Inheriting a house can feel like a blessing at first—until you realize how much work the property needs before it’s ready to sell. Whether it’s a few minor touch-ups or major structural repairs, the process can quickly become overwhelming. If you’re wondering how to sell a house that needs repairs—especially in San Antonio—you’re not alone, and you do have options.
As someone who works with homeowners in these situations all the time, I want to walk you through the choices you have and help you understand how to move forward in a way that makes sense for your timeline, finances, and peace of mind.
Assessing the Repairs
The first step is understanding the extent of the repairs. Ask yourself:
Is it just paint, flooring, or cosmetic damage?
Or are there more serious issues like an old roof, outdated electrical systems, or foundation damage?
Major repairs can cost thousands of dollars and take weeks or even months to complete. If the house is inherited, maybe you don’t even live in the area—or maybe this house has been sitting for years as a rental and is in rough shape. No matter the case, your path forward depends on your goals.
Consider Your Options
Once you’ve evaluated the condition of the property, there are typically two directions you can go:
1. Repair and Sell
You could choose to take on the work yourself, fix the foundation, modernize the space, and sell it on the traditional market. If done well, this could increase the sale price—but it comes with upfront costs, time commitments, and often, unexpected setbacks.
2. Sell As-Is
If you’re not interested in pouring more money and time into a house you don’t plan to keep, selling as-is might be the better path. You won’t get the same price as a fully renovated home, but it can save you stress, time, and cash out of pocket. This is especially common with inherited properties.
You can list as-is with a real estate agent (though you’ll pay fees and commissions), or you can sell directly to a cash buyer like us who will purchase the house exactly as it stands.
The Perks of Selling As-Is for Cash
We regularly help homeowners sell houses with repair needs—some minor, others major. If you go the traditional route, you’ll need to:
Clean and stage the home
Pay for repairs and updates
Schedule showings
Pay realtor commissions and closing costs
With a cash buyer in San Antonio like us:
Sell fast—often in as little as 7 days
No fees—you don’t pay any commissions or closing costs
No repairs needed—we buy houses in any condition
No stress—we handle all the paperwork and logistics
Repairing vs. Selling As-Is: A Clear Cost Comparison
Before making any big decisions, it’s important to consider what repairs will really cost you—not just in dollars, but in time and effort. If your goal is to sell fast and avoid stress, fixing everything might not be your best option.
Here’s a quick breakdown comparing the two paths:
| Repair Type | Estimated Cost | Time Required | Added Sale Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof Replacement | $7,000 – $10,000 | 1–2 weeks | Moderate |
| Foundation Repair | $5,000 – $15,000 | 1–3 weeks | Moderate |
| Full Interior Paint | $2,000 – $5,000 | 3–5 days | Moderate |
| Plumbing/Electrical Updates | $2,500 – $7,000 | 1–2 weeks | Moderate |
| Landscaping & Curb Appeal | $500 – $3,000 | 2–5 days | High |
| TOTAL (average) | $17,000+ | 4+ weeks | Varies |
Selling As-Is with a Cash Buyer like Us:
- Cost: $0 in repairs
- Time: Close in as little as 7 days
- Fees: None—no agent commissions or hidden costs
- Stress: Minimal—you skip the work, we handle everything
Common Questions from Homeowners Like You
When you’re exploring your options, it’s normal to have questions. Here’s what many homeowners ask us when they’re thinking about selling a house that needs repairs:
Q: Can I sell a house in poor condition?
A: Yes. Whether it needs cosmetic updates or major repairs like foundation or plumbing work, you can still sell it. We buy houses in any condition—no repairs needed.
Q: What if I don’t want to clean or clear out the house?
A: No problem. You can leave unwanted furniture, trash, or personal items behind. We’ll take care of it all after closing.
Q: How quickly can I sell for cash?
A: We can close in as little as 7 days. If you need more time, we’ll work with your schedule.
Q: Are there any fees or commissions?
A: Absolutely not. We cover all the closing costs, and we don’t charge commissions. You keep 100% of the cash offer.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I had the opportunity to work with Nick while helping a family member sell their house. Nick was professional, knowledgeable, and what impressed me the most was his ability to find a solution. If that wasn’t enough, he was sincere and didn’t pressure anyone into a decision. I felt as if he only had the intention of helping us in our situation. I highly recommend him.”
— Ryan Flores
The Emotional Cost of Dealing with Repairs
Selling a house that needs repairs isn’t just about money—it’s also about your time, mental energy, and emotional well-being. For many homeowners, especially those handling an inherited property or facing other life transitions, the process can feel like a second full-time job.
You may feel:
Stressed by the mounting to-do list
Anxious about choosing the right contractors
Frustrated by the uncertainty of costs and timelines
Guilty for not having the time or resources to fix everything
We’ve worked with many families in this exact situation. One of the most common things we hear is: “I just want to be done with it.” If that sounds familiar, then you’re not alone—and you don’t have to go through it by yourself. Selling the house quickly and as-is can give you back your time and peace of mind.
Why Choose Sell My San Antonio House?
At Sell My San Antonio House, we understand the emotional and financial burden that can come with inheriting or owning a home that needs repairs. We’re a trusted local cash buyer with years of experience helping people just like you navigate these tough decisions.
What sets us apart:
Over a decade of experience in the San Antonio market
Fast and flexible closing dates based on your schedule
Genuine, no-pressure conversations focused on your needs
Cash offers with no hidden fees, commissions, or obligations
We know every situation is different, and our goal is to help you move forward—on your terms.
Final Thoughts: You Don’t Have to Go Through This Alone
If you’re dealing with an inherited home or a property that needs work, it’s easy to feel stuck. But remember—you can sell your house as-is, fast, for cash, and with no fees.
You deserve a solution that fits your situation and a partner who respects your time. At Sell My San Antonio House, we’re here to offer real options, helpful information, and a fair cash offer for your property—no repairs, no commissions, no stress.
👉 Reach out today at sellmysanantoniohouse.com or give us a call at (210) 201-6644. Let’s talk about what works best for you.
How to sell a house that needs repairs. If you found yourself with a property that needs a little bit of repair or a lot of repair, but you really do need to sell that house, there are some options. You’ve got different choices depending on what your goals are. We can walk through a few of those and some steps you can take to sell your property when you know it needs some repairs. First, this happens all the time, some people think they can’t sell a house because it needs some work or because it needs a lot of work or people who have inherited a property that needs repair, have just lived in a house for a really long time and some of that maintenance has been let go or maybe they got back a rental property that needs repair. You can sell all of these properties, but you’ve got to make the choices that’s going to be right for you depending on what you’re trying to get out of it.
First, you’ve got to assess these repairs. Is this just a little bit of paint that needs touched up or do you have major repairs? Do you need a new roof, electrical’s outdated, plumbing repairs, foundation repairs? These big ticket items, one, are very expensive to fix and so you need to take that into account before you start moving forward. But now once you’ve assessed how much or how little repair your property needs then you want to start thinking about, all right, well, what would all that cost me? Okay, if I’ve got all these things I need to do, once I fix all these things and I fix them right, done the right way, not just slapping it together with a paintbrush and trying to cover things up, what’s this house going to be worth then and how should I go about selling it?
If you’re in a hurry, you may say, man, I know I need to do these repairs. I know it’s going to cost a bunch of money. I really don’t have the time. Or maybe you’re like, man, I don’t want to pour a bunch of more money into this property and I’m going to sell it anyway. Okay, so here’s where you’re going to make a choice. If you want to get into it and you want to do all these repairs, you want to fix the foundation, you want to fix the plumbing, you want to repaint, you want to modernize everything and sell it. You can sell it for more money because you’ve got a fully finished product. But what happens with a lot of people is they’re like, man, I would really like to sell this property but I don’t want to pour a bunch of money into it. I don’t want to pour a bunch of time into it. I’m not planning to live here after this, why do I want to put all this effort to maybe not come out with that much more in the end.
If that’s the case, then you could definitely look at selling that property as is, and there you get a couple of choices. Get used to work with a real estate agent. If you feel like having somebody come in, taking photos, trying to put it out on the market and sell it, they’re going to take a commission because that’s their job and that’s how they make a living. Is that going to be best case scenario for you? Are people going to want to see that? Is that something that’s going to bring in buyers? I don’t know. You know your property and you know how much work it needs. Or you sell it to somebody like an investor. People call us all the time for properties they want to sell as is. Sometimes it’s a little bit of repair and sometimes it’s a ton of repairs. We’ll buy them all.
Now, are you going to get the same price you would as if you did all this stuff, fixed it up, sold it, paid the fees, paid the cost of selling a house? No, of course not, right? But it gives you an option to sell it if you need to sell it quickly, if you need to sell it without putting money in to do the repairs, whatever the reason is for you. Maybe you just inherited that property and this isn’t something, you need to put this behind you and start a new chapter. You can always sell a house with repairs. You just want to assess what you have and look at what the best option is moving forward for you. If we can do anything to help you, if we can answer any questions, find us on the website sellmysanantoniohouse.com or give us a call (210) 201-6644.