Selling as-is vs. making repairs first
Published September 4, 2026
Read transcript
Hi, my name is Jeremy Barzycki. I'm a real estate professional who focuses on clients who have inherited property or who are going through the probate process. I am not an attorney, so this is not legal advice, but in this video I just want to go over selling the house as-is versus making repairs and selling the home for top dollar.
There's no single right answer for this, but I'm going to go over three different scenarios with you, and maybe one of these fits.
Your first option is to sell the house completely as-is — with everything in it, no repairs, nothing done to it. In that situation, you're most likely going to end up selling to a flipper, an investor, or a wholesaler. This makes sense for a few reasons: usually if the house needs a lot of work and there's nobody local who wants to oversee a project of that size, or if the estate doesn't have enough money to make the repairs needed to get top dollar. It can also make sense if the peace of mind of just getting rid of the property — a cash deal, no stress — is worth more to you than getting top dollar for the home.
The other option is making repairs. That usually makes sense if the repairs needed are modest, mostly cosmetic, and if you have somebody local willing to oversee those projects or do the work themselves. It can also make sense if you're trying to get top dollar, you have the means to put money into the home, and the return in market value makes sense compared to selling as-is.
There's a third option, too — it isn't always all or nothing. You don't have to go completely as-is or completely renovate. The third option is to get the house cleaned out, give it a thorough cleaning, and fix the major defects. Once those are taken care of, you can sell the house as-is. That's a good middle road: you take care of the big stuff and clean the house out, but it might still need some cosmetic work — which could be perfect for a first-time buyer or somebody willing to put in the time themselves. They'll get it at a slightly discounted price, and they're willing to put the effort into it.
Those are three of the options — there are also others, depending on your situation. If you want to go over more in-depth options, or a more creative solution for your situation, feel free to reach out to me. I'm always happy to talk.
This is usually one of the first real decisions in selling an inherited home, and it doesn’t have a universal right answer. It depends on the home’s condition, how much time and energy you have, and what matters most to you and any co-heirs right now.
Selling as-is
Selling as-is means listing the home in its current condition, without putting money or time into repairs or updates first. This is often the right choice when:
- The home needs significant work and no one wants to manage a renovation from a distance or during an already difficult time.
- Time and peace of mind matter more than maximizing the sale price.
- The estate doesn’t have funds set aside to cover repairs before a sale.
Making repairs first
Putting some work into the home before listing can make sense when:
- The needed repairs are modest — cosmetic more than structural.
- There’s time, energy, and someone local able to manage contractors.
- The type of buyer likely to want this home (a family, for instance, rather than an investor) is more likely to need the home move-in ready.
A middle path
You don’t have to choose all-or-nothing. Some sellers do a small handful of higher-impact fixes — the things most likely to affect a buyer’s first impression or an inspection — and leave the rest as-is.
How to decide
The most useful question is usually: what does the math and the timeline actually look like for this specific home? That’s a conversation, not a formula, and it’s one worth having before assuming either direction is off the table. Reach out and we can walk through your home’s situation together, with no obligation either way.