Your Guide to Selling a House in Poor Condition

Selling a home can be difficult as it is, but selling a home in poor condition can seem almost impossible. Luckily, there are a few different options you can take if you have a home in poor condition and you’re looking to sell it — and you don’t necessarily have to make repairs to ensure it sells. 

Can You Sell a House in Poor Condition?

The quick answer is yes, you can sell a home in poor condition. You may not get as much money as if you fixed up the whole home, but the amount you may save on repairs and renovations might just make up the difference. 

What Constitutes “Poor Condition” for a Home?

Without a real estate background, it can be hard to know if the home you want to sell is in “poor condition” or not. Luckily, there are some general guidelines we can go by to determine the condition of your home.

• Uninhabitable: not suitable for people to live in and has severe issues like electrical and plumbing issues, roof damage, black mold, asbestos, lead, termite damage, and foundation issues. Usually is considered much worse than “poor condition.”

• Major Repairs Needed: a habitable home with some electrical and plumbing problems, roof damage, wood rot, damaged flooring, and damaged and outdated bathrooms. This could constitute a home in “poor condition.”

• Could Use Some Updating/Significant Cleaning: a habitable house with a dirty and outdated kitchen, stained flooring, peeling paint, outdated finishes, and/or a weathered exterior. Could also signify “poor condition.”

How to Sell a House in Poor Condition: 3 Options

There are a few different options you can take when selling a house in poor condition. You just have to decide how much work you want to do on the house. Do you want to do lots of repairs to improve the condition? Or do you simply want to sell it as is?

1. Complete Large Repairs and Renovations

Your first option is to make large repairs and overall renovations to the house. If your house has severe problems to the point that it’s unlikely to sell, this may be your best option. This doesn’t mean you need to make all the repairs, but one or two could be a good idea. What those repairs depend on your situation and what will give you the most return on investment (ROI). 

Some of the repairs with the best ROI include:

• Garage door replacement
• Manufactured stone veneer
• Minor kitchen remodel 
• Siding replacement 
• Window replacement

2. Do Simple Cosmetic Repairs & Adjust Listing Price for Large Renovations

If your house is in poor condition and needs major and minor repairs, fixing a bunch of minor things can make your home more appealing to potential buyers. You can update fixtures, change out the carpet, put a new coat of paint on the walls, refinish cabinets, or add some flowers to the front yard.

If you choose this route, it’s likely you’ll still have to lower your listing price. That way, you may still interest buyers who know they’ll have to spend more money on larger renovations that weren’t done prior to selling.

3. Do Nothing and Sell As-Is to a Cash Buyer

Not interested in the hassle of repairing and renovating your home at all? You can sell your home for cash as is to a cash buyer. You still must disclose all the issues the house has so the buyer knows exactly what they’re getting into but beyond that, you don’t have to do much else. 

And with a cash buyer, you don’t have to deal with or pay any real estate agents, so you get the full price for your home. 

Selling a House in Poor Condition? Contact Hometown Development.

At Hometown Development, we buy homes in West Michigan for cash from homeowners who need to sell their properties quickly or sell a property in poor condition. No matter the reason, we can buy your home and quickly have you moving on to your next step in life. 
Get your FREE cash offer today.