About Us

Our Story

Preferred Home Buyer is a Northwest Indiana cash home buyer, locally owned and BBB A+ accredited, buying houses across Lake County and the Region since 2011.

We started with a simple observation: the traditional way of selling a house works fine for people with updated homes and no deadline, and badly for everyone else. The family settling an estate from three states away. The homeowner watching a foreclosure date get closer. The landlord done with 2 a.m. phone calls. The owner of a good house that simply needs more work than any bank will finance.

So that is who we built the company for. We buy houses directly, for cash, in any condition, and we close on the seller’s timeline instead of the market’s. Fourteen years and 1,050+ houses later, the model has not changed: one walkthrough, one cash offer with the math shown, and a closing date that holds.

Our office is at 8021 Cleveland Pl in Merrillville, and you are welcome to visit it. We renovate what we buy, we hire local contractors, and the houses we restore go back into the same neighborhoods we live in.

Preferred Home Buyer has been Northwest Indiana’s local, family-owned home buyer since 2011.

How We Work

Three promises we make every seller, and have since 2011:

The offer is real and the math is visible. We price from what comparable houses actually sold for in your specific neighborhood, minus the honest cost of the work yours needs. You see every number, and the offer you accept is the offer we close on. No inspection renegotiation, ever.

No is a fine answer. The walkthrough and the offer are free, and if listing with an agent would genuinely net you more, we will say so to your face. We would rather lose a deal than mislead a neighbor.

Your timeline is the timeline. As little as 3-5 business days* when speed matters, or months out when it does not. The date you pick is the date that holds, because there is no lender on our side to slow it down.

Meet The Team

Joshua Guin

Home Buying Specialist

Hi, I’m Josh, co-owner of Preferred Home Buyer. Day to day, I spend most of my time supporting our team, building the systems behind the scenes, and making sure homeowners who reach out to us get treated with honesty and care from the first call to the last signature. Truthfully, our team is the heart of this company. They’re the rockstars, I just try to keep things running so they can do what they do best.

I was born in Northwest Indiana, and after some years away I came back for college at 18 and never left. This region is home, and it means a lot to serve neighbors right here in Lake and Porter County.

I try to be the kind of guy my team can count on. They give their best every day, and they deserve the same from me. Outside of work, I’m a husband, a father of four cats, a man of faith, and an avid fisherman. If I’m not at the office, there’s a good chance I’m out on the water.

Jared Gomez

Home Buying Specialist

As a Home Buying Specialist, Jared works one-on-one with homeowners, listening to their situation and offering honest guidance on every option available, whether that means selling to us or pursuing another path. His goal is simple: leave every homeowner in a better position than when they first met.

Before real estate, Jared served as a Director of Nursing, an experience that shaped how he leads with compassion and communicates during difficult moments. He’s a lifelong resident of Northwest Indiana and understands the communities he serves. Sellers often say they feel genuinely heard after talking with him. Outside of work, Jared spends time with his wife of 14 years and their two children, and enjoys strength training, mixed martial arts, and studying business growth.

His philosophy: relationships come before transactions, and people matter more than properties.

Mike Voigt

Investment Sales Manager

I help manage the process after we acquire a property, from marketing it and coordinating walkthroughs to answering questions and helping get deals across the finish line. My goal is to make that process as smooth and transparent as possible for everyone involved.

I’ve lived in Northwest Indiana for many years and have a strong understanding of the local market and the communities we serve. People appreciate that I’m responsive, honest, and easy to work with. I enjoy building relationships and helping connect the right people with the right home.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my wife and our dog. I’m also passionate about real estate and am always looking for new ways to expand my knowledge and build lasting relationships in the industry.

Brandy Mintz

Homeowner Relations Manager

As a Homeowner Relations Manager, I work with homeowners looking to sell their properties, answering questions, understanding their situation, gathering details, and connecting them with the right team to support the process.

I live in Merrillville, Indiana, and am originally from California.
Sellers often describe me as kind, caring, and easy to talk to. I focus on building genuine relationships and making the selling process smooth and stress-free.

On a personal note, I love spending time with my kids, fiancé, family, and friends. My faith in Jesus is central to my life, and I enjoy walking and staying active at the gym. Before real estate, I worked as a Correctional Officer, so I like to say this job is a much easier assignment!

Christian Elmansour

Marketing & Operations Manager

Christian grew up in Hammond, Indiana, before moving to Crown Point, where his interest in real estate began during high school. He joined Preferred Home Buyer in 2021 after gaining valuable customer service experience at White Hawk Country Club, where he began working at the age of 16.

As Marketing & Operations Manager, Christian oversees the company’s website, social media presence, and many of the first impressions sellers have when they discover Preferred Home Buyer online. His creativity, attention to detail, and passion for connecting with people help ensure every interaction reflects the company’s commitment to serving homeowners with excellence.

Outside of work, Christian enjoys photography and videography, often spending his free time behind the camera or editing videos. He also has a heart for serving others through missions and has participated in several international mission trips.

Why Sellers Trust Us

Trust is not something we ask you to take on faith, it is something you can verify before you ever pick up the phone. We know the cash-buyer industry has a reputation problem: lowball offers, pressure tactics, and companies that vanish once the ink is dry. That is exactly why we lean on things you can check for yourself instead of asking you to take our word for it. And if listing with an agent would genuinely put more money in your pocket, we will say so, even if it costs us the deal. We would rather lose a sale than mislead a neighbor. Look us up, read the reviews, and see for yourself why sellers across Northwest Indiana choose to work with us.

Why Choose Preferred Home Buyer?



1,050+ Homes Bought



BBB A+ accredited



Buying since 2011



No Closing Costs



No Realtors



No Showings

Hear From Our Clients

    
 
 
         
   William Stocker 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Preferred Home Buyer was very easy to work with for selling our house. It was a seamless transaction where they drove the process from start to finish. As a remote seller living in a different state from the property, they helped us to easily sell our property with a majority of the process occurring online.
  
 
        
   Michele Dalessandro 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. This process was so easy with Prefered Home Buyer! They were extremely professional. The whole process took about 2 weeks. It was truly seamless.
  
 
        
   Tan 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Working with Preferred Buyers was an excellent experience from start to finish. They made the process of selling my home as-is seamless, straightforward, and stress-free. There was no need to worry about repairs or renovations, and they communicated clearly throughout the entire process. Everything went smoothly, and I truly appreciated their professionalism, responsiveness, and efficiency. I highly recommend Preferred Buyers to anyone looking for an easy and hassle-free way to sell their home.
  
 
        
   Ed Kubiszak 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I work as a real estate agent and my seller and I had the opportunity to work with Preferred Home Buyer. They wanted to buy her listing, but a family member was living in the home that would not move out. We negotiated the transaction where they took this off of my sellers hands and they took care of the whole situation for my seller. My seller and I were so grateful and everything worked out. The person moved out to live with family. I hope to get another opportunity to work with them.
  
 
        
   Carol Mendiola 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The best decision I made was to choose Preferred Home Buyer. The process was seamless and NO STRESS. Josh and the team handled everything I signed selling papers and went to closing. It was handled perfessionally and with respectful. I would do it again.
  
 
        
   Dan Calhoun 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. As an attorney, I'm careful about who I refer my clients to. One of my clients needed to sell their house fast, and I connected them with Preferred Home Buyer. The team was professional since the beginning and they communicated clearly with both my client and me throughout the whole process, made a fair cash offer, and they closed on the timeline they promised. Finding a home buying company in Northwest Indiana I can confidently put in front of a client isn't easy. I'd refer Preferred Home Buyer again without hesitation.
  
 
        
   Dave Mochel 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Al was great to work. I found him to fair & helpful throughout the process. He worked with us to make the whole transaction & convenient for us.
  
 
        
   Michael Bartoszak 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We buy all of our wholesale deals from Preferred Home and we couldn’t be more impressed. They consistently deliver fair cash offers, close quickly, and handle all the heavy lifting (inspections, repairs, red tape) so I don’t have to. Whether you’re selling a property in rough condition or just need to move fast, they make the process smooth, professional, and stress-free.