A cash offer on a Miami house is typically below retail list price — often around 70–85% of after-repair value — but you skip repairs, agent commissions, months of holding costs, and the risk of a deal falling through. Listing can fetch a higher headline price, yet the net difference is often smaller than it looks. Here is the real math.
Sell To Bobby is a Miami-based cash home buying company led by Bobby Suarez, serving Miami-Dade and Broward County. We buy houses in any condition and any situation — inherited, in foreclosure, or simply in need of repairs — with a fair cash offer in 24 hours and no fees or commissions.
The Honest Comparison
The list price is not what you keep. To compare fairly, you have to net out everything that comes off the top of a traditional sale — and account for the time and uncertainty. Here is how the two paths stack up for a typical Miami home.
| Factor | Cash Offer (Sell To Bobby) | Listing With an Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Time to close | Often days; offer in 24 hours | Typically 30–90+ days, plus listing prep |
| Repairs & prep | None — sold as-is | Often thousands in repairs, cleaning, staging |
| Agent commissions | $0 | Commonly ~5–6% of sale price |
| Closing costs / fees | No seller fees | Seller closing costs typical |
| Holding costs while selling | Essentially none | Mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities for months |
| Showings & disruption | None | Ongoing showings and open houses |
| Certainty of closing | High — no financing contingency | Lower — buyer financing can fall through |
| Headline sale price | Below retail (speed/certainty trade) | Potentially full market value |
Working the Numbers: An Illustrative Example
Numbers make it concrete. Imagine a Miami home that could list for $400,000 in good condition but needs about $30,000 in repairs to get there. The figures below are illustrative ranges, not a quote — your actual numbers depend on the property.
| Line item | Listing With an Agent | Cash Offer |
|---|---|---|
| Sale / offer price | $400,000 | ~$300,000 (itemized) |
| Repairs & prep | –$30,000 | $0 |
| Agent commissions (~5.5%) | –$22,000 | $0 |
| Seller closing costs (~1.5%) | –$6,000 | $0 |
| Holding costs (~3 months) | –$6,000 | $0 |
| Approximate net to seller | ~$336,000 | ~$300,000 |
| Time to cash in hand | 3–5 months (if it closes) | Days |
In this example, the listing nets roughly $36,000 more on paper — if everything goes smoothly, the buyer’s financing holds, and the timeline cooperates. The cash offer trades that gap for speed, zero out-of-pocket cost, and near-certainty. Whether that trade is worth it depends entirely on your situation.
The Costs People Forget to Count
The commission is the number everyone remembers, but it is rarely the largest hidden cost of a traditional sale. A fair comparison has to include the expenses that quietly erode your net while the home sits on the market.
- Holding costs. Every month the home is unsold, you keep paying the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, HOA dues, and utilities. In Miami, insurance alone can be significant.
- Repairs and pre-listing prep. Buyers and their inspectors expect move-in-ready. Roof, plumbing, cosmetic updates, cleaning, and staging can run into the thousands before the first showing.
- Concessions and inspection credits. Even after listing high, buyers frequently negotiate credits for repairs found during inspection — money that comes straight off your net.
- The risk of a failed deal. If a buyer’s financing falls through, you are back on the market weeks later, having paid more holding costs and possibly lost your next purchase.
None of these apply to a cash sale. There is no repair list, no inspection-credit negotiation, no financing contingency, and no months of carrying costs. That certainty has real dollar value, even though it never shows up on a listing sheet.
When a Cash Offer Makes the Most Sense
We will be straight with you: if your home is in great shape, you have time, and you can absorb the ups and downs of the market, listing may net you more. A cash sale is not the right answer for everyone. It shines when:
- The home needs significant repairs you cannot or do not want to fund.
- You are facing a deadline — foreclosure, a job relocation, or a probate estate to settle.
- You value certainty and a firm closing date over chasing the highest possible price.
- You would rather avoid months of showings, negotiations, and disruption.
Our cash offers typically land around 70–85% of after-repair value — that is an industry-typical range, framed honestly as below full retail. We never claim to pay full market value; the value we offer is speed and certainty. And every offer is itemized, so you can see exactly how repairs, market value, and costs shaped the number. Compare us against other we buy houses in Miami options — we welcome it.
Get Your No-Obligation Cash Offer
See what your Miami house is worth to us — no repairs, no fees, no obligation. Sell To Bobby makes a fair cash offer in 24 hours.
Get Your No-Obligation Cash Offer or call (305) 614-3115
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The Bottom Line
There is no universally better choice — only the one that fits your priorities. Run the full math, not just the headline price: subtract repairs, commissions, fees, and holding costs, then weigh what speed and certainty are worth to you. If you want a no-obligation cash number to plug into your own comparison, we will give you an itemized offer in 24 hours. See what past sellers say in our 4.9-star seller reviews, and meet the founder on Bobby Suarez’s page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a cash buyer pay full market value for a Miami house?
No — and any buyer claiming to is not being honest. Cash offers are typically below retail, often around 70–85% of after-repair value. What you get in return is speed, certainty, no repairs, and no fees. Sell To Bobby itemizes every offer so the trade is clear.
Is it cheaper to sell to a cash buyer or list with an agent?
It depends. Listing may net a higher headline price but costs you repairs, ~5–6% commission, closing costs, and months of holding costs. A cash sale skips all of those. The net gap is often smaller than the sticker prices suggest.
How much do I lose to commissions and fees when listing?
On a traditional Miami sale, expect roughly 5–6% in agent commissions plus seller closing costs, often 6–8% of the sale price combined — before any repairs or holding costs. A cash sale to Sell To Bobby has no commissions and no seller fees.
How is Sell To Bobby’s cash offer calculated?
We start from the home’s after-repair value, subtract estimated repairs and our costs, and arrive at a fair cash figure — typically around 70–85% of ARV. Every offer is itemized so you can see each component rather than a single take-it-or-leave-it number.
How long does each option take in Miami?
A traditional listing commonly takes 30–90 days or more once you add prep and closing, and it can fall through if buyer financing fails. A Sell To Bobby cash sale delivers an offer in 24 hours and can close in days.
When does a cash offer make more sense than listing?
A cash offer usually wins when the home needs major repairs, you are on a deadline like foreclosure or probate, or you value a guaranteed closing over the highest possible price. If the home is move-in ready and you have time, listing may net more.
