How to Sell a House As-Is in Ohio

What is ‘as is’ condition in real estate?

“As-is” is a type of home sale where it’s understood that no improvements will be made to the property. When selling a house as-is, the seller is choosing not to entertain requests from buyers to complete repairs or provide a 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, the general condition of the property should already be accounted for in the purchase price of the home to the best of the seller’s knowledge.

Lynn approaches things a bit differently when selling a house as-is in Ohio.

Which types of homes are sold ‘as is’?

Homes sold as-is often need some work, or may be cosmetically outdated.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.

Some homes that are typically sold as-is are homes being sold as part of an estate sale, inherited homes, investment properties, and homes where repairs were started but the seller ran out of money to finish them.

What problems do you have to disclose in Ohio?

Selling a house as-is in Ohio doesn’t mean sweeping known problems about the house under the rug.

A good time to fill out the Residential Property Disclosure Form is before listing your home or requesting an offer so that you know it’s completed.

According to the document, the owner must answer all questions in the disclosure form, even if they haven’t lived in the property. If something doesn’t apply to your house, you can write it as not applicable, and if you don’t know the answer to a question, such as when the roof was last repaired, you can write unknown.

The form will walk you through documenting what you know about things like the type of water supply system, the type of sewer system, past incidents of fire damage to the property, and any other material defects that you know about.

You’ll also be prompted to fill out information about termite damage if there are problems or defects in the electrical or plumbing systems, and if you know of the presence of hazardous materials in the home, such as lead-based paint or asbestos.

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

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 properties from sellers who are selling a house in poor condition. 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 the majority of Americans prefer a move move-in-ready home, 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 home’s value and inform an accurate pricing strategy. 

If a buyer requests further price deductions based on their own inspection, you may be able to point out that 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 $274,522 in January 2025, a 7.6% increase from the $255,052 recorded in January 2024.

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, removing personal items and family photos so anyone can see themselves living there
• Check walkways for trip hazards
• Add curb appeal, planting a few flowers in the yard or cleaning up your mailbox area

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. Excellent real estate photos attract more potential buyers, create a strong first impression, and generate more interest in a listing. Professionally shot images showcase a home’s best features, making it appear more spacious, inviting, and valuable, which can lead to higher offers. 

With increased visibility and emotional appeal, homes with great photos often receive more inquiries, sell faster, and stand out in a competitive market. According to statistics, 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 home’s best features, such as a great backyard, high ceilings, and crown molding. According to Lynn, the multiple listing service (MLS) in Columbus, Ohio, doesn’t have a specific ‘as is’ checkbox or label for agents to mark.

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 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 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 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. 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, Simple Sale provides you with a full cash offer to buy your home in as few as 24 hours.

Skip repairs

There’s 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 to 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.

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 3% 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 house’s condition, 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 and 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 amount to around 1% to 3% of the sale price. HomeLight’s net proceeds calculator can be helpful for studying some possible selling scenarios and for estimating your take-home pay.

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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)