Let’s face it, selling a house is no walk in the park, and if you’re dealing with a hoarder house, it can feel like you’re climbing a mountain without a map. These houses, often packed to the brim and needing more than just a little sprucing up, can scare off your average buyer and make the whole selling process feel like a nightmare. But here’s the good news: selling to a cash buyer can be your secret weapon. It’s like finding a shortcut that gets you to the finish line faster and with way less stress.
A Guide to Selling Your Hoarder House
Are you staring at a hoarder house and wondering how on earth you’re going to sell it? You’re not alone. Selling a house that’s seen years of accumulating stuff can feel like tackling a giant puzzle with missing pieces. But don’t worry, it’s not as impossible as it seems. In this guide, we’re going to walk you through the ins and outs of selling a hoarder house, step by step.
From figuring out where to start with the clean-up to navigating the quirks of the real estate market, we’ve got you covered. We’ll share tips on how to make your house more appealing to buyers, the pros and cons of different selling strategies, and how to handle the emotional and practical challenges that come with selling a property like this. Whether you’re a seasoned seller or this is your first rodeo, this guide is your roadmap to turning that cluttered house into a sold sign. Let’s dive in and get your hoarder house ready for its next chapter!
Take a Good, Hard Look
- Scope it Out: First things first, take a tour of your house. Room by room, jot down how much stuff there is and what kind of shape the house is in. This isn’t just about cleaning; it’s about seeing what you’re up against. There is a lot of stuff. A lot of stuff. But you aren’t doing an inventory. This is about seeing what you need to get out before you have to call a junk removal service.
- Get Some Pros Involved: Chat with a real estate agent or cash home buyer who knows the ropes of selling hoarder homes. They can give you the lowdown on what your house is worth as-is. An appraiser can also chime in with a price tag for your place in its current state. Remember that they are going to look at the house as it is. They are going to give you that value. It’s not going to match the price of a fully renovated, move in ready house.
Step 2: Plan Your Attack
- Set Achievable Goals: Decide if you’re going to roll up your sleeves and tackle the clean-up yourself or if it’s a job for the pros. Think about the amount of stuff and whether there are any health or safety issues. To be honest, I’ve been in hoarder houses that had all sorts of varmints and debris around. Its not pretty and you can hurt your self trying to save a few bucks. There are professionals that do this for a living.
- Call in the Cavalry (if needed): If the situation is way out of hand, it might be time to call in a clean-up crew that specializes in hoarder houses. They’ve got the gear and know-how to handle big messes safely. These guys lift stuff for a living. They have seen dozens if not hundreds of houses like this and they no how to tackle them hard and fast. They might cost some money but they will save you in the long run.
Step 3: Sort It Out
- Divide and Conquer: Start sorting. Make piles or use labels – keep, sell, donate, recycle, and toss. Take it one room at a time to keep things manageable. If you are going to do this yourself and you want to keep stuff, you better roll up your sleeves. Its going to be a long haul. It can take weeks if not months to deal with the problems and that isn’t even the emotional scarring that will come with revisiting some of those memories.
- Handle with Care: If you’re helping someone else, remember this can be really tough for them. Be kind and patient as you decide what stays and what goes. You can ruin a friendship because you didn’t realize that those candlesticks were grandma’s dinning room center pieces she brought out only on special holidays. You have tot be careful, because anything and everything can have a memory attached to them.
Step 4: Fix What’s Broken
- Spot the Big Issues: Look for things that really need fixing, like leaky roofs or broken windows. These are the fixes that really matter. After you’ve cleared stuff you will see what really will cost a lot of money. The flooring, walls, roofs, and neglected mechanicals.
- DIY or Dial for Help: Figure out what repairs you can do yourself and what you should hire someone for. Sometimes, paying for a pro can up your house’s value and make the sale smoother. Face it pros will charge you more than they do house flippers. As cash home buyers we developed tight relationships with with contractors that will give us discounts for repeat business. In turn they will charge you retail. If you think you will save a few bucks doing it yourself and not to code you might put yourself in a tougher spot.
Step 5: Show Off Your Hard Work
- Before and After Pics: Snap some photos before you start and after you’re done. This isn’t just for memories; it’s proof of all the hard work you’ve put in, which can be a big deal when you’re talking price with buyers. Show buyers your hard work. It may have an impact on the price they offer.
Step 6: Find the Right Buyer
- Look for Experienced Buyers: Seek out cash buyers who’ve dealt with hoarder houses before. You can find them online, through real estate agents, or local real estate investor meetups. Or google them. We are constantly reaching out to homeowners looking to turn their hoarder house into a new home for a new family to move into.
- Know Your Market: Do some homework on how houses like yours are doing in the market. This info is gold when you’re negotiating. Some markets are tough and if you are trying to get city prices for a rural house you might be hurt by the offers you get. Its better to go into a negotiation with real numbers and not what you hope you could get.
Step 7: Talk Turkey
- Price It Right: Based on your research and advice from pros, set a price that’s fair but doesn’t sell you short. Cash buyers often want a deal, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a good price. Sometimes a good price is a few thousand for rent after you pay your lender. Isn’t that better than losing everything in foreclosure or a tax auction? Cash buyers are not out to rob you blind. Some of them are looking out for you because they want you to land on your feet.
- Negotiate Like a Pro: Be ready to haggle. With your before and after photos and a solid understanding of your house’s worth, you can hold your own in negotiations. A lot of back and forth with be had. The best negotiations are from transparency and with honesty. Here at Next Door Properties we are transparent about all our numbers. We will tell you the God honesty truth about what it will cost us to renovate and sell. We aren’t just giving you a low ball offer like some buyers. We are happy to negotiate, and will work on all sorts of terms to give you the best deal.
Step 8: Seal the Deal
- Get the Lowdown: Cash sales usually wrap up faster than traditional ones. Make sure you know what to expect and have all your paperwork in order. Have all your mortgage docs, liens ready. The more informed we all are the faster it goes. If stuff comes up in title search then the whole process slows to a crawl and adds weeks to the sale. That is what being open and transparent is important to the sale.
- Dot Your I’s and Cross Your T’s: Think about getting a real estate lawyer to check over everything. It’s always good to have someone in your corner making sure everything’s on the up and up. They may cost a pretty penny but they will give you piece of mind. We can say we are honest and transparent but sometimes you need that assurance from a 3rd party and we highly recommend you do so.
Wrapping It All Up: Selling a hoarder house to a cash buyer like Next Door Properties doesn’t have to be a headache. With these steps, you’ll be ready to tackle the challenge head-on and get the best bang for your buck. Remember, it’s all about being prepared, knowing your stuff, and staying cool during negotiations. Happy selling!