Every QuestionSellers Ask Us.
These are real questions from real calls, answered the way we answer them on the phone. We add to this page as new ones come in. If yours is not here, call or text and ask it.

How To Use This Page
Read the ones that match your situation. Then call and ask the one that is not here.
Every answer below is written to the situation — an inherited house, a rental you are done with, land you pay taxes on — not to who you are. The rules we work under are the same for everyone: no fees, no repairs, a written offer, a closing date you choose. Where Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania differ, the answer says so.
If you want the whole process in one place first, read how our cash offer works. If you want the local version, go to Pinellas County, New Jersey or eastern Pennsylvania.
We Actually Buy
A local buying company — not a lead reseller, not a franchise call center.
- Our own money, our own crews. 7+ years and 40+ houses and lots bought with our own funds — then renovated by our own construction team.
- A real number, in writing. We price off actual local sales and bring a written offer, usually within a day of seeing the property.
- Land too. Vacant lots, acreage, and houses with extra land are our specialty — most buyers won't touch them; we build on them.
- Local and reachable. Tampa headquarters, a real phone line, and a team that answers it.
Prefer the phone? (727) 613-0241
The Answers
Grouped the way people ask them: money, timing, condition, paperwork, land.
Are there really no fees?
None. We are the buyer, not an agent. There is no commission, and we pay the closing, title, escrow and recording costs on both sides. The offer we write is the number you walk away with, minus only whatever you still owe on the property.
Is a cash offer below what an agent could get me?
Usually, yes, and we say so. A cash offer is below what a fully renovated version of your property would sell for on the open market, because we are the ones doing the renovating. What matters is the comparison: our number, on your date, with nothing out of pocket, against a listing minus commission, repairs, carrying costs and months of showings. We will help you run that comparison honestly, even if it means you list.
Do you publish your prices or a percentage you pay?
No, because every property is different and any number we put online would be wrong for yours. On the phone, on your property, we show you all three inputs: what it sells for fixed, what the work costs, and what it costs to hold and sell. The offer comes from those.
How fast can you close?
About two weeks when title is clean. Fast is your option, not a requirement — many owners choose a date months out so they can move on their own schedule. New Jersey closings run through an attorney and take a little longer to set up.
Can I stay in the house for a while after closing?
Often, yes. If you need time between closing and moving, tell us on the first call and we will build it into the agreement in writing.
What condition does the property need to be in?
Any. Leave the furniture, leave the repairs, leave the clutter. Storm damage, a gutted interior, an unfinished renovation, code violations, open permits — our problem after closing, not yours.
Do I have to clean out the house?
No. Take what you want. Everything else stays and we deal with it.
Do you buy houses with tenants in them?
Yes, with the tenant in place. You do not have to serve notice, wait out a lease or deal with a difficult tenant before selling.
The house is in probate. Can we still start?
Yes. We work with the executor, administrator or personal representative and the estate attorney, and close when the court allows. Florida and New Jersey estates each have their own paperwork; our title company handles both every week.
There are several heirs. Do all of us have to agree?
Everyone with an ownership interest has to sign, yes. We are used to families in three states and one sibling who is hard to reach. Send us who is on title and we will map out who signs what.
I owe more than I think it is worth. Can you still buy it?
We will run the numbers with you honestly. Sometimes a sale works, sometimes it does not, and we will tell you which before you spend any time on it. What we will never do is charge you a fee, ask you to sign anything you do not understand, or promise an outcome we cannot deliver.
I am behind on property taxes. Does that stop a sale?
No. Back taxes are paid from the proceeds at closing, like a mortgage payoff. The title company handles it. You will know the exact amount before you sign anything.
There is a lien on the property. What happens to it?
Liens get paid off at closing out of the sale price, or resolved before closing if they are disputed. Our title company finds every lien on record and tells you the payoff figure. No surprises at the table.
Do you buy vacant land and lots?
Yes, and it is a specialty. A buildable lot in St. Petersburg, an acre in Pasco, an infill lot in a New Jersey town, acreage in Monroe County. Most cash buyers will not touch land. We build on it, so we price it for what it can become.
I do not have a street address for my land, just a parcel number. Is that enough?
Yes. The parcel number from the county is all we need to find it, pull the zoning, check the flood map and see what has sold nearby.
Do you buy mobile or manufactured homes?
Yes, when the home sits on land you own. The land is what matters to us; the home does not have to be in any particular condition.
Do you buy houses with underground oil tanks?
Yes. In New Jersey and Pennsylvania an old tank scares away buyers who need a mortgage. It does not scare us. Tell us what you know about it and we price from there.
My town requires a certificate of occupancy to sell and the house will not pass. Now what?
We buy it as-is and take the town's list ourselves after closing. You do not do the repairs.
Are you going to sell my contract to another investor?
No. House Hack is the buyer on the agreement and the buyer at closing, and our own crews do the work afterward. We do not sell our contracts to other investors, in Pennsylvania or anywhere else.
Who is House Hack, actually?
A real estate acquisitions company with its own money and its own construction crews, buying in Pinellas County and the rest of Tampa Bay, New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. Offices in Tampa and northern New Jersey. Jay Henriquez, our Acquisitions Supervisor, or a member of his team is who you will talk to.
What happens after I accept the offer?
You sign the purchase agreement. It goes to a licensed title company, which runs title and finds anything attached to the property — an old mortgage, a judgment, back taxes, an heir who never signed off. We do one walkthrough. The title company clears the payoffs, sets the closing on your date, and you are wired the proceeds when you sign. Whatever you left in the house is ours from then on.
What if I change my mind before closing?
Until you sign the purchase agreement, nothing binds you. After you sign, the agreement spells out the terms for both sides, in plain language, and you can have your attorney read it before you do.
Do you buy houses that need to be torn down?
Yes. In Pinellas especially, a house on a good lot is often worth more as a lot than as a house. We price both ways and tell you which one wins.
Can I get an offer without anyone coming to the house?
You can get a written offer from the county records, photos and a phone call. We do one walkthrough before closing to confirm the property is what we discussed — that is the only visit.
Do you buy condos?
Yes. A condo in St. Petersburg, Clearwater or anywhere in Pinellas is a normal purchase for us. We read the association documents and check the reserves and any pending assessments before we make a number, so there are no surprises for either side at closing.
Do you buy houses on the Pinellas beaches that still have storm damage from 2024?
Yes. Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, St. Pete Beach, Indian Rocks — we buy houses with open storm damage, open permits and open code cases as they stand. The case is resolved after closing, by us, and our number accounts for it.
Can you buy my house if I live out of state?
Yes. Most of our sellers are not local. The title company handles signing by mail or with a mobile notary near you, and you never have to travel to the property or the closing.
Will I talk to a real person, or is this all automated?
A real person. You might get a quick call or text first to confirm we have the right property and a good time to talk, but the offer itself comes from a person who has actually looked at your house and your situation. If you ever want to skip straight to a human, call the number on our contact page and ask — that is exactly how it is supposed to work.
I got a call but I never filled anything out. How do I get off your list?
We are sorry for the interruption — just tell us and we will stop. Reply STOP to any text, or ask the person on the phone to remove your number and address, and we take you off the list that day. We only want to talk to owners who want to sell, so being removed is easy and it sticks.
I still owe a normal mortgage on the house. Can you still buy it?
Yes. Most houses we buy still have a mortgage on them. At closing, the title company pays off what you owe from the sale proceeds and you keep the rest — that is how almost every home sale works. You do not need the loan paid off before you talk to us.
I'm relocating and need the sale to line up with my move. Can you work around my dates?
Yes. Tell us when you need to be out and we build the closing around that — sooner if a job or family move is pushing you, or later if you need time to pack and get to the new place. You pick the date; we hold to it.
The property is a condo I rent out and my tenant still has a lease. Does that hold up a sale?
No. We buy condos with tenants in place and take the lease as it stands, so you do not have to end it or move anyone out. The condo association rules are part of what we check before closing, and we handle that on our side.
I filled out the form just to see — I am not sure I want to sell yet. What happens now?
Nothing you do not ask for. You can talk it through with a real person, get your questions answered, and decide on your own timeline. If it is not the right time, that is a fine answer and we leave it there.
How does your offer compare to the Zillow or Propstream estimate I am looking at?
Those online numbers are computer estimates built from public records and past sales, and they do not walk through your house or account for what it actually needs. Our number is worked out on the one property, after we have looked at it, based on its condition, its title, and what it takes to get it ready. So the two often will not match. We are always happy to walk you through how we reached ours on a call: (656) 207-2931 or the form at househack.llc/cash-offer/.
Should I fix the house up first, or sell it as-is to you?
You do not have to fix anything. We buy as-is, which means the repairs, the cleanout, and the contractor headaches are ours to handle after closing, not yours to fund and manage first. Fixing a house up before selling costs money and time up front and does not always come back to you, so plenty of owners would rather hand it over the way it sits. Tell us the address and we will talk through both paths honestly: (656) 207-2931 or househack.llc/cash-offer/.
I am in bankruptcy and the sale needs court approval. Will you wait for it?
Yes. When an owner is in bankruptcy, the sale usually has to be approved by the court or the trustee before it can close, and that can take several weeks. We sign the purchase agreement, your bankruptcy attorney asks for the approval, and our title company sets the closing once the court signs off. We do not rush that step or try to work around it.
My house is already listed with an agent. Can you still make an offer?
Yes. We can put a written offer in, and while the listing is active it goes through your listing agent like any other offer. Your listing agreement still applies, so ask your agent how it handles a direct buyer before you decide anything. If the listing has ended or you take the house off the market, we deal with you directly.
I own two properties. Will you buy them together?
Yes, we can look at both at the same time. Tell us both addresses and we look at each one on its own, then give you an offer on each or one offer for the pair, whichever you prefer. They can close on the same day or on different dates if that works better for you.
Rather Just Talk To A Person?
Call or text — a real local team member answers, not a phone tree. No obligation, no pressure, and if our number doesn't work for you, we part as friends.
(727) 613-0241 Mon–Sat · Calls & texts answered fast