How do cash buyers calculate their offer on a house?

A legitimate cash offer has three parts: what the property would sell for renovated (built from actual closed sales of comparable homes nearby), minus what it costs to get it there (repairs, renovation, carrying costs during the work), minus the buyer’s margin for taking on the risk.

The number you should be suspicious of is the one nobody will explain. A buyer who quotes a price over the phone without seeing the property is guessing high to win the appointment — and that number tends to shrink after “inspection.” A buyer who shows you the comparable sales and the repair math is giving you something you can verify.

At Oliver, the written offer comes with the comparables attached. If you have a contractor’s quote suggesting our repair estimate is too high, show us — real information moves the number.