Selling a House That Needs Repairs
A house with real deferred maintenance — an aging roof, an older HVAC system, foundation or electrical issues — changes who can realistically buy it. A buyer using a mortgage generally depends on the property passing a lender's appraisal and, often, a separate inspection contingency; open structural or safety issues can affect either one before a sale ever reaches closing.
Disclosure requirements don't go away because a house needs work. Most states still require a seller to disclose known material defects, whatever condition the house is in and whoever eventually buys it.
Deciding whether to repair first or sell as-is is its own project: getting contractor bids, pulling permits for structural or electrical work, and scheduling that work all take time before a house is even ready to show — time that exists whether or not it's ultimately sold through a traditional listing.
What this usually involves
- A walkthrough often turns up more than what's visible from the street or in photos.
- Financing for a traditional buyer typically depends on the property passing an appraisal and, separately, a lender-required inspection.
- Homeowners insurance can be harder to bind or keep active on a house with an open roof, missing systems, or known structural issues.
- Seller disclosure forms ask about known defects regardless of whether repairs are made first.
- Structural, electrical, and roofing work often need their own permits and inspections before they're considered complete.
- Contractor availability and repair timelines vary by trade, by season, and by area.
How it works
Tell us about the house
Address and rough condition, two minutes.
We introduce it to buyers in your area
Not to a single company.
Buyers reach out directly
They look at the house and handle their own offers. We're not on those calls and we don't set any numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to fix anything before reaching out?
No. We don't ask for repairs, cleanup, or improvements before we take down the address and pass it along to buyers in your area.
Do you inspect the house yourselves?
No. We don't inspect, appraise, or evaluate condition. Any inspection happens, if at all, between you and the buyers who reach out.
What if the house needs a lot of work?
Tell us about the condition when you reach out. We pass along what you tell us; we don't screen a house in or out based on how much work it needs.
Do I have to disclose what's wrong with the house?
That depends on your state's disclosure laws, not on us. If you're unsure what applies to your situation, a local real estate attorney can tell you.