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Isn’t it a conflict of interest?
It’s a fair question, and we’d rather answer it directly than hope you don’t ask. Ryan is a licensed Minnesota real estate salesperson with Coldwell Banker Realty. He can list your house as your agent. His brothers and he also buy houses for cash. So when Ryan gives you advice, how do you know it isn’t tilted toward whatever makes the family the most money?
Here’s how Minnesota law handles it, and how we go further.
What Minnesota requires
When a real estate licensee buys a property directly, Minnesota requires them to disclose their license status to the seller in writing. The point is simple: you should know you’re dealing with a licensed professional who understands values and contracts, so you can weigh their offer with that in mind.
When we buy your house directly, Ryan gives you that disclosure in writing before you sign. Every time.
What we do beyond the law
All four paths, in writing. Before any offer is signed, you get a written comparison: our cash offer, what listing with Ryan would net, whether a creative structure fits, and whether a refinance could let you keep the house. Numbers for each.
We tell you when not to sell to us. If listing nets more and you have time, Ryan says so. If a refinance fits, he refers you to a lender and we make nothing. See when not to sell to us.
You choose. Nothing about the comparison locks you into anything. Take it to a lawyer, another agent or a family member.
Why the four-path model protects you
| If Ryan only listed houses | If we only bought for cash | With all four paths |
|---|---|---|
| Every house looks like a listing | Every house looks like a cash deal | The path that nets you the most wins |
| No fallback if a buyer falls through | No reason to mention listing | A cash floor under your listing |
| Paid only if you list | Paid only if you sell to us | Paid on some paths, nothing on others |
Most cash buyers have one tool. Most agents have one tool. A family with four tools has less reason to force you into any one of them.
Brokerage oversight
Ryan’s listings run through Coldwell Banker Realty (Burnet Realty LLC). Minnesota’s real estate law and the Department of Commerce oversee his license, which you can look up. That’s accountability you don’t get from an unlicensed buyer.
What the written comparison looks like
Here’s a simplified version of what a seller gets from Ryan, so you know what to expect:
| Cash sale to us | List with Ryan | Creative terms | Refinance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price or value | Below market, with our math shown | Market price from a CMA | Negotiated | You keep the house |
| Your costs | None; we pay closing | Commission, prep, closing, holding | Legal drafting | Lender closing costs |
| Time | 7 to 14 days | 30 to 60 days to a contract, then closing | Weeks | Set by lender |
| Net to you | Stated | Stated | Stated | Equity kept |
| Trade-off | Below market | Takes longer | More complex | Must qualify |
| What we earn | Our margin | A commission | Negotiated | Nothing |
The last row matters. You see what we’d earn on each path, so you can judge the advice with that in mind.
Questions you can ask us
- “What would I net if I listed instead?”
- “What’s your margin on this cash offer?”
- “Would a refinance work for me?”
- “Can I have an attorney review the purchase agreement?”
We’ll answer each one in writing.