Selling your house as-is can be beneficial in many different situations. While you may traditionally think selling your home means running around making it look like a home on a design show, when you’re selling a home as-is, a lot of that pressure is off.
Traditionally, when you sell your house, you would make sure it is fully empty and cleaned top to bottom before you close.
So how do you clean out your house when you are selling it as is? This guide has everything you need to know about cleaning and moving out during an as-is sale.
From what to leave and how to negotiate, here are a few pro tips.
What Does As-Is Mean in Real Estate?
When you sell your house as-is in real estate, this means that you are able to sell it in the condition it is in without needing to do any repairs before you close. You and the buyer have agreed upon the condition of the home being as it is, and they are aware of the home’s condition.
If you have inherited an old house, for example, you may not have the money to fix it and renovate it so it can sell for top dollar. Instead, you probably just want to sell it as quickly as possible and not have to worry about any repairs or renovations.
This is where selling a home as-is can be a great opportunity to unload a house quickly.
Why Sell As-Is?
There are a lot of reasons why someone would sell their home as-is. Let’s say your home is in need of major repairs and you need to move quickly but you just can’t afford to renovate.
In other situations, you may have inherited a house and you have no idea what condition it is really in.
Selling a house as-is means you aren’t responsible for anything in the house at closing as long as you have written the contract this way.
Selling As-Is: Is Cleaning a House Before Moving Out Required?
One of the biggest differences in selling a house as-is versus a traditional home sale is that you aren’t trying to make it look as good as possible to market it. You aren’t trying to make sure everything is updated and repaired to get the most value from the home.
So how do you prepare to move out of a home you’re selling as-is? This is an important question especially when you consider in a lot of cases, this may not even be your house you are selling.
Depending on how you would like to handle the situation, if you wish to leave everything in the home, you can write it in the contract this way. If it is written in the contract that you wish to leave everything in the home, the buyer can then decide if they are OK with this.
In this situation, you won’t have to clean or move anything out. If you and the buyer agree, you can leave all of the belongings in the house if you wish.
For cash buyers like an investor, they are used to handling homes in this condition and it often isn’t an issue to leave it as-is.
When the Buyer Requires You to Clean Out the Home
Technically, a potential buyer has the right to not agree to buy the home with all of the belongings and furniture still inside. If you find a buyer who isn’t open to this, you will have to remove your belongings or decline the offer and wait for a buyer who accepts this.
If you wish to take the offer and remove the belongings as requested, there are a few things you can do to get rid of everything quickly. You might also be able to negotiate the buyers will keep a few things at closing.
How to Clean Out a Home For Sale Quickly
If you need to remove your furniture and belongings during an as-is home sale, there are some ways you can clean everything out quickly.
First, hold an estate sale. With an estate sale, people come directly into the home, walk through, and are able to purchase everything as it is.
There are professionals who specialize in holding estate sales. This is especially convenient when you inherit a home from a loved one and you’d like to have it taken off your hands.
In some cases, if the home and belongings aren’t worth salvaging or selling, you can purchase a dumpster and dispose of the majority of it. You can sift through things that you may be able to donate or sell.
Some charitable organizations will even come to your home and pick up items so you don’t have to pay to remove them.
Should You Clean out Your House Before Putting It on the Market?
If you are worried about the items in the home before you even put it on the market, you may just want to get rid of everything beforehand.
Especially, when you have inherited a home or have been put in charge of someone else’s estate, the burden of removing items can be a lot of pressure.
Even when selling as-is, you may be able to get a little more from the home if it shows better.
This is completely up to you, however, and if it is more work than you can handle, negotiate it in that you won’t be cleaning anything out.
Negotiate It
When you’re selling a house as-is, deciding what to do with all of the furniture and belongings can be overwhelming. If it is your house, the process is probably a little more straightforward.
When you inherit a home or are managing a sale for someone else, this is where it can be a little burdensome.
One of the biggest benefits to selling a home as-is is that you don’t have to clean out your house, or do any work to sell it. To take advantage of this perk, write it into the contract that you’ll be leaving all of the belongings in the home as-is.
Once it is in the contract, potential buyers will be able to accept these terms and you can leave the home as it is.
If you’re ready to sell a home as-is, click here to get a fair cash offer on your home and learn more about the process.