Cash Offer vs. Realtor
vs. iBuyer in Chattanooga
An agent listing, a national iBuyer, or a local cash buyer: what each costs a Hamilton County homeowner and how long it takes.
Where Does the Money Go When You Sell?
The asking price is not the check you take home. Commission, your share of closing, the buyer's repair requests, and months of mortgage, Hamilton County property tax, insurance and EPB bills all come out first. Here are the three routes side by side.
Your Chattanooga TN Home Selling Options
Example figures use a $250,000 Chattanooga TN house, a common price point around the county.
| What You're Weighing | Dignity Properties | Listing With an Agent | National iBuyer (Opendoor, Offerpad) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commission Paid by You | ✓ None, $0 | Usually 5% to 6% (about $12,500 to $15,000) |
Service fee, often 5% to 8% (about $12,500 to $20,000) |
| Your Share of Closing | ✓ We pay all costs | Roughly 1% to 3% (about $2,500 to $7,500) |
Also roughly 1% to 3% (about $2,500 to $7,500) |
| Fix-Ups Before Sale | ✓ Nothing, sold as it stands | ⚠ Often $5K to $25K or more | ⚠ Repair costs taken off the price |
| Days Until You're Paid | ✓ About 7 to 21 | ✗ Commonly 45 to 90 | ⚠ 14 to 30, if they accept the house |
| People Touring Your Home | ✓ Just our one visit | ✗ Showings and open houses | ✓ Usually none |
| Ways the Deal Can Unravel | ✓ No loan to wait on; we confirm condition at the walkthrough | ✗ Buyer's loan, inspection and appraisal | ⚠ Their inspection can change the price |
| Houses in Rough Shape | ✓ Yes, whatever the condition | ✗ Tough sell to financed buyers | ✗ Mostly newer, tidy homes |
| Who Sets the Date | ✓ You do | ✗ The buyer's lender, mostly | ⚠ Some choice, within their window |
| How Sure Is the Sale | ✓ Guaranteed, we don't walk away | ✗ Contracts can collapse late | ⚠ Offer may drop after inspection |
| Behind on the Mortgage | ✓ Can close ahead of the trustee sale | ✗ Often too slow | ✗ Generally pass |
| Estate or Inherited House | ✓ We coordinate with the estate's attorney | ⚠ Doable once the estate can sell | ✗ Usually decline |
| How It Feels | ✓ One call, one closing | ✗ Months of waiting and wondering | ⚠ Easier than listing |
| What You Might Walk Away With ($250K house) | ~$220K–$235K | ~$195K–$215K once costs come out | ~$185K–$205K after their fee |
| Next step | Get My Free Offer → | Interview local agents | Ask for their online estimate |
* Rough Chattanooga TN figures from 2024 and 2025 sales. Cash offers in this range commonly land at 70% to 80% of market value, and yours will depend on the house, the street and recent comparable sales. Treat these as ballpark numbers for planning, not a promise of what you will net.
Six Reasons Sellers Skip the Listing
Plenty of Chattanooga houses sell well with an agent. These are the cases where going straight to a buyer tends to come out ahead, on money and on peace of mind.
You Pick the Closing Date
Two weeks from now works, and so does two months if you need time to pack. A listing runs on the buyer's bank, the inspector's calendar and the appraiser's report. Ours runs on yours.
Leave It Exactly How It Is
Nobody hands you a repair list, and there's nothing to stage or scrub. A sagging floor, a tired roof, a fire-damaged room or a difficult tenant won't keep us from closing.
The Number You See Is the Number You Get
Between commission, the seller's closing share and buyer concessions, a listed sale can lose 7% to 9% before you're paid. We charge no fee and cover closing costs, so our offer is your amount.
The Deal Won't Fall Through
A buyer who needs a mortgage can lose the deal to a low appraisal, a loan denial or second thoughts. We buy with our own funds, so once you accept our offer, it closes.
No Parade of Strangers
A listing means beds made every morning and leaving home whenever a buyer's agent calls. We come by one time to look the house over, and that's the only visit.
Built for Complicated Sales
A notice of trustee sale, an estate still in court, a divorce decree, city code citations or a tenant who won't go: these stall a normal listing. We have bought houses with every one of them in the mix.
Hear It From Sellers Who Worked With Chad
"We have worked with Chad on several projects for Dignity Properties. Every dealing has always been top tier professionalism while maintaining personal understanding and respect!"
"I was behind on my mortgage payments and was about to go into foreclosure. I found Dignity Properties online and saw they were local to my area. Chad was really nice and helped me through the situation, getting cash in my pocket and saving me from being foreclosed on. Very thankful!"
"Chad made the process amazing. I didn't want to put my house on the market to sell to wait months. He was amazing — would recommend 1000%. He was patient and helped me through every process considering I've never sold a home."
"Every experience I've had with Chad and Dignity Properties has shown me that this is not only a professionally run company, but one that values and respects each person it encounters. Attentive communication can be hard to find but I've always experienced it when interacting with Chad."
"Working with Chad and Dignity Properties is a unique experience because of the level of professionalism, knowledge, and integrity that they bring to the table. Chad is taking care of his clients first and foremost and I would recommend anyone call him for help."
"Chad is honest. If he says something he means it. He stands by his word. I've had nothing but good business experiences with him. Highly recommend!"
Situations Where a Cash Sale Makes Sense
If none of these sound like you, an agent may serve you well. If one does, a direct sale is usually the shorter road.
Facing Foreclosure
Tennessee lenders can foreclose without going to court, after only a few weeks of published notice. We can often close before the trustee sale so any equity goes to you.
Learn more →Inherited or Probate Home
The house may need work, several heirs must agree, and bills keep coming while the estate is open. We work with the executor and the estate's attorney.
Learn more →Major Repairs Needed
When a house has a failing roof, mold, a cracked foundation or smoke damage, most mortgage lenders won't approve a loan on it. We pay cash, so those problems are ours to solve.
Learn more →Relocation or Job Transfer
A new job elsewhere won't wait on a buyer's underwriting, and two housing payments add up fast. We can close in 14 days or match your moving date.
Learn more →Divorce
When the decree says the house must be sold, neither spouse wants to manage repairs and showings together. One price and one closing lets the proceeds be split and both of you move forward.
Learn more →Tired Landlord
Late rent, a pending detainer case, or just too many repair calls at midnight. We buy rentals with tenants still living there, so you don't have to empty the house before selling.
Learn more →Comparing Your Options
Sometimes, but often less of a gap than people assume. A listing brings a higher sale price on paper. Then 5% to 6% goes to commissions, 1% to 3% to your side of closing, more to whatever the buyer's inspector asks you to fix, and more still to mortgage, tax and insurance payments while you wait. For a house that needs work, the take-home can end up close to a cash offer or below it. The honest way to find out is to get our written number and set it beside an agent's estimate of what you would actually net.
The national iBuyers tend to stick to newer, move-in ready houses in a set price band, and they usually pass on homes that need big repairs, are going through probate, have renters, or are close to foreclosure. We buy all of those. We don't charge a service fee, where iBuyers often take 5% to 8%, so the amount we offer is the amount you receive at closing. And we're based here, so the people pricing your house know Chattanooga neighborhoods street by street.
Ask any buyer for proof, and here is ours. Dignity Properties is a BBB Accredited Business with a 5-star Google rating across 47+ verified reviews. We've purchased over 100 homes across the Chattanooga area. Each sale closes at a licensed title company with proper legal paperwork and a recorded deed. Look us up on bbb.org and read our Google reviews before you sign anything.
Going straight to a local cash buyer such as Dignity Properties. With no mortgage approval, appraisal or underwriting in the way, we can close in as little as 14 days. A listed home in Chattanooga often takes 45 to 90 days from listing to closing, and iBuyers need 14 to 30 days and only take certain houses. When the calendar matters most, cash is the shortest path.
Get Your Free Cash Offer Today
Send us the address and we'll get back to you within a day with a cash price you can compare against an agent's estimate. Nothing to repair, and no commission or fee to us.
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