Most people have never done this before
If you’ve only ever sold a house through a realtor, or never sold one at all, a cash sale can feel like a black box. You hear “we buy houses” and you’re not sure what happens after you call. So here’s the whole thing, start to finish, the way it works when you sell to us.
Step 1: You reach out
You call, text, or fill out the form. We ask a few questions: where the house is, what shape it’s in, whether anyone is living there, and what your timeline looks like. That’s a five-minute conversation. No pressure and nothing to sign.
If a cash sale isn’t the right fit for your house, this is usually where we’ll say so. A clean house in a good neighborhood with no time pressure should probably be listed, and we’ll tell you that.
Step 2: We see the house
We set up a time to come look, usually within a few days. The visit takes 10 to 20 minutes. We walk through, look at the roof, the basement, the mechanicals, and the general condition. You don’t need to clean, fix anything, or move anything. We’ve seen houses full to the ceiling and houses with no heat. It doesn’t change anything.
If you’re out of state or the house is far away, we can sometimes work from photos and a video walkthrough with someone local letting us in.
Step 3: You get a written offer
Within 24 hours of seeing the house, you get a cash offer in writing. It’s a real number, not a range, and it’s not going to change at the last minute. The offer spells out the price, the closing date, and that there are no commissions, fees, or repairs coming out of it.
You don’t have to answer right away. Take it to your family, your attorney, or a realtor for a second opinion. We’d rather you be sure.
Step 4: You accept and we sign a purchase agreement
If the number works, we sign a simple purchase and sale agreement. In Massachusetts, this is usually a short offer-to-purchase followed by a P&S, or one combined agreement. Your attorney can review it before you sign. We put down a deposit that’s held in escrow.
The agreement will have the closing date you picked. Seven to fourteen days is typical if you’re in a hurry. If you need 60 or 90 days to find your next place or clear out the house, that works too.
Step 5: The title work happens
This is the part that takes the most time and that you don’t have to do anything for. A closing attorney runs a title search on the property to confirm you’re the legal owner and to find any mortgages, liens, or old issues that need to be cleared before closing.
Most houses come back clean. When something turns up, like an old mortgage that was paid off but never discharged, a probate that was never finished, or a lien from the town, the attorney works through it. We’re used to this and we’ll tell you what it means for the timeline if it happens.
You don’t need a home inspection, an appraisal, or a bank. That’s why this is faster than a normal sale.
Step 6: You get ready to close
In the last week or so, the attorney sends you a settlement statement showing the purchase price, any mortgage payoff, prorated taxes and water, and your net. Look it over. Ask questions.
You take whatever you want from the house. Anything you leave, we handle. You don’t have to clean or empty it. If there’s a mortgage, the attorney pays it off from the proceeds at closing.
Step 7: Closing day
You sign the deed and a few other documents at the attorney’s office, or by mail or mobile notary if you can’t be there. It takes about 30 minutes. Once the deed is recorded, the money is wired to you, usually the same day or the next business day.
Hand over the keys and you’re done.
How long the whole thing takes
Fast version, with clean title and you ready to go: two weeks from the first call to money in your account. Normal version: three to five weeks. If probate, a lien, or a missing heir is in the picture: longer, but we’ll tell you up front.
What you actually have to do
Answer the phone, let us see the house once, read the offer, sign the agreement, and show up to closing. That’s it. No repairs, no cleaning, no showings, no open houses, no waiting on a buyer’s bank.
A note
This is general information from people who buy houses, not legal or financial advice. Have a Massachusetts real estate attorney review any agreement before you sign it.
Ready to see what your house is worth?
Pilgrim Hill Holdings buys houses across Massachusetts for cash. Call or text 508-322-8787 or fill out the form and you’ll have a written offer within 24 hours of our visit.