The True Cost of Repairs Before Selling in Jacksonville
When a real estate agent tells you to "invest $20K in updates to get top dollar," they're not wrong about the market — but they're ignoring your reality. If you had $20,000 sitting around for a new roof or kitchen renovation, you probably wouldn't be looking at alternatives to a traditional listing.
Jacksonville's housing stock is diverse, but a large portion of homes — particularly in Arlington (32211), the Westside (32210), Murray Hill, and parts of the Northside — were built between 1950 and 1980. These homes commonly need roof replacements ($8,000-$15,000 for a typical Duval County single-family home), electrical panel upgrades ($2,000-$4,000), HVAC replacement ($5,000-$12,000), and plumbing work to replace aging galvanized or polybutylene pipes ($4,000-$10,000).
Add those up and you're looking at $20,000-$40,000 in repairs before a traditional buyer — or their lender's appraiser — will even consider the property. FHA and VA loans (common in Jacksonville's military-heavy market) have strict property condition requirements. If the home doesn't pass the appraisal, the buyer's financing falls through. We pay cash, so there's no lender, no appraisal, and no property condition requirements.
What "As-Is" Actually Means to Us
When we say "as-is," we mean it literally. Here's a sample of properties we've purchased in the Jacksonville area:
Foundation problems: Slab cracks, pier-and-beam settling, and moisture intrusion are common in Duval County's sandy soil and high water table areas — especially properties near the St. Johns River or in flood-prone zones along McCormick Road and Heckscher Drive. Traditional buyers walk away from foundation issues. We factor the repair cost into our offer and move forward.
Roof damage: Northeast Florida's hurricane seasons and afternoon thunderstorms take a toll. Missing shingles, leaks, sagging decking — we buy homes with roof issues that would fail any traditional inspection.
Mold and water damage: Jacksonville's humidity (averaging 74% annual relative humidity) makes mold a persistent issue in poorly ventilated homes. Professional remediation runs $2,000-$10,000+ depending on extent. We handle it after closing.
Hoarding or heavy tenant damage: If the interior is in rough shape — from years of deferred maintenance, hoarding, or destructive tenants — we still buy it. No judgment, no cleanup required on your part. See how our three-step process works.
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Why Listing a Fixer-Upper in Jacksonville Is Risky
Even if you list your repair-heavy home on the MLS, you'll face significant headwinds. The average buyer in Jacksonville expects a move-in ready home. Properties listed "as-is" on the MLS sit longer (averaging 75-90 days vs. the standard 52), attract lowball offers from other investors, and frequently fall out of contract after the inspection period.
Vacant properties with visible damage are also targets for additional problems. In Duval County, vacant homes — especially on the Westside and Northside — face risks from copper wire theft, vandalism, and squatter occupancy. Jacksonville's code enforcement actively patrols for unsecured vacant properties and can issue violations for broken windows, overgrown yards, and unsecured entry points. A home that needs $15,000 in repairs today could need $25,000 in three months if it sits empty and exposed to Jacksonville's heat, humidity, and storm season.
Every month your damaged property sits on the market, you're paying the mortgage, taxes, and insurance — and the damage may be getting worse. A leaking roof doesn't stop leaking because there's a For Sale sign in the yard. Water damage spreads, mold grows, and your repair bill climbs. A quick cash sale stops the bleeding and gets you paid. If your property also has open code violations, we handle those too.
What to Expect When You Work With Us
Tell Us About the Property
Share the address and a general description of the condition — or just send us photos. We don't need a contractor's report or inspection. Honest is better than polished.
We Make a Cash Offer
Based on Jacksonville-area comps and the estimated repair costs, we'll present a written cash offer within 24 hours. No contingencies, no weasel clauses.
Close and Walk Away
Pick your date. We close at a local title company. You don't need to make a single repair, clean out the property, or even mow the lawn. Leave the keys and take your check.
Frequently Asked Questions
We start with the after-repair value (ARV) — what the home would sell for in good condition based on recent Jacksonville comparable sales. Then we subtract the estimated repair costs and our operating margin. The result is your offer price. We're transparent about our numbers and happy to walk you through the math.
Our offers reflect the home's current condition — not what it could be worth after $30K in renovations. But here's the comparison most sellers miss: a traditional sale on a damaged home means agent commissions (6%), closing costs (2%), repair credits or price reductions from buyer negotiations, and months of carrying costs. When you add those up, our net offer is often within 5-10% of what you'd pocket through a traditional sale — without any of the hassle or risk.
That's fine. We're not expecting a detailed inspection report from you. Tell us what you know — the roof leaks, the AC doesn't work, there's water in the basement — and we'll factor in a reasonable estimate. If we discover additional issues after our walkthrough, we don't renegotiate or hit you with surprise deductions. The offer we make is the offer we honor.
We buy vacant properties regularly — including homes that have been empty for years. Vacant homes in Duval County often develop compounding issues: pest infestations from palmetto bugs and rodents, mold growth from Jacksonville's 74% average humidity, overgrown lots that trigger city code violations, and weather damage from unchecked roof leaks. None of that changes our process. We assess current condition, factor in all remediation costs, and make a fair offer. If the city has already issued violations or liens on the vacant property, we handle those too.
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