Portland, ME · Cumberland County › How the sale works
How Selling Your Portland House to Us Works
USA Home Buyers buys houses as-is in Portland and Cumberland County, Maine. We talk through the property and the sale choices, then give you written terms to review before you decide. You can start the conversation before every property question is settled.
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.
Questions now? Call 888-274-5006.
Get My Cash Offer
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the Portland address and what you know about the property.
From first conversation to settlement
The Portland sale, step by step
Tell us what you know about the house
Start with the Portland address, the house's condition, who is there, access, and the timing you have in mind. You can start the conversation before every property question is settled. If an estate, tenant, city notice, payoff, lien, or deadline is part of the situation, tell us what you know so far.
Talk through the property as it sits
We ask about the property's condition, repairs, access, occupancy, and what you want the sale to address. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.
Read the written offer and terms
We give written cash offers in 24 hours. Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing. Read the price, responsibilities, possession, timing, costs, and property-specific conditions before deciding whether to proceed, compare another path, or stop before signing.
Work through title, authority, and payoffs
The title company checks the deed, ownership, who can sign, mortgage payoffs, liens, tax items, and the documents needed for closing. A payoff is the amount needed to satisfy a mortgage or other obligation; a lien is a claim for money against the property. You can start before all of these details are settled.
Review the settlement sheet and close
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. 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 Portland, ME calculator →
Questions about the two options? Call 888-274-5006.
Local records
Portland deeds are recorded in Cumberland County
For a Portland property, the Cumberland County Registry of Deeds is the local office for deed records. Maine Revenue Services explains that the county register of deeds calculates and collects the real estate transfer tax from the declaration filed when a deed is recorded.
Before the signatures
Review the settlement figures and Maine transfer tax
The settlement sheet lists how the sale money breaks down, including the price, payoffs, liens, taxes, costs, and the 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.
Maine's real estate transfer tax is $2.20 for each $500 of value or fraction of $500, split evenly between seller and buyer by law. Since November 1, 2025, the part of the value above $1,000,000 carries an additional $3.80 per $500. The county register of deeds calculates and collects the tax from the transfer-tax declaration filed when the deed is recorded.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs.
This closing-cost promise does not pay your mortgage balance, liens, back taxes, or your share of current property taxes.
Maine Revenue Services: real estate transfer tax ↗ · Maine law on transfer-tax rate and liability ↗
When something gets 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
Here's what sellers have said about working with us.
“Sixty-six years old, widowed, and the house had more property taxes than I wanted to keep paying — $5,800 a year in NH on a fixed income. My son in Boston had been after me to move south. USA Home Buyers gave me a fair number, no open houses, no strangers in my house. Closed in eight days. I was in Massachusetts before spring.”
“My parents owned a house near the Millyard for 40 years. After my mother passed, my brother and I needed to settle the estate quickly — we both have jobs and families, neither of us lives in Manchester. USA Home Buyers had a written offer the next day and we closed in 11 days. The whole process was straightforward.”
“I relocated to Boston for work and had my Manchester house on the market for three months with an agent — two failed offers, one buyer who couldn't get financing. USA Home Buyers gave me a written number the next morning and we closed before my lease on the new apartment ran out.”
Questions about selling your Portland house
Can I contact you before every property question is settled?
Yes. Start with the Portland address and what you know about the house, who is there, and the question you are trying to sort out. You can tell us which details are still unknown.
Do I need to repair or clean out the Portland house first?
We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.
How soon will I get a written offer, and what do I review?
We give written cash offers in 24 hours. Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing. Read the price, responsibilities, possession, timing, costs, and property-specific conditions before you decide.
What is the difference between Cash Offer and EZ Sale?
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. Cash Offer — USA Home Buyers buys directly. 30 days or less. Lower price. No repairs, no commissions, no closing costs. EZ Sale — goes to one of our partners. 60 days or less. Higher price than the Cash Offer. Still no repairs, no commissions, no closing costs.
What closing costs and Maine transfer tax apply?
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. Maine's real estate transfer tax is $2.20 for each $500 of value or fraction of $500, split evenly between seller and buyer by law. Since November 1, 2025, the part of the value above $1,000,000 carries an additional $3.80 per $500. The county register of deeds calculates and collects the tax from the transfer-tax declaration filed when the deed is recorded. This closing-cost promise does not pay your mortgage balance, liens, back taxes, or your share of current property taxes.
Pages and tools for the next question
Explore the situation page that matches your house, or use the calculator to compare possible sale proceeds with your own numbers.
Start with the Portland house and your question
You can call before every detail is settled. Tell us what you know, then review the written offer and terms before you decide.
Call 888-274-5006
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.