The Bay State Buyers
How Selling Your Massachusetts House for Cash Works
Three steps, one point of contact, one walkthrough, and a written offer. Here's the whole process — including the parts most "we buy houses" companies leave out.
The 3-Step Process
Tell us about the property
Call (508) 322‑1776 or send the short form. Any condition, any situation — inherited, tenants, repairs, behind on payments.Walk through it with us
A quick visit at a time that works for you, usually within a couple of days. About 20 minutes, and there's nothing to fix or tidy first — we've seen it all.Get your written cash offer
Usually within a day or two of the walkthrough, in writing, with no obligation. Accept when you're ready and pick a closing date that works for you — soon, or after you've found your next place. We close through a Massachusetts closing attorney and cover the standard closing costs.
What Goes Into Your Cash Offer
Every offer starts with what your house could sell for once it's fully renovated. The walkthrough is where we see what that would take. From that number we subtract three things:
- Repair and update costs. The real, contractor-priced cost of the work the house needs — roof, systems, kitchens and baths, cosmetics, cleanout. That is why the walkthrough matters: we price what we actually see, not a guess from the curb.
- Selling and holding costs. What it costs us to own the house while we renovate it and to sell it afterward: financing, taxes, insurance, utilities, agent commissions, and Massachusetts deed excise tax on the resale.
- Our margin. We're a business; we need to make a reasonable profit on the renovation and resale. It's a fixed, transparent percentage — not a number we inflate when we think a seller is desperate.
The result is your cash offer. Because we buy directly, you don't pay a listing commission (typically 4–6% in Massachusetts), buyer concessions, staging, repairs, or months of carrying costs while the house sits on the market — which is why an as-is cash offer often nets a seller close to what they'd take home from a traditional sale, in a fraction of the time and with none of the work.
What We Pay For (So You Don't)
- Standard closing costs — our attorney's fees, title exam, recording fees, and the municipal lien certificate.
- Smoke & carbon monoxide certificate — we schedule the fire department inspection and fix any detectors it flags.
- Title 5 septic inspection — if the property has a septic system, we order and pay for the inspection and take on any repair or replacement.
- Cleanout — take what you want; furniture, appliances, and everything else can stay.
- Repairs of every kind — from a leaking roof to a failed foundation, fire or water damage, mold, knob-and-tube wiring, or an underground oil tank.
Sellers remain responsible for the Massachusetts deed excise tax (currently $4.56 per $1,000 of the sale price, more in Barnstable County and the Islands), paying off any mortgages or liens, and any past-due property taxes or water bills — all handled from the proceeds at closing by the attorney.
What Happens After You Accept
- A short purchase and sale agreement. Plain language, reviewed by your attorney if you like.
- Title work starts right away. Our attorney orders the title exam and the municipal lien certificate; that, not us, sets the pace.
- The paperwork Massachusetts requires. We schedule the smoke and carbon monoxide inspection and order payoff figures for any mortgage or liens.
- Closing on your date. At the attorney's office or remotely, with funds wired to you at closing.
We move quickly, and we work around your life: a fast closing if you're ready, or a later one if you need time to find your next place or settle an estate. A probate sale runs on the court's timeline, which we're used to working around.
Questions About the Process
Is there any cost or obligation to get an offer?
No. The walkthrough, the offer, and any follow-up questions are free, and you can say no at any point — even after signing, if you're still inside the contract's review period. We'd rather earn the sale than pressure it.
How do you decide what to offer?
The walkthrough drives it. We weigh the condition of the house and the work it needs, your timeline, and what it could sell for once renovated, less our costs to hold, renovate and resell it and a reasonable margin. The offer comes in writing so you can take it to your attorney.
What do I have to do before closing?
Almost nothing. Sign the purchase agreement, let our attorney run the title, and show up (or sign remotely) at closing. We handle the smoke and CO inspection, Title 5 if the property has septic, and the municipal lien certificate.
What if I need time to move out?
We work around your move. You pick the closing date, so there is no rush to be out before you are ready; the house just needs to be empty on the day we close. If the timing is tight, tell us early — in some cases we can help with moving costs or a short-term rental.
What if I have a mortgage or liens?
That's normal. The closing attorney pays off your mortgage, any home equity line, tax liens, or municipal charges from the sale proceeds at closing, and you receive the rest. If you owe more than the house is worth, call us anyway — there are still options.
Do you buy condos and multi-family homes?
Yes — condos (we handle the 6(d) certificate), two- and three-families with tenants in place, mixed-use buildings, and vacant land. Occupied units and unpaid rent are not deal-breakers.
Ready for a Fair Cash Offer?
Call, text, or send the form. You'll hear from a local buyer — not a call center — within one business day. No repairs, no showings, no commissions, no obligation.
(508) 322‑1776