Looking to sell a house “as is” in Houston? Whether you’ve got a fixer-upper in Montrose or recently inherited a relative’s home in Houston Heights, sometimes the goal is to skip repairs, get a fair offer, and move on quickly. “What I see most is people who have been living in the home a long time and have never had the funds, motivation, or interest to update their home or make repairs,” says Brian Chiu, a top-performing agent serving the Houston area. It’s worth noting that selling a house “as is” usually means accepting an offer below market value, and it doesn’t always prevent buyers from trying to negotiate savings. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how to sell a house in Texas, your options for getting an offer, and what to expect from the process. “As is” is a type of home sale in which it’s understood by both the buyer and seller that no improvements will be made to the property. When selling a house “as is,” the seller chooses not to entertain buyers’ requests to complete repairs or provide a credit for improvements. An as-is sale may also indicate that the functionality and longevity of certain components of the home, like an older roof or a worn-out stove, are not guaranteed. When selling a house “as is,” the general condition of the property should already be accounted for in the purchase price of the home to the best of the seller’s knowledge. “Most end buyers, meaning those purchasing a primary residence, are looking for move-in-ready homes so they can move on with their lives. Homes that need work are generally not going to command full market price, and the difference is usually significant,” says Chiu. Homes sold “as is” often need heftier repairs or may be cosmetically outdated. It’s not a label you’re likely to put on a listing that’s in pristine, move-in-ready condition. “Life gets in the way, and over time there’s wear and tear on the home. Trends change from year to year or decade to decade. As you get further behind, the costs continue to rise to get it ready for the market. As homes build equity over time, they also become more expensive to maintain,” says Chiu. “As is” sales often attract investors searching for their next house flip or buyers seeking a bargain, perhaps on a home in a great location with lots of potential for improvement. If you’re planning to sell a house “as is” in Texas, it doesn’t mean you can sweep any known problems about the house under the rug. A good time to fill out the Texas Seller’s Disclosure Notice is prior to listing your home or requesting an offer, so you have peace of mind that it’s taken care of. According to the document, sellers are required to disclose their knowledge of the condition of the property. The form will walk you through documenting what you know about material facts and the physical condition of the property. You’ll be prompted to fill out information about: No matter which approach you take to sell your home, you’re required to make these disclosures to the best of your ability. While Texas does not provide a general exemption for sellers who don’t live in the property, sellers may be exempt from completing a disclosure notice in certain situations, such as for court-ordered sales, properties returned to a lender through foreclosure, or homes sold as part of an estate or trust settlement. Other exemptions may apply, so you can always consult a local real estate attorney for more information. “For people who have lived in the home for a long time, they may know what’s wrong with the house, but even then, it’s not always comprehensive or detailed. They may not think it’s a big deal because something technically still works, even if it doesn’t work extremely well,” Chiu says. “For example, maybe the water pressure isn’t very strong, but it’s still functioning. There might be a small leak somewhere, but it’s so minor that no one notices it until a home inspection is done.” The main options to sell a house ‘as is’ include: An experienced real estate agent will provide assistance throughout the process of listing and selling a home “as is.” An agent can share simple presentation tips to improve marketing, help you set an appropriate price that reflects the home’s condition, and work to find a buyer who’s willing and eager to buy your home as it stands. “Sellers should work with an agent who has experience with investment properties or who has contractor connections to provide accurate bids. This helps ensure those costs can be deducted appropriately from the asking price in order to sell the home,” Chiu says. Someone hoping to sell their home “as is” can also partner directly with a property investor or house-buying company rather than list, where it may be trickier to get an offer from a limited buyer pool. We Buy Houses companies usually buy “as is” at a discounted rate and generally seek out homes in need of significant repairs. These companies can help sellers cash out quickly, and many will cover a seller’s closing costs in full. Choosing the right real estate agent always matters, but even more so when selling a property “as is.” It’s important to find the right match. You’re looking for an agent who doesn’t shy away from listings that need a little fixing up and potentially has a strong network of investor connections. Your agent should also be willing to go the extra mile on marketing. Based on the fact that more than half of Americans would prefer to buy a move-in ready home, an “as is” sale likely has a reduced buyer pool from the start. A pre-listing home inspection is the same as a standard home inspection, except the seller pays for it before listing their home on the market. It may sound like a counterintuitive step for an as-is sale, but obtaining the inspection results upfront can reveal any potential issues that could impact the value of the home and inform a more accurate pricing strategy. If a buyer requests further price deductions based on their own inspection, you can point to how the estimated cost of certain repairs was already baked into the list price. “If a seller puts the home on the market without doing a pre-listing inspection, they might believe the home is beautiful and perfect. Then a buyer comes in, makes an offer, and conducts an inspection. The buyer may come back asking for $40,000 off, or perhaps 10% off the original offer price,” Chiu points out. The median sale price for homes in Houston hit $335,000 in December 2025, a 0% change from the year prior. While the difference in price between an as-is sale and a standard listing varies, some of the top factors that impact the value of an “as is” listing in Houston include the home’s location relative to flood-prone areas, the extent of deferred maintenance tied to age or construction type, and current neighborhood demand, according to local real estate agents. You can start with a free estimate from HomeLight’s Home Value Estimator (HVE). Our HVE combs public data, including tax records and assessments, and pulls recent sales records for other properties in your neighborhood. Using a short questionnaire, we also factor in specifics about your home, such as the property type and its condition. Input your address, and we’ll provide you with a preliminary home value estimate in less than two minutes. Even for as-is home listings in Houston, Chiu typically recommends that sellers complete the following: Your listing warrants professional photography, regardless of its condition. A professional photographer will take care to shoot each room from its best angle, ensure optimal interior and natural lighting, and edit for the ideal brightness and exposure. A high-quality camera with a wide-angle lens is also essential for showcasing entire rooms rather than half or three-quarters of what’s there. For these reasons and more, professional photographs can help earn homeowners up to a 47% higher asking price per square foot compared to homes that are marketed without them. Your real estate agent will almost always arrange for professional photos as part of the listing process. A home’s location will be important to buyers seeking out a home with potential. Mention in your as-is listing if your home is close to any of the following: Unless you explicitly mention that your house is being sold “as is,” buyers will have no idea of your intentions with the listing. Other common descriptors mentioned in as-is listings in Houston include priced to sell, fixer-upper, handyman special, or a “call for investors.” To balance the focus on as-is condition, work with your agent to craft a property description that highlights the best features of the home. Since there is no designated place within the Houston MLS to label the property “as is,” it will typically be included in the listing description. Listing “as is” does not guarantee that buyers won’t try to negotiate savings on their purchase, even on an asking price you felt was already reduced to reflect the home’s current condition. One of the best defenses you can have is an agent who takes a hard stance to prevent a deal from going south for the seller. “I usually approach this by evaluating the property as an investor myself. Sometimes I bring my own trusted contractor to estimate the cost of repairs. I’ll present the seller with something like, ‘If I were buying your home, this is the price I’d offer,” says Chiu. “Typically, that number is much lower than what the seller is hoping for. They usually respond with something like, ‘Okay, we’ll put it on the market for a higher price,’ which is fine.” When you list your house on the market, it’s hard to predict whether your top offer will come from a cash buyer or a buyer pre-qualified for a home loan. If you do end up working with a financed buyer, be aware that different mortgage types (such as conventional loans or government-backed FHA, USDA, or VA loans) have different minimum property standards. These are standards related to the overall condition of a property, which will play a role in the willingness and/or ability of a lender to finance a buyer’s loan. Before properties can be financed, their value and condition are typically examined by a state-licensed, independent appraiser contracted by the buyer’s mortgage company. If you’re not sure whether your home will meet appraisal requirements, you can start by taking a look at the FHA minimum property standards. If your house complies with FHA, then it will also comply with most other lenders’ requirements. On occasion, conventional lenders may even finance a fixer-upper property sold “as is,” and it’s not impossible to finance a fixer-upper with an FHA loan. However, if you’re selling a house “as is” — especially one that needs extensive repairs — you may want to consider accepting a cash offer if you receive one. Cash eliminates the lender-ordered appraisal as well as the time it takes to close on the buyer’s loan, creating a quicker and more direct path to settlement. Pros of listing a home ‘as is’: Cons of listing a home ‘as is’: Now that we’ve covered the general process of listing a home “as is,” let’s talk through the alternative of working with an investor. While the specific steps of selling to a house-buying company can vary from business to business, here is what the process generally looks like: If you aren’t sure where to get a cash offer, consider Simple Sale, a solution from HomeLight. With Simple Sale, you’ll share a bit about your home, such as whether it’s a single-family or condo, and how much work it needs. From there, we’ll provide you with a full cash offer to buy your home in as little as a week. There’s no need to call the roof inspector or drain your savings to replace the HVAC system — HomeLight will provide an offer for homes in nearly any condition. Want to move out right away? Or need a little more time to get your things together? Either way, we’re flexible. Pick a move date that works for your timeline within 30 days of closing. Cash buyers don’t need a lender’s involvement to purchase a home, meaning they can move quickly and efficiently compared to someone who needs financing. With Simple Sale, you can close in as little as 7 days, compared to the 30-60 days or longer it typically takes to close with a financed buyer. Curious to know more about the Simple Sale experience? Hear it firsthand from one of our valued clients in the video below. Below, we’ve compiled a list of some established house-buying companies in Houston that purchase homes “as is” for cash.Fast facts about selling a house ‘as is’ in Houston
Median sales price in Houston
$335,000 (December 2025)
Average days on market (DOM) for Houston
64 days (December 2025)
Disclosures
Texas law requires sellers to disclose material facts about the property through the Seller’s Disclosure Notice.
MLS has a field to mark a listing “as is”?
No
Is a real estate attorney required?
Real estate attorneys are not considered essential for closing in the state of Texas
Real estate transfer taxes?
Texas does not impose a state transfer tax
What is ‘as is’ condition in real estate?
Which types of homes are sold ‘as is’?
What problems do you have to disclose in Houston?
Review your options to sell ‘as is’ in Houston
List ‘as is’ with the help of a real estate agent
Sell directly to a cash buyer
Steps to list ‘as is’ with the help of a real estate agent
Find an agent willing to list the home ‘as is’
Consider a pre-listing inspection
Price to reflect ‘as is’ condition
Do ever-so-light preparations
Photograph to show potential
Highlight the surrounding area
Include ‘as is’ in the listing
Understand buyers may still negotiate
Be aware of minimum property standards for certain loans
Prioritize a cash offer if you receive one
Steps to sell directly to a cash buyer
Skip repairs
Sell when it’s convenient
Close with certainty
Additional We Buy Houses companies in Houston
