Council Bluffs, Iowa · Pottawattamie County · How the process works

How Selling Your Council Bluffs House to Us Works

USA Home Buyers buys houses as-is in Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Start with the property details you know; you can begin the conversation before every question is settled.

Call 888-274-5006 or tell us about the house below.

Ask for a cash offer

We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.

We give written cash offers in 24 hours.

Share the address, condition, occupancy, and timing you know.

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From the first conversation to settlement

The sale, step by step

1. Talk through the property
Start with the address, condition, who lives there, access, and your timing. We ask about the house as it sits. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. We give written cash offers in 24 hours. You can start with what you know while open property questions are sorted out.
2. Read the written offer and terms
Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing. Read the price, responsibilities, possession, timing, costs, and any property-specific conditions before you decide whether to proceed.
3. Work through title, authority, and payoffs
The title company reviews the deed, ownership, who can sign, mortgage payoffs, liens, taxes, and the documents needed for closing. A payoff is the amount needed to satisfy a mortgage or another obligation. Bring any notices, account information, or estate papers you have; questions can be worked through as the closing file is prepared.
4. Review the settlement sheet
The settlement sheet lays out the sale price, payoffs, taxes, costs, and the amount scheduled to be paid out. We always review the settlement sheet with the seller and walk through how the money breaks down so there is no confusion. We try to do that the day before closing so settlement is smooth; the title company confirms the final numbers.
5. Sign and close through the title company
If you decide to proceed, the title company confirms the final settlement figures and coordinates the closing. You're going to get a fair price and not have to do anything. Just show up at settlement.

Cash Offer or EZ Sale: compare the written numbers

We have two ways to buy. A Cash Offer is built for speed, condition, and tough situations — heavy repairs, tight timelines, difficult circumstances. EZ Sale is often the better fit when the house doesn't need major repairs and you want a higher number. Either way, you compare written numbers and you pick what works best for you.

Swipe across the table to compare all four selling options.

Factor	List with a realtor	FSBO	Cash Offer	EZ Sale
Timeline	Market-dependent	Market-dependent	30 days or less	60 days or less
Price	Highest, if it sells	Varies	Lower price	Higher price than the Cash Offer
Repairs	Repairs may be needed before listing or after inspection	The seller handles repair decisions	No repairs	No repairs
Commissions	Agent commissions apply under the listing agreement	No listing-agent commission; the seller handles the sale	No commissions	No commissions
Closing costs	Seller costs depend on the contract and settlement statement	Seller costs depend on the contract and settlement statement	No closing costs	No closing costs
Showings	The seller prepares for and coordinates showings	The seller markets the property and coordinates showings	None	None
Who buys	Retail buyer	Retail buyer	USA Home Buyers buys directly	Goes to one of our partners
Certainty	Depends on the buyer, inspections, financing, and contract	Depends on finding and qualifying a buyer	Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.	Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.
Net proceeds	Compare the expected sale price after commissions, repairs, costs, and waiting	Compare the expected sale price after seller-managed costs and work	Compare the written price after your payoff and other property obligations. No commissions. No closing costs.	Compare the written price after your payoff and other property obligations. No commissions. No closing costs.

Compare what you would keep after costs with the Council Bluffs calculator →

Questions about the two options? Call 888-274-5006.

Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County

Use the county office that handles the question

A comparison of the 2024 Council Bluffs city boundary with U.S. county boundaries shows overlap with Pottawattamie County only. That is city-scale orientation, not a parcel-specific county or court-venue determination, so check the property address before relying on a county record. For a property in Pottawattamie County, the Treasurer handles property-tax accounts, the Recorder handles deeds and other recorded land documents, and the Clerk of Court handles court files. The title company reviews which records affect the sale.

Before the signatures

Review the settlement sheet and Iowa transfer tax

The settlement sheet shows the sale price, payoffs, taxes, other costs, and the amount scheduled for you. We always review the settlement sheet with the seller and walk through how the money breaks down so there is no confusion. We try to do that the day before closing so settlement is smooth; the title company confirms the final numbers.

Iowa's real estate transfer tax is 80 cents for each $500, or fraction of $500, of the price above the first $500. By law, the person conveying the property, normally the seller, is liable for it. The county recorder will not record the deed until the tax is paid, and a declaration of value is filed when required. Certain family, divorce, estate-distribution, and $500-or-less transfers are exempt, so the closing professional confirms whether the tax applies and what amount is taxable. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs.

Mortgage balances, liens, back taxes, and your share of current property taxes are separate from that closing-cost promise; they appear as separate items in the closing figures.

Iowa Code §428A.1: rate and declaration of value ↗Iowa Code §428A.2: exemptions ↗Iowa Code §428A.3: who is liable ↗Iowa Code chapter 428A: recording and payment ↗

When things get difficult

We stay with the process

It's real estate. Sometimes there are bumps in the road. We won't disappear when that happens, and we'll be fighting to get this to the closing table.

What sellers say about USA Home Buyers

5.0 out of 5 on Google

Questions and next steps

Questions about selling in Council Bluffs

Can I start before every property question is settled?

Yes. Start with the address and what you know about the house, its condition, occupancy, access, or timing. You can raise open questions as we talk through the property.

What do I get before I decide?

We give written cash offers in 24 hours. Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.

What is the difference between a Cash Offer and EZ Sale?

Cash Offer is a direct purchase by USA Home Buyers, 30 days or less, at a lower price. EZ Sale goes to one of our partners, 60 days or less, at a higher price than the Cash Offer. Both have no repairs, commissions, or closing costs. Compare the written numbers and choose what works best for you.

Who pays Iowa real estate transfer tax when I sell to you?

Iowa charges 80 cents for each $500, or fraction of $500, of the price above the first $500. The person conveying the property, normally the seller, is liable for the tax under state law; exemptions may apply. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. Mortgage payoffs, liens, back taxes, and your share of current property taxes remain separate.

How do I review the closing numbers?

The settlement sheet shows how the sale money breaks down. We always review the settlement sheet with the seller and walk through how the money breaks down so there is no confusion. We try to do that the day before closing so settlement is smooth; the title company confirms the final numbers.

More Council Bluffs seller information

Call 888-274-5006 or use the form above. Start with what you know; you do not need every property question answered before the conversation.