Sell a Florida House That Needs Repairs, As-Is

Some houses are hard to sell the traditional way. The roof is near the end of its life, the AC quit, there's water damage from the last storm, or a long list of deferred repairs. Many retail buyers' lenders and insurers won't touch a house like that until it's fixed, and fixing it means cash, contractors and months of waiting. Selling as-is to a cash buyer is one way around that. Here's how it works and what to expect.

Problems that commonly push Florida homes into the as-is category

• Roofs. Many Florida insurers won't write or renew a policy on an older roof, and buyers using a mortgage usually need insurance to close.
• Hurricane and water damage. Wind and flooding from recent storms, roof leaks, and the mold that can follow.
• Old or failing systems. AC, polybutylene or cast-iron plumbing, outdated electrical panels, and septic systems.
• Structural and foundation issues. Settlement cracks and, in parts of Florida, sinkhole-related concerns.
• Code violations and open permits. Unpermitted additions, enclosed garages, and open permits that show up in a title search.
• Hoarding, fire or tenant damage. Homes that need a full clean-out before anyone can evaluate them.

What "as-is" does (and doesn't) mean in Florida

When we buy as-is, you don't repair, clean, paint or stage anything. We take the house in its current condition and factor the repairs into our offer.

As-is does not mean hiding problems. Under the Florida Supreme Court's decision in Johnson v. Davis, a residential seller who knows about facts that materially affect the value of the property, which aren't readily observable and aren't known to the buyer, must disclose them, and courts have applied that even to as-is sales. Tell us what you know about the roof, leaks, past insurance claims, permits and anything else. It protects you, and it won't scare us off: our offers already assume we'll find problems.

How we arrive at an as-is offer

We aren't guessing, and we'll walk you through our math:

1. After-repair value. What similar renovated homes nearby have sold for.
2. Repair estimate. Based on a walkthrough, and on contractor bids for big items like a roof or foundation.
3. Holding and resale costs. Taxes, insurance, utilities, financing, and the cost of selling it again.
4. Our margin. We're a business and need a reasonable return for the risk.

That's why an as-is cash offer is lower than the price of a fully renovated home. The trade-off is that you avoid paying for repairs up front, waiting on contractors, a buyer's inspection renegotiation, and the risk of a buyer's loan or insurance falling through.

Insurance inspections and older Florida homes

Many Florida insurers ask for a 4-point inspection (roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC) and a wind mitigation report before insuring an older home. When a house fails those checks, a buyer using a mortgage often can't get the insurance their lender requires, and the sale stalls. Because we pay cash, a failed 4-point doesn't hold up our closing. If you already have these reports, share them with us. They help us make a more accurate offer.

Compare your options

• Fix and list. Often the highest gross price, if you have the cash, time and patience to manage repairs, and the house qualifies for financing afterward.
• List as-is with an agent. You can still reach retail buyers and investors, but you pay commission, and financed buyers may be limited by condition.
• Sell direct for cash. The fastest and most certain option, with no repairs, showings, or commissions, at a lower price that reflects the work needed.

How a sale to us works

1. Call or submit the address. Tell us what you know about the condition.
2. Walkthrough. One visit, at a time that works for you. No open houses and no parade of buyers.
3. Written cash offer with our reasoning.
4. Close with a licensed title company on the date you pick. Leave behind anything you don't want.

We buy houses that need repairs throughout Florida, especially in Orange, Seminole, Lake, Osceola, Volusia and Brevard counties. If the house was inherited, see inherited and probate houses, and if payments are behind, see foreclosure options. We also buy mobile and manufactured homes on land you own, vacant properties, and rentals with tenants.