Selling a House ‘As Is’ in Austin

Are you selling a house “as is” in Austin? Whether you’ve got a fixer-upper or recently inherited a relative’s home, sometimes the goal is to skip repairs, get a fair offer, and move on.

According to top real estate agent Hillary Smith, part of the Jeremy and Hillary Smith real estate team, homeowners most often sell “as is” for “properties that just require more work than the buyer has any time, money or energy for.”

However, selling a house “as is” usually means accepting a lower offer, and it doesn’t always prevent buyers from trying to negotiate savings. Let’s take a closer look at how to sell a house in Austin, your options for getting an offer, and what to expect from the process.

Fast facts about selling a house ‘as is’ in Austin

What is ‘as is’ condition in real estate?

“As is” is a type of home sale in which it’s understood that no improvements will be made to the property. When selling a house “as is,” the seller chooses not to entertain buyers’ requests to complete repairs or provide credit for fixes.

An as-is sale may also indicate that the functionality and longevity of certain home components, such as a stove on its last legs or an older roof, are not guaranteed.

When selling a house “as is,” in Austin the general condition of the property should already be accounted for in the home’s purchase price to the best of the seller’s knowledge.

Which types of homes are sold ‘as is’?

Homes sold “as is” often need some work or might be cosmetically outdated. It’s not a label you’re likely to put on a listing in pristine, move-in-ready condition.

“As is” sales often attract investors searching for their next flip or buyers seeking a bargain, perhaps on a home in a great location with lots of potential.

What problems do you have to disclose in Austin?

Selling a house “as is” in Austin doesn’t mean sweeping known problems about the house under the rug.

A good time to complete the Seller’s Disclosure Notice is before listing your home or requesting an offer so that you know it’s taken care of.

According to the document, the sellers are required to indicate whether they are aware of any “defects” or “malfunctions” with significant systems in the home, including interior and exterior walls, ceilings, the foundation, and internal systems like the home’s electrical and plumbing.

The form will walk you through documenting what you know about the conditions of aluminum wiring, fault lines, previous foundation repairs, etc.

You’ll also be prompted to fill out information about the following conditions:

• Present flood insurance coverage.
• Previous flooding due to a failure or breach of a reservoir or a controlled or emergency release of water from a reservoir.
• Previous flooding due to a natural flood event.
• Previous water penetration into a structure on the Property due to a natural flood.

No matter what method you choose to sell your home, it’s required to make these disclosures to the best of your ability. However, Texas does allow certain exceptions for sellers who haven’t lived in the home.

Review your options to sell ‘as is’ in Austin

The main options to sell a house ‘as is’ include:

List ‘as is’ with the help of a real estate agent

A great real estate agent will provide assistance throughout the process of listing and selling a home “as is.” An agent gives simple presentation tips to improve marketing, helps to set an appropriate price that reflects the home’s condition, and works to find a buyer willing and eager to buy your home in its current state.

Sell directly to a cash buyer

Someone needing to sell their home “as is” can also work directly with a property investor or house-buying company rather than list, where it may be difficult to get an offer from a limited buyer pool.

We Buy Houses operations buy “as is” at a discounted rate and generally seek out homes in need of significant repairs. These companies can help sellers cash out quickly, and many will cover a seller’s closing costs.

Steps to list ‘as is’ with the help of a real estate agent

Find an agent willing to list the home ‘as is’

Your choice of real estate agent always matters, but even more so when selling a property “as is.” It’s important to find the right match. You’re looking for an agent who doesn’t shy away from listings that need a little TLC and maybe has a strong network of investor connections.

Your agent should also be willing to go the extra mile on marketing. Considering 80% of Americans say they would prefer to buy a move-in ready home, an “as is” sale likely has a reduced buyer pool from the start.

Consider a pre-listing inspection

A pre-listing home inspection is the same as a standard home inspection except that the seller pays for it before listing their home on the market. It may sound like a counterintuitive step for an as-is sale, but getting the inspection results upfront can illuminate any issues that could impact the value of the home and inform an accurate pricing strategy. If a buyer requests further deductions to the price based on their own inspection, you can point to how the estimated cost of certain repairs was already baked into the list price.

Hillary Smith says that pre-listing inspections aren’t typically worth it in her experience.

“If the seller decides to go as-is, it’s kind of like they’re washing their hands of that property in a sense, and they’re just kinda like, we’re putting it on the market this way it is, it’s the buyer’s problem to do their due diligence and make assessments on their own, and we’re kind of not going to be part of this,” she says.

Price to reflect ‘as is’ condition

The median sale price for homes in Austin hit $552,000 in December 2024, a 7.4% increase over the year prior.

Smith says she typically provides sellers wanting to sell “as-is” with a list of property values, giving them an idea of what their home might sell for.

“I always come with information about their specific area, and I’ll have a range from the bottom of the market, what is sold, and usually a six-month timeframe,” she says.

You can start with a free estimate from HomeLight’s Home Value Estimator (HVE).

Our HVE combs public data, including tax records and assessments, and pulls recent sales records for other properties in your neighborhood. Using a short questionnaire, we also factor in specifics about your home, such as the property type and described condition. Input your address, and we’ll provide you with a preliminary home value estimate in under two minutes.

What is Your Austin Home Worth?

Enter your address and get a preliminary estimate of home value in under two minutes.

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Do ever-so-light preparations

Hillary Smith recommends minor adjustments to the property in terms of preparation, determining if the cost of repairs is ultimately worth it, given the condition of the property. One example is a minor repair cost for broken windows.

“I always suggest that we go through the house, and we do a cost-benefit assessment of different things,” she says.

“If I know that they are going to get their money back out of an offer from a buyer or something that we could go ahead and fix or replace pretty easily and with minimal cost, that’s going to make the buyer feel better and not even have that come up as an issue, then I do recommend doing those things,” she adds.

Photograph to show potential

Your home listing warrants professional photography regardless of its condition. A professional photographer will take steps to shoot each room from the best angle, ensure optimal interior and natural lighting, and edit for the ideal brightness and exposure.

A high-quality camera with a wide-angle lens is also essential to showcasing entire rooms rather than half or three-quarters of what’s there. For these reasons and more, professionally photographed homes can help earn homeowners up to a 47% higher asking price per square foot compared to houses marketed without professional photos.

Your real estate agent will almost always arrange for professional photos as part of the listing process.

Highlight the surrounding area

A home’s location will be important to buyers seeking out a home with potential. Mention in your as-is listing if your home is close to any of the following:

• Downtown areas
• Major employers
• Parks and green spaces
• Sports venues and entertainment districts
• Waterfront views or access (ocean or a lake)
• Highly rated schools
• Access to outdoor activities
• Public transportation

Include ‘as is’ in the listing

Unless you explicitly mention that your house is being sold “as is,” buyers will have no idea of your intentions with the listing. Other common descriptors mentioned in as-is listings in Austin include priced to sell, fixer-upper, handyman special, or a “call for investors.”

To balance the focus on as-is condition, work with your agent to craft a property description that highlights the best features of the home,

Understand buyers may still negotiate

Listing “as is” provides no guarantee that buyers won’t try to negotiate savings on their purchase, even on an asking price you felt was already reduced to reflect the home’s condition. One of the best defenses you can have is an agent who takes a hard stance to prevent a deal from going south for the seller.

Be aware of minimum property standards for certain loans

When you place your home on the market, it’s hard to predict if your top offer will come from a cash buyer or a buyer pre-qualified for a home loan.

But if you do end up working with a financed buyer, be aware that different mortgage types (such as conventional loans or government-backed FHA, USDA, or VA loans) have different minimum property standards. These are standards related to the overall condition of a property which will play a role in the willingness and/or ability of a lender to finance a buyer’s loan.

Before properties can be financed, their value and condition is typically examined by a state-licensed, independent appraiser contracted by the buyer’s mortgage company.

If you’re unsure whether your home will meet appraisal requirements, you can start by taking a look at the FHA minimum property standards. If your house complies with FHA, then it complies with most other lenders’ requirements.

Prioritize a cash offer if you receive one

On occasion, conventional lenders may even finance a fixer-upper property sold “as is,” and it’s not impossible to finance a fixer-upper with an FHA loan. However, if you’re selling a house “as is” — especially one that needs heftier repairs — you may want to consider accepting a cash offer if you receive one. Cash eliminates the lender-ordered appraisal as well as the time it takes to close on the buyer’s loan, creating a faster and clearer path to settlement.

Pros of listing a home ‘as is’:

• Save time and money on prepwork
• Possibility of reducing negotiations from the inspection
• Solution for out-of-state owners and inherited homes

Cons of listing a home ‘as is’:

• Limited buyer pool
• Expect lower offers
• Negotiations and repairs aren’t always off the table

Steps to sell directly to a cash buyer

Now that we’ve covered the general process of selling a home “as is”, in Austin, let’s discuss the alternative of working with an investor. While the process varies from business to business, the steps to selling your home to a house-buying company typically go something like this:

1. Decision: A homeowner decides a traditional listing isn’t for them. Perhaps their house needs a lot of work, or they do not want to host any showings or open houses. They’re concerned about finding a buyer willing to purchase their home “as is” in its current state.
2. Contact: A seller contacts a company that buys homes in their area and provides some basic information about their home.
3. Preliminary offer: At this stage, some house-buying companies will provide a preliminary offer that is subject to change after a house assessment.
4. Assessment: The company schedules a walkthrough of the property to evaluate its condition, usually within 24 to 48 hours.
5. Firm offer: The company makes a firm offer (usually within 24 hours, sometimes on-site after the walkthrough), which you can accept or decline. Most of these companies will not negotiate on price, so the offer is a take-it-or-leave-it scenario.
6. Closing: If you accept the offer, you and the company will each sign the contract, and closing will begin. Some companies offer a large deposit or moving cost assistance, and a few may even pay for the home upfront.
7. Payment: The seller receives payment quickly, typically within seven days to a few weeks. This can vary by company, and sellers who work with a house-buying company often enjoy flexibility in selecting a move-out date that works for them.

If you aren’t sure where to get a cash offer, consider Simple Sale, a solution from HomeLight. With Simple Sale, you tell us a bit about your home, such as whether it’s a single-family or condo and how much work it needs. From there, we’ll provide you with a full cash offer to buy your home in as little as a week.

Skip repairs

No need to call the roof inspector or drain your savings to replace the HVAC. HomeLight will provide an offer for homes in almost any condition.

Sell when it’s convenient

Want to get out right away? Or need a little more time to pack? Either way, we’re flexible. Pick a move date that works for your schedule within 30 days of closing.

Close with certainty

Cash buyers don’t need a lender’s involvement to purchase a home, meaning they can move nimbly and quickly compared to someone who needs financing. With Simple Sale, you can close in as little as 10 days, compared to the 30-60 days or longer it typically takes to close with a financed buyer.

Are you curious to know more about the Simple Sale experience? Hear it firsthand from one of our valued clients in the video below.

Additional We Buy Houses companies in Austin

Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of the leading companies that purchase homes “as is” for cash in Austin, as well as information about each.