Selling a House ‘As Is’ in Hawaii

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Homes sold “as is” often need some work or may be cosmetically outdated.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, turnkey 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. 

What problems do you have to disclose in Hawaii?

Selling a home “as is” in Hawaii doesn’t mean ignoring known issues. State law requires sellers to disclose any facts or issues, past or present, that could significantly affect the property’s value

Fill out the Hawaii Seller’s Real Property Disclosure Statement before listing your home or accepting offers. This form provides a clear record of the property’s history and any known issues. It has multiple sections with Yes, No, NTMK (Not To My Knowledge), and NA (Not Applicable) checkboxes.

If you answer “yes” to any item, you must explain in a later section. Some of the types of disclosures required include:

No matter what method you choose to sell your home, it’s required to make these disclosures to the best of your ability. However, there are possible exemptions, such as when selling to a spouse or family member. For a complete list, consult Hawaii’s 2024 revised statute exemptions.

“A good seller disclosure is important so that the buyer understands the history of the property to the best of their knowledge. If there needs to be more clarity added or more information needed, then the buyer could hire an inspector for whatever it may be,” says Wu.

He adds, “We always advise our clients to fill out the seller’s disclosure as completely and honestly as possible. You don’t want a buyer — three years down the road or even a month after the sale closes — to ask ‘why wasn’t this disclosed?’”

Review your options to sell ‘as is’ in Hawaii

The main options to sell a house ‘as is’ include:

List ‘as is’ with the help of a real estate agent

A great real estate agent will assist you throughout the process of listing and selling a home “as is.” They’ll give simple presentation tips to improve marketing, set an appropriate price that reflects the home’s condition, and find a buyer willing and eager to buy your home in its current state.

Sell directly to a cash buyer

Someone needing to sell their home “as is” can also work directly with a property investor or a house-buying company rather than list, 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 even more so 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.

Considering that most 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. Thus, your agent should be willing to go the extra mile on marketing.

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.

Wu says that in his market, pre-listing inspections aren’t typically as important compared to other markets like California, as the buyer typically does their own inspection on the property anyway.

“I think that there are advantages to it. The seller will have no surprises, and [the inspection report is] right there to give to the buyer. Your objections to purchasing the property could be mitigated. But in my experience, we don’t see as many, or it’s really the buyer who does their inspection,” he says.

Price to reflect ‘as is’ condition

The median sale price for homes in Hawaii hit $770,000 in September 2025. To set a realistic price on your property, start with a free estimate from HomeLight’s Home Value Estimator (HVE).

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

Wu says that pricing right now is going to vary heavily depending on the property and where the seller lives, as it’s currently a buyer’s market in Hawaii.

“If you’re doing an asset sale, and you’re $50,000 or $100,000 over, then the listing could fit, or you’re going to get lower offers, and so forth. Pricing it right out of the gates is important,” Wu says.

“I think it’s really important if you’re going to do an as-is sale, to get the property ready and in a way that when you put it online or wherever, the listing is seen in the best way that it can be,” he says.

Wu gives the example of virtual staging, suggesting that it is best used when the home is empty but may still need some work. This gives potential buyers an idea about the home’s condition.

“Our job is to yield the highest sales for the seller. So negotiation-wise, I think, it’s just really getting the property in its best state that we can for the market and going from there, and pricing it right will be important for an as-is sale,” Wu adds.

Do ever-so-light preparations

Even for as-is home listings in Hawaii, Wu typically recommends professional photographs and cleaning the property, as well as staging. “It’s really important to have a good first impression,” Wu tells HomeLight.

“We like the idea of less is more. If a property needs work but has a lot of furniture or what have you in it, or if the yard needs to be cleaned up, we take the time to clean it and show it the best that we can, and then take good photos as well,” Wu adds.

Photograph to show potential

Your home listing warrants professional photography regardless of its condition. 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. Professionally photographed homes tend to earn higher asking prices, as the images showcase key features, attract more buyers, and inspire stronger offers.

Wu says he hires a professional photographer to take the photos to make the property stand out in listings. When you hire a real estate agent like Wu, they 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, so highlight the walkability score of your address if possible. Mention in your as-is listing if your home is close to any of the following:

• Downtown areas
• Major employers
• Parks and green spaces
• Sports venues and entertainment districts
• Waterfront views or access (ocean or a lake)
• Highly rated schools
• Access to outdoor activities
• Public transportation

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 include priced to sell, fixer-upper, handyman special, or a “call for investors.”

To balance the focus on as-is condition, work with your agent to craft a property description that highlights the best features of the home.

Understand that 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.

Be aware of the 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 ability of a lender to finance a buyer’s loan.

Before properties can be financed, their value and condition is 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 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 process of selling your home for cash typically goes 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 (usually 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 entire cost upfront.
7. Payment: The seller typically receives payment within seven days to a few weeks. This can vary by company, and sellers who work with a house-buying firm often enjoy flexibility in selecting a move-out date that works for them.

If you aren’t sure where to get a cash offer, consider Simple Sale, a solution from HomeLight. Using this questionnaire, tell us a bit about your home, such as whether it’s a single-family or condo and how much work it needs. From there, we’ll provide you with a full cash offer to buy your home in as little as a week. Here are some benefits you can expect from Simple Sale:

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 Hawaii

Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of the leading companies that purchase homes “as is” for cash in Hawaii 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 Realtor fees, but this can lead to higher offers and more competition for the home. There will also be closing costs, such as title fees and taxes.

Different types of investors and house-buying firms also offer varying amounts for homes, largely dependent on their exit strategy. While fix ‘n’ flip companies usually pay around 70% of the home’s after-repair value (ARV), 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% to 3% of the sale price.

HomeLight’s net proceeds calculator can help run through some possible selling scenarios and estimate your take-home pay.

Ready to sell your house in Hawaii?

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

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.

However, Wu emphasizes the advantage of listing with an agent, saying that sellers can get valuable pricing and market insights from professionals.

“We give a range when we do a market analysis. I don’t say, “Your house can sell for $800,000”. I give a range, and that’s for the list price. Then, if you’re aggressive, a 60-day sale can be this price, and a 90-day sale, this price, 180 days,” Wu says.

He explains further, “We give a range so there are realistic expectations. [We make] sure that we give data that’s relevant,” Wu adds.

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 cash offer from Simple Sale.

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