Can I Sell a House If There’s Been Fire Damage?The short answer is yes, you can sell a house even if it has suffered fire damage. However, there are some important factors to consider in terms of the financial and logistical realities of doing so.
Fire damage can range from relatively minor (like smoke residue and odors) to severe structural compromise from flames, heat, and water damage from firefighting efforts. The extent of the damage will play a major role in determining whether remediation and repairs make financial sense or if sellers are better off exploring alternative options like accepting a cash offer from an investor on www.sellhousecashinsouthcarolina.com
Average Cost to Remediate Fire Damage
The average claim for a house fire is around $75,000, according to property claim data. That covers a wide range of scenarios from small kitchen fires to whole-home losses. Some key cost factors include:
• Structural damage repairs (floors, walls, framing, roof)
• Replacing building materials like drywall, insulation, cabinets
• Cleaning and deodorizing for smoke/soot
• Electrical and mechanical system repairs/replacement
• Contents cleaning, repair or replacement
• Permit fees, dumpster costs, temporary housing, etc.
For a moderate level of fire damage, homeowners could easily be looking at $25,000-$50,000 or more in restoration costs to make the property move-in ready again.
How Long Does Fire Restoration Take?
In addition to the expense, the fire restoration process itself can be quite lengthy and disruptive for the homeowners. Depending on the scope of work, it can take anywhere from 3-6 months or longer for a team of contractors to fully remediate and repair fire damage.
The process often involves multiple phases and trades like debris removal, demolition, smoke cleaning, deodorizing, drywall repairs, painting, flooring replacement, appliance installations and more. Coordinating all of those moving parts across numerous subcontractors while living elsewhere can be a logistical headache on top of the financial burden. Some insurance companies will cover hotel room or airbnb compensation for this period but your time away from home is not guaranteed
Alternatives to Restoring Fire Damaged Homes
For those reasons, some homeowners may choose to go a different route after experiencing a house fire: selling their fire damaged property just the way it is, for a fair cash price.
At Dax Properties, we have worked with homeowners in the Spartanburg area who went through damaging house fires and did not want to deal with the hassles and uncertainties of restoration. We recently gave a cash offer on a condemned burned house on Rice Street for a homeowner who had dealt with enough already.
When you sell us a fire damaged house for cash, there is no need to make any repairs at all. We handle any demolition or cleanup that may be required after closing. Our team has experience evaluating fire damaged properties and can quickly make an offer to the affected owner.
The speed and simplicity of the cash sale process can be very appealing to fire victims ready to just move on with their lives. Cash buyers can typically close in as little as 7-21 days with no realtor commissions, bank financing hassles, inspections or appraisal contingencies to worry about.
While you will not get full retail value for a fire damaged house sold as-is, the discount is well worth it for many sellers prepared to just walk away from the headaches of restoration. The money saved on repairs, temporary housing, contractor hassles and months of waiting can make a cash offer the most practical outcome you.
If you’ve experienced a house fire in Spartanburg or the Upstate region of South Carolina, we would be happy to evaluate your property and provide a fair all-cash offer with no obligations. We can work on your timeline and handle as much or as little of the process as you need.
Keep in mind that working with experienced real estate investors like Dax Properties is often the best path after severe fire, flood or other damage incidents where the costs of restoration simply don’t make financial sense. Feel free to reach out anytime if you have any other questions