Yes. Though traditional buyers may struggle to get a mortgage for a home with a failed drain field or severe septic issues, it is legal to sell the property “as-is” to a cash buyer like Huck Buys Homes. Our team will purchase the property in as-is condition while taking on the cost and hassle of the septic tank replacement so you don’t have to walk away worried about expensive repairs. You’ll have the cash sale right in your pocket.
I arrived at the scene of a house that wasn’t in bad shape just outside of Kansas City. When I got there, I was greeted by quite the smell. In my time of buying homes across Missouri, you know why that sewage-like smell is there. Right there I knew it was a failing septic system. The guy who wanted to sell the house wasted no time telling me why. “I inherited this property and I didn’t realize the septic system was on its last legs,” he told me. “I can’t fix it right now because it’s a lot of money even if I’m trying to sell the house. But a lot of buyers are going to be turned off by the smell and everything.”
I assured him that Huck Buys Homes will handle the process. The moment I told him that he could sell as-is in Missouri, he didn’t miss a beat. He told me “let’s make a deal”. He had a cash offer and it was done. He had the house off his hands and my team and I handled the dirty work. Meaning we called the professionals that handled the septic tank replacement.
OK, so before I move forward I need to be upfront with you about something. When it comes to septic regulations in Missouri, they’ll vary by county. So if you have any questions regarding such regulations in your county, contact your local health department as their rules may apply.
Now that I got that out of the way, let me break a few things down for you. When a septic system failed an inspection, there’s a good chance the following issues have occurred:
These are no minor issues by any stretch of the imagination. These are environmental and health issues that need to be addressed as soon as possible. I even bought a house from an older gentleman who was on a fixed income and couldn’t afford a septic system replacement. It got to the point where he got a notice from the local health department. He decided to sell and moved out of state to be closer to family down south. We bought the house, notified the health department that we’d take care of the issue, and that was that.
If you are planning to sell through the traditional route with a failing septic system, good luck. I highly doubt you’ll get a good deal.
I always check the math when comparing the traditional house selling process. I cannot begin to tell you how astounding the amount people are losing out on just to sell a house that probably won’t be snatched off the market quickly. Let me break down the numbers for you:
First, keep in mind that replacing a septic system will be somewhere between $10,000 to $25,000. You may want to note things like the size of the system, soil conditions, permit costs, and engineering requirements. If the drain field is in poor shape, you’ll be on the higher end of the price range almost every time.
Now, I’m not finished yet. I didn’t even add on the traditional selling costs. So on top of the septic replacement, there’s the agent commission (which is about 6 percent of the sale price), then another $3,000 to $5,000 for additional closing costs. So for example, the home you sell is $250,000. And since the agent commission is 6 percent, that’s $15,000 right there. All told, you’re easily losing $25,000 to $40,000+ before you even see a single dollar.
One of my previous clients was in a predicament where she was selling the house and her septic system failed inspection. “I don’t have the time to have the septic system fixed. Nor am I going to deal with people turning away because of how bad the system is. I want this house gone,” she told me. Since we buy houses in Blue Springs where she was, I said no problem. My team and I were able to sell it to her given that it was an inherited property.
If you are considering the idea of selling an inherited property that has a failing septic system, you’ll want to contact us. Not only will we give you a cash offer in Kansas City or nearby communities, we’ll make sure you are able to walk away clean without worrying about additional costs. Also, if you’re worried about taxes on inherited properties, this Missouri Capital Gains Tax Guide will be of great help to you.
If I were you, I’d say forget the idea of selling it on the traditional Missouri housing market. I don’t think any potential buyers will go easy on you especially if the home they look at happens to have a failing septic system. So your best option is to go with us at Huck Buys Homes. You can sell the home as-is without having to worry about the failed septic system or a drain field that is shot. You don’t need to do any repairs.
I will say this, it would be better for you to take the cash offer rather than spend thousands of dollars on excavators, engineers, and permit fees. We have a network of professionals in this area that do all of this. So once you sell the home to us, we’ll get in touch with them and go from there. Meanwhile, you enjoy the cash offer that you’re happy with.
I had a gentleman outside of Independence tell me one day that he got quoted $22,000 for a new system. That was about half of this retirement savings at the time. He said no way and decided to give us a call. We gave him a cash offer after closing in less than two weeks. The septic system was our problem now and we solved it fast.
If you are still considering a traditional sale, let me remind you what you’re going up against. First, the inspection process will take place. This involves pumping the tank, checking for cracks or leaks, running a dye test, and evaluating the drain field. But that’s not all, the inspection report comes back showing system failure, drain field saturation, and environmental risk. At that point, a buyer will demand a full replacement or cut their losses and walk away. You’re stuck either way.
Skip the MLS entirely and give us a call to schedule a 15 minute property discovery. No invasive inspections are required. Plus, we don’t do repair negotiations or deal-killing reports. Also, don’t worry about paying on holding costs. Especially when you risk letting the house sit for anywhere from 60 to 90+ days on the market without an interested buyer. So why waste all that time and money just to sell a house with a failing septic system when you can go to us?
Yes. However, you’ll need to disclose the issue fully and sell to a buyer willing to take it on. It is legal to do this so long as you follow the disclosure laws and regulations.
No. My team and I won’t ask you to do that. Because we’re not like traditional buyers that demand that you do.
If you suspect a problem, it may be best to deal with it early. Because if a buyer finds out during the due diligence process about uninspected septic issues, the deal is pretty much dead.
Why have a realtor tell you that you need to spend $20,000 to replace a septic tank? It might be a better idea to sell the house as-is to Huck Buys Homes. Need more information on how it works? Call us today and we’ll schedule a 15 minute property discovery so we can get you the best cash offer possible.
