Does your house need a little love before you sell it?
But you don’t have the money to fix it up?
You can still sell your house for a fair cash offer even without sinking tens of thousands into the house.
Let’s talk about selling a house in poor condition and what to fix up.
Keep reading.
Table of Contents
This is a very in depth article on selling a house in poor condition.
We broke it up into chunks to make it easier for you to read.
Just click on any link below or keep scrolling down to start from the top.
- Selling a House in Poor Condition
- “As-Is” Meaning
- Selling a Damaged House
- How to Sell a House As-Is
- I Want to Sell My House As Is
- Selling a House in Bad Condition
- Selling a House That Needs Repairs
- How to Sell a House With Foundation Problems
- How to Sell an Old House That Needs Work
- Selling a House With Mold Problems
- What to Fix Up When Selling a House
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Selling a House in Poor Condition
You’ve been shopping on Zillow and watching HGTV.
You see all the fully renovated homes and you wonder how can yours compete with the houses on the market?
The truth is that most of the homes in America are a little beat up.
When selling a home as-is, there are tons of homeowners that have:
- a leaky roof
- potholes in the driveway
- a cracked foundation
- a little mold
- an outdated kitchen and bath
You get the point.
Selling a house as-is isn’t glamourous.
It’s not supposed to be.
But how you go about selling a house in poor condition depends on your:
- personal goals
- timeline to sell
- financial situation
Some homeowners sell homes as-is because they just don’t feel like managing contractors.
Selling the home as-is allows them to be stress-free instead of losing money chasing down contractors.
Some homeowners are selling their house in as-is condition because it’s faster.
They don’t want to spend 3-12 months renovating their house.
They also don’t want to list it and have buyers backing out.
They just want to walk away from it.
Other homeowners don’t have $10,000-$35,000 to renovate their home and sell it for top dollar.
“As-Is” Meaning
Selling a house as is is pretty vague.
So what does as is mean in real estate?
The “as-is” meaning is that the seller is selling the home in the current condition.
They are not making repairs, renovations, or putting any money into the house.
They could be:
- selling a house that needs repairs
- selling a house in poor condition
- selling a house with foundation problems
- selling a house that’s outdated
- selling a damaged house
As-is in real estate means that any issues or problems with the home are not going to get fixed by the seller.
Can you sell a house as-is?
Of course, you can.
You can sell a home as-is by working with a company that is an as-is home buyer.
Selling a Damaged House
Houses get damaged all the time.
Usually, houses get damaged by natural forces like wind, floods, and hail.
Other times, houses get damaged by people.
This can be breaking and entering, bad tenants, cooking fires, etc.
Selling a damaged house is easy when you work with cash home buyers.
Cash homebuyers don’t even have an inspection.
When you sell a house in as-is condition to us, we only bring in our contractors.
Our contractors will give us a quote to fix up the damaged house.
If those quotes match our estimated numbers, we can buy your house in as-is condition.
If the damages are more than we anticipated, then we will simply adjust our offer.
We never ask you to make repairs or spend money to fix up your house.
How to Sell a House As-Is
We buy houses as-is all the time that are out of date, need repairs, or have damages.
The homeowners we work with that are trying to figure out how to sell a house as-is:
- don’t want to list the house and hope that someone wants the house and can get approved for a loan.
- don’t want to drain their bank accounts trying to fix their house up.
- don’t want to manage shady contractors and get screwed over.
- just want to be done with the house.
- just want to start over in a new home quickly.
But it’s one thing to be curious about how to sell a house as-is.
The real question is can you sell a house as-is.
Can You Sell A House As-Is
The short answer is “Yes, you can.”
If you’re wondering, “Can I sell my house as-is?” there are some things that you need to consider.
First, is that selling a house as-is will not get you the highest offer possible.
(That does not mean you will make the least amount of profit, though.)
Let’s say that selling your house in poor condition means your house is only worth $150,000.
You only owe, let’s say, $80,000.
But if you spend $50,000 in repairs, you can make it worth $225,000.
Let’s say realtor fees (6%), closing costs (2%), staging costs ($500), inspection ($400) would cost you $18,900 on a $225,000 sales price.
$225,000 * 8% = $18,000
$225,000 – $18,000 – $400 – $500 = $206,100
With the costs of selling a home, you’re taking a loss on that house.
But when you are selling a fixer upper house to an investor, you don’t pay all of these costs.
When we buy your house, you don’t pay:
- to fix up the house
- Realtor fees
- hidden marketing and admin fees
- closing costs
When you are selling a house that needs repairs to us, the amount we offer you is the amount you walk away with.
If your house is worth the $150,000, that’s what you can sell it to us for.
You can sell the home as-is and just walk away.
Here’s what the numbers look like.
This means that you have spend MONTHS renovating the house.
You listed it and spent another couple of months waiting to find a buyer.
You risked $50,000 renovating the home.
- What if it didn’t sell for $225,000?
- What if the contractors screw you?
- What if no one gets approved to buy the house at asking?
- What if it takes 6+ months to sell?
There’s a lot of things to consider.
I Want to Sell My House As Is
You’ve made the decision that it’s not worth losing money by fixing it up.
Now that you have determined that you want to sell a house as it, you have a few options.
When selling a house that needs repairs, you can:
- list it with a Realtor
- do For Sale By Owner
- sell it to a cash home buyer
Sell My House As Is With A Realtor
But can you sell a house as-is with a Realtor?
Some Realtors, no.
But most Realtors, yes.
Listing your house on the MLS will get you the most exposure.
Think of it as casting the widest net possible.
In a hot market, listing with a Realtor is a good option when selling a house in poor condition.
But when selling a house as-is with a Realtor, make sure that you have one that’s going to work for you.
Most Realtors suck.
Most of them do a minimal amount of work in hopes to get an easy commission.
You want a Realtor who specializes in selling a house in bad condition.
They will have the right connections with flippers and landlords in your area.
Don’t hire one who is just going to throw your house up on Zillow and barely market it any other way.
Sell My House As Is FSBO
A lot of people have good success selling a house as-is via For Sale By Owner.
This allows them to wait for the perfect offer to come in and not pay any Realtor fees.
You have to be willing to:
- answer calls, emails, and texts
- give people tours of your home
- negotiate offers
- write contracts
- vet your buyers
- coordinate the closing
Selling your home as-is is difficult enough without doing ALL the work of a good Realtor.
Note that I mentioned a GOOD Realtor.
You should definitely save your money if you’re just going to hire a mediocre one.
Sell My House As Is to an Investor
The hardest parts of selling a house in poor condition to an investor are finding a reputable house buyer.
Anyone can watch a Tik Tok video on how to be a real estate investor and claim that they buy houses for cash.
The barrier to entry is non-existent.
When you are selling a fixer-upper house to an investor, ask them some of the following questions:
- “You said you buy houses for cash. Will you be the person wiring the check to the closing attorney?”
- “Who all will you need to bring into the property between now and closing?”
- “Are you assigning the rights to buy my house to someone else?”
- “Will you be posting my house on Facebook investment groups and Craigslist?”
Also, check out their Google Reviews.
These reviews are real people giving real feedback.
Alright, look.
The process of selling your house to an investor is not shady.
People lying to you and telling you they buy houses for cash when they are not is shady.
You deserve honesty and transparency.
Most people won’t give you this.
These questions are designed to catch the investors who are lying to you.
Who is Writing the Check?
This question is important when selling your home as is to an investor.
EVERY. SINGLE. PERSON. Will say “We are going to pay cash for your house.”
Remember when we said someone can watch a Tik Tok video and claim they buy houses for cash?
Fake investors get trained to say something about “we partner with people.”
They won’t be honest about how they really buy your house (or if they are).
Who All Do You Need To Bring Into My House?
They are going to be bringing in other people to buy your house.
Most As-Is Home Buyers won’t tell you this.
They will tell you that they are:
- bringing in an inspector
- letting their partners see it
- getting their contractor in
But when you schedule an appointment for them to bring their partner, 10 people show up.
They are holding an open house and letting the real buyers come to see your house.
Don’t let them lie to you about this.
Are You Assigning the Rights to Buy My House?
Since they aren’t buying your house, they will assign the purchase agreement to the real buyer.
It’s common practice.
They will find a buyer to buy your house and they will step out of the deal.
Are You Marketing My House On FB and Craigslist?
Ahhh… the bottom feeders.
Reputable, hard-working investors will protect your privacy.
They will NOT post your house on Facebook and Craigslist.
Lots of investors will post photos of your house on these sites.
Yes, your address is showing on the front.
They are trying desperately to find someone to buy it because they don’t have the connections, experience, or money to buy it themselves.
If you want to work with a reputable house buying company, fill out the form on this page.
Selling a House in Bad Condition
Selling a house in bad condition gets tricky when listing it.
People buying through a Realtor expect you to make repairs or renegotiate during the inspection.
And when you list with a Realtor, the retail buyer HAS to have an inspection.
It’s part of their loan approval process.
Selling your house in bad condition to an investor that can pay cash is much easier.
They expect there to be repairs and updates needed.
They don’t have to have inspections for the banks.
They have experience working with homeowners selling a house as-is.
How To Get Rid of a House You Can’t Sell
We’ve seen some pretty bad houses.
If you’re trying to figure out how to get rid of a house you can’t sell, there is hope.
We’ve bought houses with:
- mold problems
- foundation problems
- massive fire damage
- termite damage
- unpermitted work
- squatters
- tenants that won’t move out
You name it, we’ve handled it.
If you are struggling while trying to sell your home as-is, you should reach out to an investor.
No matter what condition your house is in or what repairs it needs, we will buy your house.
Selling a House That Needs Repairs
Selling a house that needs repairs?
Your options are making the repairs or selling the house as-is.
As you saw in the cost breakdown above, you have to be careful when fixing up a house to sell.
You can easily mess up your construction and lose more money compared to selling a house as-is.
Selling A House That Needs Repairs As-Is
Selling a home as-is means that you make zero repairs and the buyers get what they see.
You can sell a fixer-upper house with a Realtor or to an investor.
Fixing Up The House Yourself
When you are fixing up the house, you should only tackle the highest priority repairs.
You can get recommendations for what to fix and a list of contractors from your Realtor.
How to Sell a House That Needs Major Repairs
If your house needs major repairs, here’s what you should fix.
- Replacing the roof
- Updating the electrical panel
- Installing a new water heater
- Addressing termite, mold, or water damage
- Repairing pipes, sewer connection, or septic system
- Updating the HVAC system
But if you don’t need to make these major repairs, these are repairs that you can make to get your home that extra pop.
- A fresh coat of paint, always in a neutral color
- Caulking in bathroom and kitchens
- Improving lighting by adding fixtures or replacing bulbs
- Having the carpets professionally cleaned
If you are selling a house that needs repairs, but you can’t afford to make the repairs, fill out the form on this page.
We work with homeonwers trying to figure out how to sell a house that needs major repairs.
We buy houses in any condition, including houses that need major repairs.
How to Sell a House With Foundation Problems
Trying to figure out how to sell a house with foundation issues gets very frustrating.
Retail buyers (people buying through a Realtor) RUN when they see a house with foundation problems.
You can’t really blame them.
There are so many unknowns for the person not experienced in buying houses with foundation problems.
Foundation problems can cost them $1,000 or $15,000.
They have no idea.
So, you have two options when selling a house with foundation repairs:
- fixing the foundation issues
- selling the house in as-is condition
If you are going to fix the foundation issues, you can expect to pay an average of $4,470.
The nationwide range for the cost of foundation repair is between $1,979 and $6,982.
If you are going to sell a house with foundation problems, the as-is home buyer will handle the foundation repairs.
To a house buying company, this is just another expense that they add to their estimations.
How to Sell an Old House That Needs Work
When you are selling an old house that needs work, your buyer pool is smaller.
Most buyers associate an old house with a lot of work.
It’s not flashy like the newer homes that are “in style.”
When it comes to how to sell an old house that needs work, you need to prioritize the repairs that you make.
By prioritizing what to fix up when selling a house, you can make the most impactful investments.
This list is different when selling an old house that needs work compared to a newer one.
You want to focus on the mechanics of the home first.
This includes things like:
- Fixing any leaks
- Fixing/replacing HVAC, furnace, or water heater
- Replacing old, drafty windows
- Replace rotting wood in doorways, windows, soffits, and floors
- etc
How To Sell a House That Needs Work
When trying to figure out how to sell a house that needs work, do two things.
Get an inspection and an appraisal from your Realtor.
(Ask your Realtor for a CMA.)
Hiring an inspector will give you a comprehensive list of what needs work on the house.
This will give you a list of everything that you’re up against when selling an old house that needs work.
Then, ask your Realtor to pick the items you need to repair that will make the most impact.
How To Sell a Fixer-Upper House
If you don’t want to put any money or time into the house, you still have options.
Figuring out how to sell a fixer-upper house is easy.
It’s finding the investor to buy it that’s hard.
But, selling the house as-is to an investor is still an option.
Just fill out the form on this page with your information and our team will reach out to you within 24 hours.
Again, this saves you from having to put ANY money into the property.
And investors love buying a fixer-upper house.
Selling a House With Mold Problems
Can you sell a house with mold?
You sure can.
We buy houses with mold all the time.
But if you’re listing with a Realtor, it’s going to be harder selling a house with mold problems.
You’re going to need to fix the mold problems to sell the house.
The main causes of mold in a home are:
- moisture
- high humidity environments
- lack of sunlight
- lack of ventalation
While you can sell a house with mold, you’re going to want to hire a mold specialist to fix the mold problem.
A mold remediation specialist removes and cleans mold colonies and excessive mold growth.
The average cost of mold remediation is $1,000 to $2,500.
So, now that you know what to do if you are selling a house with mold problems, you have two options.
You can fix the mold problem or plan on selling the house as-is.
What to Fix Up When Selling a House
While selling a house as-is is an option, what if you don’t want to?
Let’s talk about what to fix up when selling a house.
Have an inspection done or make a list of everything that needs to get fixed.
You should definitely include your Realtor in deciding what to fix up.
They know what:
- other homes in the area are selling for
- the condition of the other homes are
- problems those other homes had
They will be able to tell you exactly what to fix up when selling a house that needs repairs.
The benefit is that they can recommend contractors that perform good work as well.
But if you don’t want to get a Realtor involved, that doesn’t tell you what to fix up when selling a house.
You at least want to:
- patch holes and cracks in the walls and ceilings
- fix or replace broken appliances and fixtures
- fix or replace the mechanicals (HVAC, furnace, water heater)
- repair plumbing leaks
- repair or replace the roof if more than 10 years old
If you want to give you home that extra shazam, then you should:
- replace your flooring
- paint the house with neutral colors
- replace the plumbing fixtures
- replace the light fixtures
- replace the countertops
These are the cosmetic repairs that you can make when selling a house that needs repairs.
Over To You
If you want a fair cash offer for your house, fill out the form below.
We buy houses in any condition so you can invest your money in your new home.