Rochester, NY · Monroe County · How the process works
How Selling Your Rochester House to Us Works
Tell us what is going on with the house
USA Home Buyers buys houses as-is in Rochester and throughout Monroe County, New York. 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 condition, access, occupancy, and timing. You can start the conversation before every property question is settled.
Have a question? Call 888-274-5006.
Tell us about your Rochester house
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the address and what you know about the property.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
From the first conversation to settlement
The sale, step by step
Start with what you know
Tell us the address, the house’s condition, who lives there, access, and the timing you are considering. If an estate, payoff, lien, tax notice, or deadline is part of the situation, mention what you know so far. You do not need every answer or document before the first conversation.
Talk through the property and written offer
We talk through condition, occupancy, access, ownership, and timing, then review the property and available sale paths with you. We give written cash offers in 24 hours. Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing. Read the terms before deciding whether to proceed, compare another path, or stop before signing.
Let the title company check the details
The title company checks the deed, 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. Keep the statements, notices, and estate papers you have available for review.
Review the settlement sheet and close
The settlement sheet shows the price, payoffs, liens, taxes, costs, and 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. If you proceed, the title company confirms the final numbers and handles the closing documents.
You're going to get a fair price and not have to do anything. Just show up at settlement.
Two ways to sell to us
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 the written numbers with an estimate of what you might keep after costs. The calculator lets you change its estimates to fit your house.
Rochester 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.
Rochester and Monroe County details
Estate papers, liens, and local records
If the house is part of an estate
Rochester is in Monroe County, where estate matters go through Monroe County Surrogate’s Court. In New York, an executor or administrator appointed by Surrogate’s Court can generally sell estate property during administration, subject to the will and court restrictions. If the will leaves the house to a specific person, that person’s agreement or a court order may be needed. Being named executor in a will is not the same as having the court’s appointment. The deed and estate papers affect who can sign, and a release of the state estate-tax lien is generally needed to close. These details can be reviewed while you start the conversation; the title company checks the actual papers.
New York EPTL §11-1.1, sale powers and specifically devised property ↗New York SCPA §703, court letters and authority ↗New York State estate-tax lien release information ↗
Use the record that matches your question
For a property inside Rochester city limits, the City of Rochester Bureau of Assessment is a starting point for assessment and parcel information. The Monroe County Clerk’s Land Records page is a separate source for county land-record context. Neither record supplies the mortgage payoff or decides who can sign for a particular sale; the title company reviews the deed, payoff, liens, and sale documents for the property.
City of Rochester Bureau of Assessment ↗Monroe County Clerk — Land Records ↗
If there is a foreclosure date
New York mortgage foreclosures go through court, and a referee conducts the sale. A sale before auction may still be possible if the mortgage payoff and other closing obligations can be covered. Signing an agreement alone does not change a scheduled court date, so keep following the current notice and case instructions.
New York Courts: foreclosure judgments, payoffs, and sale dates ↗Rochester foreclosure guidance →
New York closing figures
Review the settlement sheet and transfer taxes
Read each line on the settlement sheet: the price, mortgage and other payoffs, liens, taxes, costs, and amount scheduled for disbursement. Ask the title company about a line you do not recognize before signing.
When the sale price exceeds $500, New York State real estate transfer tax is $2 for each $500 of the sale price, or part of $500. That is $400 on a $100,000 sale before any local tax or exemption. The seller normally pays this base tax, but the sale agreement can provide otherwise. Local transfer taxes may add to it. A separate 1% mansion tax applies to residential sales of $1 million or more and is normally paid by the buyer. The title company calculates the applicable amounts and allocation for the specific sale.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs.
That closing-cost promise does not pay the seller’s mortgage, liens, back taxes, or share of current property taxes. The title company lists those amounts separately.
New York State Department of Taxation and Finance: real estate transfer tax ↗
When the process 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.
Rochester seller reviews
Testimonials are real, from our transactions, verified and approved by our attorneys.
What sellers say about USA Home Buyers
Here's what sellers in Rochester, NY have said about working with us.
“Monroe County family court, sale required. Park Avenue condo, beautiful neighborhood, but neither of us could buy out the other and we both needed the money to start over. USA Home Buyers gave us a written offer the same week we called. Both attorneys said yes, closed in thirteen days.”
“I was behind on my mortgage after a medical situation. New York judicial foreclosure takes 12-24 months, but once the bank files in Monroe County Supreme Court, your options narrow fast. USA Home Buyers explained exactly where I stood and closed before the foreclosure judgment. I walked out with enough to start over.”
“Lake Ontario flooding in the spring got into our basement on Lakeshore Boulevard twice. The second time killed the furnace and HVAC and left six inches of standing water. Our insurer totaled the contents but fought the structural claim. USA Home Buyers knew Charlotte's flood situation well — no surprises in the offer, no inspection drama. Closed in ten days.”
Questions and next steps
Rochester seller pages and planning tools
Open the page that matches your next question, or use the calculator to compare estimated proceeds with the numbers for your house.
Rochester 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.
Rochester sale-process questions
Can I start the conversation before every property question is settled?
Yes. Start with the Rochester address and what you know about the condition, access, occupancy, ownership, and timing. Estate, payoff, lien, tax, and other details can be sorted out as the conversation continues.
What happens after I tell you about the house?
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.
How do the Cash Offer and EZ Sale choices differ?
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.
Who checks title, payoffs, liens, and estate authority?
The title company checks the deed, ownership, who can sign, mortgage payoffs, liens, taxes, and the documents needed for settlement. For an estate, the will, deed, Surrogate’s Court appointment, and any court restrictions affect who can sign. Bring the papers you have so the title company can review the actual record.
What transfer taxes come up when a New York house sells?
When the sale price exceeds $500, New York State real estate transfer tax is $2 for each $500 of the sale price, or part of $500. That is $400 on a $100,000 sale before any local tax or exemption. The seller normally pays this base tax, but the sale agreement can provide otherwise. Local transfer taxes may add to it. A separate 1% mansion tax applies to residential sales of $1 million or more and is normally paid by the buyer. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. The seller’s mortgage, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate.
How will I review the settlement figures?
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.
Ready to talk through your Rochester house?
Call 888-274-5006 or start with the address and what you know in the form above. Questions before every property detail is settled are welcome.