Selling a house in San Diego with lots of problems can seem like an impossible task. You may be wondering if you can sell your house in the condition that it currently is in. Or you may be considering how much money it would actually take to fix the problems and prepare the home for a traditional sale. Selling a house with problems is complicated and stressful. Today, Trusted House Buyers wants to walk you through the realistic process of trying to sell your San Diego house with lots of problems and how we can provide a welcomed solution.
Exactly how bad is it?
Through the course of our cash buying experience, we have seen it all. We have seen homes with failing roofs, homes with fish living in the swimming pool, homes with water damage, cracked foundations, failing appliances, homes with stuff (lots of stuff), and even a home with a pet squirrel run. We really can’t make this stuff up! If you have a home or have inherited a home with problem after problem, you are probably wondering what your options are.
- Sell Your Home As-Is
- Spend Money Fixing the Problems and Renovating the Home
- Continue Living in the Home
- Rent the Home with All of its Problems
Let’s Define “As-Is”
Selling your home “as-is” or in “as-is” condition does exist. At Trusted House Buyers, this is what we do. However, it is important to understand what “as-is” truly means so you as the seller are well informed. According to Realtor.com, “Technically, when a real estate agent lists an as is home sale, it means the homeowner is selling the home in its current condition, and will make no repairs or improvements before the sale (or negotiate with the buyer for any credits to fund these fix-its). The term “as is” is rarely tacked on a property sales listing that’s perfect and move-in ready.” When you have a home that you are wanting to sell as-is, listing the home is usually not the best plan of action. If you have a home that is in disrepair, putting it on the San Diego MLS next to a turnkey property or a property that has a beautifully renovated kitchen and updated landscaping is not going to fare well.
Hometowndev.com explains further, “You’re really going to appreciate what you read next about how long it takes to sell a home as-is once you know what the alternative is. And it isn’t pretty. According to Zillow, most homes stayed on the market for an average of 68 days. So, just over two months. If you need cash now, that’s not great, but that figure is even more concerning when you figure in a couple of things: that is the average, meaning that some homes were on the market for much, much longer than 68 days and that “on the market” means just that, listed for sale. ” Many times, these types of homes (meaning a home that needs repairs, has many problems, is outdated) sit on the market and then come off the market. That means the sellers have now wasted months with no return and are back at square one.
How Expensive are House Repairs?
This is a loaded question. If you have a San Diego house that has been sitting for years with problem after problem, chances are the grand total is a number that will shock you. Brace yourself for this statistic. According to Mercury News, “The cost of fixing or remodeling your home in California has risen by 67% in a decade – twice overall inflation’s jump.” Take a deep breath. Let’s break it down. Below or some common repairs and a ballpark figure of what it may cost you to repair these issues.
- Foundation Repairs: your home’s foundation is not a repair that can be missed, not to mention any home inspector will require the foundation be fixed. This repair can be anywhere from $5000 up to $25,000 depending on the size and severity of the issue.
- Electrical Issues: Don’t try this one at home kids! Leave electrical repairs to the professionals. This can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars depending on what needs to be repaired.
- Water Damage: water damage that is visible will send home buyers running for the hills. The type of water damage and the amount of water damage will affect the cost of repair, but it averages around $2600.
- Roof Repair: This is a biggy. A damaged roof is no joke and can lead to many other problems. Home buyers do not want a roof that needs to be repaired. Forbes breaks it down. “In California, the cost of a new roof is typically between $9,000 and $25,000. On average, a California homeowner can expect to spend around $15,000 for a new 2,000-square-foot roof. These figures provide a starting point for understanding the financial aspects of your roofing project in the Golden State.”
- Repair or Replace Pipes: Repairing or Replacing old pipes is usually found after a home inspection and can range from a few hundred dollars if you are lucky up to thousands and thousands of dollars.
- Heating or Air Conditioning Repair/Installation: Fixing the heating or air conditioning is a must if you want to sell your home. Bankrate tells us that, “Installing a new HVAC system ranges on average from $5,000 to $12,500.”
- Mold Removal: mold removal is something that cannot be overlooked as it can lead to serious health issues. This service averages around $2500.
- Termite Damage: the problem with letting this go, is that you are allowing termites to literally eat away at your house. Termite repairs can be extremely costly depending on the extent of the damage and the square footage of your home. Get ready for a price tag that is thousands and thousands of dollars.
Is There a Light at the End of the Tunnel?
We know, the information we have laid before you is not pretty. It is downright stressful especially if you don’t have thousands and thousands of dollars to fix all the problems that your San Diego house currently has. And this list just names a few of the average costs. It doesn’t mention the time, energy, and hassle it will take to get this work done. And even if you do make a few repairs, a home that is distressed is not necessarily visually appealing to the average home buyer. Renovating and updating your home is a whole other project and financial constraint. This is where selling your home to a cash buyer like Trusted House Buyers comes in. We are a family run business here in San Diego that specializes in buying homes in “as-is” condition. We will take your home in the condition that it stands today and offer you a price for your home. That means you do not need to research electricians, roofers, or plumbers. You hand over your home and all of its problems to us. This is what we do. We do not require inspections and we do not pull any surprises. Unlike other “buy houses for cash” companies, we offer you a price that is fair and are completely transparent throughout the process. There are no hidden fees or costs and you can have cash in your hand in as little as 10 days. Give us a call today 619-786-0973 to see how our company can help you sell your San Diego problem house.
