Des Moines, Iowa · Polk and Warren Counties · How the process works
How Selling Your Des Moines House to Us Works
USA Home Buyers buys houses as-is in Des Moines, Polk County, and Warren County, Iowa. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.
Start with the address and what you know about the house: its condition, who lives there, access, and timing. You can start before every property question is settled.
Questions about your house? Call USA Home Buyers at 888-274-5006.
Tell us about the house
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the address and what you know about the house. Unknown details can be sorted out in the conversation.
From the first conversation to settlement
The sale, step by step
Step 1: Tell us about the house
Start with the address, condition, who lives there, access, and the timing you have in mind. If an estate, notice, payoff, or lien may be involved, tell us what you know. You can start the conversation before every property question is settled.
Step 2: Talk through the property
We talk through repairs, occupancy, access, ownership, and timing, then look at 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.
Step 3: 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. Ask questions before deciding whether to proceed.
Step 4: Work through title and payoff details
The title company checks ownership, who can sign, mortgage payoffs, liens, taxes, and the documents needed for settlement. A payoff is the amount needed to satisfy a mortgage or other obligation; a lien is a recorded claim for money. Bring any current statements or notices you have.
Step 5: Review the settlement sheet
The settlement sheet shows the sale price, payoffs, taxes, costs, and amount scheduled for disbursement. 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.
Step 6: Sign and close through the title company
If you choose to proceed, the title company coordinates the closing documents and confirms the final settlement figures. 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 Des Moines calculator →
Questions about the two options? Call 888-274-5006.
Des Moines and county records
Start with the county for the property address
The incorporated City of Des Moines intersects Polk County and Warren County. That is citywide geography, not a determination for a particular parcel. Check the address or parcel record to identify the county before contacting an Assessor about assessment records, a Treasurer about property taxes, or a Recorder about a deed. The title company checks the property records needed for settlement.
The Des Moines resources page links to the Polk and Warren County offices for parcel, tax, deed, and court-record questions. Bring any deed, tax notice, payoff statement, or other property notice you have when you talk through the sale.
Before the signatures
Review the settlement sheet and Iowa transfer tax
The settlement sheet lays out the sale price, mortgage and other payoffs, liens, taxes, costs, and amount scheduled for disbursement. Ask about any line you do not recognize and compare the figures with the written terms. 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 real estate transfer tax is 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, and the county recorder will not record the deed until it is paid. Exemptions include certain family, divorce, estate-distribution, and $500-or-less transfers. The closing professional confirms whether the tax applies and the taxable amount.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. Mortgage balances, liens, back taxes, and your share of current property taxes remain separate from that closing-cost promise.
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.
Questions and next steps
Des Moines selling-process questions
Questions about the sale process
Can I start before every property question is settled?
Yes. Start with the address and what you know about the house, including its condition, occupancy, access, and timing. You can begin the conversation while other details are still being sorted out.
What happens after the first conversation?
We give written cash offers in 24 hours. Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.
Is a Des Moines house in Polk County or Warren County?
The incorporated City of Des Moines intersects Polk County and Warren County. That is citywide geography, not a determination for a particular parcel. Check the property address or parcel record to identify the right county.
What should I know about the settlement numbers and Iowa transfer tax?
Iowa real estate transfer tax is 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, and the county recorder will not record the deed until it is paid. Exemptions include certain family, divorce, estate-distribution, and $500-or-less transfers. The closing professional confirms whether the tax applies and the taxable amount. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. Mortgage balances, liens, back taxes, and the seller’s share of current property taxes remain separate.
How do I review the amount I would receive at closing?
Read the settlement sheet with us and the title company. It shows the sale price, payoffs, liens, taxes, costs, and amount scheduled for disbursement. Ask about any line you do not recognize.
More Des Moines seller information
Des Moines, IA Home Sale Net Proceeds Calculator
CalculatorCompare what you would keep from listing your house or selling as-is for cash. Change the repair costs, cleanout, monthly bills and closing costs to fit your house.
Talk through the house
Call USA Home Buyers at 888-274-5006 or use the form above. You can ask questions before every property detail is settled.