Are you looking to sell a house as-is that needs repairs in Houston, Texas? When it comes to selling a house, we all have an idea in our heads of how it’s supposed to work. But when you’re attempting to sell a house that needs repairs, that creates a lot of unique scenarios that you might not have accounted for. And if your plan is to sell the house as-is that is going to affect the types of buyers who are interested in buying your property. It will also change the costs and time involved, especially if you decide to sell your house on the open market rather than working directly with a cash buyer.
You have a few options when it comes to selling a house in disrepair. Your options include completing minor repairs, completing major repairs, or simply selling your home as-is. Let’s take a look at each one as we consider how to sell a house as-is that needs repairs in Houston.
Selling A House That Needs Repairs In Houston
Sell Your House As-Is to a Cash Buyer
When you’re thinking about selling a house in disrepair, you have to be realistic and smart. If you look at all the necessary repairs, tally up the costs, and realize the equation just doesn’t make sense if you want to sell fast and move on from the house, you have to figure out a solution that makes sense. The housing market isn’t going to be very kind to a house in this condition and you’re likely looking at a protracted process that involves a lot of requests from buyers just to break even. And if you hire a real estate agent to sell the house for you then you’re going to be handing over a sizable commission fee to them as well.
The better solution? Sell your Houston house as-is to a cash buyer like Very Fast Home Buyers. We’ll buy your house in its current condition no matter what. If the place is in disarray, has leaks in the roof, or is falling into disrepair, it doesn’t matter. We’ll make you an offer. In fact, we’ll often make you an offer in as fast as 24 hours. You’ll be under no obligation to take the offer but if you do, we can start the closing process immediately. Since there are no middlemen or lenders to wait in, we can close in a matter of days. And since there is no real estate agent, you don’t have to pay any commission fees. We’ll give you cash for your house in need of repairs and then we’ll take care of it ourselves. Your problem house is all about the potential for us. So contact Very Fast Home Buyers today and sell your Houston house as-is in need of repairs.
Make a Few Big Repairs
Perhaps you’d rather test the waters in the Houston housing market even though your house needs a lot of work. In that case, you’re going to want to at least make some repairs on your house. Market buyers usually won’t get too excited about a house with a lot of problem areas, so the more you can do to fix it up, the better.
The first thing to do is to make an assessment of all the problems in the house. Then, create a ranking of them all, from the most important things to fix that will make it impossible to pass an inspection, down to the things that aren’t a big deal but might make the house look a little nicer. What qualifies as the first kind of repair need? These could be things like replacing your roof, electrical panel updates, installing a new water heater, water or mold damage, replacing pipes, updating septic tanks, and updating an HVAC system.
If you come across other repair items in need of repair that could either be safety issues or potential hazards, those need to be considered as well These are things like foundation damage and rotting decks around the house. These are the kinds of things a market buyer will notice, so you have to think long and hard about whether or not you want them to be seen or dealt with. In this scenario, you are going to be leaving a lot of smaller repair and cosmetic concerns for the buyer to deal with, so you want to take care of as much as possible in order to increase your selling power. This way of going about it will certainly cut into your profits but concessions are part of the selling process when you sell a house in need of repairs on the market in Houston.
If you’re attempting to make more money, this risky avenue could pay off for you. Remember that buyers are going to put a lot of their available cash towards the down payment, so they’re not looking to consider setting some aside to make improvements on their purchase. However, if you take care of the bigger problems, you can ask for more for your house, which also makes the house more appealing. You’re also heading off those pesky post-inspection price cuts that you know are coming due to the repair needs in your house.
Make a Few Small Repairs
The other way you can go when it comes to selling your house as-is that needs repairs in Houston is to make that same list of potential repair needs but start from the other end. Instead of considering the largest repair needs, consider the most cost-effective and easiest to take care of. These are the kinds of repair jobs that won’t take a lot of time and won’t tie up your bank account. We’re talking about cleaning up the landscaping, painting the fences, and fixing up the fixtures in the bathroom and kitchen. This is less about trying to make everything look perfect but instead upping the curb appeal of your property despite its many repair needs.
Along with the aesthetic things you can fix outside, there are some relatively easy repairs and upgrades you can make inside the house as well. These are the kind of fixes that won’t cost too much and can improve the value of your house significantly without putting too much elbow grease into things. We’re talking about putting fresh coats of paint up in the main rooms, fixing the faucets in the bathrooms and kitchens, adding new lighting fixtures or bulbs, and cleaning the floors and carpets well.
Yes, you’re still leaving a lot of major repairs on the table for a potential buyer to deal with, but it helps your case if you can explain that you did what you could and you’re willing to negotiate on the price in order to offset the bigger concerns. You’re likely going to see a lot of money evaporate because the buyer knows what they’ll have to do to get the house in order.