Selling a House ‘As Is’ in Oklahoma

Are you trying to sell your home “as is” in Oklahoma? Whether you’ve got a fixer-upper or recently inherited a relative’s home, you might be looking to skip repairs, get a fair offer, and move on.

According to Jennifer Fields, a top-selling agent in Edmond, Oklahoma, and a single-family home expert, as-is selling was primarily driven by trends in recent years.

“[Over] the past couple of years, it was very common to sell a house as-is just so they did not have to deal with repairs and the height of the market frenzy that was going on. Currently, if a home is being sold as-is, it’s usually because the person is unable or unwilling to make repairs,” she says.

She adds that a homeowner could also be aging and unable to maintain or repair the home properly or just want to get the home offloaded quickly.

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 look at how to sell a house in Oklahoma, your options for getting an offer, and what to expect from the process.

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

Median sales price in Oklahoma
$235,000

Average days on market (DOM) for Oklahoma
44 days

Disclosures
Oklahoma law requires sellers to disclose material facts about the property through the Residential Property Condition Disclosure Statement.

MLS has a field to mark a listing “as is”?
No, however, this is typically mentioned under agent remarks

Is a real estate attorney required?
Real estate attorneys are not considered essential for closing in the state of Oklahoma

Real estate transfer taxes?
A documentary stamp tax of $0.75/$500 is required

What is ‘as is’ condition in real estate?

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

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

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

Which types of homes are sold ‘as is’?

Homes sold “as is” often need repairs or might be out of date cosmetically. It’s not a label you’ll likely 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 Oklahoma?

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

A good time to fill out the Oklahoma Residential Property Condition Disclosure Statement is before listing your home or requesting an offer so that you know it’s taken care of.

According to the document, all residential unit sellers must complete the disclosure form and disclose any defects before accepting any offers.

The form will walk you through documenting what you know about the property’s condition, including any history of damage, repairs, or environmental issues.

Fields notes that despite sellers listing a home “as-is,” buyers are allowed to request an inspection, and depending on the state of the home, buyers may still be able to request repairs — or even cancel the contract.

“Buyers are allowed an inspection time period, even on an as-is transaction, and then they can present a form which we call a T-R-R —- a notice of treatments, repairs, and replacement. So, even if the property is marked as-is, buyers can ask for repairs on that form or cancel the contract if the seller’s unwilling or unable to make those repairs,” she warns.

“Even if we call a transaction as-is, there are very few transactions that end up being an as-is transaction,” she adds,

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

Hazards, disputes, or violations

Flood zone status of the property
History of the property being damaged or affected by flood
Leakage or seepage problems in the property
Infestation of termites or any wood-destroying organisms
Damage caused by termites, fire, tornadoes or earthquakes
Any zoning, building code, or setback violations
Encroachments

Material defects in the structure or systems

Walls, windows, doors, or floors
Basement or foundation
Roof, ceilings, fireplace
Electrical system
Sewer or septic system
Well and plumbing systems
Heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems

Unsafe conditions related to the home

Asbestos on the premises
Radon on the premises
Lead-based paint
Underground storage tanks
The presence of a landfill on the property

No matter what method you choose to sell your home, you must make these disclosures to the best of your ability. However, Oklahoma does not allow certain exceptions for sellers who haven’t lived in the home and requires them to disclose all known conditions affecting the property.

Fields says that if the home has had any foundation repairs in the past, this is one of the most important things you need to disclose to a potential buyer.

“The most important thing to disclose is one if you’ve ever had foundation repairs – we’ve just come out of a drought, and we’re finding more and more homes requiring a small amount of repairs,” she says.

She notes that termite treatment or water seepage repair are also incredibly important to mention.

Review your options to sell ‘as is’ in Oklahoma

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 assist in 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 needing 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, especially 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 80% of Americans say they would prefer to buy a move-in ready home, 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 one, except that the seller pays for it before listing their home. 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 home’s value and inform an accurate pricing strategy.

If a buyer requests further deductions to the price based on their inspection, you may be able to point to how the estimated cost of certain repairs was already baked into the list price.

Fields highly recommends getting a pre-listing home inspection.

“A pre-listing inspection is a wonderful thing to do. They’re able, at that point, to add to their disclosure that they had a licensed home inspector inspect the home, and these are the items that are deficient or require repair. I would take it one step further, and have those items bid for repairs from a local company,” she says.

Field suggests this can ultimately help increase your home’s value when it comes time to negotiate pricing.

“That way, when the buyer comes forward and says, well, how much will this cost, you’re able to give them a black and white number to help them make their decision and get the home sold more efficiently and typically for a higher price,” she adds.

Price to reflect ‘as is’ condition
The median sale price for homes in Oklahoma hit $235.000 in July 2023, a 4.44% increase over the year prior.

Fields recommends approaching initial pricing with a slight discount, as buyers will likely expect something below market value.

“I advise sellers to expect at least a five percent reduction on property value just because in any buyer’s mind, they are going to believe that something is wrong with that property,” Fields says.

She warns that the pricing will drop slightly as negotiations continue.

“There could be a lot of reasons for a seller to go “as is,” but people are going to come with a pre-formed idea that there is something wrong with a property. So, it’s typically at least a five percent reduction, and then I would expect another two to three percent price reduction in negotiation.”

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 give you a preliminary home value estimate in under two minutes.

Do ever-so-light preparations
Even for as-is home listings in Oklahoma, Fields typically recommends several steps sellers can take.

“I do what’s called the “list-to-list.” I provide sellers with a list of items that need to be completed in order for their home to sell,” she says.

Some important things to look at, Fields says, include:

The hot water tank: make sure it is clean and free of debris and that the piping is at the correct height
Service the HVAC system: ensure it is in working order
Inspect the roof: verify there are no leaks or major issues that need to be fixed

“We kind of look at big ticket items and try to make sure that none of those exist prior to listing,” she says.

Photograph to show potential
Your home listing warrants professional photography no matter what type of condition the property is in. 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 your intentions with the listing. Other common descriptors in Oklahoma as-is listings include price 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 your best defenses 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 work with a financed buyer, be aware that different mortgage types (such as conventional 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 a lender’s willingness and/or ability 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 looking at the FHA minimum property standards. If your house complies with FHA, 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,” 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 and 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 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 offer you 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 Oklahoma

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