Frequently Asked Questions
Are you a real estate broker or agent?
Nope - we are a private purchasing company. That's why we can do fast evaluations, offers and closings. No red tape - no delays on our side. We just want to buy your house directly.
Why should I sell to you instead of listing?
The traditional sales cycle is slow and there is lots of red tape. We move fast, create a pleasant selling experience and get you paid quickly. We can save you lots of money on commissions and fees. We have decades of experience and leverage that into an industry leading selling platform. This isn't for everyone - sometimes it might make sense to list, especially if you have a traditional home that is fully updated and in a good neighborhood and you want to ensure you get top dollar (and have time to wait). Most people don't meet all those conditions when traditional listings make sense.
What are your fees? What do you charge?
We don't charge anything. We aren't brokers or agents - we purchase your house directly from you in a private transaction. The agreed upon price is the agreed upon price. In DC you will pay transfer taxes between of about 1.5% and other customary closing costs of a seller but thats it.
What do you do with my property?
It depends. Most houses we buy need work. We have a development company and often fix up homes (much much more cheaply than you can - even if you do it yourself sometimes) and then sell later. Sometimes we evaluate the market to see if holding makes sense. Sometimes we rent. It really all depends on the specific property.
I am in pre-foreclosure. Can you help?
Yes - contact us right away and we can evaluate to see if we can buy directly from you. It depends on if you are underwater and what the deal looks like, but we often buy houses so sellers can get out of the foreclosure process. Many times they actually get payment on top of the lender being paid off if you have been in your long enough and paid down your mortgage. We need to work quickly to help ensure that your house doesn't go into full foreclosure. Due to recent legislation, if you reside in Maryland and are within a certain period of time before your foreclosure sale date, certain procedures must be followed to fully comply with the law. So, we may have to introduce you to a consultant who must explain to you all of your options involved in selling your home. We help save you avoid foreclosure, save your credit, and allow you to sell your house quickly and for a reasonable price.
I'm in foreclosure. Can you help?
Yes, if you contact us right away, we may be able to help. Every bank is different but if you aren't too far behind, we can help you catch up your back payments, halt the foreclosure process and then purchase your home. Don't delay though - the longer you wait the hard it is, so contact us now. We can help save your credit and get out of the mortgage. If you live in Maryland, certain requirements apply so contact us today to find out how we can help.
What information do I need when I contact you?
Mostly the basics - address, condition, size, improvements, etc. as well as any mortgages/debt on the property. We will then pull public property records and search for liens. We may have follow up questions and will certainly probably need to talk at least once during the process. A visit is usually needed once as well - all when convenient for you.
Does contacting you lock me in to using you? Does filling out your form create an obligation?
Calling us, emailing us and filling out our form just starts the process - there is no obligation on your part and you are in complete control until you sign closing papers. Of course you are always bound by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy though when you visit our site - but that does not require you to sell to us of course!
Who usually sells to you?
All sorts of people and companies - usually those who value QUICK turnaround, AS-IS sales, great customer service, prompt payment and a buyer with experience and knowledge of the process - namely us!
But we find these are the people we generally deal with the most:
- People who weren't able to keep up their home and its in rough condition.
- People who don't want to pay closing costs and real estate commissions.
- People with little to no equity.
- People who need cash quickly.
- Estate executors and those who lost a loved one who owned a home.
- People who can't sell an old home after buying a new one.
- Real estate investors trying to sell certain properties or get out of the business.
- People who have had poor experiences with real estate agents or traditional closings.
- People recently divorced that need to divide marital assets.
- People relocating quickly for jobs (including when employers pay portions of relocation fees).
- People who want to avoid pay a commission.
- People who are behind on payments or facing foreclosure.
- People who own empty lots or underutilized property.
Pretty much anyone though - contact us to learn more.
What if I have a mortgage? What happens to my mortgage when you buy my house?
We pay off your mortgage at closing as part of the sales process. So at closing, your mortgage is fully paid. As part of any closing process, a title company must confirm all liens/mortgages are released in order to have a clear title and an effective sale. Even if you are late on your mortgage payments, we still can buy your house.
What exactly do you do?
We offer a FAST home buying process that pays you CASH for AS-IS sales. What this means is that we save months of time when trying to sell, countless hours of personal time, pay you cash quickly at closing and let you sell your house to us without doing anything to "make it pretty" for selling or without having to certify anything to us in the sales documents. Its really the simplest way to sell your house - and we have the best customer service team around - so you will be taken care of through the process.
What is a Closing?
A closing is when the sales process actually concludes and you get paid (or your mortgage gets paid off). At closing, you and Congressional Home Buyers go to the title company and execute the necessary paperwork.
What happens at Closing?
At a closing, you sign documents, the title company ensures there is a valid title (ownership information related to the property) and there are no further liens or mortgages (other who have a right to the property) and then you get paid (or your mortgage gets paid off).
How do you determine the offer price? How do you calculate what the proposed sale price is?
We always try to offer a fair and reasonable price that makes sense to you the seller and to us. We evaluate many factors - there is not a general rule. We take into account the market, exit opportunities, condition of the property, location/neighborhood, trends and data and many other things. If your property is in great condition, in a great area, you have significant equity and you can wait - a traditional sales process might be best.
How long does the process take?
We respond to your submission within an hour during normal business hours. The whole process can be completed in 5-10 days unless there are unexpected title or closing issues. We are never the delay!
Why are you better than the other companies out there?
We have lots of experience, provide unparalleled customer service and focus on what is most important to seller's throughout the process. Having gone through the process many times - we know what seller's want and how to deliver it. See why we are the best private home buyer in Washington DC and how we compare against private home buyers in DC. When you deal with Congressional Home Buyers - you aren't dealing with a fly by night or home buying specific company - we have large diversified real estate operations - from large scale lending to property development. We bring everything needed to this process to create a best in class experience.
Do You Always Give Offers?
No - per our Terms of Use - we are not obligated to provide an offer to everyone who submits information. Generally we do but we know there are times when it doesn't make sense and thus we feel its in everyone's best interest for there not to be an offer made.
What kind of houses do you buy?
We buy houses and property in Metro DC (see counties below), in any condition and in any price range. We buy single family houses, townhouses, condos, multi-family properties and multi-tenant complexes. We even buy raw land or commercial properties.
What properties do you prefer?
We buy all types of properties - we create win-wins out of almost anything. Our preferred properties are those that need work, are townhouses or detached and are located in DC in trending areas (Columbia Heights, H St., Trinidad, Upper U, Eckington, etc.). We also love multi-tenant - whether duplexes, boutique condos or big box apartments - with upside (poor condition, etc.). In those preferred scenarios, we often pay HIGHER than market.
What do you mean by "as-is" or in "any condition"? What if my house needs extensive repairs?
We will buy your house as-is, no conditions or requirements. You don't need to do any repairs. Whether your house needs minor repairs or is a tear down, we’ll buy it.
Do you buy multi-tenant and apartment buildings?
Yes - we buy small boutique condo townhouses as well as large apartment buildings.
Where will you buy properties?
We buy all over Metro DC. We focus on DC and inner ring suburbs (Fairfax, Montgomery and Prince Georges). In DC we buy all over but prefer trending areas - Columbia Heights, Howard/LeDroit, Eckington, H St., Trinidad, 16th St Height - and many others . But we do deals in Arlington, Alexandria, McLean, Tysons, Vienna, Fairfax City, Reston, Great Falls, Bethesda, Silver Spring, Potomac, Chevy Chase, Rockville and many others.
Do you buy land?
Yes - we buy small infill lots as well as large tracts of land.
Do you buy commercial property?
Yes - we have decades of experience in purchasing and developing commercial property. Contct us about any commercial property you may have.
Do you buy condemned properties?
Yes - even if the property is condemned, uninhabitable or has occupancy or zoning violations - we buy it. In fact, we prefer these types of properties.
Do you buy high-end properties?
Yes - we buy high end single family homes as well as multi-tenant and commercial.
Why should I sell to you instead of listing?
The traditional sales cycle is slow and there is lots of red tape. We move fast, create a pleasant selling experience and get you paid quickly. We can save you lots of money on commissions and fees. We have decades of experience and leverage that into an industry leading selling platform. This isn't for everyone - sometimes it might make sense to list, especially if you have a traditional home that is fully updated and in a good neighborhood and you want to ensure you get top dollar (and have time to wait). Most people don't meet all those conditions when traditional listings make sense.
How much experience do you have?
Between Congressional Home Buyers and our affiliates Congressional Capital and Congressional Properties - our owners have over 50 years of combined experience across all types of real estate matters.
Can I meet you?
Of course, we welcome meetings. It probably makes sense to meet at the property you intend to sell but contact us and we can figure out a time to talk.