Sell your house for cash in Michigan

How to sell a house for cash in Michigan, step by step

1. Get your numbers first. Call your lender for a payoff statement and check your county tax bill. Run a quick estimate with our cash offer calculator so you know what a fair offer looks like.
2. Request several offers. One offer tells you nothing. Get at least two, from local investors, iBuyers that serve your area, or Cash Offer Desk where we buy, and check each one with the calculator.
3. Compare more than price. Look at the closing date, who pays closing costs and the transfer tax, the inspection period, earnest money, and whether the buyer will assign the contract.
4. Close with a professional. Title companies handle most closings. Attorneys are optional.
5. Get paid at closing. Your mortgage and any liens are paid from the sale proceeds, and the rest is wired to you or paid by check.

Wholesalers in Michigan

No wholesaling-specific statute was found as of October 2026. Assigning your own purchase contract is generally treated as a principal transaction, but marketing or negotiating the sale of real estate for someone else requires a license under the state's general brokerage law. Michigan's license law is in MCL 339.2501 et seq.

Wherever you live, ask every buyer one question: “Are you buying this house yourself, or will you assign the contract?” A wholesaler can still be a fine option if they are upfront about it. Read our guide to wholesaling for sellers before you sign.

Closing costs and taxes

Michigan charges a state transfer tax of $3.75 per $500 (0.75%) plus a county tax of $0.55 per $500 (0.11%), with a higher county rate in the most populous counties. The seller customarily pays, and some homeowners selling for no more than the home's original taxable value may qualify for a state exemption.

Many cash buyers offer to pay closing costs. Get that in the contract, and ask which costs it covers. Capital gains rules are federal and state; a tax professional can tell you what you will owe.

Do you have to disclose problems?

Sellers must give the Seller Disclosure Statement under the Seller Disclosure Act (MCL 565.951 et seq.). Transfers by fiduciaries administering an estate, guardianship, conservatorship, or trust, and foreclosure transfers, are among the exemptions.

If you are behind on payments

Most foreclosures are non-judicial 'foreclosure by advertisement'. After the sheriff's sale, owners usually have a 6-month redemption period (shorter if the home is abandoned, longer in some cases).

Selling before a foreclosure sale can protect your equity and your credit, but watch for foreclosure rescue scams. Never sign your deed over to anyone outside of a formal closing. A free HUD-approved housing counselor can walk you through every option. More in our foreclosure guide.