Sometimes a homeowner calls us and starts listing everything that’s wrong with the house before we even get a chance to see it.
The roof is old. The kitchen hasn’t been updated in 30 years. There’s termite damage. The foundation needs work. The house is full of belongings. Maybe there’s an unfinished renovation that somebody started years ago and never completed.
My response is usually pretty simple:
That’s OK. Let us see the house the way it is!
After more than 20 years of buying houses in New Orleans and the surrounding area, I’ve learned that there are plenty of situations where fixing a property before selling makes sense. But there are also situations where spending months of time and thousands of dollars on repairs just doesn’t make sense.
When selling the house as-is is the best option, New Orleans homeowners choose to sell their house as-is to NOLA Buys Houses.
What Does Selling a House As-Is Actually Mean?
Selling your house as-is means you’re selling the property in its current condition.
You aren’t promising to renovate the kitchen, replace the roof, update the electrical system, repair the foundation, or make the house look perfect before closing. It also means that once the property is sold that the seller is no longer responsible for any defects on the property.
That doesn’t mean problems should be hidden from a buyer. It simply means the seller isn’t taking responsibility for completing those repairs before the sale.
For some homeowners, that’s exactly what they need.
New Orleans Houses Can Come with a Lot of Issues
If you’ve owned a house in New Orleans, you probably already know that one repair can quickly lead to another.
You open a wall to repair some plumbing and discover old wiring.
You start repairing termite damage and find additional rotten wood.
You plan to replace the flooring and discover foundation problems underneath.
That’s just part of dealing with older properties.
We’ve walked through houses with roof leaks, outdated electrical systems, plumbing problems, foundation issues, termite damage, mold, fire damage, storm damage, code enforcement problems, and unfinished renovations.
We’ve also purchased houses that needed complete renovations.
The house doesn’t have to be perfect for us to be interested. In fact, many of the properties we buy need work.
You Don’t Have to Start a Renovation Just to Sell
One thing I always tell homeowners is not to assume they need to start spending money before understanding their options.
Maybe replacing the roof and making some cosmetic improvements will help you get significantly more money on the traditional market.
If the numbers make sense, that’s worth considering.
But what if the house needs a roof, electrical work, plumbing, foundation repairs, new flooring, a kitchen, and bathrooms?
Now you’re not talking about a weekend project.
You’re talking about managing contractors, permits, materials, unexpected problems, and a renovation budget that can change once the work starts.
Some homeowners want to take that on.
Others would rather sell the house as-is and not deal with the problems and headaches that can arise when renovating a house.
You Don’t Have to Clean Everything Out
This is another concern we hear all the time.
A homeowner may have lived in the property for decades. An inherited house may still contain furniture and belongings from a family member. A rental may have things left behind by former tenants.
Don’t assume you need to rent a dumpster and spend the next two weeks cleaning before calling us.
We can look at the house exactly the way it sits.
If there are things you want, take them.
If there are things you don’t want, talk to us about leaving them behind.
The goal is to make the process easier, not give you another project to complete before you can sell.
We’re Actually Buying the Property
This is something homeowners should ask any company advertising that they buy houses:
Are you actually buying my property?
At NOLA Buys Houses[CF1] , we’re professional home buyers. We’re not listing your house on the MLS and waiting for another buyer to come along. When a property meets our buying criteria and we reach an agreement, we’re buying it.
That matters when someone wants a more straightforward sale.
No Agent Commissions or Repair Bills
A traditional real estate sale can be a great option, especially for a house that’s in good condition and for a seller who has the time to go through the normal listing process.
But it isn’t the right solution for everybody.
When we buy a house directly, there are no agent commissions or fees charged by us, and we cover the closing costs.
More importantly for an as-is seller, you aren’t spending money fixing the property for us.
We evaluate the house based on its current condition, estimate what we’re going to have to put into it, and determine what we can realistically pay.
Local Experience Makes a Difference
New Orleans properties can get complicated.
We’ve dealt with successions, multiple heirs, title problems, open permits, code enforcement issues, storm and fire damage, tenants, unpaid mortgages, and houses that haven’t been occupied in years.
Every situation is different.
Sometimes the physical condition of the house isn’t even the hardest part of the transaction.
Knowing how to work through these situations—and knowing local properties—is one reason experience matters.
Is Selling As-Is Right for You?
Selling your house directly to us isn’t going to be the best option for every homeowner.
If your house is in excellent condition, you have plenty of time, and your main goal is getting the highest possible retail price, listing it traditionally may make more sense.
But if you’re looking at a house that needs significant work and thinking:
“I really don’t want to deal with all of this.”
That’s where an as-is cash sale may be worth considering.
At NOLA Buys Houses, we’ve spent more than 20 years working in real estate and buying properties throughout New Orleans and the surrounding communities.
We buy houses with old roofs, foundation problems, outdated interiors, storm damage, inherited-property issues, unfinished renovations, and plenty of other problems.
You don’t need to make the house perfect before calling us.
Let us see it first.
We’ll take a look at the property, talk about your situation, and explain what we can offer. From there, it’s completely up to you whether selling to us makes sense.
There’s never any pressure or obligation—just a straightforward conversation about your house and your options.
www.nolabuyshouses.com
504-264-1407