Selling a House As-Is in Georgia

Which types of homes are sold as-is?

Homes sold as-is often need some work or may be cosmetically outdated. It’s not a label you’re likely to put on a listing in pristine, move-in-ready condition.

As-is sales often attract investors searching for their next flip or buyers seeking a bargain, perhaps on a home in a great location with lots of potential.

According to Cowart, sellers often sell as-is if they have an investment property or a home that is a fixer-upper.

What problems do you have to disclose in Georgia?

Selling a house as-is in Georgia doesn’t mean completely sweeping known problems about the house under the rug. While state law doesn’t require an official disclosure form, it does require sellers to disclose any problems with the property that aren’t evident. For this reason, many top agents will recommend that sellers provide a disclosure statement.

For sellers who follow this advice, a good time to fill out a property disclosure statement is before listing your home or requesting an offer so that you know it’s taken care of.

According to an example document from the Georgia Realtors Association, sellers must disclose any known material defects that aren’t obvious or would not be found by a buyer upon completing a reasonable inspection.

The form will walk you through documenting what you know about the home’s occupancy, lead-based paint, systems, and components.

You’ll also be prompted to provide information about the approximate age of the water heater, the sewage system, and the roof.

No matter what method you choose to sell your home, it’s best to make these disclosures to the best of your ability. However, Georgia does allow certain exemptions from liability for sellers who have not lived in the home. These include investor properties, inherited houses, and unfamiliar homes. Georgia is a ‘buyer beware’ state, and buyers are expected to do their own due diligence before purchasing a home. However, deliberately misleading or lying to a buyer about the condition of a property is illegal.

Review your options to sell as-is in Georgia

The main options to sell a house as-is include:

1. List as-is with the help of a real estate agent

A great real estate agent will provide assistance throughout the process of listing and selling a home as-is. An agent gives simple presentation tips to improve marketing, helps to set an appropriate price that reflects the home’s condition, and works to find a buyer willing and eager to buy your home in its current state.

Cowart says she strives to add value to each home sale, especially an as-is sale, because she has “a large team and a multitude of resources including a transaction coordinator, a marketing team, and multiple reliable vendors she has built relationships with.”

2. Sell directly to a cash buyer

Someone needing to sell their home as-is can also work directly with a property investor or house-buying company rather than list on the open market, where it may be difficult to get an offer from a limited buyer pool.

We Buy Houses operations buy as-is at a discounted rate and generally seek out homes in need of significant repairs. These companies can help sellers cash out quickly, and many will cover a seller’s closing costs.

Steps to list as-is with the help of a real estate agent

Find an agent willing to list the home as-is

Your choice of real estate agent always matters, but especially when selling a property as-is. It’s important to find the right match. You’re looking for an agent who doesn’t shy away from listings that need a little TLC and maybe has a strong network of investor connections.

Your agent should also be willing to go the extra mile on marketing. Considering nearly 70% of buyers won’t consider purchasing a home that isn’t move-in ready, an as-is sale likely has a reduced buyer pool from the start.

Cowart says she goes the extra mile by incorporating the use of a marketing team into each listing. Real estate is her career, not her hobby, and she is an expert in her market.

HomeLight can connect you to top-performing agents in your area. Our Agent Match platform analyzes over 27 million transactions and thousands of reviews to determine which agent will best meet your needs. Whether you’re looking to sell as-is or just need help making the best decision, our free tool will provide agent recommendations in just two minutes.

Consider a pre-listing inspection

A pre-listing home inspection is the same as a standard home inspection except that the seller pays for it before listing their home on the market.

It may sound like a counterintuitive step for an as-is sale, but getting the inspection results upfront can illuminate any issues that could impact the value of the home and inform an accurate pricing strategy. If a buyer requests further deductions to the price based on their own inspection, you may be able to point to how the estimated cost of certain repairs was already baked into the list price.

“As a Realtor®, I prefer to have the owner do a pre-listing inspection, repair any items identified as problematic to a buyer, and do — at minimum — cosmetic repairs such as paint, carpet, and appliances,” says top Atlanta agent Bruce Ailion, who has 43 years of real estate sales experience. “Doing this will allow the seller to obtain top value for the home and a faster sale.”

Price to reflect as-is condition

The median sale price for homes in Georgia hit $365,000 in July 2024, a 1% increase over the year prior. Ailion says that homes sold as-is in the area typically sell for 5% to 10% less than regular listings.

Some of the top factors that impact the value of an as-is listing in Georgia include the house’s location, outdoor space, layout, and school district, according to Cowart.

To get a ballpark estimate of how much your home might be worth, check out HomeLight’s Home Value Estimator.

Our Home Value Estimator combs public data, including tax records and assessments, and pulls recent sales records for other properties in your neighborhood. Using a short questionnaire, the online tool also factors in specifics about your home, such as the property type and described condition. Input your address, and we’ll provide you with a preliminary home value estimate in under two minutes.

How Much Is Your Georgia Home Worth Now?

Get a near-instant real estate house price estimate from HomeLight for free. Our tool analyzes the records of recently sold homes near you, your home’s last sale price, and other market trends to provide a preliminary range of value in under two minutes.

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Do ever-so-light preparations

Even for as-is home listings in Georgia, Ailion typically recommends sellers complete the following:

• Remove personal items, including family photos and religious items
• Declutter your home to boost its value by 3%–5%
• Deep clean to add $3,700, on average, to the selling price
• Enhance curb appeal by repainting the front door and adding flower pots and a wreath

Photograph to show potential

Your home listing warrants professional photography, no matter the condition of the property. A professional photographer will take steps to shoot each room from the best angle, ensure optimal interior and natural lighting, and edit for the ideal brightness and exposure.

A high-quality camera with a wide-angle lens is also essential to showcasing entire rooms rather than half or three-quarters of what’s there. For these reasons and more, professionally photographed homes can sell up to 32% faster than houses marketed without professional photos.

Your real estate agent will almost always arrange for professional photos as part of the listing process.

Highlight the surrounding area

A home’s location will be important to buyers seeking out a home with potential. Mention in your as-is listing if your home is close to any of the following:

Include as-is in the listing

Unless you explicitly mention that your house is being sold as-is, buyers will have no idea of your intentions with the listing. Other common descriptors mentioned in as-is listings in Georgia include phrases such as: priced to sell, good bones, needs work, with all faults, and great potential.

To balance the focus on as-is condition, work with your agent to craft a property description that highlights the home’s best features, such as an open layout, light-filled rooms, and a large backyard.

“My MLS and most MLS systems have an as-is designation allowing search on that term,” says Ailion.

Understand buyers may still negotiate

Listing as-is provides no guarantee that buyers won’t try to negotiate savings on their purchase, even on an asking price you felt was already reduced to reflect the home’s condition. One of the best defenses you can have is an agent who takes a hard stance to prevent a deal from going south for the seller.

“I advise ‘cash is king’ in negotiation. Even qualified buyers can run into problems with financing. I tell sellers that as-is does not mean they can hide or cover up and fail to disclose material defects. I advise buyers ‘caveat emptor’ or ‘buyer beware.’ You must do your research and not rely on the seller to disclose anything regarding the property,” says Ailion.

Be aware of minimum property standards for certain loans

When you place your home on the market, it’s hard to predict if your top offer will come from a cash buyer or a buyer pre-qualified for a home loan.

But if you do end up working with a financed buyer, be aware that different mortgage types (such as conventional loans or government-backed FHA, USDA, or VA loans) have different minimum property standards. These are standards related to the overall condition of a property, which will play a role in the willingness and/or ability of a lender to finance a buyer’s loan.

Before properties can be financed, their value and condition are typically examined by a state-licensed, independent appraiser contracted by the buyer’s mortgage company.

If you’re unsure whether your home will meet appraisal requirements, you can start by taking a look at the FHA minimum property standards. If your house complies with FHA, then it complies with most other lenders’ requirements.

Prioritize a cash offer if you receive one

On occasion, conventional lenders may even finance a fixer-upper property sold as-is, and it’s not impossible to finance a fixer-upper with an FHA loan. However, if you’re selling a house as-is — especially one that needs heftier repairs — you may want to consider accepting a cash offer if you receive one. Cash eliminates the lender-ordered appraisal as well as the time it takes to close on the buyer’s loan, creating a faster and clearer path to settlement.

Steps to sell directly to a cash buyer

Now that we’ve covered the general process of listing a home as-is, let’s discuss the alternative of working with an investor. While the process varies from business to business, the steps to selling your home to a house-buying company typically go something like this:

1. Decision: A homeowner decides a traditional listing isn’t for them. Perhaps their house needs a lot of work, or they do not want to host any showings or open houses. They’re concerned about finding a buyer willing to purchase their home as-is in its current state.
2. Contact: A seller contacts a company that buys homes in their area and provides some basic information about their home.
3. Preliminary offer: At this stage, some house-buying companies will provide a preliminary offer that is subject to change after a house assessment.
4. Assessment: The company schedules a walkthrough of the property to evaluate its condition, usually within 24 to 48 hours.
5. Firm offer: The company makes a firm offer (often within 24 hours, sometimes on-site after the walkthrough), which you can accept or decline. Most of these companies will not negotiate on price, so the offer is a take-it-or-leave-it scenario.
6. Closing: If you accept the offer, you and the company will each sign the contract, and closing will begin. Some companies offer a large deposit or moving cost assistance, and a few may even pay for the home upfront.
7. Payment: The seller receives payment quickly, typically within seven days to a few weeks. This can vary by company, and sellers who work with a house-buying company often enjoy flexibility in selecting a move-out date that works for them.

One of the most convenient ways to find a reputable cash homebuyer is through a trusted platform like HomeLight’s Simple Sale.

Simple Sale provides you with a no-obligation all-cash offer sourced from the largest network of cash buyers in the country. To get started, tell us a few details about your home and when you need to sell. After collecting some information, we’ll provide you with a no-obligation, full cash offer within 24 hours.

Skip repairs

No need to call the roof inspector or drain your savings to replace the HVAC. HomeLight will provide an offer for homes in almost any condition.

Sell when it’s convenient

Want to get out right away? Or need a little more time to pack? Either way, we’re flexible. Pick a move date that works for your schedule within 30 days of closing.

Close with certainty

Cash buyers don’t need a lender’s involvement to purchase a home, meaning they can move nimbly and quickly compared to someone who needs financing. With Simple Sale, you can close in as little as 10 days, compared to the 25–65 days it typically takes to close with a financed buyer.

Curious to know more about the Simple Sale experience? Hear it firsthand from one of our valued clients in the video below.

Additional ‘We Buy Houses’ companies in Georgia

Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of the leading We Buy Houses companies in Georgia that purchase homes as-is for cash and information about each.

How much will you make from an as-is home sale?

There is no simple equation for calculating how much you’ll net from an as-is sale. If you list on the market with an agent, you’ll need to account for the cost of agent commissions (around 3%-5.8% on average) and other closing costs, such as title fees and taxes, but are likely to field higher offers from buyers and see more competition for the home.

According to Ailion, expect to earn 5 to 10% less if you’re selling your house as-is compared to if you were selling it in “move-in ready” condition.

Different types of investors and house-buying companies also offer varying amounts for homes, largely dependent on their exit strategy. While fix ‘n’ flip investors usually pay around 70% of the home’s after-repair value, buy-and-hold investors who plan to rent out your property may be able to pay more.

In addition, investors are often willing to cover a seller’s closing costs, which can add up to around 1%–3% of the sale price. HomeLight’s net proceeds calculator can be helpful for running through some possible selling scenarios and estimating your take-home pay.

Ready to sell your house in Georgia?

While every home sale is different, you should now be familiar with the general process of selling a house as-is in Georgia. Now, you can begin to weigh which method will work best for you.

According to Ailion, many Georgia as-is sellers want to avoid making costly or time-consuming repairs for the buyer. Others have never lived in the property and don’t know its condition, such as investors or sellers who have inherited a home. For these homeowners, selling as-is can be a fitting solution.

Whether you choose to list as-is with a real estate agent or work with a direct home buyer, a home doesn’t have to be in perfect condition to sell — so long as you provide disclosures as necessary, set the right price, and know what to expect going in.

Whenever you’re ready to take the next step, HomeLight would be happy to assist with your real estate needs. Connect with a top agent near you, or get started with a no-obligation cash offer from Simple Sale.

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