Short answer
An agent lists your house to the open market and usually nets the highest price on a move-in-ready home, but takes longer and costs commission. An iBuyer is a company that uses technology to make quick offers. A local cash buyer buys as-is. Each trades price, speed and certainty differently.
Listing with an agent
An agent prices the house, markets it and negotiates with buyers who usually use mortgages. For a house in good condition in a strong location, this route often produces the highest sale price. You pay a commission, you may need to make repairs or concessions after inspection, and the sale depends on a buyer's lender approving the loan.
Time is the cost. You have to prepare the house, keep it show-ready, wait for offers and then wait through the buyer's inspection, appraisal and loan process.
iBuyers
The FTC describes iBuyers as companies that use technology to make quick offers on homes. They usually have a set process and criteria for which homes qualify. Offers typically come from a pricing model, and sellers may be asked to cover repair costs after an inspection.
The FTC has taken action against one iBuyer over claims about its pricing and fees, alleging its offers were below market value and that repair charges to sellers were higher than typical. That is one company, not all of them, but it is a reason to read the final net sheet and not just the first number.
Local cash buyers
A local cash buyer, like Kaizen Home Buyers, is usually an investor or small company that buys houses as-is with its own funds. There is no lender, so there is no financing contingency. The seller does not make repairs and does not pay an agent commission. Kaizen gives a cash offer within 24 hours and typically closes in 14 to 30 days, or on your date.
The price is lower than a polished retail sale because the buyer takes on repairs, holding time and resale risk. How much lower varies by buyer and by house.
How to choose
Start with the condition of the house and how soon you need to move. A clean, updated house with time to spare points toward an agent. A house with deferred repairs, a tenant, a probate or divorce deadline, or a closing date you cannot miss points toward a cash buyer. An iBuyer fits a narrow set of homes that meet its criteria.
Whatever you pick, compare net proceeds, not asking prices. Subtract commission, repairs, closing costs, carrying costs and the time value of waiting. Get offers in writing. You can reach Kaizen at 267-329-0084, and you are free to compare it with an agent's pricing opinion before deciding.
Questions that settle it
Ask yourself three things. Can I wait for a financed buyer and survive a deal that falls through? Am I willing and able to pay for repairs and showing prep? Do I need to be out by a specific date? If the answer to the first two is yes and the third is no, an agent is usually the better first call. If the answers flip, a cash buyer deserves a look.
A useful test is to ask each option for a written net-proceeds estimate. Seeing three numbers side by side, with fees and repair assumptions listed, turns a gut feeling into a decision.