Selling a house that needs repairs in Solano County
Fix it first, or sell it as it is? See both numbers before you decide.
Most advice about a house that needs work comes from someone with one answer: the contractor wants the job, a lot of agents want it fixed up, and the cash buyer wants it cheap. Nickole has renovated houses, so she'll walk through yours, tell you which repairs are worth doing, and put a market sale and an as-is offer side by side, in writing.
Free, and you don't need to clean or fix anything before she comes out.
What people tell us before they call
"I'm embarrassed for anyone to see it."
Nickole has renovated houses in worse shape. Please don't clean up or patch anything before she comes. She needs to see the house as it is to give you honest numbers.
"I can't afford the repairs."
You may not need to make them. Plenty of houses sell without repairs. The real question is whether a repair brings back more than it costs, and she'll answer that item by item.
"The 'we buy houses' postcards all lowball."
Some do, and one offer with nothing to compare it to is hard to judge. You'll see what the house would likely sell for on the market right next to the as-is number.
"An agent will tell me to fix everything."
Not this one. A few repairs usually pay for themselves. A remodel right before you sell usually doesn't. She'll tell you which is which for your house.
What Nickole looks at
She looks at a house the way a buyer's inspector and a contractor will: what's a real problem, what's only cosmetic, and roughly what each costs to fix. You get that in plain words, with no obligation to list or sell.
This doesn't replace a licensed inspection. For big items like a roof or foundation, we'll suggest getting a contractor's bid so the numbers are real.
- Roof: age, leaks, and whether a buyer could get insurance on it
- Foundation and drainage: the cracks that matter and the ones that don't
- Electrical panel: some older panels make insurance harder for a buyer to get
- Plumbing and sewer line: older pipe, slow leaks, roots in the line
- Heating, air, and water heater: how old, and what replacing them costs
- Permits: garage conversions or additions done without them
- Cosmetic: paint, flooring, and fixtures, the things that show in photos
Three ways to sell. Compare what you'd keep.
The sale price isn't the number that matters. What you walk away with is. Here's what comes out of each path. We fill in the real figures for your house.
Usually the highest price
- Sale price
- Repairs and prep you pay for
- Commission and closing costs
- Mortgage, taxes, insurance, and utilities while the work gets done
- What you keep
Market price for its condition
- Sale price, lower for the condition
- Commission and closing costs
- Credits a buyer may ask for after inspection
- What you keep
Lowest price, least work
- Offer price
- Closing costs (no listing commission)
- What you keep
Listing it as it is often works well. A house with major problems, though, may not qualify for some buyers' loans, which can mean fewer offers.
Which repairs tend to pay you back
These are general patterns. Your house might break the pattern, which is why she walks through it first.
Usually worth doing
A deep clean, haul-away, fresh paint, and small fixes like leaky faucets, broken doors, and missing outlet covers. They're cheap, and buyers notice them in photos.
Worth pricing out
Items an inspector or a lender is likely to flag, like an active roof leak or a safety hazard. Sometimes fixing it costs less than the discount a buyer would ask for. Sometimes it doesn't.
Usually not worth it before a sale
Kitchen and bathroom remodels, new flooring throughout, room additions. They take months, and buyers often don't pay back what you spent.
We'll put both options on paper. You choose.
For a house that needs work, it comes down to how much the repairs would cost, whether you have the time and money to do them, and how much more the house would sell for afterward. Here's how the two paths compare.
| Topic | List it on the marketSold through Keller Williams Vaca Valley | Sell it as-isDirect offer from Golden Porch of California |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Full market exposure. Usually the higher number. | Less than a market sale. That's the trade for speed and no work. |
| Belongings | We line up sorting, donation, and haul-away help before photos. | Take what matters. Leave the rest. |
| Repairs | Only the ones likely to pay you back. We'll tell you which. | None. |
| Showings | Yes, and we handle them. | No. One walkthrough. |
| Timeline | Depends on prep and the market. | You pick the closing date. |
| Best when | The house is in fair shape and getting the most money matters most. | The house needs major work, or time and distance matter more than price. |
Nickole Dauer
Nickole Dauer is a Real Estate Planner with Keller Williams Vaca Valley. She helps Solano County families who are facing a big decision about a home, especially when the situation is complicated. With a background in renovating properties, she can walk through a house and tell you honestly what it needs and what it is worth both ways, then lay out a market sale and an as-is offer side by side so the whole family works from the same numbers.
On a house that needs work, she'll tell you which repairs are worth making before a sale, which ones a buyer will price in anyway, and when an as-is offer is the better fit.
Integrity comes before the transaction. Nickole works alongside your attorney or CPA and does not give legal or tax advice.
Local help for cleanouts
Tell us about the house.
Where it is and what you know it needs. A rough idea is fine. Nickole will call or email you herself.
Common questions
If I sell as-is, do I still have to disclose problems?
Yes. In California, "as-is" means you won't make repairs. It doesn't remove your duty to tell buyers about problems you know of, and most sellers still fill out a Transfer Disclosure Statement. Disclosing fully is also what protects you after closing. An attorney can advise on your situation.
Can a buyer get a loan on a house that needs major repairs?
Not always. FHA and VA loans have minimum property standards, such as a sound roof and foundation and working utilities. A house with major problems may only work for cash buyers or buyers with a renovation loan. Fewer possible buyers usually means a lower price, which is one reason to compare both options.
What about a garage conversion or addition that wasn't permitted?
It has to be disclosed, and it can affect both value and a buyer's financing. We'll show you how it changes each option. Some buyers don't mind. Some lenders do.
Can I sell while tenants are living there?
Yes. Tenants have rights under California law, so the plan has to respect their lease and the notice they're owed before showings. An as-is sale can skip showings entirely.
Do I have to clean out the house first?
No. If you sell as-is, take what you want and leave the rest. If you list, we'll line up cleanout and haul-away help with local partners.
Who pays your commission?
On a listing, the commission is paid from sale proceeds at closing. On an as-is sale to Golden Porch of California, there's no listing commission.
Which cities do you cover?
All of Solano County, including Vacaville, Fairfield, Suisun City, Benicia, Vallejo, and Green Valley. Nickole can meet you at the house or at our Vacaville office.