How selling to us works in Coram
- 1
Tell us where it is
Just the address in 11727 and roughly what shape it is in. It takes a couple of minutes. Leave the house exactly as it is; we do not need it tidied, photographed or fixed.
- 2
One short visit
One of us comes by once, usually for less than half an hour. On a hi-ranch or ranch like most of Coram, what we look at closely is the roof, the boiler and the wiring, not the finishes.
- 3
You get a number in writing
Within 24 hours, as a written figure rather than a range or a "starting around". Take it to a Suffolk County agent for a second opinion if you want to. On a house already in showable condition, listing may well beat us, and we would rather you knew that.
- 4
The date is up to you
Close quickly, or set a date months ahead to fit probate, a tenant or your own move. Either way there is no 83 to 98 days of a Coram listing looking for a buyer and waiting on a mortgage approval.
What does not happen
The list of things that do not occur is shorter than the process itself, and it is where most of the difference sits. No appraisal, because there is no lender to satisfy. No inspection contingency, so nothing found later becomes a reason to reopen the price. No financing contingency, which is the clause that kills the largest share of ordinary sales. No showings, no staging, no open houses.
You also do not clean, clear, repair or empty anything. Furniture stays if you want it to, the basement stays as it is, and the contents of the attic are not your problem to solve before closing.
Where your attorney comes in
In New York both sides instruct an attorney, and you should use your own rather than anybody we suggest. Yours reviews the contract before you sign it, holds the deposit in escrow, runs the title search and represents you at closing.
That is the single strongest protection you have in any sale, to us or to anyone. If you do not have an attorney we will give you names, and you should treat those as a starting point for your own search rather than a recommendation to follow. Anybody in this business who suggests you do not need one, or who wants to supply yours, has told you something important about themselves.
Choosing the closing date
The date is yours and it goes in the contract. Some sellers want the shortest possible timeline because the house is costing them money every month. Others need to wait on probate, on a tenant, or on somewhere to move to, and that is equally workable.
This is the part that differs most from a listed sale. On the open market the timing is not really yours: the Coram median is 38 days to find a buyer, then another 45 to 60 days waiting on that buyer's lender, and any of it can slip. Here the date is a term of the contract rather than an estimate.
When we tell you to list instead
It happens on a meaningful share of the calls we take, and it is worth explaining why rather than presenting it as generosity. A house in showable condition that a bank will lend against belongs on the open market, because competition between financed buyers produces a higher number than any single cash buyer will pay. That is simply how the arithmetic works.
Our number makes sense in the other situation: when the house will not finance, when the repairs cost more than you can recover, or when the timing or the circumstances mean a months-long retail sale is not something you can carry. We will tell you which of those two your Coram house is, and you are free to take that opinion to an agent and check it.
Common questions
Is the offer binding on me?
No. A written offer is ours to honor and yours to ignore. Nothing is committed until a contract is signed by both sides and reviewed by your attorney.
Do I need an attorney?
In New York, yes, both sides use one. Use your own. If you do not have one we can suggest names, but we are not going to steer you to somebody who works for us.
What if I get a better offer elsewhere?
Take it. We would rather lose a house to a better number than have someone feel cornered into ours.
Will you renegotiate after we agree?
No. The number in the written offer is the number at closing. If we open a wall and find something, that is our problem, not a reason to come back to you.
Do you charge anything?
Nothing. No commission, no fee for the visit, no fee for the offer, and we can cover seller closing costs.
How long does the whole thing take in Coram?
As long or as short as you want, within reason. We can move quickly because there is no lender setting the pace, and we can also wait months while you sort out probate, a tenant, or somewhere to move to. The date goes in the contract and we work to it.
Who else will come to the house?
One person, once, usually for under half an hour. No appraiser, no inspector, no photographer, and no stream of strangers at weekends.