Client objective
What needed to happen
The seller wanted a relatively quick sale and had already explored an investor purchase. The investor offered $220,000, which was expected to leave the seller with approximately $210,000 after costs. Before accepting, the seller wanted to understand whether a traditional market sale could produce a meaningfully stronger result.
The challenge
What made it complex
The cash offer promised speed and convenience without preparing or publicly listing the duplex. Choosing the open market required additional preparation, showings, buyer evaluation, and a longer timeline. Because one side of the duplex also had occupancy needs, the contract needed to balance the seller’s financial goal with clearly defined possession terms.
The strategy
The plan and execution
- Compared the investor offer with a realistic open-market scenario so the seller could evaluate convenience, timing, preparation, and potential net proceeds—not simply the headline offer price.
- Positioned the all-brick, two-unit property for both investors and owner-occupants, supported by clear details about its configuration and documented improvements.
- Created broad market exposure that generated more than 20 showings and multiple offers.
- Evaluated the offers for both financial strength and contract terms, then documented the required post-closing occupancy arrangement in the accepted agreement.
Verifiable result
What the strategy produced
- ✓ Sold for $280,000
- ✓ Approximately $60,000 more in the seller’s pocket than the investor option
- ✓ More than 20 showings and multiple offers
- ✓ Closed approximately 30 days after listing
- ✓ Accepted contract included clearly defined occupancy terms
The takeaway
Why this result matters
A fast cash offer can be the right answer when certainty and convenience matter most—but it should be compared with the likely open-market outcome. Here, a little additional preparation and roughly two extra weeks of the seller’s time created an approximately $60,000 stronger net result.