Should I fix my house before selling in Phoenix, or sell as-is?

Three questions that decide it

• Will the repair raise the price by more than it costs? Look at recent sales nearby in updated and un-updated condition.
• Do you have the cash and time? A $25,000 AC-and-roof job can take weeks to schedule in summer, and the house costs money every month it sits.
• Will the buyer's lender require it? FHA and VA loans have minimum property standards. A broken AC, a failing roof, or a non-working pool can hold up or kill a financed sale.

Items lenders and insurers flag in the Valley

• AC that doesn't cool or uses an outdated refrigerant
• Roofs at the end of their life, including tile roofs whose underlayment has failed
• Polybutylene, galvanized, or leaking plumbing
• Electrical panels from brands insurers avoid
• Pools that are green, cracked, or missing a code-required barrier
• Active roof or plumbing leaks and the water damage that follows

A side-by-side example

A hypothetical 1978 Valley house that needs a roof, AC, and cosmetic work:

• Fix and list: repairs $38,000; sells for $410,000; commissions and closing costs about $28,000; three extra months of carrying costs $6,000. Net before the loan: about $338,000, and you manage the contractors.
• List as-is: sells for $360,000 after a buyer credit; costs about $25,000. Net: about $335,000, if a financed buyer's lender accepts the house.
• Cash as-is: offer $330,000, buyer pays closing costs, no commission. Net: about $330,000 in a few weeks, with no repairs and no showings.

In this example the three come out close, so time and risk decide it. Change the numbers for your house; often one option clearly wins.

Cheap fixes that usually pay

• Deep clean, haul away clutter, and clean up the yard
• Fresh neutral paint where it's worn
• Fix small, visible things: doors, hardware, outlets, fixtures, a dripping faucet
• Service the AC and replace filters before showings in summer

If you sell as-is

As-is means you won't make repairs. It doesn't remove the duty to disclose what you know. See what Arizona sellers must disclose. A pre-listing inspection can help you price realistically and head off surprises.

Dealing with this now? Sell a house that needs repairs · Sell a fire-damaged house in Phoenix · Sell a vacant Phoenix house

General information for Arizona homeowners, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Huge Cash Offer is a home buyer, not a law firm, lender, or housing counselor.