MarketPro Homebuyers has been in the real estate business for over a decade. In that time, we’ve seen sellers attempt to use quick cosmetic fixes for major problems—for example, putting a new coat of paint to hide cracks that indicate foundation problems or mold. They seem to think this will help them get a quick sale or even snag an all-cash offer, but this is not a good long-term strategy.
We’ll tell you why NOT to paint over issues, and what you can do with a distressed home instead.
Painting over issues to sell a home can bring trouble.
If you paint over something to get a quick sale, you put yourself at legal risk.
Laws vary by location, but Lawyers.com tells us that “Nearly all 50 states have laws requiring sellers to advise buyers of certain known, material defects in the property, typically by filling out a standard disclosure form before the sale is completed.” The seller is not typically required to inspect for problems, “but if there are obvious problems about which the seller should have known, but failed to disclose, a court might believe that the seller purposely failed in their duties. The same is true if the seller purposely tried to hide a defect—for example, if the seller painted over a large crack in the foundation so that you would not see it. This would be strong evidence supporting a lawsuit.”
So, it’s clear that hiding issues isn’t the way to go! Luckily, you have two good options when trying to sell a distressed home.
Option 1: Fix it up before listing.
Distressed homes don’t usually sell quickly. If you want to sell on the market—and want your home to sell within a reasonable time frame—it’ll be important to start with addressing all known issues, major and minor. It can even be helpful to get an inspection so that you’re fully aware of what buyers will find in their inspections (and therefore what you need to fix).
Depending on the state of your house, this process can take a lot of time and money. If you’re skilled enough to do some repairs yourself, you may not need to invest as much money, but you’ll be investing more time. Make sure you keep an eye on the ROI for potential renovations; if you over-renovate, you might be sinking money into the house that won’t come back to you in the sale.
Option 2: Sell to a seasoned all-cash buyer.
If you don’t want to put this time and money into your house, don’t worry; not having a perfect home is perfect for buyers like us. You can get an all-cash offer for your house from MarketPro Homebuyers, no matter the condition. It’s what we do!
Selling your house for cash, as-is, saves you time, money, and stress! Here’s how it works: you set up a visit where you get an all-cash offer, you close on your schedule, and you get paid. It couldn’t be simpler.
You shouldn’t paint over problems, but you don’t have to deal with them yourself, either; just sell to MarketPro!
Work with MarketPro:
We’ll give you a fast, all-cash offer for your current home just as it is now; no repairs, no upgrades, no inspection, no commissions or fees. You can even choose your exact closing date. Our team will walk you through your quote, including a review of what your home would likely bring on the open market.
If you’re in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania or Florida, we’d love to show you how easy and stress-free the sales process can be. Contact us today for a same-day, no-pressure quote.
