How to Sell a Hoarder House Fast
Wondering how to sell a hoarder house?
It can be extremely challenging, and finding a buyer through the usual channels may be out of the question. Whether the home is a rental you own, a property you inherited, or something you came to own another way, it’s important to proceed with caution.
Hoarder homes often have specific kinds of problems that must be addressed before a sale can be finalized, which can be both costly and time consuming. Selling the property as-is to a real estate investor for cash, however, can save you time, money, and hassle.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Sell As-Is: Selling to a cash investor saves time and hassle.
- Address Safety and Health Issues: Fix safety hazards and unsanitary conditions before selling.
- Be Transparent: Provide documentation of issues and repairs to build buyer trust.
- Consider Cleaning and Repairs: Clearing out, cleaning, and repairing can boost marketability but may be costly.
Here’s how to sell a hoarder house
Selling a hoarder house requires a clear strategy. First, assess the property’s condition and identify major issues. Next, clean and declutter to remove any health hazards. Make necessary repairs to address structural problems.
Consider hiring a real estate agent with experience in hoarder houses for expert guidance. Develop an effective marketing strategy that highlights the property’s potential.
Finally, be open to selling as-is to cash buyers or investors for a faster transaction. Following these steps can help you navigate the complexities of selling a hoarder house efficiently.
Selling a hoarder house as is
While there are a range of companies that can you you with selling as is, the speediest and most straightforward option is selling your home to an investor who pays cash for houses as they stand.
At SoCal Home Buyers, we purchase hoarded homes throughout Southern California, and we make the process as painless as possible by sending out our in-house inspector who will make a no-obligation cash offer on the spot.
When you sell a hoarder house to a real estate investor like us, you can expect to have your cash payment in as little as 24 to 48 hours. The benefits of selling a house for cash when the property you want to sell is a hoarder house can be difficult to overstate.
When should you sell a hoarder home
- Safety Concerns: If the hoarder’s behavior has led to significant safety hazards, such as blocked exits, unstable piles of items, or increased risk of fire, it is crucial to consider selling the property. The safety of the tenant and others is paramount, and addressing these concerns promptly is necessary to prevent potential accidents and injuries.
- Health Risks: Hoarder houses often harbor unsanitary conditions, including mold, mildew, pests, and accumulated dust, which can pose serious health risks. If these conditions cannot be remedied effectively, selling the property might be the best course of action to protect the health of current and future occupants.
- Financial Burden: Managing a hoarder property can be financially draining due to the costs associated with potential fines, increased insurance premiums, and necessary repairs. If the financial burden becomes unsustainable, selling the house to a cash buyer who specializes in distressed properties can provide a quick financial relief.
- Legal Issues: Hoarder homes can attract legal issues due to non-compliance with local building codes and health regulations. Persistent violations may result in fines or even legal action from local authorities. Selling the property can help avoid ongoing legal complications and transfer responsibility to a new owner equipped to handle the situation.
- Emotional and Mental Strain: Dealing with a hoarder property can be emotionally taxing and mentally exhausting. If the stress of managing the situation becomes overwhelming, it might be time to consider selling the house. This decision can provide a sense of relief and allow the owner to focus on their well-being.
- Market Conditions: Favorable market conditions can also influence the decision to sell. If property values are high, it might be a strategic time to sell the hoarder house as-is to capitalize on market trends, even if the property is in poor condition.
Common issues when selling a hoarder’s house
If you’re selling a hoarder home, you recognize that there are issues related to selling the property, but it’s important to have a good idea of what you’re in for. While every hoarder house on the market comes with its own unique concerns, there are several problems that are commonly associated.
Selling a house that needs repairs is one thing, but if the house you’re looking to sell is a hoarder’s home, you can expect it to be that much more challenging. Many people are looking for fixer-uppers, but this generally doesn’t include homes with the kind of major problems that hoarder homes often have.
Photos are a concern
Most interest in real estate properties begins with pictures, and while taking enticing photos of most homes is as easy as clearing away the clutter and sprucing things up a bit, this generally isn’t an option with a hoarder’s home.
Those in the market for homes want to see photos, and it’s next to impossible to capture decent photos of a hoarder house for sale. Generally, these listings are limited to exterior photos, which aren’t likely to drum up much interest.
Safety is a serious concern in terms of open houses and viewings
Hoarding disorders can range from mild to severe. A serious case of hoarding almost certainly means open houses and viewings are out of the question. When a house gets to this hazardous stage, entry may not even be possible.
For milder cases, getting into the home may not be a problem, but safety could be a serious concern. Clutter and slip-and-fall accidents tend to go hand in hand, and the fact that open houses are generally scheduled on weekends when children are more likely to be in attendance increases the risk factor.
Hurtful comments are to be expected
If you’re trying to sell a hoarder house, you can expect potential buyers to make hurtful comments, which can be especially painful if the person with a hoarding disorder is present.
When it comes to selling a hoarder house as-is, the best approach is being upfront about the condition of the property and ensuring that the prospective home buyer is aware of the hoarding disorder from the start.
Time is likely to be an issue
If you are in the position of selling a hoarding house, you’ll likely need to sell quickly – for a variety of common reasons that can include structural issues or fire hazards that pose an imminent threat. Other concerns typically relate to getting the place up to code and avoiding the house being condemned.
The amount of time and expense required to fix up a hoarder house in order to sell it tends to be more than most sellers want to invest, which makes selling the house quickly to a real estate investor for cash a great option.
2. Renovating the home
The most labor intensive and costly approach to selling your hoarder house is engaging in a complete renovation and working with a local real estate agent to sell it.
A hoarder house can be extremely difficult to sell on the traditional market without considerable effort on the part of the homeowner.
Renovating a hoarder home is generally the only way to sell a hoarder property for its full value, but the cost of renovations can burn through potential profits.
3. Clearing out the home
When it comes to selling a hoarder house and getting a fair price, a good place to start is by clearing the house out, which can be a lot more work than you may realize. Once you begin the process, some of the common issues that may arise include:
- Rotting floorboards and walls
- Structural issues
- Dead animals
- Biological waste
- Odors that permeate surfaces throughout the house and require complete removal
- The need for pest control
- the need for HAZMAT protective clothing
This is what’s required just to clear out the hoarder house before selling to a buyer who is interested in homes that require considerable work – and it still may be unsafe to live in.
4. Cleaning the Home
If you’ve made it this far, taking the next step and cleaning the hoarder home may increase your selling options. It’s important to note, however, that – when it comes to owning a hoarder home – selling a house as is in California can be exceptionally challenging.
Realtors usually sell homes in decent condition, and they generally neither specialize in selling hoarder homes nor have any idea rg how to market and sell them. The closer you can get the home to market ready, the more licensed real estate agents can help.
5. Making repairs
The next logical step after clearing and cleaning a hoarder property is making necessary repairs. At this point in the process, it’s especially important to balance the cost you put into the home in relation to the return you’ll see on your investment, which can be tricky with homes that have been damaged by hoarding.
6. Pricing the home to sell
If the price is right on the home you’re selling, you’ll eventually sell the property, but it can take a considerable amount of time, which you may not have. Additionally, this approach tends to bring some of the lowest prices on the market.
Hoarder houses are often stigmatized, and selling directly to a real estate investor who is well versed at every kind of home buying is likely to bring a better price.
7. Donating the contents to charity
As mentioned, all people with a hoarding disorder are not identical to one another. Some hoarder homes are dangerously full, but the contents are preserved in new, like new, or decent condition. Others, however, are beyond the point of salvaging their contents.
If the home sale you’re pursuing is the former, donating the contents worth having to a charity is an excellent way to help clear out the property and give back to the community – many charities will even pick up the items you’re donating. If the overall value of your donation is considerable, you can itemize your deductions and may decrease your tax burden.
8. Sell hoarder house contents in an estate sale or online
Emptying a hoarder’s home of its entire contents can be a backbreaking endeavor, but it could be a requirement for selling the hoarder house. There are professional junk removal companies out there that can make quick work of the matter – for a price.
If you’re selling inherited property that housed a hoarder, for example, you might be wondering how to separate the contents that are worth selling and those that aren’t, and a reputable removal company can help you with that. From here, you can sell the items of value in an estate sale or online, which can help defray the hoarding-related losses.
How to sell a hoarder’s house fast in Southern California
Being saddled with a hoarder’s home puts you in a difficult situation. Selling a hoarder house quickly to a real estate investor, however, comes with considerable advantages that include selling the home as-is to a cash home buyer.
At SoCal Home Buyers, we buy hoarder homes, make fair cash offers, and streamline the process considerably. To make things even easier, we buy houses throughout Southern California in the following areas:
If you’re ready to sell, the process couldn’t be easier and includes the following basic steps:
- Give us a call at 951-331-3844—or fill out the short form below—to request your fair cash offer.
- Await our prompt response to discuss your property in greater detail and schedule a one-time inspection that allows us to offer the highest amount possible.
- At the time of the inspection, our in-house inspector will quote you a fair cash offer, and if you’re on board, you can consider your home sold!
- Choose your closing date, and leave the rest to us. You can choose payment via check or wire transfer. It simply doesn’t get any easier.
