43. Should I Fix My Foundation Before I Sell My House

Are you looking to sell your home but have foundation problems? Fixing your foundation may be the best way to increase its value. The cost of repairing a foundation can range from $1500 all the way up to over $20,000, but can oftentimes close the gap on the selling price for homes that are priced below market value. 

 

 

If you’re thinking about selling your home, it’s worth weighing the pros and cons before listing it on the market. Selling a house that has foundation problems to a typical homeowner can be challenging. Find out if repairing the foundation of your home prior to selling is right for you.

 

 

Is It Worth Fixing The Foundation Of A House?

Selling a house that has foundation problems is not an easy task. The majority of homeowners will look at your home and disregard it quickly due to its issues. If you’re thinking about selling a house with broken walls, cracked flooring, or a sloped foundation, you might have some trouble. The difficulty is getting buyers to accept a home with a major flaw. People who are looking to move into a home want the home to be ready to actually move in.


sell house as-is with foundation problems

Houses with foundation issues can scare first-time homebuyers. They can also scare lenders. Many times, homes with obvious foundation issues do not get approved for home loans.

Fixing the foundation prior to selling is a really good idea when you think about how the buyer will view the home if you don’t fix the issues. However, there are other factors that you have to consider as the owner of a home with foundation issues.

Are There Risks To Fixing My Foundation Before Selling?

There can be risks to fixing your foundation before you sell. Often, repairing a foundation has hidden costs and pitfalls that most homeowners aren’t aware of. Take these into consideration when deciding whether or not to repair your foundation:

Can I Sell My House If The Foundation Has Been Repaired?

Fixing Foundation Issues Before Selling

Yes, you can sell a house with repaired foundation problems. However, it’s important to make sure everything is done right and that the buyer knows about all of the repairs and issues involved in purchasing your home. Most buyers want a foundation warranty to be transferred to them upon the purchase of the property. Other buyers may want documentation from a structural engineer. Make sure you have all of the proper paperwork and documentation available upon request for the buyer.

Do You Have To Disclose Foundation Repairs?

Disclosing foundation repairs is important as is the need to disclose all of the issues in your home when selling. You never know what people will find out about the property if they pay for an inspection. Being upfront with buyers will save you from future liability headaches down the road.

Selling A House With Foundation Problems

Previous foundation repairs can be spotted by trained home inspectors. Trying to hide the fact that repairs have been done usually doesn’t work and can make it look like there is something more to hide. This will hurt more than help. It’s always best to disclosure what you know about the property you are selling.

You Can Sell Your House With Foundation Problems As-Is

You want to sell your house but you have foundation problems that need to be dealt with. You have thought about making repairs but aren’t sure about what the final cost will really be when everything is said and done.

Will it be worth it? Can you get your money back from all the repairs? How long will the process take?

Capstone Homebuyers is here to help. We buy houses with foundation problems across San Antonio for cash so you can move on with your life quickly and easily! We give you a fair, all-cash offer for your house in its as-is condition. No repairs, no fees, no commissions. Our offers don’t change. Can we help you? Give us a call today to see what we can do for you.

39. Cash For Houses In San Antonio – Not All Buyers Are The Same

Selling your house fast for cash in San Antonio can be an easy process if you work with the right “cash for houses” company.  The hard part is knowing which local San Antonio real estate investor you can trust when it’s time to sell your house.  You don’t want to leave the sale of your home up to chance, especially if you are hoping to sell quickly.   

 

Making sure that the sale is going to happen the way you expect is very important.  You don’t want to be blindsided at or close to the closing date with a failed escrow or a last-minute price reduction.  If you work with the wrong real estate investor, these things can happen.  

 

Most investors have great intentions, however, if you are deciding who to work with, you should take the time to find the type of investor who always follows through and has the track record to prove it. 

How Can You Make Sure You Sell To The Right Investor?

Don’t worry, there are a few things you can do to make sure you are dealing with a legitimate home buyer in San Antonio. 

1. Verify The Home Buyer Who Are Thinking About Selling Your House To Is The Actual Direct Buyer.

What this means is that person or their company is actually going to be the buyer of your home.  Believe it or not, there are people and companies who are just middlemen in real estate transactions.  They will often pose as the buyer when really, all they are going to do is attempt to sell your home to an actual direct buyer for a higher price.  

 

If you work with the end-buyer directly, you will likely get that higher price!  No need for the middleman!  This is probably the one tip that will make sure you get the most possible when selling your house for cash. 

2. Check The Cash Homebuyer’s Online Reviews

Checking online reviews is something we do frequently in other areas of our lives.  Making sure the homebuyer has actual reviews from real people who have actually sold their house to the home buyer is the first step.  Google reviews, Facebook reviews, BBB reviews are the first ones to check.  If the investor has video testimonials on their website that seem credible, that is a bonus and likely means they are going to treat you well.  After all, if they were using bad business practices, they wouldn’t be able to get people to leave great reviews at the closing table right?

3. Check The Better Business Bureau

Capstone-Homebuyers-client-reviews

Check the Better Business Bureau to see if they are A-plus rated.  The first place someone goes if they have a problem with a company is the BBB.  If a company isn’t A-Plus rated by the BBB, it could mean there have been complaints that have caused them to lose their BBB status.  Also, there can be valuable reviews on the BBB and those reviews are verified by the BBB so they cannot be falsified or altered. 

BBB Rated Home Buyer

4. Verify Proof Of Funds

Verifying proof of funds can be slightly uncomfortable for some people because they feel like it is a sign of distrust.  We say trust but verify.  A legitimate San Antonio home buyer should have no problem producing proof of funds.  These should be funds in a bank account in their name that demonstrates they have the ability to buy your house and hopefully, the ability to buy multiple houses.  This won’t offend the investor and is easily done if the investor really does have access to the funds required to buy your house.

Verified Cash Buyer

5. Has The Home Buyer Kept Their Word Throughout The Process

Does the investor show up to their appointment on time?  Did they call you back when they said they would?  Did they bring the forms they mentioned they would bring over the phone? These may seem like small things, but small things can often point to trends and habits with the bigger things.  If someone isn’t diligent about keeping their word on the easy things, they may not be diligent about keeping their word on the big things.  While this isn’t the end all be all, it can be an indicator that might be cause for pause. 

6. Make Sure The Cash Buyer Is Using The Proper Paperwork

Making sure the investor has the proper paperwork can be difficult for someone who isn’t trained in real estate or who doesn’t work in the real estate business.  The easiest way to know if someone is using the proper paperwork is to ask if they are using the standard TREC forms.  TREC stands for Texas Real Estate Commission and TREC has standard forms that are designed to be used by Realtors and other real estate professionals.  If someone hopes to buy your house using a one-page contract when the TREC contract is 10 pages, that might be cause for concern and a sign that the investor isn’t a true professional. 

7. Ask For A Title Company Reference

Ask the investor who their preferred title company is.  Then call the title company to verify they have a business relationship with that investor.  This is a great indicator that the investor regularly buys and sells real estate.  Our preferred title company knows us well and loves doing business with us.  They are happy to share great experiences with anyone who calls.  Other title companies should be willing to do the same for other investors. 

8. Does The Homebuyer Appear Professional?

Professional appearance does matter.  If someone doesn’t treat buying your house with professionalism, you may not get professional results.  Of course, there can be exceptions to this rule and we all know that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.  This is the reason this topic is last on our list.  There can be some merit to someone treating you with professionalism and it can be an indicator of future treatment.  Keep this in mind and go with your gut on this one. 

Connect With A Top Cash House Buyer In San Antonio

Selling your San Antonio house to a “cash for houses” company can be easy and smooth.  Once you have verified you are in fact working with a legitimate cash buyer by using our tips above, you will likely have an enjoyable home selling process.  If for any reason, you are having trouble with a home buyer who isn’t following through, see about tips on what to do next. To work with Capstone Homebuyers and have a guaranteed closing on the date you choose, give us a call or fill out a form and we will wow you with customer service and professionalism.

2. Can Bankruptcy Be Used To Stop Foreclosure In Texas?

Can Bankruptcy Be Used To Stop Foreclosure In Texas?

Can banruptcy be used to stop foreclosure in Texas?  Yes.  Bankruptcy can be used to stop foreclosure in Texas and bankruptcy is often used as a tool by homeowners in order to prevent a foreclosure.  Using bankruptcy to stop foreclosure is a powerful tool but can often be costly.  Many homeowners who are facing foreclosure see bankruptcy as a way to stop foreclosure without thinking about what happens after they file for bankruptcy.  If you enter into bankruptcy without a plan or without a solid long-term strategy, it could backfire.  At Capstone Homebuyers, we have been buying houses in bankruptcy and helping homeowners stop foreclosure for years in San Antonio Texas and we are ready to help if needed.  

How Long Will Bankruptcy Delay Foreclosure

Bankruptcy can delay a bank foreclosure for years if successful.  Bankruptcy can delay a foreclosure by a month or two if it is used by a homeowner only as a means of stopping foreclosure.   

Different types of bankruptcies come with different types of rules.  If you are looking for a long-term strategy, entering into bankruptcy can buy you three to five years.  This is assuming you make your monthly payment arrangements created during your bankruptcy hearings.  If you are looking for a more temporary solution, you will likely file a bankruptcy to stop the foreclosure but then abandon the foreclosure process once you have found a solution for selling your home quickly to avoid the pending foreclosure. 

What Happens If My House Isn’t Covered By Bankruptcy

How-To-Stop-Foreclosure-With-Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy doesn’t protect your house from foreclosure permanently.  In fact, when the only goal of bankruptcy is to stop foreclosure, you can lose protection quickly.  Lenders can appeal and file a motion to dismiss, the bankruptcy judge also has discretion and may not allow your home to be covered by bankruptcy.  If any of these scenarios happen, you will be scrambling to sell your house fast so that the house isn’t sold at the foreclosure auction because the lender will resume the foreclosure process right away.  If you find yourself in this type of situation, make sure and find a reputable cash home buyer with experience buying houses in bankruptcy and foreclosure.  A company like ours, Capstone Homebuyers, has dealt with this issue many times and can act quickly and appropriately, and has the resources to be able to help. 

When Is It Too Late To Stop Foreclosure with Bankruptcy

Using bankruptcy as a last-minute option to stop foreclosure is possible up until the house is sold at the foreclosure auction.  There has to be time for your bankruptcy attorney to file the case with the bankruptcy court and there will be documentation needed from you and forms that you will have to fill out along with attorney and filing fees.  Some of the items you will want to be prepared for are the following: 

Bankruptcy to stop foreclosure

Knowing that the foreclosure auction happens on the first Tuesday of every month in Bexar county, the absolute latest you could possibly hope to get a bankruptcy filing done and an automatic stay in place would be Monday, the day before the foreclosure auction is held.  If your plan is to only use bankruptcy as a temporary delay tactic, make sure you start working with your preferred home buyer immediately.  An experienced and qualified home buyer will work with your attorney to make sure everything is in place so that you can sell your home without delay.

Selling Your House During Bankruptcy

Selling your house during bankruptcy is always an option.  Sometimes that is the plan from the very beginning and bankruptcy is used as a tool to buy you time.  Occasionally, bankruptcy is the long-term strategy but it isn’t approved or your home isn’t covered or protected by the bankruptcy.  And sometimes, you are years into your bankruptcy repayment plan and life happens and you need to sell your house that is covered by bankruptcy protection.  If any of these scenarios happen, make sure you work with the right kind of home buyer.  A home buyer with a great reputation as well as the experience necessary to properly help and guide you through the process.  If you would like to know more about working with Capstone Homebuyers, we are always available to help…even if we don’t buy your house, we pride ourselves on helping members of our community.

Sell Before Foreclosure

Selling your house before a foreclosure without using bankruptcy is often a very good option.  If you can’t pay a bankruptcy attorney, for example, you may just decide to sell instead of stalling the foreclosure for a short period of time.  If you find yourself in a complicated foreclosure or bankruptcy situation, give Capstone Homebuyers a call.  We will go over all of your options and make a recommendation free of charge.  If it turns out selling your house is the best option, we will give you a fair offer that you can count on to help you out of your situation.

40. What To Do If A Real Estate Investor Backs Out From Buying Your House

What To Do If A Real Estate Investor Backs Out From Buying Your House

Selling your house to a San Antonio real estate investor is often the fastest and easiest way to get your house sold.  Most of the time, real estate investors from we buy houses companies are local, near you, and buy your house with cash.   This makes the process short, simple, and fairly certain.  However, as with any profession, some people in the real estate investing business don’t always live up to those expectations.  There are usually some signs that this might be happening to you.  If you are experiencing problems with an investor in your home sale process, keep reading to get some tips on what steps to take next.

Signs An Investor Might Back Out Of Your Home Purchase

As mentioned above, a real estate investor may give some subtle and not so subtle indication that they are backing out from buying your home.  Minor things such as unreturned phone calls and texts, or not showing up to an appointment might be excused if they only happen once or there is a good reason given.  Ask yourself, does this person still seem interested in my home and engaged in the process they described? If not, and unprofessionalism is present, you may be looking at the beginning of an issue.

real estate investor purchasing a house

Other signs an investor is having cold feet are less subtle.  They may ask to extend the closing date without providing a good reason.  They may ask for a price reduction based on repair estimates that were never discussed.  These are red flags that should cause you to be concerned about what is happening with the sale of your home. The worst of all is getting to the day of the closing and you haven’t had any communication with the home buyer and you find out from the title company that they aren’t ready for closing.  If any of these things are happening to you or you suspect they may be happening to you, keep reading for what to do next.

Steps To Take If An Investor Fails To Close On Your Property

If an investor doesn’t follow through with the purchase of your San Antonio property, or you are concerned about the way they are handling the process of buying your house, there are certain steps you can take to make sure you aren’t left high and dry. 

 

Go through these steps one by one and make sure you are following your instincts. These steps are meant to be a guide to determine if a real estate investor is an actual credible home buyer or if they are just trying to make a quick buck by taking you and your property for the proverbial ride.

 

1. Check The Reviews Of The Home Buying Company.

If the home buying company can’t be found online or doesn’t have great reviews, this may be an indicator that your suspicions or instinct is correct.  However, if the home buyers have great reviews, and a legitimate online presence, maybe you are misreading the situation.  

2. Call The Title Company Directly

checking a real estate investor's references

This is a way to cut through the noise and make sure everything is on track with the sale of your home.  The title company is a neutral party in the transaction and will give you honest information about where you are in the sale process.  Don’t be worried about calling them, they are being paid to help you with your transaction. 

3. Let The Homebuyer Know There Will Be No Extensions Or Price Reductions

A serious home buyer will not ask for extensions without very good reason.  If they have a legitimate reason that is out of their hands, an extension could be acceptable.  Otherwise, there should be no extensions if they are serious about buying.  


There should never be a need for price reductions.  A real estate investor who buys houses for a living will make you an offer that they are comfortable with.  They do not need to lower the price at a later time. 

 

4. Find A New Reputable Buyer

If the worst happens and your buyer is not closing on your property as promised, it may be time to move on and find a new buyer for your property.  If you find yourself in this situation, make sure you do your due diligence and find a home buyer with a reputation for doing what they say.  


Make sure and check out their reviews and their BBB profile.  Our company is always ready to pick up the pieces from a broken sale and give you the home selling experience you deserve.


Sell-To-A-Reputable-Home-Buyer

Sell For Cash While Getting The Experience You Deserve

If you are selling your house to a real estate investor and things aren’t going as planned, follow your instances, follow the steps listed above, and know that all hope isn’t lost.  

 

Capstone Homebuyers is ready to step in and make you a fair offer for your San Antonio property.  We have created a reputation of always following through and always doing what we say we will do when we say we will do it.  

 

This means no failed escrows, no abandoned closings, and unreturned calls and texts.  You should have a great experience when you sell your house fast the easy way.  If you would like a second opinion about the sale of your home, just give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.