Do you own a house that has been condemned or is in the process of being condemned? The first thing you should know is that most condemned houses are still worth money. Even if the house is severely damaged or dilapidated, you can still sell it and get some cash in your pocket. Typically, in order to sell a condemned house, you need to act fast. Most jurisdictions have a legal process that once your house is condemned, you are on the clock to rehabilitate the house, sell it, or demolish it. The local government may even demo the house on your behalf and then bill you for the work!

Before you decide what you will do with the house, read on to gain some clarity on what a condemned house is and what your options are.

What Is a Condemned House?

A house that is condemned has been deemed inhabitable by your local government. Houses become condemned because they are in serious need of repairs. This is beyond cosmetic. Condemned houses have major issues such as a roof that leaks, serious foundation issues, plumbing issues, electrical issues or even mold issues. Condemned houses are typically hazardous to your health in some way. Once your house is condemned, you are given notice to vacate.

What Might Cause a House to Be Condemned?

A house may be condemned a bit easier than you may think. The government will condemn a house in order to force your hand to fix it. Sometimes, a house has no electricity or no running water. Those issues alone may convince some that the house is uninhabitable. Therefore, a house doesn’t need to be caving in to be condemned. Some common reasons homes are condemned include:

  • Major leaks in the roof
  • Serious foundation and/or structural damage
  • No electricity or fire hazard from poor wiring
  • No running water or clogged sewer
  • Unsafe air quality (asbestos, mold, fungus)
  • Code violations (poor, unpermitted construction)

What Do You Do If Your House is Condemned?

Typically, notice of condemnation requires all occupants to vacate the premises. However, you do have options.

Make the Necessary Repairs

If you want to keep the house and continue to live in it, you must address all health and safety issues. This will involve significant expense and your house will need to receive approval for occupancy before you can live there again. These inspections are usually very thorough and can even fail for reasons you may consider excessive.

Fight the Condemnation in Court

If you don’t agree with the condemnation, you can fight it. However, if your home is condemned, typically it didn’t happen overnight. Usually, condemned houses have a history of issues and maybe even a stack of code violations. Further, the house still has to pass inspection to receive a certificate of occupancy.

Sell the House

Regardless of any reason a house is condemned, you can still sell it. The local government may be surprised anyone is willing to buy it, but if you find a buyer, it can be sold. The buyer must pay cash as no bank will lend on a condemned house. Typically, your best bet is to sell to investors.

Who Buys Condemned Houses?

The short answer is WE DO! We buy condemned houses and because we pay cash, we can guarantee you the sale will go through. Our offer will be based on the value of your house in its as-is condition and the scope of work we need to get the house livable. If you agree to sell your condemned house to us, we can close fast, even within days! We can also work with your local housing authorities to get them off your back. Once they know you are selling the house to us, they will be happy and cooperative with us.