I agree it depends, if I was the seller it would depend if I felt there would be other offers on my property, is my property "hot". I don't care about cash if I believe there are other qualified buyers. I also don't care about inspection if my property doesn't have severe problems. Cash, no inspection is nice, but maybe not the end all be all. What is common in your area, do you think you can offer 20% less and negotiate. In some areas 20% is common so not that great, in others full price is common. What is fair market of the house?

I think you might be merging two different concepts: one is all cash buyer and one is a buyer that requests no contingencies on the sale.

Honestly, I don't really care where the money is coming from so the first isn't a huge deal to me. I expect at very least a loan pre-approval with an offer so again, I don't really care where the money is coming from and I never understand why all cash buyers somehow think that makes my property less valuable?

I have never deal with a sale that had truly no contingencies but this would be much more valuable to be than all cash.

I understand your point, but these two issues are are obviously related since even with pre-approval sales may fall through after an appraisal, etc. I could also have said, fast closing (2 weeks or quicker), no financing contingency, no fixing/renegotiations after inspection.

Like the two posters said above... it's cash to the sellers either way at the end of the closing. Usually the incentives you are speaking of have an impact when there are multiple offers, and the seller is looking to choose the deal that is more likely to close with ease. But that does not really change their perception or the reality of what the property is worth. It does give you a little leverage during the initial negotiations, but nowhere the amount that you are speaking of.

Are you asking from the perspective of the buyer expecting a discount or a seller giving one? When you wrote "...may be worth to a buyer", I was not certain you did not mean 'may be worth to the seller.'

It really comes down to your current housing market, the property and what the seller values most. In a market where bidding wars are breaking out, the buyers are well-qualified, assessments will come in at or above the offer, the house will pass inspections with flying colors and you don't need a very quick closing, a cash / no contingency offer really need only give the buyer a better shot at getting accepted. At the other end of the spectrum, an all cash no contingency offer could be worth a large discount to the seller.

gyr,
yes, I meant "worth to the seller."
ncrealestate, I was not talking about any amount in my post. I guess it comes down to how much a seller is interested in a quick, no problem sale.

Here in my area of LA, it would not get you a discount at all. Majority of properties are getting mutiple offers and end up going for 10 - 25% over the list price. A cash offer and no contingencies might get you the house, but you will pay market value, decided by a bidding war. Crazy!

If you're looking at leverage as a buyer, it would all depend on how anxious the seller is to move. Personally, I don't see much of an advantage at all.

I sold my last house with no contingencies and it was for full listing price. The buyer wanted the house.

Funny part is, during the transaction we became friends with the buyer and remain in contact 12 years later. They're still in the house and have no regrets.

Is the house vacant, the seller may not want a quick close?

Flexible closing is better than quick closing.

But all of these things are just bonuses that will cause your offer to be selected over another nearly identical one. Don't expect a discount.

To me, the two things that matter are $$ bottom line and how certain you are to get there. Doesn't matter if you offer the moon but can't deliver. A cash deal with a verified cash source eliminates one of the potential problems (financing), but there could still be other issues that would put that buyer at a disadvantage. The cleaner, the better, but the only way I can think of that it can translate to any dollars discounted would be if it were a faster close and the seller was carrying two mortgages.

Well I've been carrying two mortgages for quite a while, and when I finally move into the new house and put this one up, I don't expect that I should get LESS money. But I also don't intend to advertise my personal business.

You shouldn't get less money as it doesn't make the house worth less, but a person who is pressed to sell quickly might accept less.

@gram,
but how much would it be worth to you if you could be guaranteed closing when you want it without having to worry that a deal will fall through at the last moment?

I think it would help where most of your buyer pool has more risk (e.g. FHA loans, etc.). Or if a seller truly has a purely financial view of the property (bank). In a very hot market with multiple offers, the best terms get countered with the highest price, and contingent offers often don't even get considered.