Questions About Selling a House in Salem, VA

We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.

You get a written offer and written terms before you commit, and we close through a title company.

We give written cash offers in 24 hours.

Close as fast as 7 days when title and closing details allow.

No fees. No agent commissions when you sell to us. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Virginia state and local recordation taxes, grantor tax and any applicable regional WMATA capital fee, regional congestion relief fee or regional transportation improvement fee.

Virginia charges grantor tax when the deed is recorded: 50 cents for each $500, or fraction of $500, of the greater of the sale price or value. State recordation tax is separate, and a locality may add local recordation tax. The sale contract can shift who pays grantor tax. Exemptions and transfers with little or no consideration can change the amount, which the settlement agent confirms.

Virginia real estate generally passes at death to the heirs or people named in the will. An executor can sell only after appointment through the circuit court clerk and if the will grants a power of sale or a court grants that power; otherwise, the heirs or beneficiaries generally sign together. A sale by heirs or beneficiaries within one year after death can be challenged by estate creditors unless no court action over estate debts is started and no report of debts is filed within that year. A court-ordered sale paid through a court-appointed commissioner is protected. A surviving spouse may sometimes have a right to stay in the home. The will, list of heirs, and appointment papers help identify who can sign. If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one.

You don't always need to evict to sell to us. We buy houses with tenants in place — we've done it many times, including cash-for-keys when that works better for everyone. In Virginia, the lease continues after a sale and the buyer takes the landlord’s place. The seller must notify the tenant of the sale and provide the buyer’s name, address, and phone number. Security deposits and earned interest transfer to the buyer when ownership changes; if a property manager holds the deposit, the owner must request it in writing before closing.

Often, yes, if your sale closes and pays off the loan before the trustee’s sale. Virginia foreclosures usually proceed as trustee’s sales under a deed of trust, without a court case. For an owner-occupied home, written notice generally must reach the owner at least 60 days before the sale; for other property, it is generally 14 days. The sale must be advertised in a local newspaper. If the trustee postpones the sale, it must be advertised again. Until you have a new date in writing, plan around the date on your notice. Call us right away so we can get started.

You don't need to pay off your back taxes before we settle. We buy houses with back taxes and liens — payoffs get handled through the closing, not by you upfront.