Yes. And You're Not Alone
Yes.
And you are probably not the first owner to look around a property and think:
Nobody is going to buy this.
Homes get neglected.
Tenants destroy things.
Pets happen.
Parents leave houses full of belongings.
Roofs leak.
Pools turn green.
People start remodels and never finish them.
Life happens inside real estate.
Don't Be Embarrassed to Call
The first rule is:
Do not be embarrassed to call an agent because the property isn't ready for HGTV.
Lisa needs to see what exists.
Not what you wish existed.
Separate Three Categories
From there, separate three categories.
First:
Relatively inexpensive improvements that could materially improve presentation.
Second:
Legitimate defects that may affect value, financing, insurance or buyer willingness.
Third:
Cosmetic ugliness that buyers can simply price into their decision.
A deep clean, debris removal and yard cleanup may transform a property for relatively little money.
Replacing an entire kitchen may not.
For the full repair-versus-leave analysis, see What Should I Fix Before Selling?.
The Buyer Pool Matters
The buyer pool also matters.
A property that cannot qualify for certain financing may need a different marketing strategy than an ugly but functional house.
Investors, renovation buyers and owner-occupants do not evaluate properties in exactly the same way.
Don't Confuse Rough With Worthless
Most importantly, don't confuse:
My house is rough
with:
I should accept the first investor offer that arrives.
Condition affects value.
It does not eliminate value.
Understand the Investor's Math
A distressed-property buyer is generally trying to create enough margin to compensate for repairs, holding costs, financing, resale expenses, risk and profit.
That's business.
Sellers should understand that before deciding which path benefits them.
If a cash or investor offer is on the table, compare it against the open market before you sign in Should I Take the Cash Offer?.
And run the net on both paths with the Seller Net Calculator.
Let Lisa See the Real House First
Let Lisa evaluate the property before you clean out the garage, order a dumpster or spend thousands fixing things.
You may have more options than you think.
Many rough houses sell as-is to the right buyer with the right marketing.
Want to Know What the Records Say About Your Property?
Request a free Property DNA report. Property DNA can include available property, ownership/history, mortgage-related, comparable, neighborhood, school, risk, public-record and other property information depending on available sources.
Current typical turnaround is approximately 40 minutes during normal business hours, and many reports are returned within one hour or the same business day, but turnaround is not guaranteed and can vary.
Property DNA is free through Lisa. Request a free Property DNA report.
Important
Property DNA uses third-party, public-record and other available data believed reliable but not guaranteed. It is provided for informational purposes and is not an appraisal, title search, title commitment, title insurance policy, inspection, survey, legal opinion, tax opinion, environmental report or guarantee of value.
