Steps to list ‘as is’ with the help of a real estate agent

Find an agent willing to list the home ‘as is’

Your choice of 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 TLC and possibly has a strong network of investor connections.

Your agent should also be willing to go the extra mile on marketing. Considering that more than half of Americans report that they would prefer to buy a house that’s move-in ready, an “as is” sale likely has a reduced buyer pool from the start.

Consider a pre-listing inspection

A pre-listing home inspection is the same as a standard home inspection, except that 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 issues that could impact the home’s value and inform a more accurate pricing strategy. If a buyer requests further deductions to the price based on their own inspection, you can then point to how the estimated cost of certain repairs was already factored into the list price.

While Clark remarks that pre-listing inspections aren’t super popular in her Iowa market, she warns, “The biggest thing to take into consideration is that when a buyer or an agent sees the home listed as-is, I think they immediately think, ‘Oh, this is an opportunity to get the home at a discount,’ and even a further discount, perhaps, than where it’s been listed for.” A pre-listing inspection could help reduce the likelihood of post-inspection negotiations.

Price to reflect ‘as is’ condition

The median sale price for homes in Iowa hit $240,000 in December 2025, a 4.3% increase over the year prior.

Clark says that homes sold ‘as is’ in the area typically sell for 1%-2% less than regular listings — however, that doesn’t necessarily factor in any seller concessions or repair credits. Some of the top factors that impact the value of an “as is” listing in Iowa include the age and condition of big-ticket items like the roof, furnace, and foundation, how well the home has held up through seasonal weather, and whether the price aligns with recent local sales of similar move-in ready homes.

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 described condition. Input your address, and we’ll provide you with a preliminary home value estimate in under two minutes.

Do ever-so-light preparations

Even for as-is home listings in Iowa, Clark typically recommends that sellers complete the following:

• Focus on curb appeal
• Depersonalize the home by removing family photos
• Brighten up the entryway
• Add seasonal flowers
• Take care of any odor issues
• Get professional real estate photos
• Declutter the home
• Fix any outdated paint colors

“If there are easy things we can do to make the home look better — like maybe switching out light fixtures or taking down an ugly bulk fixture that’s in the kitchen — and we can have a handyman do it, those are the types of things that I recommend the seller do,” Clark advises. “But if it’s truly something that’s as-is, like they need new siding or a new roof or something like that, we take that into consideration when we’re pricing it.”

Photograph to show potential

Your listing warrants professional photography regardless of its condition. A professional photographer will take steps to shoot each room from the 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 to showcase entire rooms, rather than half or three-quarters of what’s there. For these reasons and more, professionally photographed homes can help earn homeowners up to a 47% higher asking price per square foot compared to houses marketed without professional photos.

Your real estate agent will almost always arrange for professional photos as part of the listing process.

“Make the pictures look as good as they can, because if we don’t have great pictures, we’re never going to get buyers through the door,” says Clark. “I can write the world’s best description, tell them there’s gold buried in the yard, and they’re not going to read it. They always go through the pictures first and then decide if they’re going to take that step to make the appointment.”

Highlight the surrounding area

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:

• Downtown areas
• Major employers
• Parks and green spaces
• Sports venues and entertainment districts
• Waterfront views or access (ocean or a lake)
• Highly rated schools
• Access to outdoor activities
• Public transportation

Include ‘as is’ in the listing

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 Iowa 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 the Iowa MLS does not include a specific label to mark the listing “as is,” agents will usually include it within the property description.

Understand buyers may still negotiate

Listing “as is” provides no guarantee that buyers won’t try to negotiate savings on their purchase, even on an asking price you felt was already discounted to reflect the home’s 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.

“When it comes to doing the market for the home, I would say we still need to price it within the realm of where the market is stating it should be priced, given the condition of the home or what the as-is issues are,” Clark says. “But, I would still leave a little bit of cushion in there to negotiate through some issues because, even if it’s in as-is condition, the buyer still has the right to choose to do a home inspection. Even if they do it as an as-is inspection, they may still come back and ask for items to be fixed.”

Be aware of minimum property standards for certain loans

Once you place your home on the market, it’s hard to predict if your top offer will come from a cash buyer or a buyer who’s pre-qualified for a home loan.

However, 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 unsure 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 requirements, then it also complies with most other lenders’ requirements.

Prioritize a cash offer if you receive one

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 more significant repairs — you may want to consider accepting a cash offer if you receive one. A cash offer eliminates the lender-ordered appraisal, as well as the time it takes to close on the buyer’s loan, creating a faster and more direct path to settlement.

Pros of listing a home ‘as is’: 

• Save time and money on prepwork
• The possibility of reducing negotiations from the inspection
• Practical solution for out-of-state owners and inherited homes

Cons of listing a home ‘as is’:

• Limited buyer pool
• Expect lower offers
• Negotiations and repairs aren’t always eliminated

Steps to sell directly to a cash buyer

Now that we’ve covered the general process of listing a home “as is,” let’s discuss the alternative of working with an investor. While the specific steps can vary between companies, the typical process of selling your home to a house-buying company looks something like this:

1. Decision: A homeowner decides a traditional listing isn’t for them. Perhaps their house needs a lot of work, or they don’t want to deal with showings or open houses. They’re worried about finding a buyer who’s willing to purchase their home “as is” in its current state.
2. Contact: The seller contacts a house-buying company in their area and provides some basic information about their home.
3. Preliminary offer: At this stage, some house-buying companies will present a preliminary offer that is subject to change after an in-person house assessment.
4. Assessment: The company schedules a walkthrough of the property to evaluate its condition, usually within 24 to 48 hours.
5. Firm offer: The company makes a firm offer (usually within 24 hours, sometimes on-site after the walkthrough), which you can either accept or decline. Most of these companies will not negotiate on price, so the offer is usually a take-it-or-leave-it scenario.
6. Closing: If you accept the offer, you and the company will each sign the contract, and closing will begin. Some companies offer a large deposit or moving cost assistance, and a few may even cover the entire home purchase upfront.
7. Payment: The seller receives payment quickly, typically within seven days to a few weeks. This can vary by company, and sellers who work with a house-buying company often enjoy flexibility in choosing a move-out date that works for them.

If you aren’t sure where to get a cash offer, consider Simple Sale, a solution from HomeLight. With Simple Sale, you can share a few details about your home, like 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 7 days.

Skip repairs

There’s no need to call the roof inspector or drain your savings to replace the HVAC. HomeLight will provide an offer for homes in almost any condition.

Sell when it’s convenient

Hoping to move right away? Or need a little more time to pack? Either way, we’re flexible — pick a move date that works for your schedule within 30 days of closing.

Close with certainty

Cash buyers don’t need a lender’s involvement to purchase a home, meaning they can move nimbly and quickly 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 learn more about the Simple Sale experience? Hear it firsthand from one of our valued clients in the video below.