What Winston-Salem Homeowners Usually Call Us About
Most people who reach out aren't trying to "get rid of" a house. They're in the middle of something hard, and the house became one more thing to deal with. Here are the situations we see most often around Winston-Salem. Each one links to a page that goes deeper.
An inherited house or an estate
A parent's house full of 40 years of belongings, siblings who don't agree, and a probate process nobody explained. Selling an inherited house · Selling during probate
Falling behind on the mortgage
One missed payment turned into three, and the letters are getting harder to open. You have more options early on than most people realize. Foreclosure help in NC
Repairs you can't take on
Foundation trouble, an old roof, water damage, or a list of small things that adds up to a big number. Selling a house that needs repairs
A rental you're done managing
Tenants, turnover, and repair calls. Maybe the numbers stopped making sense, or you're just tired. Selling a rental property
A vacant house, or one that needs a clean-out
Empty houses cost money every month, and a full one can feel impossible to even start on. Selling a vacant house
Back taxes, a move, or a listing that stalled
Overdue property taxes, a job across the country, or months on the market without a serious offer. Behind on property taxes · Relocating
Three Ways to Sell Your Winston-Salem House, and How to Tell Which One Fits
Most "we buy houses" companies only have one tool, so every house gets a cash offer. We start with your house, your timeline, and what you need to walk away with. Then we show you which of these makes sense. Sometimes it's more than one, and you can compare them side by side.
1. A direct cash sale
Best when: speed, certainty, or privacy matters most, or the house needs more work than makes sense to put into it.
We buy the house as it sits and pay the closing costs. No repairs, no showings, no clean-out, and you pick the closing date. The trade-off is price: a cash offer is lower than what a fully fixed-up house would bring. We'll give you a net number, meaning what you'd actually walk away with, and show you exactly how we got there. See how we calculate an offer
2. Our Retail Buyers Program
Best when: the house has real value but needs clean-out, repairs, or preparation before regular buyers will pay full price for it.
We bring the crew, the funding, and the coordination to get the house ready, then market it to a wide pool of buyers, including owner-occupants. It takes a little longer than a cash sale, and it often puts more money in your pocket. How the Retail Buyers Program works
3. A traditional listing
Best when: the house is in good shape, you have time, and you want top market price.
If that's your situation, we'll tell you. Selling to us would likely cost you money. As a licensed agent, I can list it for you, or point you in the right direction. Either way, you'll get an honest answer about what makes sense. Compare your selling options
What This Has Looked Like for Families Here
Details are kept general to protect the families involved, but every one of these happened here in Winston-Salem. Notice that none of them ended in a straight cash sale. The right answer depends on the situation.
The house had to sell right away, as-is. It still sold for more than a cash offer.
The owner was dealing with an unexpected situation and needed to sell quickly. The house wasn't in good shape, and it needed a full clean-out before anyone could see it the way it deserved to be seen. A quick cash sale would have been the easy answer, but it would have left money on the table.
We ran it through our Retail Buyers Program instead. Our crew cleared out the house, we marketed it to every type of buyer, and it sold to a family who planned to live there. They were vetted and pre-approved up front, which is why things moved fast. The owner walked away with more than a cash sale would have paid, and we closed in 21 days.
Six months on the market in the West End, with foundation issues. Closed at $370,000.
This home had been listed for more than six months without real traction, and the seller was paying the mortgage on it every month while it sat. There were foundation issues in the garage, and that was scaring off buyers.
The cash offers the seller had received were in the low $300,000s. Instead, we put together a creative offer built around what the seller actually needed. It solved the foundation problem for them, ended the monthly payments, and closed at $370,000.
Three months behind in 27105, with a father's credit on the line.
A family was falling behind on both the mortgage and the upkeep, and they'd decided they would rather rent than keep carrying the house. The loan was in their father's name, so every late payment was hitting his credit. They were three months behind and heading toward foreclosure.
We put together a plan that brought the account current, helped the family move into a rental home that fit their life, and took the weight of the house off their shoulders. According to them, their father's credit is now better than it's ever been.
Every situation is different, and results depend on the property, the loan, and the market at the time. These are examples, not promises.
★★★★★
"I needed help selling 2 of my property's and Alejandro helped me sell them, did a fantastic job handling to sell 2 property's also great efficient and effective work process had very good communication with us I would highly recommend them!!"
Jesus Hernandez · Google review, July 2025 · Read more reviews
A Local Person You Can Look Up, Not a Call Center
When you call us, you're not reaching a national lead company that sells your information to the highest bidder. You're reaching me, or my small team in Lewisville.
I've been working in real estate since 2006. Before going full-time in 2020, I spent more than ten years in loss mitigation and mortgage servicing, on the lender's side of the conversations that homeowners dread. I know how those departments work. That helps when someone is behind on payments and needs a plan that keeps their credit in mind, not just the house.
I'm a licensed North Carolina real estate agent (license #348581, Wayfinder Homes LLC). You'll know in writing who is buying, how the deal is structured, and what you'll walk away with before you sign anything. We speak English and Spanish. More about us
What's Different About Selling in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County
Some of what slows a sale down here is local: which office handles what, when the county's deadlines land, and what the city does with houses it considers abandoned. Here's what's useful to know before you decide anything.
Estates are handled at the Forsyth County Courthouse downtown
If you're selling a house that belonged to someone who passed away, the estate generally goes through the Clerk of Superior Court in Forsyth County. In October 2023 the courts moved into the new Forsyth County Courthouse at 175 N. Chestnut Street. Some websites still list the old Main Street address, so double-check before you drive down.
A house can often be sold while an estate is still open, but who has the authority to sell, and whether the court has to sign off, depends on the will and the situation. An estate attorney can tell you what applies to yours. How selling during probate works in NC
Forsyth County property taxes become past due after January 5
Forsyth County property tax bills are due September 1 and can be paid without penalty through January 5. After that, the county adds a 2% charge for January and another 3/4% for each month after. Collection can include garnishing wages or bank accounts, and eventually foreclosure on the property.
If you're behind, the county tax office (336-703-2300) is the first call to make. If the taxes are part of a bigger problem with the house, we can help you weigh your options. Selling a house with back taxes
The city sends notices on houses it considers abandoned
The City of Winston-Salem's Code Enforcement office mails notices, by certified and regular mail, to owners of properties it considers abandoned. If one lands in your mailbox, call the office on the letter right away. Responding early usually keeps more of your options open. You can also reach the city through CityLink at 336-727-8000.
A house with open code issues can still be sold, and we buy them as-is. Selling a vacant house
Foreclosure in North Carolina goes through a hearing before the clerk
Most North Carolina foreclosures are "power of sale" foreclosures. Before a sale can go forward, there has to be a hearing before the Clerk of Superior Court, and you have the right to be notified and to attend. Even after a foreclosure sale, there's a 10-day upset bid period before the sale becomes final.
In other words, there's usually more time and more room to act than it feels like. But every week matters, so the earlier you talk to someone, the better. Foreclosure help in North Carolina
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Deadlines and rules can change, so confirm the details with the office involved or an attorney.
Every Neighborhood in Winston-Salem
We've worked on homes in the West End, Ardmore, Buena Vista, and the 27105 area, and we're glad to look at a house in any part of the city. That includes older homes with a lot of history, rentals, houses that need everything, and houses that just need the right buyer.
Our office is in Lewisville, so we also work throughout Forsyth County and the rest of the Triad. If your house is in Greensboro, Kernersville, or High Point, we can help there too. See our full service area
Four Steps, No Surprises
1. We talk. You tell us about the house and what's going on. No pitch, just questions.
2. We walk the property. Alex or someone on our team will walk through the house with you. You don't need to clean or fix anything first.
3. You see your options in writing. A cash offer, a Retail Buyers Program estimate, a listing estimate, or a mix, depending on what fits. Each comes with the math behind it.
4. You decide. If you move forward, we close with a North Carolina title company on the date you choose. If you don't, that's fine too. The full process
Selling a House in Winston-Salem: Common Questions
How fast can I sell my house in Winston-Salem?
It depends on which path fits and how quickly the title work clears. A direct cash sale is usually the fastest, and you can pick your closing date. A Retail Buyers Program sale takes longer because the house gets prepared and marketed first. The example above closed in 21 days, which is on the quick side. We'll give you a realistic timeline before you commit to anything.
Do I have to clean out or fix up the house first?
No. We look at houses as they are, including full ones, damaged ones, and ones that haven't been touched in years. If the Retail Buyers Program is the better route, our crew handles the clean-out and preparation.
Is it better to sell to you or list with an agent?
Sometimes listing is better, and we'll tell you when it is. If your house is in good shape and you have time, a traditional listing will often get you the highest price. A cash sale makes more sense when the house needs a lot of work, time is short, or you want certainty. That's why we show you more than one option.
Can you help if I'm behind on my mortgage?
Often, yes. The earlier you reach out, the more options there usually are. Depending on the situation, that can mean selling before a foreclosure sale, bringing the loan current as part of a deal, or something more creative, like the 27105 family above. With my background in loss mitigation, I'll also tell you if you should call your lender before you call anyone else.
Can I sell a house in Winston-Salem that's still in probate?
In many cases, yes. The estate is handled through the Clerk of Superior Court in Forsyth County, and the person with legal authority over the estate is usually the one who signs. What's required depends on the will and the estate, so it's worth confirming with an estate attorney. We work with families in this situation regularly. More on probate sales
Do you buy houses with tenants still living in them?
Yes. Whether the lease is month-to-month or has time left on it matters, and so does how the handoff is done. Our rental property guide walks through what happens to the lease and the security deposit.
Are there fees or commissions?
On a direct cash sale, there's no agent commission and we pay the closing costs. Before you sign anything, we give you a net number in writing, meaning the amount you'd actually walk away with. If we list the house or use the Retail Buyers Program, the costs are laid out up front, so you can compare every option on the same terms.
Will Ferro Home Buyers always be the one buying my house?
Not always, and we'll be upfront about it. Sometimes we buy the house ourselves. Other times we work with a partner buyer, or the house sells to a retail buyer through our program. Either way, you'll know who is involved and how the deal is structured before you sign.
Let's Figure Out What Makes Sense for Your House
A short conversation is usually enough to tell whether a cash sale, our Retail Buyers Program, or a traditional listing fits best. If the answer is that you shouldn't sell to us, you'll hear that too.
Tell Us About the House Call (336) 265-7424Ferro Home Buyers · 6161 Shallowford Rd, Lewisville, NC 27023 · Serving Winston-Salem and all of Forsyth County