Dos and Don'ts When Selling a Water Damaged House

Can you sell a house with water damage? The short answer is, yes, you can sell a home with water damage. However, there are some pointers that need to be focused on while doing so.

Before considering how to sell your water-damaged property and what the market process for that is like, let’s understand what a water-damaged property is.

Water damage is one of the worst traumas your house can experience. Everything from head to toe is soaked, and the water gets into every little nook and cranny. The damage can take hundreds and thousands of dollars to repair, but it is not impossible to sell the house.

See Also: How to sell a house with foundation issues

What Causes Water Damage?

Water damage affects the building overall. The moisture could seep into the building and can cause vermin infestations. Due to this, the value of the house drops by a lot. Moreover, it also leads to structural damage to the property.

Dos_and_Don_ts_When_Selling_Your_Water-Damaged_House

In addition, fixing a water-damaged house costs a fortune. Even a few inches of water could inflict so much damage you’d have to empty your pockets to fix it. In conclusion, water damage brings no joy.

Now, there are dozens of reasons that cause water damage. One of them being the weather. Hurricanes and thunderstorms cause flooding, leaving your house exposed to water damage. Clogged gutters, leaking pipes, and even sprinklers (if they malfunction) can lead to water damage.

See Also: A Comprehensive Guide on How to Sell a Fire-damaged Property

Tips on Selling a Water-Damaged House

As we said earlier, water damage is one of the worst traumas your house can experience, and repairing it is quite expensive. However, you can save yourself from facing further losses. That is precisely what we’ll be talking about below.

Water-Damaged House

Selling Your House Through a Realtor.

You can always sell your house through a realtor. However, since this is the traditional way of selling a home, the realtor will step in with a conventional mindset. 

That means they’ll want the house up to par before listing it in the market. If you can afford the repairs and renovations, along with the realtor, closing, and commission fees, well and good. But if you can’t afford this, we suggest exploring other options.

Selling a Water-Damaged House Yourself

There aren’t many advantages of selling your house independently, except saving on commission or realtor fees. You’ll be in charge of advertising, meeting potential buyers, and every other process step. You won’t be satisfied with your decision. And you’ll have to face a lot of unnecessary stress and tension. 

Buyers may walk out of the sale at the very last moment, and you’ll find yourself at the start again, or they could ask for huge discounts on the deal, which would only put in a loss. 

Accepting a Cash Offer

Cash offers are probably the best option you could opt for selling a water-damaged house. Cash-buyers, such as Top Cash Offer In USA, can help make the process easier for you. Even if the water damage is significant, we will still buy your house without hesitation. 

However, we will check how much damage occurred and how much repairs will be needed, but not to worry because we don’t walk away from sales. Unlike other sales, which take weeks, sometimes even months, to close, we’ll complete your sale in a few days.

See Also: A Guide on How to Sell Your House Fast

Informing Buyers about the Water-Damaged Situation

It is imperative to tell the buyer everything before things get too messy. If you sell through a real estate agent, you will have a disclosure document in which you’ll have to disclose all the information about your house. 

If you don’t, the buyer could sue you for scams or fraud after the sale, and you’ll have to face legal charges. Be very honest throughout your deal, and keep nothing a secret.

How Does Water Damage Decrease the Value of Your House

Even if the water damage were accidental, the home value decreases. The structure is entirely ruined, making way for mold growth, damage to the floors, leaks in several places, and damage to the walls and electrics. 

The structure is what holds everything. If that is damaged, you can say goodbye to the old value of your house. Hence, you may face some of the biggest challenges when selling your water-damaged home.

Ending Note

Selling to an investor or direct cash buyer may be your most brilliant move. The benefits that come along are numerous compared to the damage the water has already done to your house. 

A cash buyer will offer you a fair price on your house. You won’t even have to get anything repaired or worry about the foundations. 

At Top Cash Offer In USA, we help people like you with distressed houses. There is still light on the other side if you work with us. Our offers are obligation-free, and thus you have complete control over what you want to do.