Sell Your Home As-Is in Tuscaloosa

How to sell a house as-is when it needs repairs?

If you’re hoping to sell your house without making any repairs, include “as-is” in the listing and make sure there’s thorough disclosure on your home condition. This will eliminate all of the unknowns for future buyers.

In an as-is sale, a buyer is purchasing a home in its current condition. This may mean the seller won’t do any repairs, even if they come up on an inspection report. The buyer is willingly purchasing the home in its current state with full knowledge of its condition.

Options for listing a home quickly:

Include “as-is” in your listing:

Offering a home “as is,” upfront, will show the buyer that you’re not trying to hide something. It will also give buyers a chance to do their own inspections, which may lead to an offer on the spot or better negotiated terms. This way, there’s less time wasted on appointments with inspectors that aren’t going anywhere anyway. 

Inspect and disclose everything:

If you have your home professionally inspected, it’s a good idea to have the inspector give you a comprehensive list of all needed repairs as well as replacement costs for those home systems that are nearing the end of their service lives.

The most important home improvements to complete before listing:

Some home improvements are easy to do, require little money and can make a big difference on your sales price. If you have decided to sell your house, the first thing to think about is what improvements will help it sell fastest, or appeal most to potential buyers. You’ll be glad that you invested in these when they show up on the MLS! This will not only increase curb appeal but also can save time when showing it to potential buyers with open houses.

How to market a fixer-upper

Focus on the positives:

Marketing a fixer upper can be tough, but with the right efforts and marketing strategies, it is possible to get potential buyers interested in purchasing the home. First and foremost, you need to focus on the positives of your property – not on how it’s “broken.” A phrase such as this will often scare off prospective homeowners before they even enter your home: “This house needs a lot of work!” Focus instead on what your property offers that others might not: “Lots of yard or garden space,”  “genuine hardwood floors,” or just about anything else that is true and positive about your property will give you more leverage when trying to sell.

Price it appropriately:

Make sure you price your home appropriately for a “fixer upper” so the right buyer will come along. If it’s priced too high, there won’t be much interest, and if it’s priced too low, someone who isn’t serious about fixing up the place may buy it thinking they can make a lot of money as a “flipper”. This doesn’t end well for either side–the buyer ends up losing out on their investment or has to come back to fix everything at their own expense, and the fixer-upper ends up having a failed sale due to infeasible pricing.

Use keywords that count:

Do a search for “fixer-upper” and you’ll be overwhelmed with results. But to help narrow the field, try the following keywords in Google: fixer-upper suburb, fixer upper pool. That should get you most of what you need!

Work with the buyers agent:

Set a meeting with the buyer’s agent prior to showing the property. It is best if these meetings are done ahead of time so that you can thoroughly inspect and showcase any potential or past issues present once they walk in through your door. Be prepared with photos demonstrating past issues including mold, pest infestation, electrical problems, etc.; floor plans noting combustibles; up-to-date information on utility costs.

Sometimes, the easiest solution is the best solution!

Sell your fixer up as-is for cash by contacting Act First Properties at 205-361-7735.