Selling a house is not a walk in the park. And it becomes even more difficult if the house in question is old and structural issues are apparent. Not many buyers would want to purchase a house with foundation issues to become their next home. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to sell your old house.
A house with foundation issues can still be worth putting into the real estate market. But to increase your chances of finding a buyer, you need to undertake the extra effort of identifying the structural issues, addressing them, and ultimately, being able to sell your old house.
What Causes Foundation Issues?
Structural and foundation issues aren’t always apparent at first glance. Sometimes, you don’t even know you have structural problems until it’s too late. In order to determine if a house has foundation issues, it’s worth looking at possible causes.
There are three different forms of foundation issues, including cracking, shifting, and sloping. Each of these can be attributed to its own sets of triggers or causes. If any of the following are true in the house you’re looking to sell, you may have foundation issues that you need to address or disclose to potential buyers:
- The area is prone to high levels of dryness or humidity
- The house was poorly constructed
- The house is old and therefore prone to natural degradation
- The house has withstood severe storms and weather events
- The soil is of poor quality
- The house has poor drainage systems
These situations can greatly contribute to the more rapid sloping, cracking, or shifting of the house’s foundation. If the home you are looking to sell has been exposed to any of the above, you should take a step back and identify foundation issues before putting it on the market.
How to Identify Foundation Issues
While foundation issues can be difficult to pinpoint, there are certain tell-tale signs that you may be facing a potential structural problem. Paying attention to even the smallest details can help you identify foundation sloping, shifting, or cracking.
Cracked Walls or Leaning Chimney
Foundation damages can be identified through leaning or cracked walls. Make an inspection and spot for curves, bulges, or cracks in the middle, top, bottom, as well as the outer wood or brick of your exteriors. If the walls are leaning, it’s a sign of a bigger, more serious foundational issue that needs to be addressed urgently.
A leaning chimney is also a cause for alarm, signifying that your foundation is not strong enough to hold the weight of the bricks or stone that make up your chimney. This can cause the entire wall to fall if unaddressed immediately.
Cracks in Doors, Walls, or Windows
Cracks on smaller-scale locations like doors and windows are easy to ignore, but they may point to serious structural issues when neglected for too long. Even movable structures can fall victim to damage to the house’s structural integrity.
Cracks on doors, walls, or windows can be signs of the shifting form of foundation damage. As the foundation shifts, so do the movable structures that it’s supposed to keep in place. What’s worse is that these cracks allow moisture and humidity to enter, which gives rise to mold problems that can further affect the structure of the house.
If you notice any of these in the house, you need to get it checked for foundational shifts immediately:
- Cracks on the ceiling, especially along the crown molding that connects it to the walls
- Cracks on movable structures, such as doors and windows
- Bubbling of the wallpaper
- Cracking of paint on the walls
Functionality Issues with Drawers, Doors, or Windows
If you’ve ever been frustrated because drawers, doors, and windows won’t stay open or closed, it can be more than just a problem with the movable structure itself. In stark contrast, it can be a sign that the house’s foundation is shifting and is affecting the functionality of your movable structures.
Sloping Floors
Floors that slope down or push up in some areas are also signs of foundational issues — not to mention that they are hazards to the people living in the house. Although early signs of sloping floors may not be noticeable, you can spot them in simple issues like wobbly tables and furniture or tripping over areas because of the height variance.
Should You Fix Your House with Foundation Issues Before Selling?
If you have identified foundational issues in the house, the question now is whether or not you have to fix them. Of course, the answer depends on your unique situation. However, you should know that there are buyers who are willing to purchase homes with foundation issues and take on the repairs and renovation efforts themselves. But of course, this would mean disclosing the structural issues and selling your house at a lower value.
If you do decide to repair the foundation of the house, you will be shouldering all the expenses for it. Homeowners’ insurance policies will more than likely refuse to accept claims for repairs. On average, it will cost you around $7,000 to $15,000 to completely repair the house’s foundation.
Eliminate the Hassle With Skye Homes
While repairing the house before selling it can help you find buyers, a lot of homeowners don’t have the resources or time to get it done. Skye Homes can help in these situations. We are independent home buyers who can purchase your house with foundational issues directly from you — no middlemen, no commissions, and no hidden fees.
We can provide you with an all-cash offer and purchase your house as-is so that you don’t have to take on the burden of repairing its foundation. Schedule a home analysis or request an offer to get started.
