The honest math
Cash offer vs listing: what you actually keep
Short answer: a cash or as-is offer usually nets less than a well-run listing on a house that is in decent shape, but it can net about the same, or more, when the house needs big repairs, sits empty, or you cannot afford months of carrying costs. The only way to know is to put both numbers side by side.
Typical ranges
| Item | Cash / as-is sale | List with an agent |
|---|---|---|
| Price vs market value | Roughly 65% to 85% of value reported for cash buyers overall; about 9 to 11% below for national instant-offer platforms; 15 to 30% below for local investors who are paying for repairs and risk. 1,2 | Full market price, if the house is prepared and priced well. |
| Agent commission | Usually none. | About 5.0% to 5.5% total (seller's agent plus buyer's agent) after the 2024 NAR settlement; negotiable. 3 |
| Massachusetts deeds excise tax | $4.56 per $1,000 of sale price, normally paid by the seller. 4 | Same. |
| Repairs and prep | Usually none. The discount covers them. | Depends on the house; cleaning, paint, small repairs, staging, and any items an inspection finds. You supply this number. |
| Carrying costs | Short: often 2 to 4 weeks to close. | Often 2 to 4 months from prep through closing: mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities. |
| Certainty | High with proof of funds, but check for inspection and financing contingencies. | Depends on the buyer's financing and inspection. |
| Showings | One or two walk-throughs. | Several, over weeks. |
Try your own numbers
We do not estimate your home's value. Enter your own number, such as an agent's opinion of what the house would list for after prep. The example numbers below are only to show how the math works.
The calculator uses: listing net = price minus commission minus 0.456% deeds excise minus repairs minus (months x monthly carrying cost). Cash net = price x cash % minus 0.456% deeds excise, with repairs and carrying cost assumed to be zero. It ignores mortgage payoff, attorney fees, title charges and taxes, which apply to both.
What changes the answer
- Condition. The worse the house, the smaller the gap, because the cash discount replaces repairs you would otherwise pay for and wait on.
- Time. Every extra month of carrying costs eats into a listing's advantage.
- Competition. One cash offer is a number; three are a market. Ask for more than one and read the terms, not just the price.
- Emotional load. For an inherited or crowded house, being done may be worth something. That is your call.
Where the numbers come from
- FairOffer: how much cash buyers pay (65%-85% of value) (a cash-buyer company's blog; treat as a ceiling for the discount range).
- FastExpert: how much you lose selling for cash (an agent-referral company's blog; it reports iBuyer and investor discount ranges).
- ShowSmartly: post-NAR-settlement commission averages: total commission has averaged roughly 5.0% to 5.5% after the NAR settlement; commissions are negotiable.
- Amerisave: closing costs in Massachusetts (deeds excise $4.56 per $1,000).
Ranges change and vary by house and buyer. If we find better public data, we will replace these.