Selling a House ‘As Is’ in Hawaii - What's Happening in Real Estate

Looking to sell a house “as is” in Hawaii? Whether you’ve got a fixer-upper or recently inherited a relative’s home, sometimes the goal is to skip repairs, get a fair offer, and move on.

“The common reason for selling a home “as is” for a seller is that typically the area is desirable, and they’re looking to potentially relocate, at least with our buyers,” says Rich Wu, a top-selling real estate agent in Kihei, Hawaii, and member of the Josh Jerman team.

“I would say sellers in this market have a pretty good understanding of what their home has to offer, and if they’re selling it “as is,” oftentimes they’re doing the things that they need to do to put the house on the market or the property on the market for an as-is sale,” he adds.

However, selling a house “as is” usually means accepting a lower offer, and it doesn’t always prevent buyers from trying to negotiate savings. Let’s take a closer look at how to sell a house in Hawaii, your options for getting an offer, and what to expect from the process.

Fast facts about selling a house ‘as is’ in Hawaii

Median sales price in Hawaii	$1,009,810 (December 2024)
Average days on market (DOM) for Hawaii	37 days (December 2024)
Disclosures	Hawaii law requires sellers to disclose material facts about the property through the Hawaii Seller’s Disclosure Statement. Hawaii Rev. Stat. § 508D statute says, at § 508D-4 and § 508D-5, that no one may sell residential real property without signing and dating a disclosure statement within the six months before or ten calendar days after accepting a prospective buyer’s real estate purchase offer.
MLS has a field to mark a listing “as is”?	“I don’t think so. We typically say in the MLS. We’ll state in the remarks as an as-is sale. So it will typically be in the realtor’s remarks as an as-is sale, and when we show the property, if that’s the intent, that’s the messaging the whole time is that the seller would like it selling the property as is.” Rich Wu from Josh Jerman’s Team
Is a real estate attorney required?	Real estate attorneys are not essential for closing. Still, they are often hired by escrow agents and title companies to prepare closing documents due to Hawaii’s history of land division and recording procedures and its implications on modern real estate practices.
Real estate transfer taxes?	Sellers pay a transfer tax in Hawaii, which varies, depending on the home’s sale price

What is ‘as is’ condition in real estate?

“As is” is a type of home sale in which it’s understood that no improvements will be made to the property. When selling a house “as is,” the seller chooses not to entertain buyers’ requests to complete repairs or provide a credit for fixes.

An as-is sale may also indicate that the functionality and longevity of certain components of the home, such as a stove on its last legs or an older roof, is not guaranteed.

When selling a house “as is,” the general condition of the property should already be accounted for in the purchase price of the home to the best of the seller’s knowledge.

“Our job as realtors is to advise these sellers on what’s best. If you’re looking at an as-is sale, what are the things that we should do to prepare the property to yield the highest sale for an as-is sale?” says Wu.

Which types of homes are sold ‘as is’?

Homes sold “as is” often need some work or may be cosmetically outdated. It’s not a label you’re likely to put on a listing in pristine, move-in-ready condition.

“As is” sales often attract investors searching for their next flip or buyers seeking a bargain, perhaps on a home in a great location with lots of potential.

What problems do you have to disclose in Hawaii?

Selling a house “as is” in Hawaii doesn’t mean sweeping known problems about the house under the rug.

A good time to fill out the Hawaii Seller’s Disclosure Statement is prior to listing your home or requesting an offer so that you know it’s taken care of.

According to the document, this Disclosure Statement is intended to assist Seller in organizing and presenting all material facts concerning the Property.

You’ll also be prompted to fill out information about:

General
Associates
Utilities and services
Improvements
Defects, repairs, or replacements
Condo specific

No matter what method you choose to sell your home, it’s required to make these disclosures to the best of your ability. However, there are possible exemptions, such as when selling to a spouse or family member. For a complete list, consult Hawaii’s 2024 revised statute exemptions.

“A good seller disclosure is important so that the buyer understands the history of the property to the best of their knowledge. If there needs to be more clarity added or more information needed, then the buyer could hire an inspector for whatever it may be,” says Wu.

“We always advise our clients to fill out the seller’s disclosure as completely and honestly as possible, and you don’t want a buyer three years down the road to find out, or even a month after the sale closes, to find out that ‘why wasn’t this disclosed?’”, he adds.

Review your options to sell ‘as is’ in Hawaii

The main options to sell a house ‘as is’ include:

List ‘as is’ with the help of a real estate agent

A great real estate agent will provide assistance throughout the process of listing and selling a home “as is.” An agent gives simple presentation tips to improve marketing, helps to set an appropriate price that reflects the home’s condition, and works to find a buyer willing and eager to buy your home in its current state.

Sell directly to a cash buyer

Someone needing to sell their home “as is” can also work directly with a property investor or house-buying company rather than list, where it may be difficult to get an offer from a limited buyer pool.

We Buy Houses operations buy “as is” at a discounted rate and generally seek out homes in need of significant repairs. These companies can help sellers cash out quickly, and many will cover a seller’s closing costs.

Steps to list ‘as is’ with the help of a real estate agent

Find an agent willing to list the home ‘as is’

Your choice of real estate agent always matters, but even more so when selling a property “as is.” It’s important to find the right match. You’re looking for an agent who doesn’t shy away from listings that need a little TLC and maybe has a strong network of investor connections.

Your agent should also be willing to go the extra mile on marketing. Considering that 77% of buyers won’t consider purchasing a home that isn’t move-in ready, an as-is sale likely has a reduced buyer pool from the start.

Consider a pre-listing inspection

A pre-listing home inspection is the same as a standard home inspection except that the seller pays for it before listing their home on the market. It may sound like a counterintuitive step for an as-is sale, but getting the inspection results upfront can illuminate any issues that could impact the value of the home and inform an accurate pricing strategy. If a buyer requests further deductions to the price based on their own inspection, you may be able to point to how the estimated cost of certain repairs was already baked into the list price.

Wu says that in his market, pre-listing inspections aren’t typically as important compared to other markets like California, as the buyer typically does their own inspection on the property anyway.

“I think that there are advantages to it. The seller will have no surprises and the buyer, it’s right there to give to the buyer. Your objections to purchasing the property could be mitigated. But in my experience, we don’t see as many, or it’s really the buyer who does their inspection,” he says.

Price to reflect ‘as is’ condition

The median sale price for homes in Hawaii hit $1,009,810 in December 2024, a 0.01% increase over the year prior.

You can start with a free estimate from HomeLight’s Home Value Estimator (HVE).

Our HVE combs public data, including tax records and assessments, and pulls recent sales records for other properties in your neighborhood. Using a short questionnaire, we also factor in specifics about your home, such as the property type and described condition. Input your address, and we’ll provide you with a preliminary home value estimate in under two minutes.

Wu says that pricing right now is going to vary heavily depending on the property and where the seller lives, as it’s currently a buyer’s market in Hawaii.

“If you’re doing an asset sale, and you’re $50,000 or $100,000 over, then the listing could fit, or you’re going to get lower offers, and so forth. Pricing it right out of the gates is important,” Wu says.

“I think it’s really important if you’re going to do an as-is sale, to get the property ready and in a way that when you put it online or wherever, the listing is seen in the best way that it can be,” he says.

Wu gives the example of virtual staging, suggesting that it is best used when the home is empty but may still need some work. This gives potential buyers an idea about the home’s condition.

“Our job is to yield the highest sales for the seller. So negotiation-wise, I think, it’s just really getting the property in its best state that we can for the market and going from there, and pricing it right will be important for an as-is sale,” Wu adds.

Do ever-so-light preparations

Even for as-is home listings in Hawaii, Wu typically recommends professional photographs and cleaning the property, as well as staging. “It’s really important to have a good first impression,” Wu tells HomeLight.

“We hire a professional photographer to take the photos. I think the photos are important. Our job isn’t to mislead a buyer. The intent is not to mislead a buyer,” he says.

“We like the idea of less is more. If a property needs work but has a lot of furniture or what have you in it, or if the yard needs to be cleaned up, we take the time to clean it and show it the best that we can, and then take good photos as well,” Wu adds.

Photograph to show potential

Your home listing warrants professional photography regardless of its condition. A professional photographer will take steps to shoot each room from the best angle, ensure optimal interior and natural lighting, and edit for the ideal brightness and exposure.

A high-quality camera with a wide-angle lens is also essential to showcasing entire rooms rather than half or three-quarters of what’s there. For these reasons and more, professionally photographed homes can help earn homeowners up to a 47% higher asking price per square foot compared to houses marketed without professional photos.Your real estate agent will almost always arrange for professional photos as part of the listing process.

Highlight the surrounding area

A home’s location will be important to buyers seeking out a home with potential. Mention in your as-is listing if your home is close to any of the following:

Downtown areas
Major employers
Parks and green spaces
Sports venues and entertainment districts
Waterfront views or access (ocean or a lake)
Highly rated schools
Access to outdoor activities
Public transportation

Include ‘as is’ in the listing

Unless you explicitly mention that your house is being sold “as is,” buyers will have no idea of your intentions with the listing. Other common descriptors mentioned in as-is listings in cinclude priced to sell, fixer-upper, handyman special, or a “call for investors.”

To balance the focus on as-is condition, work with your agent to craft a property description that highlights the best features of the home.

Understand buyers may still negotiate

Listing “as is” provides no guarantee that buyers won’t try to negotiate savings on their purchase, even on an asking price you felt was already reduced to reflect the home’s condition. One of the best defenses you can have is an agent who takes a hard stance to prevent a deal from going south for the seller.

Be aware of minimum property standards for certain loans

When you place your home on the market, it’s hard to predict if your top offer will come from a cash buyer or a buyer pre-qualified for a home loan.

But if you do end up working with a financed buyer, be aware that different mortgage types (such as conventional loans or government-backed FHA, USDA, or VA loans) have different minimum property standards. These are standards related to the overall condition of a property which will play a role in the willingness and/or ability of a lender to finance a buyer’s loan.

Before properties can be financed, their value and condition is typically examined by a state-licensed, independent appraiser contracted by the buyer’s mortgage company.

If you’re unsure whether your home will meet appraisal requirements, you can start by taking a look at the FHA minimum property standards. If your house complies with FHA, then it complies with most other lenders’ requirements.

Prioritize a cash offer if you receive one

On occasion, conventional lenders may even finance a fixer-upper property sold “as is,” and it’s not impossible to finance a fixer-upper with an FHA loan. However, if you’re selling a house “as is” — especially one that needs heftier repairs — you may want to consider accepting a cash offer if you receive one. Cash eliminates the lender-ordered appraisal as well as the time it takes to close on the buyer’s loan, creating a faster and clearer path to settlement.

Pros of listing a home ‘as is’:

Save time and money on prep work
Possibility of reducing negotiations from the inspection
Solution for out-of-state owners and inherited homes

Cons of listing a home ‘as is’:

Limited buyer pool
Expect lower offers
Negotiations and repairs aren’t always off the table

Steps to sell directly to a cash buyer

Now that we’ve covered the general process of listing a home “as is,” let’s discuss the alternative of working with an investor. While the process varies from business to business, the steps to selling your home to a house-buying company typically go something like this:

Decision: A homeowner decides a traditional listing isn’t for them. Perhaps their house needs a lot of work, or they do not want to host any showings or open houses. They’re concerned about finding a buyer willing to purchase their home “as is” in its current state.
Contact: A seller contacts a company that buys homes in their area and provides some basic information about their home.
Preliminary offer: At this stage, some house-buying companies will provide a preliminary offer that is subject to change after a house assessment.
Assessment: The company schedules a walkthrough of the property to evaluate its condition, usually within 24 to 48 hours.
Firm offer: The company makes a firm offer (usually within 24 hours, sometimes on-site after the walkthrough) which you can accept or decline. Most of these companies will not negotiate on price, so the offer is a take-it-or-leave-it scenario.
Closing: If you accept the offer, you and the company will each sign the contract, and closing will begin. Some companies offer a large deposit or moving cost assistance, and a few may even pay for the home upfront.
Payment: The seller receives payment quickly, typically within seven days to a few weeks. This can vary by company, and sellers who work with a house-buying company often enjoy flexibility in selecting a move-out date that works for them.

If you aren’t sure where to get a cash offer, consider Simple Sale, a solution from HomeLight. With Simple Sale, you tell us a bit about your home, such as whether it’s a single-family or condo and how much work it needs. From there, we’ll provide you with a full cash offer to buy your home in as little as a week.

Skip repairs

No need to call the roof inspector or drain your savings to replace the HVAC. HomeLight will provide an offer for homes in almost any condition.

Sell when it’s convenient

Want to get out right away? Or need a little more time to pack? Either way, we’re flexible. Pick a move date that works for your schedule within 30 days of closing.

Close with certainty

Cash buyers don’t need a lender’s involvement to purchase a home, meaning they can move nimbly and quickly compared to someone who needs financing. With Simple Sale, you can close in as little as 10 days, compared to the 30-60 days or longer it typically takes to close with a financed buyer.

Curious to know more about the Simple Sale experience? Hear it firsthand from one of our valued clients in the video below.

Additional We Buy Houses companies in Hawaii

Below we’ve compiled a list of some of the leading companies that purchase homes “as is” for cash in Hawaii and information about each.

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