Answers by Joanne Jordan

Yes, you can absolutely list a home as-is even if it needs major work like a roof or foundation repair. Being “as-is” simply means you’re selling the property in its current condition and not planning to make repairs before closing. Buyers and investors purchase homes like that all the time. -Where it can get tricky is the buyer’s financing. Many traditional lenders—especially FHA or VA—require a property to meet certain condition standards before they’ll approve the loan. Significant roof or structural issues can cause the appraisal to come back with required repairs, which may mean that particular loan won’t fund unless the issues are addressed. -That said, there are still plenty of paths forward. Cash buyers, investors, or buyers using renovation loans are often comfortable purchasing homes that need work. The key is pricing and positioning the property correctly so the right buyers step in. -If you’re carrying a high mortgage balance, the main question becomes whether the market value in its current condition will cover what you owe. A quick analysis can usually tell us that pretty fast. I’m always happy to take a look and walk through the options so you know exactly where you stand. -I work with investors, and trust me, they are NOT looking to absorb the costs of deferred maintenance. I have seen often $100k-$200k less than what a seller wanted to get. Truthfully, let's do a pre-sale inspection, we'll get estimates on the what would be major obstacles in the sale, and then we'll work together on a net sheet to see what you’d realistically walk away with, and whether selling as-is still makes sense financially.