Are Cash Offers from iBuyers Below Market Value?

The fuller picture

Yes — typically 8-13% below what your home would sell for on the MLS. The gap covers the iBuyer's service fee, repair credits, holding costs, and profit. This isn't a scam; it's the cost of trading time and certainty for dollars. Whether it's worth it depends on your timeline and the local market's strength. That's the headline. Here's what the answer depends on in practice — and what most people miss.

The numbers above are based on standard transactions in 2026. They shift with home value (premium homes attract tighter spreads), market conditions (faster markets compress discounts), home condition (which directly drives repair credits), and program-specific structures. The five major cash-offer programs all use slightly different math — what looks like a 5% fee at one program may be functionally equivalent to a 4% fee at another, depending on what's included.

Why the answer matters

Sellers who don't verify these numbers against their specific situation typically leave money on the table. The single highest-leverage action for any seller considering a cash offer is to get competing offers from at least three programs in two different categories. The spread between best and worst offer on a typical home runs 5-10% of home value — for a $400,000 home, that's $20,000-$40,000.

How to verify for your situation

Three steps:

1. Use our calculator: Net Proceeds Calculator lets you plug in your specific home value, target timeline, and program type to get a real per-address number.
2. Read the relevant program review for the specific fee breakdown, PSA quirks, and known issues.
3. Get matched to three programs through us — we'll do the comparison work, no lead-selling, no pay-for-placement.