What’s My House Worth As-Is? A Real Number for a House That Needs Work
Whether you live in the house or it’s sitting empty, Clear Path House Buyer finds out what it’s really worth in its current condition, using real sold homes in your town and a licensed local agent who sees it in person. We work nationwide, so you don’t have to find or coordinate anyone.
Call (888) 828-3586Putting a Price on a House That Needs Work
Most people who ask us “what’s my house worth as-is?” are living in the house right now. It’s their home, it needs more work than they want to take on, and they need an honest number before they decide anything. Others inherited a house or have already moved away. Either way, the question is the same.
- It’s your home, and you don’t want to pour money into it just to sell it.
- Online estimates are all over the place, and none of them have seen inside.
- Local agents haven’t called back, or said the house needs work before they’ll list it.
- There may be back taxes, liens, or a mortgage, and you’re not sure what’s left after.
- A buyer already backed out, and you’re not sure what the house is really worth now.
Mitchell in Miami, Oklahoma had a house in rough shape, a buyer who had backed out, and other companies that wouldn’t help. He needed a real number from someone who would actually look.
How We Value Your House, Wherever It Is
Photos or a quick video to start
A few photos or a short phone video of each room, the roof, and the basement tell us most of what we need. Mitchell sent about 25 photos of his house before anything else happened.
Then local eyes on the property
We’re the ones who work nationwide, not you. We line up a licensed local agent or contact in your town to see the house in person, at a time that works for you. For Ron and Katie in Streator, Illinois, a local contact looked at the house within hours.
Real sold homes in that town
We pull recent sales of similar homes near yours, both updated ones and ones that sold needing work. In a small town that may mean looking a little farther out or a little further back, and we’ll show you which sales we used.
The repair picture, priced honestly
Roof, plumbing, foundation, heat, a house full of belongings. Every buyer prices that work in, so we do too, out in the open.
Two numbers, side by side
You get an estimate for listing the house as-is through our Retail Buyer Program, where a licensed local agent lists it and we coordinate the sale through closing, and a cash offer. We walk you through how we got both. Start with a cash offer request or call (888) 828-3586.
As-Is Listing Value or Cash Value: Which One Fits You?
| Retail Buyer Program (listed as-is) | Cash offer (as-is) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Often higher, set by buyers on the open market | Lower, because the buyer takes on repairs and resale |
| Speed | Weeks to a few months | You pick the closing date |
| Repairs | None | None |
| Showings | A licensed local agent handles them | None |
| Best when | The house will attract buyers and you can wait a little | You need certainty and speed most |
Most of our recent sellers chose the Retail Buyer Program: Ron and Katie, Beth, Marilyn, Geeta, and Mitchell. Others needed the speed of cash. We’ll tell you honestly which one leaves you better off.
Situations Where the As-Is Number Matters Most
You’re living in the house
It’s your home, and you want to know your options before you list it or let strangers walk through. We can value it quietly, with no sign in the yard.
An inherited house
Heirs often need a value to split an estate or decide whether to keep the house. If some of you live far away, remote closings mean nobody has to travel.
A rough house with taxes or liens
Knowing the as-is value tells you what’s left after liens are paid. More on selling with back taxes or liens.
Agents won’t take it on
Older homes in slower markets often get passed over. More on what to do when your house isn’t selling with a realtor.
Big repairs you don’t want to fund
The as-is value shows you what you’d get without spending a dollar on contractors. More on selling a house as-is with major repairs.
How It Works
Local eyes on it
A licensed local agent or contact we line up sees the house at a time that works for you.
Your two numbers
An as-is listing estimate and a cash offer, with the sold homes we compared it to.
Decide and close from anywhere
E-signatures, a mobile notary, or an online closing where you live.
What Changes From State to State
Tax assessments are not market value
Each state assesses property its own way. Illinois, for example, generally assesses homes at one third of market value, and Michigan at about half. The number on your tax bill is rarely what a buyer will pay, and it never reflects the condition inside.
Disclosure rules vary
Many states require a seller disclosure form even on an as-is sale, and a few don’t. Every state requires the federal lead-based paint disclosure for homes built before 1978. Being upfront about known problems keeps your number from changing late in the sale.
Small-town markets move differently
In a town with only a few sales a year, one recent sale can swing an estimate. That’s why we look at the actual houses that sold, not just an average, and why a local set of eyes matters.
Your title company or a local attorney can confirm the rules where your house is.
Real Houses We’ve Helped Sell As-Is
Mitchell · Miami, OK
- Situation
- Vacant, about 80 years old, roof and plumbing problems; an earlier buyer backed out
- How he sold
- Retail Buyer Program, listed as-is by a licensed local agent
- Outcome
- City liens paid at closing, 35 days start to finish, closed a day early
Ron & Katie · Streator, IL
- Situation
- Major foundation and plumbing problems
- How they sold
- Retail Buyer Program, matched with an investor buyer after a local contact assessed it within hours
- Outcome
- Zero repairs; pending in under a week, closed just over 30 days later
Read Ron and Katie’s full story.
Beth · Wenona, IL
- Situation
- Very rough condition plus back tax liens
- Outcome
- Back taxes paid at closing, $0 out of pocket
Marilyn on selling her older home in Center Ridge, Arkansas after realtors weren’t interested. Read her full story.
What Our Sellers Say
Related Pages
Helpful Resources
Frequently Asked Questions About As-Is Home Values
Can you value my house if you’re not based in my area?
Yes. We work with homeowners across the country. Your photos, plus a licensed local agent or contact we line up in your town to see the house in person, are usually enough. For Ron and Katie in Streator, Illinois, a local contact assessed the house within hours.
Why do online home value estimates miss on houses that need work?
They assume average, move-in condition and can’t see inside the house. In small towns they also have very few recent sales to work from, so the number can be off by a lot in either direction.
Is the as-is cash value always lower than listing the house as-is?
Usually, yes, because a cash buyer takes on the repairs, the risk, and the resale. Listing as-is through our Retail Buyer Program often brings more, but it takes longer. We show you both numbers so you can decide which matters more to you: the price or the speed.
What if no agent will list my house because of its condition?
That’s common with older or rough houses in small towns. Marilyn’s older, vacant home in Center Ridge, Arkansas wasn’t getting interest from realtors, and it sold through our Retail Buyer Program.
Will liens or back taxes lower what I walk away with?
They come out of the sale at closing, so they reduce your proceeds but don’t have to stop the sale. Beth’s back taxes in Wenona, Illinois and Mitchell’s city liens in Miami, Oklahoma were both paid at closing, with nothing out of pocket.
Do I have to fix anything to get an accurate number?
No. We value the house as it sits today. Fixing it first only makes sense if the repair adds more to the price than it costs, and we’ll tell you if it does.
How long does it take to get my numbers?
Usually a few days, depending on how quickly we can get photos and a local set of eyes on the house. There’s no cost and no obligation.
Where do you buy houses?
Clear Path House Buyer works with homeowners across the United States, from our office in Grand Rapids, Michigan, together with licensed local agents and buyers in each market.
Find Out What Your House Is Really Worth As-Is
Wherever the house is and whatever shape it’s in, we’ll get eyes on it, show you two real numbers, and explain how we got them. No repairs, no pressure, no obligation.
Call or Text (888) 828-3586 Clear Path House Buyer · 548 Coit Ave NE Apt 2, Grand Rapids, MI 49503