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Lisa has seen enough real estate to know that families sometimes apologize before showing an inherited house.
“It's awful.”
“Mom stopped taking care of it.”
“Dad was a hoarder.”
“We're embarrassed.”
You do not need to be embarrassed.
It's a house.
Let's figure out what it needs.
First Determine Whether It Is Safe to Enter
Severe conditions involving:
- Structural damage.
- Biohazards.
- Animal waste.
- Mold-like conditions.
- Fire damage.
- Other hazards.
may require specialized professionals.
Do Not Start With a Full Remodel
A distressed property can often be sold.
The question is whether improving it produces enough additional net proceeds to justify the work.
There May Be Multiple Buyer Pools
Depending on condition:
- Traditional buyers.
- Renovation buyers.
- Investors.
- Cash buyers.
- Contractors.
The marketing strategy should target the right audience.
Get Real Numbers
Lisa can compare:
- As-is likely value.
- Potential improved value.
- Estimated work.
- Holding time.
- Likely buyer demand.
Then you decide.
Don't Let an Investor Define the Value for You
Someone offering cash is giving you their purchase price, not an independent opinion of market value.
Get market context before accepting.
Important
House needs a lot of work? See whether selling as-is may make more sense, and check the comparison in should I fix it before selling.
THE HOUSE IS A MESS. SEND LISA THE ADDRESS ANYWAY. No cleaning required before the first conversation.
