Hey there, it’s Carl from NOLA Buys Houses. For more than 20 years, I’ve been helping homeowners all over New Orleans sell their houses—sometimes by stepping in as a cash buyer, and sometimes just by giving honest advice about whether a realtor might be the better option.
I can tell you this: there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Whether you should sell to a cash buyer or go the traditional realtor route depends on your situation, your timeline, and your goals.
In this article, I’ll break down the differences, the pros and cons, and give you some real-life examples so you can figure out what’s right for you.
What Realtors Do
Realtors are licensed professionals who list your home on the open market (MLS) and help you find a buyer. Here’s what that usually looks like:
· They’ll recommend repairs, cleaning, or staging to get your home “market ready.”
· They hire a photographer, put the property online, and schedule showings.
· They help negotiate with potential buyers and their agents.
· They guide you through inspections, appraisals, and the loan approval process.
If your house is in great shape and you’ve got time to wait, a realtor can often get you top dollar.
But here’s the catch: realtors don’t work for free. Standard commission is 5–6% of your sales price, plus you may need to spend thousands on repairs or updates just to get buyers interested. even then, the whole process can take months at minimum. Plus in today’s market, with the market being slow, many times buyers are asking for concessions in the form of closing costs assistance etc. Oftentimes they are getting it because there are many more sellers than there are buyers right now, so the buyers have the upper hand in the negotiations, and that’s more money out of your pocket, right?
What Cash Buyers Do
Cash buyers (like me) skip all that. We buy houses as-is—no repairs, no cleaning, no staging, no showings. Here’s how it works with NOLA Buys Houses:
1. You call me or fill out the form on nolabuyshouses.com.
2. I take a look at the house (in person or through photos).
3. I give you a fair cash offer within 24 hours.
4. If you accept, we close on your timeline—sometimes in as little as 7 days.
There are a lot of so-called “cash buyers” out there, but many aren’t even in Louisiana. They’ll tell you they need to “check with their partner” or “run it by their team.” Red flag.
As a local New Orleans buyer, I know the neighborhoods, the housing styles, and the challenges we face here—like hurricane damage, insurance rates, and code enforcement. That knowledge lets me make fair offers quickly, without all the back-and-forth.
At the end of the day, whether you should use a realtor or sell to a cash buyer comes down to your priorities.
· Want top dollar and don’t mind waiting? A realtor might be your best bet.
· Need speed, simplicity, and no out-of-pocket costs? Selling as-is to a cash buyer like me is the way to go.
Either way, I’m here to help you figure it out. Sometimes I even tell homeowners to go with a realtor if that’s truly better for them—that’s how much I care about doing right by people.
If you’re thinking about selling your house in New Orleans, give me a call at 504-264-1407 or visit nolabuyshouses.com. I’ll walk you through your options and give you a free, no-obligation cash offer so you can make the choice that works best for you