HomeVestors-Value Properties,Inc.

* Although I ultimately decided to sell my house via a realtor rather than for Value Properties' cash offer, the company dealt with me professionally and honestly, and from my experience I would recommend them. HomeVestors / Value Properties Inc. is a Chicago-area franchise of the nationwide HomeVestors company, the original "We Buy Ugly Houses" people. I made contact with Value Properties by filling out the contact form on the national website. I was promptly contacted by Alan Washer, and we set up an appointment at the house with one of his people, B.J. Sanabria. The house was a 1925 Chicago bungalow that I had inherited from my father, where he had lived for decades without doing much upkeep, and although it was structurally very sound and had a relatively new roof, it needed a lot of work. I didn't have any idea whether any realtor would even want to take a crack at it, so I set up walk-throughs with two realtors and with Value Properties. * B.J. was punctual and courteous. He and Alan followed up with an offer that was more than I'd expected. Friends--who hadn't actually ever dealt with HomeVestors--had said to me, "Oh, those Ugly House people only give you 25% or less of the market price!" Not at all! Zillow valued the house at $150,000, and that's about what VP told me they hoped to sell the house for once they had rehabbed it, but in the condition it was in there was no way it was worth the full market price. VP offered me $50,000. Alan explained in detail why that was their best offer considering how much work the house needed so that they could make a good profit--completely new pipes for which the lowest estimate I had received was $10,000, a new boiler, a modernized kitchen, carpet removal and hardwood floor refinishing, wallpaper removal and new paint in nearly every room, etcetera! * Due to some family health crises I was not able to make a decision on the house right away, and during the next couple of months Alan followed up occasionally but without any semblance of pestering. Ultimately, because I did not need cash right away, I decided to work with a realtor instead, and my house did sell. But if it had not, I would have been comfortable turning back to VP. They were up front and professional and offered me a square deal. They are a very good resource.