Some house-buying stories start with a listing. This one started with a comment on TikTok — and six months later, we own the home, keys and all.
It’s a crazy new world out here. This particular deal came together because a seller’s boo thang — a partner about 40 years her senior — found me on TikTok. What happened next is a pretty good example of how we actually buy houses, and why it works for sellers who aren’t in a rush and don’t want to lift a finger.
It started with a TikTok comment, not a listing
I post regularly about the homes we buy and renovate around Memphis, and a lot of the deals that come our way start online now, not from a yard sign. In this case, the seller’s boo thang came across one of my videos and reached out. That message turned into a phone call, and the phone call turned into a walkthrough of a home in Germantown, TN.
An offer they had to refuse
When I walked the property, it was clear the home needed a mountain of work. We don’t ask sellers to fix anything before we buy, but we do price our offers around the real cost of the repairs a home needs. This one needed enough that the number I gave them wasn’t one they were ready to accept yet — and that’s okay. We’re not in the business of pressuring anyone into a deal that doesn’t feel right for them.
I gave them an offer they had to refuse. The home needed a mountain of work.
Six months of following up, no pressure
Instead of walking away after one “no,” I stayed in touch. We talked on and off for six months. No countdown clocks, no scripts pushing them toward a decision. Selling a house — especially one that’s been lived in for years and holds a lot of memories — isn’t always something people are ready to do on someone else’s timeline. Eventually, last month, they were ready, and we closed.
They left everything — including the underwear
When a house sells completely as-is, we mean it. The sellers left the home exactly as it was, down to items still in the drawers. For a lot of sellers, that’s the whole point of working with someone like us: no packing marathon, no dumpster rentals, no weekend of hauling furniture to the curb. We handle the cleanout ourselves after closing so the seller doesn’t have to.
What “sell as-is” actually means
You don’t need to clean, repair, paint, or remove a single item before you sell to us. Furniture, belongings, junk, even things left behind by accident — we take the house exactly as it sits.
New roof day
Today, that Germantown home is getting a brand new roof — the first big step in a full renovation. It’s one of the parts of this job I like most: watching a house that needed a mountain of work start to turn into something new again.
What this means if you have a fixer-upper
This story is a pretty accurate picture of how we work with most sellers:
- 01We buy homes in any condition. Roof problems, outdated systems, deferred maintenance, full guts — that’s the kind of house we’re looking for.
- 02You don’t have to clean anything out. Leave behind whatever you want. We’ll handle it.
- 03There’s no pressure or deadline. If now isn’t the right time, we’re happy to stay in touch until it is.
- 04We can close fast once you’re ready. As little as 7 days from an accepted offer.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to clean out my house before selling it to Spencer Buys Houses?
No. We buy homes completely as-is, including whatever furniture, belongings, or clutter is left behind. In this Germantown purchase, the sellers left everything in the home, and we handled the entire cleanout ourselves after closing.
Will you still make an offer if my house needs major repairs?
Yes. Homes needing a new roof, foundation work, outdated systems, or a full gut renovation are exactly what we look for. We factor repair costs into a fair cash offer, so you never have to fix anything before you sell.
How fast can you close on a house in Germantown or the Memphis area?
We can typically close in as little as 7 days once you accept an offer. If you need more time, we work around your timeline instead of ours.
Is there any pressure to accept an offer right away?
No. We stayed in touch with these sellers for six months with no pressure before they were ready to move forward. We’re happy to check back in whenever it makes sense for you.
What areas near Memphis does Spencer Buys Houses purchase in?
We buy houses throughout Shelby County and DeSoto County, including Memphis, Germantown, Collierville, Cordova, Millington, Raleigh, Hickory Hill, and Berclair.