What will you do if your Gainesville, Florida house floods? And how will you sell a flooded house? This nightmare scenario is the kind of thing Florida homeowners stay up nights thinking about. It might not seem likely but the truth is that flooding happens, especially if you live in an area close to a river or other bodies of water. CBS News recently reported that 15 million homes are at risk of flooding around America and that number is sure to rise with shifting weather patterns and climate change. So even if you don’t think flooding will affect your Florida house now, that could very well change in the coming years.
If your Gainesville house floods, you’re looking at some intense water damage to deal with. And that also means you have to make a critical decision about what to do next. Should you fix your flooded house or should you try to sell your flooded house fast? The answer to that question will depend on many factors, including your financial situation and how badly the house is damaged by water. If the water damage is too much for you to fix or you’d rather just like to move forward with your life, you can sell your flooded house quickly to a cash buyer like Sell Your Gainesville Home Today. Whatever decision you make, let’s take a closer look at how to sell a flooded house in Gainesville, Florida.
Understand the Gainesville Real Estate Market
Whether you’re trying to sell a flooded house or any other house, you’ll want to have a good sense of the Gainesville, Florida real estate market before proceeding.
Gainesville is a city in North Florida located around 90 minutes from Jacksonville and Orlando as well as two hours from Tampa.
You can find all kinds of homes in Gainesville’s 28 neighborhoods, including condos, multi-family homes, townhomes, and single-family houses. Sale prices tend to range anywhere between $13,000 and $10 million.
The median price for homes listed in Gainesville is around $250,000, depending on the season and market. On average, Gainesville homes sell after 50-60 days on the market, which means houses are likely to sit on the market for at least two months, and that’s assuming it’s a house in good condition. If a house is flooded and has water damage, that is going to impact these numbers. That’s why it’s important to consider selling your house to a cash buyer if you need to sell fast and don’t want to wait for the unknowns of the market.
Make Necessary Flood Repairs
If your Gainesville house floods, you’ll need to take certain steps right away to limit the damage and costs as much as possible. Within two days of your house flooding, you can expect mildew and mold to show up and settle in, especially in any dark rooms or places where water has pooled. You need to move fast and prevent extensive damage that can become too much to be fixed. If not, the costs are going to skyrocket.
Before making any repairs, take what you can out of the flood zone. This includes any furniture, boxes, and anything else that needs to be dried. Take any clothing or fabrics to be cleaned professionally as you probably won’t be able to get out the stains and mold yourself.
If you have fans, turn them on and point them at the wet spots. If you have dehumidifiers, place them in the damp room and turn them on. You want to get rid of as much moisture as you possibly can before dealing with any repairs. This way you’ll know what the true condition is instead of watching things continue to deteriorate during the repair process.
Be sure that whenever you walk or enter any room that was flooded that you are protecting yourself. You never want to wade into a pool of stagnant water in your normal clothing or anything that won’t protect your skin. There could be all kinds of bacteria, mold, chemicals, and other things in the water just waiting to infect you. You might not also be able to see underneath the surface and could hurt yourself walking into furniture and other items you can’t see. Anytime you enter this kind of space, wear waterproof boots and pants, put on a mask and gloves, and cover yourself as much as possible.
If you decide that you want to sell your flooded house on the housing market in Gainesville, you’re going to want to figure out what repairs need to be made and how much it will cost. First, figure out what the biggest repair needs are and how much they’ll cost. Once you do that, you’ll be able to figure out how much you’re willing to pay and whether or not it makes sense to just sell your house as-is to a cash buyer instead.
Benefits of Fixing a Flooded House
What are major repairs? Things like fixing a cracked foundation or a hole in the roof. These are the kind of problems that affect your ability to live safely in the house. In these cases, you’ll want to consider a contractor, or at least start getting estimates so you know what you’re up against. While you could consider making major repairs yourself, your lack of expertise in these areas could come back to bite you. Not only could you make things worse by doing a bad job but you might not be able to see the true extent of the damage the way an expert can. When all major repairs are completed, getting a home inspection is the icing on the cake to ensure that buyers can feel secure in knowing the job is done. Market buyers will need those kinds of assurances, though cash buyers don’t need you to fix anything.
There are also smaller repairs that you need to consider with a flooded house. The floors will likely need to be renovated or even replaced. The walls will almost certainly call out for a fresh coat of paint. If so, this is a good chance to improve the color schemes and feel of the house to prepare it for market buyers. Consider neutral colors since that helps buyers see themselves in the house. It also makes everything feel fresh, as opposed to darker colors like black or green that will remind people of water and mold. It’s all about evoking a sense of newness and clean now.
Repair Any Mold Issues
When it comes to making repairs for a flooded house, one of the biggest issues you’ll be facing is mold. Mold will begin to start forming in the house as soon as one day, so you don’t have time to wait in dealing with it. Once it begins to take hold, it can be impossible to remove it unless you are working with high-grade chemicals and professional equipment. You could try to get rid of mold yourself but it always makes more sense to go with a professional who understands how to find the hidden mold and make sure it doesn’t come back. Of course, you’re going to have to pay a bit but that’s the price of selling a flooded house on the market if you want market buyers to be interested in your Gainesville house.
Revaluing Your House
Once you’ve made all the appropriate repairs and renovations to your flooded house, it’s time to get your house revalued. Revaluation is the process used to capture changes in property values following major events such as this. The value of your house is a property’s resale or fair market value, which changes over time. It’s important to note that taxes will increase if property values increase, so that might be a consideration for selling your house as-is rather than putting in the work to upgrade it.
Working with a Cash Home Buyer
Given everything you’ve learned about water damage, the cost of repairs, and the costs of selling your flooded house on the market, it’s enough to make you think there’s no way you’ll be able to sell your house and make any money. But there is a solution that can help you sell your flooded house fast without spending any money on repairs or cleaning.
You can sell your house to a cash buyer like Sell Your Gainesville Home Today. We’ll buy it as-is and give you a fair cash offer regardless of the home’s condition. Once you contact us, we’ll meet with you or take a look at the property virtually. Then, we’ll make you a fair cash offer based on the condition of the house without requiring you to make any repairs or clean-up. If you accept the offer, we can close the deal on your time, often within a matter of days. Then, we take the water-damaged house off your hands so you can move on.
Conclusion
Trying to sell a flooded house in Gainesville can be stressful. But cash buyers like Sell Your Gainesville Home Today are here to help you by buying your flooded or water-damaged house as-is and giving you cash for it. Contact us to get a fair cash offer today!