Selling a Condemned House in VA (What You Need to Know)

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Did you inherit a condemned house? Or was your home recently condemned, and now you’re looking to sell it? If you want to learn how to sell a condemned house in the current real estate market, you’ve come to the right website. Here, we will explain the challenges behind selling a condemned property.

We will detail the renovations and necessary repairs that homeowners need to make to overcome the code violations of a condemned home. Additionally, we will teach you how to quickly sell a house via cash offer for its as-is condition. This means that you can still sell your house if you cannot afford to repair structural damage or adhere to building codes.

To learn how to sell a condemned house, read on.

Can You Sell a Condemned House in Virginia?

While you may find it hard to sell a condemned house in Virginia, you can work with an expert real estate agent and even find a cash home buyer to make a fair cash offer to buy your home. First, it is vital to understand what a condemned status of your home entails legally.

The term refers to a local government or a private enterprise acquiring your property and deeming the place unsafe for residence. Your property may also get acquired under the eminent domain doctrine. 

You can either take the fair market value that a private or government entity may provide or you can follow legal pathways to challenge the condemned status of your real estate property. Eminent domain allows government agencies to seize property for public use, such as the government needs to build highways or powerlines.

Condemnation usually occurs when experts find major building code violations that make the home structurally unsound and unsafe. Various factors can lead to such a building code violation, such as:

  • Inferior construction
  • Fires
  • Natural disasters and storms
  • Flooding problems

However you have obtained a condemned home, you can most likely sell the property to house flippers or real estate investors. These professionals will provide you with fair market value and are likely to purchase your property even if you have black mold or infestation problems.

Essentially, you can sell a condemned house. Selling an inhabitable versus a habitable home differs in marketing. A condemned house in poor condition, such as one with termite problems, can still get sold, but you will need to list it on a condemned real estate listing.

That listing will provide potential buyers with the name of the homeowner, the date the property was condemned, and the reason behind the condemnation. There are different rules for buying condemned real estate, so buyers will need a knowledgeable realtor who understands the regulations of such a home sale. 

For example, buyers in these cases often need private mortgage lenders instead of a regular bank. If the home underwent a foreclosure, the buyer may need to cover outstanding property taxes. 

The Difficulties of Selling a Condemned House

If you decide that you want to repair the condemned property and make it habitable again before selling it, then you’ll have to handle the hassle of renovations. You will need the home inspected by the relevant authorities and they will have to declare the home habitable once again.

Now, you’ll get to list the home on the local real estate market. However, if you’re not selling the place in its as-is condition, you will have to:

  • Improve the curb appeal with landscape work
  • Remodel the rooms completely
  • Fix the plumbing and electrical work
  • Remove any mold
  • Add a fresh coat of paint to the exterior and interior of the home

Yet, if you are selling the house as-is to house flippers or real estate investors, the process comes with its own challenges. For example, there are specific local laws and regulations you will need to follow when selling a condemned property. You will need to learn all the important laws to follow if you’re trying to sell the property as-is.

Sometimes, you may not even get a chance to sell a condemned house without repairs, as a few regions may require full renovations before the sale. In addition, you will need a Certificate of Occupancy to legally transfer ownership of the condemned home.

Home buyers often need a mortgage loan to buy a property. However, they will find it impossible to find standard mortgage lending companies willing to give a loan on a condemned property since the real estate can get taken by government authorities and is uninhabitable. 

As such, when selling a condemned home, it’s best to find cash buyers who do not need a loan.

How To Sell A Condemned House in VA

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You can sell a condemned house in Virginia in its as-is condition without making any repairs. As such, you can save on costs associated with renovations and repairs. However, you will also have to list the property at a much lower price point and you may have fewer buyers interested in the home. For example, if you are selling a smoker’s house, you may see fewer prospective buyers.

The amount of money you will make on the sale also depends on the condition of the home, the current real estate market, and the location of the property. Since the real estate market is at optimal levels for sellers right now, you may get a fair price for the condemned property even if you didn’t make any repairs.

However, in a buyer’s market, you may see these properties sold 15-20% below market value. Selling the place as-is also means it may take you longer to complete the sale. The home may sit on the housing market for much longer than if you renovated the place.

A seller may also lose out on profits due to the costs of selling a home including:

  • Mortgage payments
  • Interest rates
  • Homeowners’ association (HOA) fees
  • Utility cost

Nonetheless, the current market has a smaller inventory and greater demand, which gives sellers more control even when selling a place as-is. 79% of homes sold in December 2021 spent less than a month on the housing market.

You will likely need to look for house flippers, home cash buying companies, and investors to purchase a condemned house. Sometimes, a large real estate company can also buy a condemned property in its as-is condition without requiring repairs.

Ways To Sell a Condemned House

You have two options when selling a condemned house. You can either sell the condemned property in its as-is condition or fix up the house and then put it on the market.

If you repair and resell the home, you can get a much better price for it. However, you will need to have the time, resources, and money to put into the renovations. Usually, you can repair the home as long as it has been condemned for only one or two major issues. However, if the reasons for the condemned status are much bigger, you may not be able to repair the damage.

The local government authorities will usually allow you to complete the repairs. Usually, the condemnation process takes plenty of time, so you should have enough time to make the necessary repairs. 

You will need to hire a contractor with significant experience in renovating homes. Make sure to get all permits necessary to complete the repairs. You may also need to hire electricians and plumbers depending on the number of problems the home has.

Once the remodeling is complete, you will need to have the house inspected by local authorities. You also need a new Certificate of Occupancy issued once the house is declared habitable again.  

If you don’t have the funds and resources to repair the home, then you can sell the property as-is. In that case, you will need to find somebody who has the cash necessary to purchase the home instead of relying on a buyer requiring a loan. Most mortgage lenders won’t go anywhere near a condemned property loan.

You may need to contact real estate investors, house flippers, or cash home buyers. That way, you can sell a house fast in Norfolk or another part of Virginia. You also won’t need to put any money into repairing the property. Lastly, you won’t need to cover closing costs either.

Conclusion

The guide above should have explained how to sell a condemned house and manage the issues of selling a condemned property. You can either sell the home by repairing the problems and putting it on the market or you can sell your house as-is to cash home buying companies or real estate investors.

Nashville cash home in Virginia Beach buyers can purchase your home quickly and complete the sale in a few weeks or less. You won’t need to cover repair costs or even commission fees since a realtor isn’t necessary in these cases.  

We buy houses in Virginia, so contact us today to sell your condemned property for fair market value. Soon, you can move into a new home and put the condemned real estate behind you.

Do you want to learn more about how to find buyers for your house in Norfolk? We can help! Give us a call or send us a message today! 866-833-5262