Realtors: How to Sell Your Fixer Listings Faster and for More Money
The Fixer Listing Problem Every Realtor Knows
If you've been a Realtor in the Bay Area for any length of time, you've had that listing — the one that needs a new roof, a full kitchen remodel, and maybe some foundation work. Traditional buyers can't get financing for it. The few cash buyers who show interest make offers so low your seller is insulted. It sits on the MLS for 60, 90, even 120 days while your seller grows increasingly frustrated. You've done everything right — priced it competitively, marketed it aggressively, held open houses — but the property's condition is working against you. Sound familiar?
Why Traditional Channels Struggle with Fixers
The traditional real estate model is built for move-in-ready homes. Buyers get pre-approved for mortgages, tour homes that are staged and polished, and make offers contingent on inspections and appraisals. Fixers break this model at every step. Most lenders won't finance a property that needs significant work. FHA and VA loans have strict property condition requirements. Even conventional lenders balk at properties with major issues. This leaves you with a small pool of cash buyers — and when there's only one or two interested parties, they have all the leverage. They know your seller is running out of options, and they price their offers accordingly.
The Competing Investor Model: A Game-Changer for Realtors
HouseFlipDude operates differently from any single cash buyer or wholesaler. We maintain a network of vetted, funded investors who specialize in buying Bay Area fixers. When you bring us a property, we don't make one offer — we present the property to our entire investor network and let them compete against each other. This competition is the key. When investors know they're bidding against other investors, they can't lowball. They have to put their best offer forward or risk losing the deal. The result is consistently higher prices for your seller — and a closed deal for you.
Model 1: You Have the Fixer Listing
If you have a fixer listing that's struggling on the MLS — or you've just taken one and want to explore all options — here's how the partnership works. You send us the property details and your listing information. We present the property to our network of competing investors. Within 48 hours, you receive multiple cash offers. Your seller picks the best one, and the deal closes in as little as 7 days. Your listing agreement stays intact. Your commission is fully protected. You're not giving up anything — you're adding a powerful tool to your arsenal for selling tough properties.
Model 2: You Know of a Fixer (But It's Not Your Listing)
Maybe you've driven past a property that clearly needs work. Maybe a friend or neighbor has mentioned they need to sell a house that's in rough shape. Maybe you've gotten a lead you can't take on because the property needs too much work for your typical buyer pool. In any of these situations, you can refer the property to HouseFlipDude and earn a referral commission. You don't need a listing agreement. Just make the introduction — tell us about the property and the homeowner (with their permission) — and we take it from there. If one of our investors purchases the property, you receive a referral commission paid by the investor at closing. It's a way to monetize your network and local knowledge without taking on a full listing.
We're Not Wholesalers — And That Matters
You may have had bad experiences with wholesalers who approach your clients behind your back, try to tie up properties with no intention of closing, or operate without a license. We're the opposite. HouseFlipDude is a licensed California Real Estate Broker (DRE# 01205925). We don't assign contracts. We don't use double escrows. We don't operate in the shadows. Our model is transparent: multiple real investors compete, the homeowner (and their Realtor) see all the offers, and the best one wins. Your commission is always protected, and we work with you — never around you.
What Types of Properties Work Best
Our investor network specializes in properties that are difficult to sell through traditional channels. This includes homes needing major renovations, properties with foundation or structural issues, fire-damaged homes, hoarder houses, properties with code violations, inherited or probate properties, homes in pre-foreclosure, tenant-occupied properties, and any home that's been sitting on the MLS too long. If the property is in the greater Bay Area and needs work, our investors are interested.
Your Commission Is Always Protected
Let's be clear about the economics. If you have the listing, your listing commission is fully honored — just as it would be with any other buyer. The investor who purchases the property pays your commission per your listing agreement. For referrals, you earn a commission paid by the purchasing investor at closing. We agree on terms upfront before anything moves forward, so there are no surprises. This isn't about taking money out of your pocket — it's about putting more in it by helping you close deals that would otherwise fall through or sit indefinitely.
A Real Example
A Realtor in Contra Costa County had a 3-bedroom ranch from 1962 that needed everything — kitchen, roof, foundation work. After 60 days on the MLS, the best offer was from a single investor at a price the seller found unacceptable. The Realtor reached out to HouseFlipDude. Within 48 hours, five investors submitted competing offers. The highest came in $45,000 above the best MLS offer. The property closed in 14 days, all cash, no contingencies. The seller was thrilled. The Realtor earned their full commission. And it happened because competition works.
How to Get Started
If you have a fixer listing or know of a property that could benefit from competing investor offers, reaching out is easy. Call us directly at (415) 686-2846 — you'll speak with a licensed broker, not a call center. Or email property details to [email protected]. You can also submit the property through the form on our website. We'll review the details, present it to our investor network, and have competing offers back to you within 48 hours. No obligation, no pressure, and no risk to your client relationship. Just a better way to sell fixers.
Ready to Get Competing Offers?
Submit your property info and let investors compete for your house.