It is estimated that between 2 and 6 percent of people have a hoarding disorder. One of the telltale signs that someone has a hoarding issue is looking at their home. Can you see the property’s flooring? If there are piles and piles of random items, newspapers, and even trash, and they refuse to get rid of any of them, they could be hoarders. A hoarder house is one of the most unsafe and destructive dwellings.
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Hoarder House Explanation
Do you own a hoarder house? Have you inherited a hoarder’s house recently? If you answered yes, there is hope for you yet. A hoarder house does not need to be a financial burden or personal headache for you any longer.
Learn everything you need to know about selling a hoarder’s house fast. We have put all the information together in a complete guide specifically for you.
What Is A Hoarder House?
A ‘hoarder house” is a dwelling that has been overfilled by the occupant with excessive personal items and debris.
The term “hoarder house” became popular in the mainstream following the hit TV show, Hoarders, on A&E. However, far from being a mindless made-for-TV issue, hoarding is instead a very serious problem.
Hoarding is a mental disorder where people compulsively save items at random and store them around their houses with no meaningful organization. Hoarders have trouble getting rid of things. Hoarding is more likely to affect older adults than younger people.
Hoarding is also likely to cause severe stress and estrangement in family relationships. People with a hoarding disorder inevitably create hoarding houses. Once they pass, they often leave their homes to their adult children, who are now stuck with the burden of a home.
This can be a financial nuisance at best and a danger at worst.
The Hidden Threat of Hoarder Houses
There are many challenges and threats you need to know about if you own a hoarder house. If not addressed soon enough, owning a hoarder house can even hold you legally liable for possible damages.
Hoarding houses are very unsafe and unsanitary. Stacks of clutter and trash build up over time until there is little ventilation and little room to move freely throughout the house, and it becomes downright claustrophobic.
Other potentially dangerous materials found in hoarded homes are animal waste and feces.
Hoarding houses are both fire hazards and fall hazards. They are also more likely than non-hoarder houses to have problems with mold and rodent infestations, among other issues.
Why You Need to Sell a Hoarder House
Owning or inheriting a hoarder house can drive up your monthly or annual costs. You need to pay taxes and insurance on the property. If a fire or other hazard happens, your homeowner’s insurance premiums will most likely be increased.
Your city or county can also deem the house unsafe to live in. Hoarder houses are often not up to code. The city can condemn a house. If this happens, you can lose out on the money than if you were to sell the hoarder house.
If you inherit a hoarder house, the first thing you should look to do is sell.
Selling a hoarder house will free you from high ownership costs and legal liability and give you peace of mind.
Fix Up a Hoarder House Or Sell As Is?
What is the best way to sell a hoarder house? Some people may be convinced they are up to fixing the house and selling it on their own.
It can be a significant challenge to try and fix up a hoarder house to get it ready to sell on the real estate market. If you are thinking about fixing up a hoarder house to sell yourself, you should know a few things before starting.
Hoarder House Clean Up
Removal of trash and getting the property cleaned up isand Once you have decluttered and sorted out the items, you can have a garage or estate sale for the items that may still hold some value.
You can hire a cleaning crew if you would rather not go through the tedious task of sorting through the mountain of items in a hoarder’s house. This can help take the burden off you especially if it is an extreme hoarder case.
However, a professional cleaning service can come at a considerable expense. An estimated cost of $1,000 per day for cleanup and your other total costs.
Extreme hoarding situations can include piles of garbage and debris on the outside of the property once the inside is packed floor to ceiling.
Hoarder House Renovations
Nearly all hoarding houses need to undergo renovation before going on the market. Hoarder houses usually sustain damage, mold, and structural issues. Hiring licensed and bonded contractors to do the repairs and renovations is necessary.
Hoarder houses usually lack code compliance. Before putting the house on the market, you will need to have all the electrical, plumbing, and structural repairs made to ensure it is up to code.
Once you clean out the home, it will most likely need to have additional cosmetic fixes and updates. These renovations can quickly drive up your costs without ensuring any return on investment.
Cost To Fix A Hoarder House
At the end of the day when trying to fix up a hoarder house to sell, you will most likely have spent an extraordinary amount of money without getting all that much return for your efforts.
You will then typically need to hire a real estate agent, who could charge you a big commission fee to help sell the home.
In addition to any monetary cost, the amount of time you put in needs to be accounted for. Fixing up a hoarder house to sell on the real estate market can take months or even years. You have to determine if that will be a worthwhile use of your time and money.
How To Sell A Hoarder House Fast
Fixing up a hoarder’s house can be very difficult, as the steps above show. However, you do have another option.
One of your best alternatives is to sell your hoarder house as-is.
What does it mean to sell the house as-is?
It means that a real estate investor will buy your hoarder house in its current condition without you needing to make any changes, clean up, or renovations. They will simply hand you a check and you can walk away from the home forever with a renewed peace of mind.
Cash offers on hoarder houses are the preferred method of selling the house. Many times, a cash home buyer will do a quick walkthrough of the home, get some details, make you a cash offer, and voila!
The hoarder house is no longer your problem.
This is one of the most efficient ways to sell your hoarder house fast.
Sell A Hoarder House To A Cash Buyer
You want to ensure you find a trustworthy cash home buyer in Seattle to purchase the hoarder’s house. You do not want to lose out on valuable money in a less than honest deal.
But how can you sort out the fair and honest investors and those who are not?
A critical step is to research customer testimonials on different cash buyer companies. These are usually the best indicators that you are working with someone who has legitimate experience buying hoarder homes.
You also want to make sure their financials are legitimate. Research the bank they are using. It is within your right to ask for a credit check to make sure they are who they say they are.
Once your find the right cash buyer, you are ready to sell your hoarder house as-is.
Hoarder House: Common Questions
Can you sell a house with everything in it?
You can sell a house before it is cleared of all furniture and personal possessions if the potential buyers are willing to purchase it as-is.
Can hoarded properties be condemned?
In extreme hoarder situations, properties can be condemned. Unaddressed structural problems, hazardous materials, and health and safety issues can result in the residence being condemned.
Can you sell a hoarded home with a real estate agent?
You can use real estate agents to sell hoarded property. Clearing all the cluttered rooms so potential buyers can see the floor will be helpful, especially if the people looking to buy order an inspection. Inspectors need complete access to the property and all the existing fixtures to complete their report.
Junk removal will also help when taking photos of the property for marketing to prospective buyers.
Getting the property listed on the Multiple Listing Service with a realtor is easy. Unfortunately, most realtors do not know how to market these properties effectively. If you choose to list with an agent, be sure they have experience with hoarder situations and “as-is” sales.
Contact Us To Sell A Hoarder House for Cash Today
Owning or inheriting a hoarder’s house can be extremely stressful. It can quickly become a financial burden that drags you into debt. But fear not, because it does not have to be.
Selling a hoarder house as-is for cash is one of the best options you have when looking to sell fast and with minimal effort and cost on your part.
If you are interested in freeing yourself and your family from a hoarder house, reach out to the team at Kind House Buyers. We have helped hundred of homeowners and can give you a fair cash offer fast and take your hoarder house off your hands forever. Even if the hoarded property is still in probate, we can offer tips and resources to help sell.