How to sell a fire damaged house?

Selling a Fire Damaged House

When fire breaks out at a house it can be a traumatic event for the owner no matter the scale of the incident. Regardless of whether the fire causes severe structural damage throughout the property or whether it’s isolated to small cosmetic damage in just one room, it might make the homeowner worry that it will make selling their house significantly more difficult.

Thankfully that’s not the reality and just because a house is fire damaged doesn’t mean it can’t be sold. Indeed, at LDN Properties we have years of experience in buying such properties by making quick and fair offers to homeowners looking for a speedy sale.

Fire damage and what it means for selling a house

Although fires can often start in the kitchen due to high heats involved in cooking, they can erupt in any room in the house for many reasons such as electrical and wiring problems.

If fires are caught quickly then the damage might not that be widespread and could be mostly cosmetic – meaning the fire causes only visible surface damage such as soot deposited on walls, floors or other fixtures and fittings. This contrasts with structural damage which occurs when the fire is so severe it affects the structural integrity of the house, for example if the fire has destroyed wooden support beams or other core parts of the property.

When a house has fire damage, no matter if it’s cosmetic or structural, it means that the owner needs to accept selling at a lower price than they would get for an undamaged home.

Repairing fire damage versus selling a damaged house “as is”

Once you’ve decided to sell your house with fire damage, the first question you need to ask yourself is whether you want to pay for repairs before sale or sell the house “as is.”

If the damage is not too widespread then you might want to consider investing in repairing it before selling your house. Contact a professional repair company for a quote on how much you’ll have to spend to fix the damage. If the amount is within your budget then it can be a good idea to pay for the repairs, because once the damage is fixed it won’t detract from your overall sale value. However, repairing fire damage can be a time-consuming process and so if you’re looking to quickly sell your house then this might not be a viable option.

If you want a fast sale, or if the cost and time involved with repairing the fire damage is more than you can afford to spend, then the alternative is selling your house “as is” – meaning you do not make any effort to fix the damage and instead seek a buyer for the property. Should you opt for this route you will have to accept that the offer prices you will receive are going to be lower depending on the scope of the damage. The greater the extent of the fire damage to your house, the more it will detract from the overall sale value of the property.

You might be concerned that trying to place a house on the market when it has fire damage either large or small will deter almost all buyers. But that’s not the case. At LDN Properties we have many years of experience making straightforward and generous cash offers on such houses.

Auctioning a fire damaged house versus selling the property

The two most-used options for selling your fire damaged house are auction or accepting a cash offer from a buyer.

When you put a house up for auction there are a number of pros and cons with the benefits being in terms of certainty on the date of the auction and also the ability to set a reserve price, and if the house is particularly attractive to buyers there’s the chance of competitive bidding to drive up the final offer.

The alternative is working with a buyer to secure a simple and quick offer on the house, and this is something that LDN Properties excels at. Selling your home to us ensures a fast sale and an agreeable purchase price through a simple and stress-free process.

Useful resources when selling a fire damaged house

You may be eligible for financial help when your house is damaged by fire – UK Government

If you need emergency accommodation after your house is damaged by fire, you should contact the Red Cross

Should you own a flat damaged by fire, the Leasehold Advisory Service has invaluable information to share