Sell a House That Needs Repairs
Roof at the end of its life, a foundation question nobody wants to answer, galvanised plumbing, a kitchen that has not changed since the seventies. Buyers with mortgages struggle with these houses, and the repair quotes to make one listing-ready are often larger than the equity available to pay for them. We buy as-is, with no repair credits and no renegotiation after inspection.
Why sellers in this situation contact us
We expect the problems
Our offer already assumes the property needs work — that is the business we are in
No renegotiation
We do not come back after an inspection asking for a price reduction
No lender to satisfy
Cash means no appraiser requiring repairs before funding
You keep your money
Nothing out of pocket for contractors, permits or staging
No showings
Nobody walks through judging a house you already know needs work
The problems this situation creates
Financed buyers fall away
FHA and VA appraisals in particular flag deferred maintenance, and lenders can require repairs before funding. That narrows your buyer pool to cash and renovation loans.
Repair quotes exceed the equity
Bringing a dated home up to listing standard routinely runs into tens of thousands, which is money you may not have and cannot recover if the sale then disappoints.
Inspection renegotiation
Even when a listing gets an offer, the inspection often reopens the price. Sellers of older homes frequently negotiate twice.
Days on market compound
A house that needs work sits, and a long listing history invites lower offers from buyers who assume something is wrong.
Disclosure exposure
California requires meaningful disclosure of known defects. Selling as-is to an informed buyer is a cleaner path than a partial repair you then have to explain.
Insurance and financing knock-ons
An aged roof or old electrical panel can make a property difficult to insure, which in turn makes it difficult for a financed buyer to close on.
When selling to us is not the right move
If the work needed is genuinely cosmetic — paint, carpet, a tidy garden — spend the small money and list it. Cosmetic improvements reliably return more than they cost, and you will do better on the open market. The calculation changes when the problem is structural, mechanical, or large enough that a lender would object.
Frequently asked questions
How bad can the condition be?
Foundation movement, roof failure, fire and water damage, failed septic, unpermitted additions, hoarder conditions — we have bought all of it. The condition changes the number, not our willingness to buy.
Should I get repair estimates before contacting you?
You do not need to. If you already have quotes, share them — they help us be precise. But paying for inspections purely to talk to us is not money well spent.
Will you lower the price after seeing the house?
Our offer follows a walkthrough of the actual property, so it accounts for what is really there. We do not make a high offer to get a contract signed and then reduce it, which is a common enough tactic in this industry that you should ask anyone else you speak to the same question.
Do I still have to make disclosures if I sell as-is?
As-is affects who pays for repairs; it does not erase California's disclosure obligations about known material defects. Being upfront also protects you after closing. If you are unsure what must be disclosed for your property, ask a real estate attorney.
What if the house has unpermitted work?
Common in older stock and not a deal-breaker for us, because we are not relying on a lender who needs permits to match the county record. It is a serious obstacle in a financed sale, which is often exactly why sellers in this position call.
This page explains how selling a property for cash works. It is not legal, tax or financial advice, and it is not a substitute for advice about your own situation.
Where we buy:
About My California Home Solution
- My California Home Solution is a real estate investment company that buys houses directly for cash and sells off-market investment properties to investors.
- Service area: San Diego County and Riverside County, California.
- Office address: 1132 San Marino Dr #100, San Marcos, CA 92078.
- Calls are answered by a person Monday through Saturday, 7am to 5pm Pacific, and the office is closed Sunday. Online offer requests are accepted at any hour and receive an immediate automated confirmation.
- Typical closing window: 7 to 14 days, with the seller choosing the closing date.
- Sellers pay no agent commission and no closing costs, and no repairs are required.
- Contact: (760) 477-4552 or deals@mycahomesolution.com.
- My California Home Solution is a member of the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce. Membership is an affiliation, not an accreditation, rating or endorsement.
- My California Home Solution is a property-buying company, not a brokerage — when we make an offer we are the buyer, not your agent. Richard Farmer is a licensed California real estate broker (DRE #01229897) affiliated with Ktesius Realty Corporation (DRE #01842107), so brokerage services are available separately if listing suits you better.