Ok, I need some advice/assistance: My grandfather passed away this past Monday. He left behind a house in Houston that is between 40-45 years old. It's in fair condition, could quite possibly have a mold problem and is in a pretty bad neighborhood. My mother would like to sell the house as is...meaning with all the crap he left behind still in it. We are in the process of gathering all the sentimental stuff out...i.e. pictures, etc. There isn't really anything else in the house that's worth anything. Has anyone ever used that service, "We Buy Ugly Houses"? Do they even come close to giving fair market value? Is it a scam? I would really appreciate any and all advice on what to do in the situation. We are trying to resolve it as quickly as possible. Thank you to anyone who can take the time to help me out here.
I'm a license Realtor. What they basically do is offer 60-70% of appraisal value after looking at repairs. I've dealt with them before. I also work with some investors if you guys are interested in selling. Let me know if you are interested.
hey BM.. it is pronounced... REAL-TUR.. correct? For some reason my aunt and uncle (both Realtors) pronounce it REAL-UH-TERS. It is one of the most r****ded things I have ever heard. It sounds like you can't speak correctly.. REALUHTERS! no matter how many times I tell them its pronounced exactly like its spelled.. they continue to add an extra "uh" in the middle.
COMPLETELY depends upon the area. My family got screwed in 89 when my Amoo died. We sold it for less than market value because these Asians swore left and right that they loved the property, and that's what my mom wanted. Turned out that they were property whores. It's a buyers market right now, unfortunately. Unless the property value is large, or unless you need cash. I'd let it sit until the real estate market comes back. Understand though, that it could be 5 yrs from now.
I pronounce it the same way you pronounce it. My siste(Also a Realtor) pronounces it the same way your aunt and uncle pronounces it. I don't see where the UH comes in. I like our way better.
Are you white and your aunt and uncle black by any chance? I've heard black ppl pronounce things like that with a slow southern drawl.
so, let me get this straight....these companies will buy the house AS IS....even with all the junk in it? The reason I ask is because there's just no possible way we have the time to get all that stuff out. The man was 95 and saved everything. Not to mention the possible mold problem posing a health risk for whomever goes in that house.
Sorry about your grandfather. Did he have any hobbies? What did he do for a living? What is all that junk? The reason I ask is because you'd be kicking yourself if he had some old long lost baseball card collection that is worth more than the house. "Collectors" usually have something that has some value. But if he saved old boxes of cerial or worn out shoes, then I can see your point. You might want to bring an estate person in to go over the contents to see if there are any items of any value - some things are less obvious than old baseball cards.
You can hire people to clean out all the junk in the house, probably more cheaply than giving up 30% of the value. Of course, the other thing that We Buy Ugly Houses does for you is that they can pay you right away and you don't have to look for a buyer, paint the exterior, mow the grass, and so on. But, if you have the time to invest, and a little bit of money, you can probably get more money out of the house by putting it on the market.
Why is it so hard to clean up the house and sell it? I had a next door neighbor (85 I think) who died a few months ago, her kids just let the property sit there and it forclosed. I am sure she has some equity in the home, but they didn't bother to pay a few monthly payment so they can sell the home, idiots.
Assuming the house is paid for, I really wouldn't worry about it too much. If your goal is to get the house sold as quickly an painlessly as possible, it sounds like the best alternative. Even if you do sell it below the market value, it's still all profit. Since they're getting it that much below market value, they'll probably pay all the closing costs, also. You should DEFINITELY have an estate sale, though. Put up a few signs, put some ads in the paper, then just open up the doors one Saturday. You don't even have to tag anything. Just tell anybody coming in that if they're interested in buying something to make you an offer. You'd be surprised at how much useless crap people will buy. There are people who literally make a living going to to garage sales and estate sales buying stuff. You could easily make a cool $500-$600...
Well, the real estate market in Houston is still pretty decent and hasn't seen the huge decline that other cities have. Put it on the market and if you are very motivated on selling, price it right. You will get more than the "we buy ugly houses" prices for sure. Heck, just price it 10% lower than comparable houses in the area if you are very motivated. It should beat the 30-40% discount those house liquidators will offer.
