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  • Writer's pictureTeo Molcut

How Much Do You Lose Selling A House As Is?

Updated: Apr 4, 2023


Endless questions perpetuate throughout our existence, apparently without any acceptable answer. Who killed JFK? Who is faster, Superman or The Flesh? Should you own a house or rent an apartment instead? If you believe these were complex matters, wait till you hear about the perplexing home selling process.

Be deliberate and level-headed about the sale!

There comes a time when selling your property seems the right decision. Family matters, career choices, and even a lockdown can mark the ideal time to sell. However, most notably, the property’s general bad condition can definitely contribute to selling a house as the owners don’t wish to invest more money into repairing it.


The prospect of hitting the jackpot and acquiring substantial revenue after selling their residence may blind many sellers. Consequently, sellers are prone to rush into negotiating prices without devising a plan to sell their homes first or exposing themselves to countless complications by selling without a realtor.


The formula is easy; you must get more money after selling your house (and paying the mortgage) than the amount you bought it for. You wouldn’t believe many sellers ended up with $1,000 after selling their homes and settling their bank loans.


Consider some situations and scenarios that can damage or improve your chances of ending up with a substantial income (or loss) after your property sale!

Improve your chances of selling effectively!

Suppose your neighborhood doesn’t quite belong to those regions where properties sell themselves. Not every town features a seller’s market, and the real estate business isn’t actually booming. Competent local real estate agents will inform you about the regional housing market’s actual state. They will advise whether selling your condo will bring you a big buck.


How can you avoid losing much money at a home sale? Agents suggest you refrain from investing a significant amount in property facelift in a neighborhood that doesn’t seem to pick up price-wise. As a matter of fact, this is one of the most recurrent problems house flippers indulge in.


Secondly, brokers and realtors recommend you to put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and imagine what they are searching for. Then, you can try innovative ways to sell your home to increase your revenue.

Future events to boost your income!

On the other hand, they may instruct you to wait for the next fitting time. For instance, inventing a property sale plan considering the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the US seems only rational.


Why are we covering all of these scenarios, you may wonder? The explanation is relatively straightforward; the faster you wish to sell, the more you will lose selling your real estate!



What are your options for selling your house as it is?

Listing and selling as it is, without the essential repairments or with an expired permit, bumps into many difficulties. Most people (i.e., house-hunters) don’t comprehend the costs of a complete renovation and assume it would cost more than they actually would.

What are the legal issues when selling as is?

Even if some buyers go along with the transaction, their real estate attorneys advise them against buying. In addition, some lending institutions can pose problems and deny the mortgage. Not to mention the title company, which ensures that the seller has the legal right to sell, can also impose insurmountable obstacles to the purchase.


Ultimately it all comes down to how terrible condition your real estate is. If all appliances are in perfect condition and the estate is ‘mortgage-able,’ the chances are that potential buyers will give it a shot. Still, you must expect to receive significantly less money for it.


Virtually, you can sell it to an investor or work with an agent. If you go with an agent and sell your house as is, the buyer will typically put you through all the ‘hard work,’ such as home inspections. Suppose they discover a particularly damaged aspect of the property. The buyer will give you an ultimatum: fix it, or I don’t buy.

Agent vs. investor - whom to choose when you sell as is?

Undeniably, you can obtain the highest price working with an agent. Thus, many clients will have exposure to your home. Today’s general market, characterized by a shortage of cost-effective housing, also favors the seller.


On the other hand, you can turn to an investor when the property is in appalling condition. The roof is leaking, and the appliances, heating, electricity, plumbing, the kitchen, and the bathroom don’t work. All these imply that your house isn’t mortgage-able, and your best shot is an investor.

The benefits of selling to an investor

Investors provide sellers with convenience and certainty (even at the expense of a lesser revenue) instead of the unpredictability a usual buyer offers. How often did it happen that the buyer didn’t receive the mortgage after several months of negotiation, and you had to return their deposit?


An investor isn’t limited by a mortgage contingency and will back out on the contract only if issues occur regarding the title. Albeit, an open or expired permit and violations might raise a red flag.


The time frame is not set with investors, so they can close fast or later. Moreover, sellers won’t have to clean up after themselves. The only downside is that they must sell at a discounted price, which, again, depends on the home’s condition.

Don’t let a suffocating burden pull you down!

Suppose you’re afraid to lose way too much on selling your home, yet it turned into a ball and chain. Then, you must take an honest look at the price it is costing you to maintain in the first place. Also, keeping a house can affect your quality of life, consume your time, and result in lost opportunities.


For this reason, don’t be afraid to let it go. If you receive a solid offer, try to negotiate the price a little but then just sell it! In the long run, your home sale will present you with plenty of new and better opportunities in life.

Conclusion

This article intended to shed light, on the one hand, upon those scenarios in which you can improve or damage your chances of selling your home efficiently. Ideally, you won’t lose too much if time isn’t a pressing issue, and you can wait for better housing market conditions. However, suppose you give into emotions or the so-called impulse selling. In that case, you significantly reduce the probability of getting a decent sum.


On the other hand, if you wish to sell your home as it is, meaning without implementing considerable improvements on it first, that will cost you. The loss will be determined by how damaged your goods are. If the appliances can be salvaged and the real estate is mortgageable, you should choose to work with a real estate agent and hope for the best.


Secondly, if extensive issues pull your estate’s marketable value down (faulty appliances beyond repair, open permits, and violations), go with an investor! Presumably, you’ll lose a more enormous amount of money that way. Still, income is guaranteed, and you don’t have to endure the trials and tribulations of waiting for a potential client finally get a mortgage. Lastly, you get to pick the date of leaving your home in principal.

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