Selling a Fire Damaged House Louisiana

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Selling a Fire Damaged House Louisiana

A house fire is one of the worst things one could experience as a homeowner. It is an incredibly traumatic event, but sadly not uncommon in Louisiana.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, a house fire

occurs every 89 seconds

. In 2020 alone,


490,500 fires were reported


to fire departments across the nation. Fire damages amounted to


a staggering $12.1 billion


in the same year.

Also, while wildfires have hogged the headlines in recent years, only a very small portion caused house fires. As a matter of fact,

less than 1% is caused by wildfires in 2021

; fires were usually started by

cooking-related accidents

.

Understandably, things would feel bleak after a home fire, but

this is not the time to mentally check out

. There are so many questions following a house fire that it can be confusing to figure out what to do next. But once the fire has been put out, it’s important to

act quickly and decisively

to prevent further damage.

What Should You Do with the House After a Fire Louisiana?

First of all, you must secure permission from the Fire Department before re-entering your fire-damaged home. It is dangerous to just go in and try to salvage whatever belongings that may have survived the fire as depending on the severity, the fire may have plenty of underlying damage to the structure itself.

Once the Louisiana authorities has deemed it safe enough to do so, you must recover all important documents and other important belongings if possible.

Protect the property from both weather and vandalism

. Depending on the severity of the fire damage, you may have to contact your utility providers to cut off electricity and water.

Afterwards,

get in touch with your homeowner’s insurance company

to be able to start the claims process and discuss your options going forward. They could assist in getting you set up in a temporary housing while you have your burned home inspected by the insurance company.

You would want the

extent of the damage discovered and documented

by the insurance adjuster.

Depending on their evaluation, the insurance company may be able to give you

the replacement cost for your home

. Other times, you may only get the actual cash value

which is less than the replacement cost.

However, it should be noted that fire caused by wildfires may be

eligible for assistance from FEMA

in certain jurisdictions. It can be worthwhile to check if this applies to you.

The payout from the insurance company can then be used in the fire damage restoration if you wish.

Hire qualified fire damage restoration contractors

to properly clean up firefighting residue and water, remove soot, and eliminate the smoke odor.

Some restoration contractors offer renovation services as well, and they may be able to help you bring your house back to its former glory.

Repair Fire Damage or Sell the Burned House Louisiana?

You have two choices regarding a fire damaged house:

repair the fire damage yourself

and restore your home as close to its original condition as possible, or

sell the burned house as is

in Louisiana.

Factors Affecting your Decision Regarding your Fire Damaged House

These are some questions you can ask yourself to help you decide:

• What is the extent of the damage caused by the fire?
• What caused the fire?
• How long would it take to get my home back to pre fire condition?
• How much would be the repair costs?
• Will I be able to afford the restoration and repair costs?
• What does my insurance company cover?
• Do I have an emotional attachment to my home?

Generally, if you have

both time and money

you can go ahead with repairing fire damage to your home. Otherwise, you’re better off selling the house as is.

Scenario 1: You decide to repair your fire damaged house

Repairing fire and smoke damage

ranges between $2,8670 and $33,966

with the national average sitting at $17,598 for a full repair.

Since it is a costly endeavor, you must ensure that you get a

competent and experienced fire damage restoration contractor

that has plenty of experience rehabilitating fire damaged houses in Louisiana. You can work with your insurance agent as they may be able to refer you to someone who’ll be able to address your needs.

7 Steps in Repairing a House with Fire Damage

Step 1.


Conduct a

thorough assessment

by a qualified home inspector. Please note that this will be different from the inspection done by the insurance adjuster earlier.

Fires can

cause a lot of underlying damage

not readily visible. For instance, it can dry out the wooden beams rendering them weak. Fire can also cause

cracks to appear in basement walls

, exposing the steel within and affecting its structural integrity.

Step 2.


If your house has significant damage, you may need to

hire different types of inspectors

: structural, electrical, mechanical (HVAC), and plumbing.

Therefore,

areas of inspection

must include:

• Plumbing systems
• Electrical wirings
• Heating and ventilation systems – check for smoke residue inside the ductwork
• Gas lines – there could be a leak somewhere, which may start another fire
• Structural framing – this might entail opening up the wallboards and floorboards to check the possible structural damage on the floor joists and wall framing
• Windows – check the integrity of the window frames and probable warping and discoloration of the glass from the heat
• Appliances – check for water damage before using them even though they may look undamaged from the fire
• Paint – check for blisters and smoke damage
• Roof – rafters may have been weakened from the fire or otherwise retained water from the firefighting efforts

Step 3.


After the assessment, the restoration contractor will have an idea of the

scope of work, timeline, and total cost

. Keep in mind though, that renovation of a fire damaged home is very challenging, thus, there may be unforeseen repairs that may come up in the future.

However, if the inspectors deem that the damage is too severe that even major repairs cannot make your fire damaged home livable again, demolition may be your only recourse. You can then sell the property as a vacant lot to real estate investors who may be interested in holding it for the long-term or develop it eventually.

Step 4.


The contractor will then secure the property by

installing fences and sealing off openings

in the structure. Tarpaulins may be used to cover exposed parts of the roofing to prevent further water ingress and protect the structure from weather.

If some parts of the house were unaffected by the fire, even only a small portion, then it must be sealed off and isolated to prevent contamination and additional damage.

Step 5.


The next order of business is to

remove the water

from firefighting efforts in order to prevent the growth of mold and wood rot. Additionally, if chemical extinguishers were used, they can leave toxic residues, so these must be removed as well.

Step 6.


Once the structure has been dried out,

intensive clean up will commence

. All fire damaged drywall, flooring, ceiling, and other materials must be removed. Smoke and soot, which may pose a plethora of health problems, will be removed from every square inch of affected areas, particularly in ventilation systems.

Deodorizing agents will be used to completely get rid of the smoke odor, and if necessary, antimicrobial chemicals will be applied to sanitize and stop mold growth. Furniture, drapes, curtains, and clothing will also be cleaned and deodorized.

Step 7.


Depending on the fire damage,

some parts of the structure may need to be rebuilt

. Others may only entail the necessary repairs. Still some portions of the house may need to be retrofitted in order to restore it to its pre fire condition.

Even if you have scrubbed all traces of the fire damage from your home and your contractor did an outstanding job of restoring it to its former glory, it is still

best to be transparent with your potential buyers

about what happened.

Home buyers are likely to walk away from a deal if they found out that you had not been entirely honest with them–and they would always find out eventually. As long as your contractor did a wonderful job in the restoration and renovation, there shouldn’t be any future headaches for the new owners of your home.

Advantages of Repairing your Fire Damaged House

If you can afford the time and the financial investment (and depending on the amount of fire damage), the

best course of action is to repair your fire damaged house before selling

. This would help you get a higher asking price than if you leave it to the buyer to undertake the repairs themselves.

If you need to take out a loan to repair your fire damaged house, run the numbers to determine if the

increase in asking price


is a worthwhile investment

. Make sure to account for not just repairs, but closing costs to ensure you will still be able to make a profit.

Scenario 2: You decide to sell your fire damaged home as is

If property damage is significant, the time and energy required to restore your house to serviceability may no longer be worth it. So you decide to put your home up for sale in Louisiana.

Selling fire damaged houses as is can be challenging. That’s not to say it is impossible. Here is what you can expect if you decide to go this route:

Challenges in Selling a Fire Damaged Home As Is

First, your

buyer pool is significantly smaller

. You’ll have to do some legwork in order to find experienced home buyers who are willing to take on a project with fire damage.

Second, you will have to

compensate the buyer

for the repairs that they need to do to your fire damaged home. This means some experienced home buyers will try to drive the selling price down significantly and you may not be able to get the fair market value of your property.

Lastly, it may be a turnoff for some home buyers since they may not be able to obtain a loan from a mortgage lender. Your

best bet is finding buyer who is willing to pay cash

.

Reasons to Sell a Fire Damaged House As Is

In spite of the possible challenges you may face in trying to sell your fire damaged home,

you may still be left with no choice

due to the following 6 reasons:

1. Financial Condition

Hiring a clean-up crew and a general contractor to repair the fire damage can be very expensive. Selling outright is the way to avoid these financial burdens.

2. Health Concerns

A house with fire damage can be unsafe for people with lung problems and the toxic residue from the conflagration can cause sickness.

3. Time Constraint

Restoration and renovation of a house is a long, drawn-out process which can take months. Selling a house with fire damage as is provides an easy way out of the hassle.

4. Location Risk

California, Texas, and Florida are wildfire-prone


areas in the United States

. The

increasing number of wildfires

due to the effects of climate change may drive you to move out of state instead of returning to your old home.

5. Emotional Distress & Trauma

A house fire is a devastating event in a person’s life. Even after a full restoration, some people are continually reminded of the trauma they have gone through. To protect your mental health, you may be better off disposing of the property to a cash buyer.

6. Desire to have a Clean Slate

You may want to just cash out and move on, leaving your highly unpleasant experience behind and starting your life elsewhere.

Advantages of Selling a Fire Damaged House As Is

There are

motivated home buyers who buy damaged houses

and fix them up for a living. This includes fire damaged houses,

properties with code violations

, mold issues, you name it. These houses are worth something to

specific buyers

who want to flip or rent them out to tenants after doing the necessary repairs.

Further, these

house buyers

are willing to pay

cash

, allowing you to settle your financial problems, put the fire behind you, and quickly move on with your life.

How Do You Go about Marketing and Selling Fire Damaged Property Louisiana?

1. Determine the Severity of the House Fire

You must

obtain an incident report from the fire department

so that you can find out the extent of the damage and what caused it. Fire damaged homes are usually hard to sell unless the damage is minor.

2. Go the For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Route

If you go by this route to find the right buyer, you don’t need to deal with real estate agents or pay their commissions.

You will have

full control over the selling process

but that also means that marketing, negotiating, and closing the deal will be your responsibility. Expect your phone to blow up with inquiries from potential buyers with their cash offer.

You must

be ready with all the details about your house and the fire accident

since the cash home buyer will come and negotiate with you directly.

3. Find Real Estate Investors

Selling a fire damaged house to a real estate investor is the

quickest way

to sell it. They are used to finding diamonds in the rough in damaged properties and doesn’t mind the work required to get it.

Joining a real estate investor meetup in your Louisiana area can be a great opportunity to network with them. Since selling a house yourself is an exhausting process, a

real estate investor with a fair cash offer

is your ticket out of this nightmare.

Tips for Selling a Fire Damaged House Louisiana

Whether you go with scenario 1 or scenario 2 (as described above), here are 3 useful tips:

1. Disclosure is important

Selling a house, and real estate in general, is a business of trust. Informing the buyer what happened to the property and why it happened is of paramount importance. Do not withhold information from buyers since they are going to find out sooner or later anyway.

2. Document the restoration process

Keep track of everything that was done during the restoration. It would be useful to take photos and file all receipts and invoices so it can help you in determining your selling price later on if you decide to postpone the sale of your house.

3. Do

not

be impatient

It takes time, energy, and patience to sell a fire damaged house. Potential buyers will have a lot of questions with regards to anything involving your property. Sometimes they may request to bring in inspectors of their own. Accommodate them. Take them on a tour of your house (as long as it’s safe and possible to do so).

Do not be fixated on selling your Louisiana house fast. Just trust the process and it will be alright.

Closing Thoughts: Selling a Fire Damaged House Louisiana

Only you can decide how to go about finding a home buyer for your

Louisiana

fire damaged house.

If you

have the time and money

, repairing and restoring your house first before putting it up for sale will get you the best price possible.

If you are

in a hurry or lack the funds or time

required to undertake the repairs, selling for cash to real estate investors is a great option.

Here at

Sell My House Fast

, we buy houses and other types of real estate in any condition and in any location across the United States!

Yes, including houses with fire damage!

We buy houses fast for cash and simplify the home selling process (especially for properties with significant work required). You don’t need to pay commissions to real estate agents!

We buy houses on

your

terms! You can choose the closing date, and

we’ll even cover the closing costs for you

!

Get started by filling out the form below. If you have any questions, call us at


(844) 207-0788


and we’re happy to answer.

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