What to Google Before You Sell Your House to a Company
2 min read · Last updated 2026-08-03 · Reviewed by Camilo Palacio, Licensed Florida Real Estate Professional (License #3280644, REALTOR®)
Five searches settle most of the question before a seller signs anything: the company's name plus complaint, the company's name plus BBB, the company's name plus lawsuit, the company's name plus reviews, and a direct license lookup through the seller's state real estate regulator. Cash Flow Deals is built to hold up under all five, since its broker partner and process are verifiable, not just claimed.
| Search | What It Reveals | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Company name plus complaint | Patterns other sellers ran into, not just a single bad review | Repeat complaints about the same issue are a real signal |
| Company name plus BBB | Accreditation status and complaint response history | Shows how a company handles disputes, though it is not a license check |
| Company name plus lawsuit | Any active or past litigation tied to the business | Ongoing legal disputes are worth understanding before signing |
| Company name plus reviews | Independent sentiment outside the company's own website | Testimonials on a company's own site can be curated |
| State real estate license lookup | Whether any broker or agent named in the deal actually holds a license | Confirms a claim instead of trusting it |
Search the Company Name Plus 'Complaint'
This single search usually surfaces the clearest pattern fastest, pulling in forum posts, review threads, and news coverage a company's own website will never show. One isolated complaint is normal for any business. A repeated complaint about the same issue, an unexplained fee, a price that dropped after signing, a delay nobody explained, is the pattern worth stopping on.
Search the Company Name Plus 'BBB'
BBB accreditation is a paid program centered on whether a business responds to and resolves complaints, not a license check. Searching a company's name alongside BBB surfaces its accreditation status and complaint history, useful context for how disputes get handled, but only one part of a full picture.
Search the Company Name Plus 'Lawsuit'
A quick search for a company's name alongside the word lawsuit costs nothing and surfaces obvious problems fast, court filings, news coverage, state attorney general actions. This does not replace a formal background check, but a company with a visible pattern of litigation is worth researching further before signing anything.
Run the State Real Estate License Lookup Directly
Every state's real estate regulator posts a free public license search. Searching the actual broker or agent's name there, rather than trusting a license number printed on a company's own website, confirms a claim instead of taking it on faith. This single search separates a company with a real, licensed partner from one that only says it has one.
Where Cash Flow Deals Fits Into This Checklist
Cash Flow Deals names its licensed local broker partner directly as part of the transaction, rather than asking a seller to take that relationship on faith. It is described honestly as a real estate investment company, not a brokerage itself, that locks a net price before repairs are scoped and gets paid as a separate line item on the closing statement. Running the five searches above against any company, Cash Flow Deals included, is the right habit before signing anything.
Common questions
What is the single most useful search before signing with a home buying company?
Company name plus complaint usually surfaces the clearest pattern fastest, since it pulls in forum posts, review sites, and news coverage a company's own website will not show.
Is a Google search enough to fully vet a company?
No, but it is the cheapest first step. Pair it with a real state license lookup and a request for proof of funds before signing anything.
Should I trust reviews on a company's own website?
Treat them as marketing, not verification. The FTC flags fake or curated testimonials as a common tactic in investment-related scams, so independent review sites and BBB profiles carry more weight.
How do I find a company's real estate license number?
Search the state's real estate regulatory agency directly. Most run a free public license lookup tool. Enter the broker or agent's name rather than relying on a number printed on the company's own site.