Selling to a cash buyer does NOT mean you have to take 50 cents on the dollar. Here’s the actual maths.
You’ve probably heard two stories. Story one: list with an agent, get top dollar. Story two: cash buyers are vultures who’ll offer you half what your house is worth. Both stories skip the same thing — the numbers in between. This post puts them on the table, on a typical Prince George’s County house, so you can see what each route really nets you. We’re a cash-buying company, so read our side of the table with that in mind — and check every figure. That’s the point of publishing them.
What does it actually cost to sell a house with an agent in Maryland?
On a typical sale, expect roughly 9% of the price to go to total selling costs once you add up agent commissions (traditionally around 6%), your share of closing costs, and the repairs and credits that come out of inspections. A typical home also spends around 43 days on the market before it even goes under contract — and you’re paying the mortgage, insurance, taxes, and upkeep for every one of those days, plus the weeks until closing.
The worked example: a $300,000 house in Prince George’s County
Every number below is a typical, illustrative figure — your house will differ, and any buyer or agent should be willing to run your real numbers the same way.
| Cost item | Sell with an agent | Sell to a cash buyer |
|---|---|---|
| Sale price | $300,000 (full retail, if the house shows well) | $240,000 (illustrative offer — lower than retail, see below) |
| Agent commission (~6%) | –$18,000 | $0 |
| Seller closing costs (~2%) | –$6,000 | $0 (buyer covers in our case) |
| Repairs, prep & buyer credits | –$7,500 | $0 — sold as-is |
| Holding costs while selling (~4 months of payments, insurance, taxes, upkeep) | –$6,000 | –$1,500 (one month during a fast close, illustrative) |
| What you net | ≈ $262,500 | ≈ $238,500 |
| Time to money in hand | Months — listing, showings, contract, buyer’s financing | Weeks — you choose the closing date |
Read the table honestly and you’ll see the real trade: on these typical figures, the agent route nets about $24,000 more — and takes months longer, costs you repair money up front, and depends on a buyer’s loan going through. The cash route nets less and asks almost nothing of you. Neither row is a trick. Which one is “better” depends entirely on your situation, your house’s condition, and how much time you have.
And no — $240,000 on a $300,000 house is 80 cents on the dollar, not 50. Lowball offers exist in this business, and you should walk away from them. But a fair cash offer on a house that needs work is a discount for speed, certainty, and repairs the buyer takes on — not half your house’s value.
When does the cash route actually win?
Ask yourself one question: on your house, what does six more months of payments, insurance and upkeep cost — before any agent commission? If the house is empty, needs a roof, or sits while a family situation drags on, that number grows every month — and it shrinks the agent route’s advantage fast. Cash tends to win when the house needs real repairs, when you can’t carry two homes, when an estate or divorce needs a clean finish, or when a deadline — not a dollar figure — is the real problem.
Want your real numbers instead of a typical example? Enter your address and we’ll run the same table on your actual house — what we could pay, and what we honestly think you’d net listing it. No fees. No commissions. No obligation. Call (240) 616-4844 to talk it through with one of our trusted housing specialists.
Why a local buyer shows you this table
I’m Alvin — a 3rd generation real estate guy and a Prince George’s County native (Georgetown Prep, class of 2008). Quick Fast Homebuyers is a local company, not a call centre buying houses off a spreadsheet in another state. We publish the maths because we’d rather lose a deal to an informed homeowner than win one from a confused one. If listing nets you more and you have the time, we’ll tell you to list — and we’re still here if the situation changes.
Frequently asked questions
How much do cash buyers in Prince George’s County actually pay?
It varies by the house — its condition, the repairs it needs, and how quickly it can be resold. As the example above shows, a fair offer on a typical house that needs work often lands meaningfully below full retail but far above the “50 cents on the dollar” myth. The only way to know your number is to ask for it — asking costs nothing and obligates you to nothing.
Are there really no fees or commissions when I sell for cash?
With us, that’s right: no agent commission, no listing fees, and we cover the standard closing costs, so the offer is the number you plan around. Whoever you sell to, get the same promise in writing and ask what’s deducted at closing — the settlement sheet should match the conversation.
How fast can a cash sale close in Maryland?
A cash sale skips the buyer’s mortgage approval, appraisal delays, and lender conditions, so closing is mostly about title work and scheduling — typically a matter of weeks, and you choose the date. In our case, we can close in as little as 7 days when the title work is clear. If a company promises an unrealistic timeline, ask them to put it in writing.
Not sure a cash sale is right? Here’s the maths — then decide.
Run your own address through the same comparison. Enter it to see what we could pay, or call (240) 616-4844 and we’ll walk the numbers with you, straight. No pressure, no judgement — just the figures, and the decision stays yours.
Quick Fast Homebuyers — We Buy Houses in Maryland for Cash.