Minnesota buying and selling programs
Problems prevent moves.
We have solutions.
Most Minnesota homeowners get stuck in the same two places: the home they want is available before their current home sells, or their current home needs work they would rather not pay for before listing. Cash to Win and the ROC ReFresh Program exist for those two situations. We are certified to offer both solutions. Below is what each one actually does, what it costs, who qualifies, and how to tell whether it is right for you.
Overview
Tools to build strategy
AM Realty agents are certified to offer several programs that can be the difference between a successful sale and a failure to launch. Cash to Win is a residential property acquisition company. The ROC ReFresh Program is operated by ROC Home Pros. We help decide whether either one can help you: reviewing your home, your equity, your financing, your timeline, and the move you are actually trying to make — then consulting with you honestly whether either program, or both, improve your position meaningfully.
Sometimes the answer is one or the other, but often the answer is both! Paired with our staging services, our clients have seen significant outcomes from both programs separately and in tandem. Read on to see if either of these options may work for you.
Cash to Win
For homeowners who need to buy before their current home has sold, remove a sale of property contingency, or for buyers wanting their offer to be more competitive in cash.
How it worksROC Refresh Program
For sellers whose homes would benefit from fresh flooring, paint, lighting, or trim work before listing. Coordinated through ROC Home Pros for eligible listings, our agents are certified to offer this program exclusive to our brokerage!
How it worksCash to Win
When you need to buy before your current home sells
This is a common sticking point for many sellers. Some times the right home comes on the market before you're ready. Sometimes your search is very specific and you don't want to risk putting your home on the market before identifying the right place. Your equity is locked up, and a contingent offer will likely be passed over when competing against buyers who do not need to sell first.
Cash to Win is a third-party company with a plan built for that gap. They can buy the existing property, or the new one, or both, with cash, helping you move forward. Best of all, this is not a loan product, and your equity remains yours.
Option 1 — Sell Now
Access equity from your current home before it sells
Cash to Win purchases a property owned by the borrower in order to free up the proceeds for the purchase of the next property. The trailing property is then listed and sold with the homeowners partnership, and the outcome of that sale is reflected in your final payout. If the final resale price is higher or lower than Cash to Win's purchase price, the difference is reflected in your final payout.
Cash to Win can also be used in tandem with ROC Refresh, which can greatly increase the final sale value. As an added bonus this can also provide time to move out and have the work completed with the home vacant so you don't live in construction!
Option 2 — Cash Approved
Make a cash-backed offer on the home you want
In this scenario, Cash to Win purchases the property the borrower wants by making a cash offer that we negotiate for all parties, then resells the property to the buyer once the buyer completes permanent financing with the Cash to Win partner bank. Cash offers remove financing contingencies and can shorten closing times, increasing the chances of an offer being accepted, and potentially adding leverage in negotiations.
Mortgage pre-approval is required, because you must qualify for the financing needed to repurchase the home after the cash offer is accepted. Upon resale, Cash to Win includes their program fee which is 1% of the acquisition price.
How the process runs
- 1
We review your situation first
Your current home, estimated equity, financing, timeline, and the home you are trying to buy. If a traditional path works better, we say so here — before any program paperwork.
- 2
Your home is valued
Cash to Win asks your REALTOR® for a comparative market analysis, the list price, and an opinion of the final sales price, and completes its own review of the property and area.
- 3
A scenario is drafted
You see the structure and the published costs for your specific numbers before deciding. Nothing is committed until you review it.
- 4
Cash to Win purchases with cash
Either your existing home (Sell Now) or the home you want (Cash Approved). Cash to Win legally owns that property for the period covered by the program.
- 5
You close and move
With Sell Now, proceeds facilitate your purchase and the trailing home is marketed. With Cash Approved, you complete permanent financing and repurchase the home.
- 6
Final accounting
Program fees, per diem interest, commissions, closing costs, and any price reductions or concessions are settled, largely through the holdback rather than out of pocket.
What Cash to Win costs
These are the costs Cash to Win publishes. Fees, terms, and availability can change; confirm current figures directly with the program before deciding.
| Cost | What Cash to Win publishes |
|---|---|
| Program fee (Sell Now / trailing property) | 1.5% program fee on the trailing-property side of the program, as published by Cash to Win. |
| Listing extension fee | 0.5% per 60 days if the trailing property listing needs to be extended. |
| Per diem interest | A daily per diem based on 9% interest, calculated on the amount advanced and the number of days Cash to Win legally owns the property. |
| Cash Approved resale mark-up | For the buyer-side Cash Approved option, Cash to Win grosses up the price it acquires the property at by 1% for the resale price back to you. |
| Holdback | A holdback of 30% of the intended list price covers selling costs and program fees, plus any price reductions or concessions, so those come out of the holdback rather than out of pocket. |
| Standard transaction costs | Real estate commissions, closing costs, prorated insurance premium, and deductions for price reductions or repairs still apply. |
| Company-wide transaction fee disclosure | Cash to Win publishes a transaction fee of 1.0%–3.0% of purchase price for its service, in addition to per diem interest and possible extension fees. Terms and conditions apply. |
Who this fits — and who it does not
Worth exploring if
- You have meaningful equity in your current home
- You can qualify for permanent financing on the next home
- You are competing in a market where contingent offers lose
- Moving twice or into temporary housing is not realistic
- The cost of the program is worth the certainty to you
Probably not the right tool if
- A longer closing date or rent-back solves the same problem
- Your timeline is flexible enough to sell first
- The program cost outweighs what the certainty is worth
- Your lender has a financing solution that fits better
- Your equity or financing does not support the structure
Cash to Win is a third-party program operated by Cash to Win, not by AM Realty MN or LPT Realty, LLC. Cash to Win does not originate loans or issue loan commitments and is not a bridge loan. Program participation, eligibility, approval, pricing, and availability are determined solely by Cash to Win and are subject to change. Fees shown above are as published by Cash to Win at cashtowin.org and last reviewed on . Nothing here is a guarantee of qualification, offer acceptance, sale price, timeline, or financial outcome. This is not financial, tax, or legal advice.
Refresh
When your home needs work before it can compete
Worn carpet, dated paint, tired lighting, unfinished trim. None of it is structural. All of it shows up in listing photos, and buyers price it in far more aggressively than the work would actually cost.
The ROC ReFresh Program from ROC Home Pros provides targeted, high-impact renovation services designed to get a home market-ready — with services available exclusively through RG/LPT listing agents and coordinated via RG Title. AM Realty MN is brokered by LPT Realty, LLC.
Our part is the judgment call: which updates are actually worth doing for your home, your price range, and your buyer — and which ones you should skip.
What Refresh can cover
Flooring
Installation and refinishing
Paint
Interior and exterior painting
Lighting
Updated lighting solutions
Trim and molding
Upgrades and detail carpentry
ROC also notes that it focuses on carpentry rather than professional cleaning, with a final cleaning at the end of the project. The exact scope for your home comes from ROC's estimator after a walk-through.
How the process runs
- 1
Walkthrough with AM Realty MN
We look at the home against what it will be competing with, and tell you what is likely worth doing — including when the answer is nothing, or when selling as-is is the better call.
- 2
Documents submitted
Required program documents are submitted, and RG Title initiates the O&E and assessment reports. ROC notes this step may take up to two weeks.
- 3
ROC reviews the assessment
ROC reviews the assessment report to determine property eligibility for the ReFresh Program.
- 4
Estimator walk-through and bid
An estimator walks the property and prepares a bid defining the approved project scope.
- 5
Pre-construction orientation
The project manager reviews scope, access, expectations, and scheduling. Standard work hours are 8 AM to 5 PM.
- 6
Construction and final walk-through
ROC completes the work, removes tools and materials, confirms cleaning, and schedules a final walk-through.
- 7
Listing launch
That part is ours: staging guidance, professional photography, MLS setup, and marketing so the improvements actually show up where buyers look.
- 8
Approved costs handled at closing
Refresh is structured so eligible sellers do not pay for approved work upfront. Terms, eligibility, and amounts are set by the program, not by AM Realty MN.
Should you renovate at all?
This is the question worth more than the program itself. We look at the homes yours will compete against, the buyer most likely to write the offer, what will and will not read in photography, the objections buyers are likely to raise at showings, the cost and time of each project, and your target listing date. Then we tell you which of the three answers applies: do the work, do part of it, or list it as it is.
The ROC ReFresh Program is a third-party program operated by ROC Home Pros, not by AM Realty MN or LPT Realty, LLC. AM Realty MN does not perform construction or renovation work. Program availability, property eligibility, project approval, scope, pricing, timelines, and terms are determined solely by the program provider and are subject to change. Program details were taken from rochomepros.com and last reviewed on . No increase in home value, sale price, speed of sale, or return on investment is guaranteed.
Compare options
Programs are one option among several
Before recommending a program, we compare it against everything else that could solve the same problem. Frequently one of these is simpler and cheaper.
| Approach | What it solves | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Sell first, then buy | A known budget and a clean, non-contingent offer. | You may need temporary housing or a rent-back. |
| Contingent offer | Lets you buy without selling first, at no program cost. | Weaker in competitive situations; sellers may pass. |
| Adjusted closing dates | Lines up both closings with no third party involved. | Depends on the other parties agreeing to your timing. |
| Lender financing solutions | Bridges the gap using products your lender already offers. | Depends on qualification, rates, and your lender's programs. |
| Cash to Win | Access to equity early, or a cash-backed offer. | Published program fees, per diem interest, and third-party approval. |
| Sell as-is | No pre-listing spend, no construction timeline. | Buyers discount visible condition, often more than repair cost. |
| Pay for updates yourself | Full control of scope, contractor, and schedule. | Out-of-pocket cost before closing and project management on you. |
| ROC ReFresh Program | Market-ready improvements without upfront payment for eligible sellers. | Eligibility, scope, and timeline are controlled by the program. |
Results
Before-and-after projects
We publish before-and-after projects only once the homeowner has approved sharing them and the details have been verified. Verified projects will appear here as they are added. In the meantime, ask us during your walkthrough and we will walk you through comparable work in person.
Prefer to hear from past clients first? Read reviews and client stories.
FAQs
Questions people actually ask
Cash to Win
Can I buy a home before selling my current home?
In some situations, yes. Cash to Win's Sell Now option is designed so that Cash to Win purchases a property owned by the borrower in order to facilitate proceeds for the purchase of another property. Whether that works for you depends on your equity, financing, the property, and current program requirements.
Can Cash to Win turn my financed purchase into a cash-backed offer?
That is the intent of the Cash Approved option. Cash to Win purchases the property the borrower wants by making a cash offer, then resells the property to the buyer once the buyer completes permanent financing.
Does Cash to Win guarantee my offer will win?
No. A cash-backed offer does not guarantee acceptance. The seller always decides which offer to accept. Cash to Win describes cash offers as eliminating financing contingencies, reducing closing times, and increasing the chances of an offer being accepted — not as a guarantee.
Do I still need mortgage pre-approval?
Yes. Cash to Win states that pre-approval is required to ensure buyers qualify for the mortgage needed to repurchase the home after the cash offer is accepted.
What does Cash to Win cost?
Cash to Win publishes a 1.5% program fee, a 0.5% listing extension per 60 days, a daily per diem at 9% interest, real estate commissions, closing costs, prorated insurance premium, and deductions for price reductions or repairs. On the buyer side, Cash to Win grosses up the acquisition price by 1% for the resale to you, plus per diem interest. Cash to Win also publishes a transaction fee of 1.0%–3.0% of purchase price. Review the current program documentation before deciding.
Is Cash to Win a bridge loan?
No. Cash to Win describes itself as a residential property acquisition company, and states that unlike a bridge loan, which is temporary financing, a cash-backed offer provides full funding upfront, allowing for a transition to permanent financing. Cash to Win does not originate loans or issue loan commitments.
What happens if my current home sells for less than expected?
Cash to Win states that if the final resale price is lower than Cash to Win's purchase price, the difference is reflected in your final payout, and that all costs are outlined transparently before closing.
Who owns the home during a Cash to Win transaction?
Cash to Win purchases and legally owns the applicable property for the period covered by the program — either your existing home under the Sell Now option, or the home you want to buy under the Cash Approved option — until the resale is completed. Per diem interest is calculated for the days Cash to Win owns the property.
Does Cash to Win lend me money?
No. Cash to Win states plainly that it does not originate loans or issue loan commitments. It purchases property with cash. You still work with your own lender for permanent financing.
Can I use Cash to Win as a backup plan?
Cash to Win says yes — a scenario can be drafted for your home, and in some cases contracted in advance, in case the home does not sell traditionally in time for your next purchase.
How is the value of my home determined?
Cash to Win asks your agent for a comparative market analysis, along with confirmation of the list price and an opinion of the final sales price, and also completes its own review of the property and area.
How do I know whether Cash to Win makes sense for me?
Compare it against your alternatives. AM Realty MN reviews your current home, estimated equity, financing, timeline, and next-home goals, then compares Cash to Win with selling first, a contingent offer, adjusted closing dates, temporary housing, or financing solutions from your lender.
Refresh
What is the Refresh program?
The ROC ReFresh Program is a light-renovation program from ROC Home Pros that provides targeted, high-impact renovation services designed to get a home market-ready. Typical services include flooring installation and refinishing, updated lighting, interior and exterior painting, and trim and molding upgrades.
Who qualifies for Refresh?
ROC Home Pros states that ROC ReFresh services are available exclusively through RG/LPT listing agents and must be coordinated via RG Title. AM Realty MN is brokered by LPT Realty, LLC. Property eligibility is determined after RG Title initiates O&E and assessment reports and ROC reviews the assessment report.
What types of improvements can Refresh cover?
Published services include flooring installation and refinishing, updated lighting solutions, interior and exterior painting, trim and molding upgrades, and other detail-focused renovations. The final scope comes from ROC's estimator after a property walk-through.
Can Refresh replace flooring?
Flooring installation and refinishing are listed ROC ReFresh services. Whether your specific flooring project is approved depends on the property assessment and the bid ROC prepares.
Can Refresh paint my home?
Interior and exterior painting are listed ROC ReFresh services, subject to the approved project scope.
Can Refresh update lighting and trim?
Yes — updated lighting solutions and trim and molding upgrades are both listed ROC ReFresh services.
Who performs the renovation work?
ROC Home Pros performs or coordinates the renovation work through its project managers and contractors. ROC notes that it focuses on carpentry rather than professional cleaning, with a final cleaning at the end of the project.
Does AM Realty MN do the construction?
No. AM Realty MN provides real estate representation — walkthrough advice, pricing strategy, staging, photography, marketing, and MLS preparation. All construction is performed or coordinated by ROC Home Pros.
Do I need to renovate before selling?
Not necessarily. Some homes sell well after cleaning, decluttering, staging, and small repairs. Some benefit from flooring, paint, or lighting. Some make more sense to sell as-is. The decision should come from the market your home is competing in.
How do we decide which updates are worth doing?
AM Realty MN looks at competing homes, the likely buyer, the price range, what will show in listing photography, the objections buyers are likely to raise, the cost and time of each project, and your target listing date.
Does Refresh guarantee my house will sell for more?
No. No increase in value, sale price, speed of sale, or return on investment is guaranteed by AM Realty MN, LPT Realty, LLC, or ROC Home Pros.
Can I sell my home as-is instead?
Yes. Selling as-is is always an option, and for some homes and some markets it is the better one. AM Realty MN will tell you when that is the case.
How long does the process take?
It varies by project. ROC's published process includes document submission, RG Title initiating O&E and assessment reports (which ROC notes may take up to two weeks), an estimator walk-through and bid, a pre-construction orientation, construction with standard work hours of 8 AM to 5 PM, and a final walk-through. No exact completion timeline can be promised in advance.
What happens after the work is complete?
ROC contractors remove tools and materials, the project manager schedules a final walk-through, and cleaning is confirmed. The listing agent then handles photography and MLS listing setup — that part is AM Realty MN's job.
How do I get started?
Start with a walkthrough with AM Realty MN. We look at the home, compare it to what it will be competing against, and tell you what is likely worth doing before we look at whether Refresh fits.
Choosing between them
Can I use both Cash to Win and Refresh?
It depends on the property, transaction structure, eligibility, and current program requirements. Often the answer is, yes, this is actually the best option. AM Realty MN can review your situation with the applicable program providers before recommending a strategy.
Do I have to use one of these programs to work with AM Realty MN?
No. AM Realty MN provides traditional buyer and seller representation as well. Cash to Win and the ROC ReFresh Program are simply additional tools that may help in certain situations.
How do I know which option is right for me?
Start by reviewing your current home, your estimated equity, your financing, your home's condition, the move you want to make, your timeline, and current market conditions. The right strategy comes out of those details, not out of a program brochure.
Get started
Start with your situation, not the program
Tell us what you are trying to do and we will tell you which path makes sense — including when that path is not a program at all. No pressure, no obligation, and a straight answer either way.
Prefer to talk it through? (763) 202-5193 or plan your next move.
Ask about programs
We usually reply the same business day.
Reviewed by
Alex McKee
Team Lead | Real Estate Agent | AM Realty MN — Brokered by LPT Realty, LLC
Alex & Amanda McKee work with Minnesota homeowners who are selling one home and buying another, and help clients compare traditional strategies against program options before choosing a path.
Alex & Amanda are participating Cash to Win agents. Cash to Win and the ROC ReFresh Program are operated by third parties, not by AM Realty MN or LPT Realty, LLC.
MN Lic. 40869673 & 40869870
Program information last reviewed: . Cash to Win and ROC ReFresh program terms, fees, and eligibility can change at any time — always review the current program documentation before making a decision.
Program disclosures
Program eligibility, project approval, costs, terms, timelines, and results vary. Nothing on this page is a guarantee of qualification, reimbursement, sale price, or return on investment.
AM Realty MN is a real estate team brokered by LPT Realty, LLC. All real estate services are provided through LPT Realty, LLC.
Cash to Win and the ROC ReFresh Program are operated by independent third parties. AM Realty MN and LPT Realty, LLC do not control and are not responsible for program approval, pricing, scope, workmanship, or timelines. Cash to Win does not originate loans or issue loan commitments. Nothing on this page is financial, tax, or legal advice.
AM Realty MN is committed to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, or any other class protected by state or federal law.
Sources: Cash to Win · ROC Home Pros