How to Sell a House As-Is in Ohio

Review your options to sell as-is in Ohio

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.

It’s important to find an agent with experience selling homes as-is in Ohio. A great agent might also work with local contractors, so you can make your house more appealing to buyers and save time and money with repairs.

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 especially 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 that 77% of Americans say they won’t consider buying a home that isn’t move-in ready, an as-is sale likely has a reduced buyer pool from the start.

Lynn goes the extra mile for all of her clients by doing light staging for properties that need it.

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 may be able to point to how the estimated cost of certain repairs was already baked into the list price.

Price to reflect as-is condition

The average sale price for homes in Ohio hit $305,041 in May 2024, a 9.1% increase over the year prior.

Some of the top factors that impact the value of an as-is listing in Ohio include the area the house is located in, its size, estimated cost of repairs, the size of the lot, and the overall layout of the home. If the house has an open floor plan, is in a desirable area, and has a large yard, even if it needs repairs, it will be an attractive option to many buyers in Ohio.

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.

Do ever-so-light preparations

Even for as-is home listings in Ohio, Lynn typically recommends sellers complete the following:

• Always declutter the home
• Make light repairs if possible
• Paint and decorate in neutral colors
• Even if the property is dated, the property should be deep-cleaned
• Depersonalize the house: Remove personal items and family photos so anyone can see themselves living there
• Check walkways for trip hazards
• Add curb appeal: May be as simple as planting a few flowers or cleaning up your mailbox area

Photograph to show potential

Your home listing warrants professional photography no matter what type of condition the property is in. 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, real estate listings that include professional photography sell 32% faster. Listings with pro-quality listing images can close for up to $116,076 higher than comparable listings with low-quality photography.

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:

• Restaurants and shopping, including grocery stores and pharmacies
• Parks, libraries, and community centers
• Hospitals and doctor’s offices
• Museums and other attractions
• Rivers and lakes
• Access to major highways
• 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. Another common descriptor mentioned in as-is listings in Ohio is the phrase “priced to sell.”

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, such as a great backyard, high ceilings, and crown molding. The MLS in Columbus, Ohio, doesn’t have a specific ‘as is’ checkbox or label for agents to mark, according to Lynn.

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.

Lynn is a pro at handling negotiations when selling a house as-is in Ohio. She knows the house inside and out and can highlight its positive features. She has also already taken care of minor repairs, so buyers have less room to negotiate based on any small fixes that they might request.

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 prequalified for a home loan.

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 are 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 the 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.

Only about five percent of Lynn’s offers are from cash buyers. Some buyers may even make a cash offer with no loan contingency, but then may end up getting a mortgage. This is perfectly fine as long as it’s done within the contract timeline.

Steps to sell directly to a cash buyer

Now that we’ve covered the general process of listing a home as-is, 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 goes 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 few as 24 hours.

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 it typically takes to close with a financed buyer.

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 Ohio

Below we’ve compiled a list of some of the leading companies that purchase homes as-is for cash in Ohio and information about each.

Pros of selling as-is to an investor:

• Save money on home preparations.
• Sell fast — receive an offer in as little as a few days, and close as quickly as one to two weeks later.
• Skip repairs. Most house-buying companies purchase properties in “as is” condition, even those that need major repairs.
• No staging. No repeated showings. No open houses.
• Arrange for a flexible move-out date.

Cons of selling as-is to an investor:

• Offers are likely to be much lower. Investors typically pay 70% of what they estimate to be the home’s after-repair value.
• Sellers will have room to negotiate. Most cash buyer offers are going to be “take it or leave it.”
• Although many homebuying companies are legitimate, some are not. It’s always a good idea to be vigilant about possible scams.

How much will you make from an as-is home sale?

There is no simple equation for calculating how much you’ll net from an as-is sale. If you list on the market with an agent, you’ll need to account for the cost of agent commissions (around 5.8% on average) and other closing costs, such as title fees and taxes, but are likely to field higher offers from buyers and see more competition for the home.

Lynn reminds us that all houses in Ohio are technically sold as-is and the pricing will depend on the condition of the house, its size, location, amenities, and so on.

Different types of investors and house buying companies also offer varying amounts for homes, largely dependent on their exit strategy. While fix ‘n’ flip investors usually pay around 70% of the home’s after-repair value, buy-and-hold investors who plan to rent out your property may be able to pay more. In addition, investors are often willing to cover a seller’s closing cost, which can add up to around 1%-3% of the sale price. HomeLight’s net proceeds calculator can be helpful for running through some possible selling scenarios and estimating your take-home pay.

Ready to sell your house in Ohio?

While every home sale is different, you should now be familiar with the general process of selling a house as-is in Ohio. Now, you can begin to weigh which method will work best for you.

Lynn says, “Work with an experienced agent who has a network of investors, who is familiar with the systems of a house, and has a database of contractors.”

Whether you choose to list as-is with a real estate agent or work with a direct home buyer, a home doesn’t have to be in perfect condition to sell — so long as you provide disclosures as necessary, set the right price, and know what to expect going in. Whenever you’re ready to take the next step, HomeLight would be happy to assist with your real estate needs. Connect with a top agent near you, or get started with a cash offer from Simple Sale.

Header Image Source: (Michael Bowman / Unsplash)