How a Cash Home Sale Works From First Contact to Closing

A cash sale skips the mortgage contingency and appraisal that slow a traditional deal. The buyer verifies title, confirms the property condition, and funds the purchase at a title company. Blue Backs Property's buys houses and lots for cash, as-is, across Oakland County and select markets in Ohio and Indiana. No agent commissions (often 5% to 6% combined when you list). We pay the closing costs. Your proceeds are our offer minus your mortgage payoff, any liens, and the normal property-tax proration. Close on the date you choose, typically two to four weeks after a signed agreement, depending on title.

How does a cash sale start after an owner submits property details?

It starts when you send us the property address and basic details. We review public records, recent sales, and the condition described. If the property fits our criteria, we schedule a brief walkthrough. That visit confirms the as-is condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no staging. After the walkthrough we present a written cash offer. You decide whether to accept, decline, or ask questions. No obligation attaches until both parties sign the purchase agreement.

What documents should an owner gather before the walkthrough?

Gather the most recent property-tax bill, any mortgage statements, and any lien or judgment notices. If the property is held in an estate, locate the letters of authority from the probate court. If a trust holds title, have the trust agreement and trustee certification ready. These documents let the title company open the file immediately after the agreement is signed. Missing paperwork can add time while the title company obtains payoffs or court documents.

How do as-is terms and seller disclosures work in Michigan?

As-is means we take the property in its current condition. You make no repairs. In Michigan, the seller disclosure requirements of sections 4 to 13 of the Seller Disclosure Act do not apply to transfers by a nonoccupant fiduciary in the course of the administration of a decedent's estate, guardianship, conservatorship, or trust, to transfers pursuant to court order (including transfers ordered by a probate court in administration of an estate), or to transfers by any foreclosure sale (MCL 565.953) (Michigan Legislature, MCL 565.953 (2026-10-19)). For any other sale, ask a real estate attorney whether a disclosure statement is required. The purchase agreement states the as-is condition plainly so there is no ambiguity at closing.

What happens during the title search and who pays the transfer taxes?

A title company runs a title search to confirm ownership, reveal liens, judgments, unpaid taxes, or other encumbrances. The seller provides the deed and any payoff statements for mortgages or liens. The title company prepares the closing statement (ALTA settlement statement) showing every debit and credit. We pay the closing costs. Michigan's state real estate transfer tax is $3.75 for each $500 or fraction of $500 of the sale price (MCL 207.525), and the seller (grantor) is liable for it (MCL 207.523) (Michigan Legislature, MCL 207.525 (2026-10-19)). Michigan's county real estate transfer tax is 55 cents for each $500 of the sale price in counties under 2,000,000 people, and a county of 2,000,000 or more may set it up to 75 cents (MCL 207.504) (Michigan Legislature, MCL 207.504 (2026-10-19)).

How is the closing statement calculated and what does the seller net?

On a typical sale, the ALTA settlement statement lists the purchase price, then subtracts the mortgage payoff, any lien payoffs, prorated property taxes, the state transfer tax of $3.75 for each $500 or fraction of $500 of the sale price (MCL 207.525), the county transfer tax of 55 cents for each $500 of the sale price in counties under 2,000,000 people (MCL 207.504), recording fees, the owner's title policy premium, and the closing fee. We pay the closing costs, and the statement shows every line before anything is signed. The bottom line is your net proceeds, paid by wire or certified check.

What happens on closing day and how are funds disbursed?

On the agreed closing date, the seller signs the deed, any affidavits, and the settlement statement. The title company records the deed with the county register of deeds. Funds are disbursed: mortgage payoffs, lien releases, prorated property taxes, and the seller's net proceeds. You receive your net proceeds by wire or certified check. Keys, garage remotes, and any access devices transfer at closing.

What does assignment mean for the seller if the agreement is transferred?

In some cases we assign our purchase agreement to another buyer before closing; your price and terms stay the same. The assignee steps into our shoes and closes on the same terms. The seller's net proceeds, closing date, and as-is condition do not change. The title company handles the substitution.

How does the net from a cash sale compare to a traditional listing?

A listed sale typically involves agent commissions (often 5% to 6% combined when you list), buyer inspection repairs, appraisal gaps, and 39 days median on market in Oakland County or 47 days in Wayne County (FRED / Realtor.com, September 2026). A cash as-is sale removes those variables. The trade-off is a lower gross price in exchange for no repairs, no showings, and a closing date you pick. For a house that needs work, compare the net after commissions, repairs, and holding costs, not just the gross price. See the breakdown: Cash offer vs. listing: the real net on a house that needs work.

Here's the next step: get a no-obligation cash offer and see our number on the house.

General information, not legal advice.