through early fall, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to sell a home during this period, either. However, home sales drop once winter hits. January is the worst time to sell a home, as market activity is much lower.
How many homes should I view before buying one?
That’s up to you! For sure, home shopping is easier today than ever before. The ability to search for homes online and see pictures, even before setting a foot outside the comfort of your living room, has completely changed the home buying game. Convenience is at an all-time high. But, nothing beats visiting a home to see how it looks and ‘feels’ in person.
Why is my home’s assessed value different from the market value?
Your home’s assessed value and market value are each determined by different factors. Buyers and sellers affect the market value of a home, while professional appraisers calculate the assessed value. In a seller’s market, your home’s market value may be higher than its assessed value. That’s because buyers are willing to pay more than the home is technically worth because of low inventory. In a buyer’s market, you’ll be facing a lot of competition from other sellers, so buyers may put in an offer lower than the home’s assessed value.
Can I back out of buying a house?
Yes, but you may lose earnest money (basically, a security deposit given to the seller upon signing a contract).
You can also face legal consequences if you back out of the agreement for a reason not outlined in the purchase agreement. This document outlines important details, such as repairs the seller is responsible for and contingencies of the real estate deal.
However, there are certain scenarios where breaking a purchase agreement is understandable. If you lose your job, can’t sell your current home, or can’t get approved for a mortgage, it’s best to wait until you reach financial stability before buying.
Other issues with the home, such as a failed home inspection, unrepaired problems, or difficulty with transferring the title, are also acceptable reasons to back out of an agreement.
Is there any obligation when I submit my info?
To find out more about our home buying program, please call us today: (832) 402-6181.
How Does One Determine the Value of a Property?
To find out more about this, please call us today: (832) 402-6181
What is a short sale?
As it is with the home buying process itself, it is essential you understand what a short sale is before getting yourself involved with it. A short sale is one in which a homeowner sells their house for a price that is less than the amount still owed on the mortgage. It can be regarded as a ‘distressed sale’ carried out when the current market value of a property is below the amount owed to a lender. The lender forgives the remaining balance of the loan.
The downside is that many short-sale properties are usually not in good condition. So, you must be patient and not in an immediate rush to move. Also, you can consider a foreclosure if it is still possible.
What is a foreclosure?
A foreclosure sometimes referred to as an REO, is a property that is owned by a lender. If you’re considering the purchase of a foreclosure, it’s important to understand that most are sold “as-is.” Foreclosures, if not purchased by an owner occupant, are often purchased by investors, fixed up, “flipped,” and sold to an owner occupant.
Do I have the option to have any inspections?
When buying a home, you have the option to perform several types of inspections. The purchase offer you write can be contingent upon a satisfactory home inspection, pest inspection, chimney inspection, radon test, and many other inspections. In most cases, it’s recommended that when buying a home, you at the bare minimum have a home inspection. There are home inspection findings that are more common than others, however, no two homes are the same so it’s a great idea to get the home inspected.
What is an earnest money deposit?
An earnest money deposit is also frequently referred to as a good faith deposit. When a buyer purchases a home, they provide the seller’s real estate company a deposit to hold in their escrow account. The primary purpose of this deposit is to show a seller you are serious about purchasing their home. The amount that is deposited is subtracted from the final figure that a buyer pays at the closing table. In most cases, the larger the deposit, the stronger a purchase offer looks to a seller.