Sell Your House With Mold or Water Damage
If you’ve noticed signs of mold or water damage in your home, you may be worried about what your next steps should be. These problems often require more work than the average handy homeowner can do.
Fortunately, there’s still a way out — even if you don’t have the time, money, or energy to spend on repairs.
Get Your Free Cash Offer
We purchase homes in any condition, as-is — no repairs or cleanup necessary. If you’re not able to put the work or money into fixing mold and water damage, we’ll buy your home and take the trouble off your hands. Call (616) 379-3099 or fill out the form below for your free cash offer.
7 Signs of Mold and Water Damage in Your Home
In Michigan homes, mold and water damage is an unfortunately common occurrence. From basements flooding to frozen pipes bursting, we live in a climate ripe for this particular type of wear.
If you identify mold or water damage early on, there’s a chance you could fix it with a simple solution. Here are some signs to look out for:
- Wet or dark spots on your ceiling and walls
- Cracking drywall or flaking paint
- Leaks or pooling water
- Dripping sounds
- Higher utility bills
- Damp, musty smells
- Allergy, asthma, or cold flare-ups
But if your home’s mold or water damage gets left unnoticed and untreated, it can quickly grow to be a problem past the point of simple repairs. And when these issues get extensive, they get expensive — likely being more than you’re willing to pay for. That’s when you may start to wonder when it’s time to pack up and move on.
How to Sell a House With Mold or Water Damage: Your 3 Options
Selling a house with mold or water damage is possible. But before you move forward with that decision, it’s important to understand your options and be realistic about what the best choice is for you. Here’s a breakdown of three of the most common choices homeowners make in this situation.
Option 1
Get Rid of Mold and Water Damage
If you have the time and money to make repairs, you can absolutely do so. If you sell your home post-repair, you’ll likely get more money for it. If you make the repairs and wish to stay in your home, you’ll be able to live much more safely and comfortably.
However, if you can’t afford to get rid of your home’s mold and water damage, this isn’t the best option for you. There’s no sense in putting time and money into something you can’t or can barely afford. More often than not, there’s a better option for you out there.
Option 2
Leave Repairs Up to the Buyer
You can sell your house with mold or water damage and leave the repairs up to the buyer. Just know that if you choose this option, you must disclose the issues to the prospective buyer. It’s illegal not to, as it could put their safety at risk.
You should also know that you’ll likely have to lower your listing price for the home, as you need to take the damage and how much it’ll cost to fix it into account. You may also have to spend time and money on your listing, working with a realtor, and proceeding through the closing process.
Option 3
Sell Your Home As-Is to an All-Cash Buyer
When you’re stuck with too much mold or water damage than you can handle, perhaps the best choice is to sell your home as-is to an all-cash buyer. You’ll still have to disclose the damage to the buyer and settle for a bit lower of a listing price, but you’ll be able to get cash in your pocket fast.
This allows you to transfer your problematic home to someone else, not worry about any time or money spent on repairs, and move on to something better for your family. At Hometown Development, we’re known to close in as little as five days — offering the most hassle-free selling process out there.
Mold and Water Damage FAQs
To learn more about how mold and water damage can affect your home, check out the list of frequently asked questions below. You may also head to our blog for more information.
You can live in a house with mold, but it can be dangerous. Mold can cause all sorts of health problems, such as allergy and asthma flare-ups, frequent colds, headaches, skin rashes, weakened immune systems, bronchitis, and more. For this reason, it’s best to get rid of the mold in your home or move out as soon as possible.
In Michigan, it is not inherently illegal to sell a house with mold. However, it is illegal to sell a house with mold without disclosing the problem to prospective buyers. Michigan law requires you to disclose any issues that are personally known about the home, which is why so many homeowners and buyers go through a thorough inspection process.
The average cost of mold remediation is $1,000-5,000, depending on the extent of the damage. Some homeowners pay up to $15,000 for whole-home remediation. It’s an expensive undertaking, no doubt. Plus, it’s recommended that you leave your home during the mold remediation process, so you’ll have to pay for alternate living arrangements during that time.
Generally, mold remediation is only covered by insurance if it’s caused by a “covered peril.” This means that the mold grew as a result of a sudden or accidental event, such as a severe storm, emergency fire extinguishing, etc. The same goes for general water damage.
Getting insurance to cover your mold or water damage repair bill is possible, but it can be a difficult process. Many homeowners struggle to prove their case to insurance companies or don’t spot the damage until later on when it’s too late to tie the sudden or accidental event to the damage. This is why it’s so important to spot damage early on, when possible.
Walk Away From Your House With Mold or Water Damage. Request a Free Cash Offer!
When mold and water damage get to be too much, sometimes it’s best to sell your house, walk away from the trouble, and move on to something better. Contact our team so we can learn more about your property, then we’ll provide you with a free, no-obligation cash offer within just 24 hours — guaranteed!