Public record · checked November 3, 2026
Is Laurel Buys Houses a man or a woman?
Who publishes this: Pacific Home Buyers, a Sacramento cash home buyer. We compete with the companies on this site, so every fact here comes from a public record or the company's own site, and we say which.
A woman. The company is named after Laurel Sagen, who started it in 1999 according to its website. The Better Business Bureau lists her as the owner, and on Yelp the business describes itself as women-owned and operated.
Is Laurel a real person?
Yes. People apparently wonder, because the company answered the question in public. In a March 2026 Instagram post it wrote that Laurel was born and raised in Sacramento "and no, she is not an AI."
State records back that up. The Contractors State License Board lists Laurel Ann Sagen on an active general building contractor's license, first issued in 2010 and valid through May 2028. Anyone can look it up on the CSLB license check.
- 1999
- the year Laurel Sagen started the company, per its website
- 2010
- her contractor's license was first issued
- 9
- new 30-second TV spots posted in August 2026
- 4
- books she has written, per the company
Sources: company website (1999, books), CSLB license 946821 (2010), Laurel Buys Houses YouTube channel (Aug 17 to 27, 2026).
Is that Laurel in the commercials?
The commercials are built around her name. Between August 17 and 27, 2026, the company put nine new 30-second spots on its YouTube channel, with titles such as "Laurel is Fantastic!" and "She was a Godsend." Several of them are seller testimonials, though, so not every face in a Laurel Buys Houses ad is hers.
The company has also had a segment on FOX40's Studio40 Live. A burst of nine new spots in one month may be part of why so many people are typing her name into Google right now.
What does Laurel Sagen do?
According to the company website, she:
- is the founder and chief financial officer of Laurel Buys Houses;
- calls herself a licensed contractor, which matches the CSLB record;
- has written four books, among them Your Next Move, HOARDING and The Inheritance Puzzle;
- has worked alongside her chief operating officer, Dan, for more than 30 years.
What the records say about her
| Record | What it shows | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| BBB | "Ms. Laurel Sagen, Owner"; business filed as Alcala Properties | Nov 3, 2026 |
| CSLB | Laurel Ann Sagen on license 946821, class B, active through May 2028 | Nov 3, 2026 |
| Yelp | Business owner listed as Laurel S.; women-owned and operated | Nov 3, 2026 |
| YouTube | 9 commercials posted August 17 to 27, 2026 | Nov 3, 2026 |
| Company website | Founder and CFO, started in 1999 | Oct 29, 2026 |
Sources: BBB business profile, CSLB license 946821, Yelp business page, Laurel Buys Houses YouTube channel, company website.
What sellers say about her
Some reviewers mention Laurel by name. Among Yelp's review highlights is a line, found in two reviews, about her treating clients with integrity and respect. She signs her replies on Yelp as the business owner, and in 2023 she called a reviewer who had complained about the website chat to apologize. Our reviews page puts the Google and Yelp numbers side by side.
If you're thinking of calling her
Then you're probably thinking about selling. Have a second written number in hand when her offer comes. We covered what her company offers and how its terms compare with ours in is Laurel Buys Houses a man or a woman, and the public record on her company is on our Laurel Buys Houses page.