Selling a House with Foundation Issues? Here’s How

Selling a house with foundation issues is not an insurmountable challenge, but it can lead to delays, discounts, and damage control.

As you’re preparing your home for sale, add a foundation or structural home inspection to your personal checklist. It’s important to determine if your house has foundation issues because if it does, your pool of buyers may be limited since some mortgage loan companies may not close on a house with foundation problems. Government-backed FHA, VA, and USDA loans also carry stringent requirements regarding the structural integrity of the home, so foundation problems could delay or even end a deal.

If you aren’t sure if your house has foundation problems, or even how to determine if it does, we’ll walk you through how to find out — and what to do if you discover your foundation is on shaky ground.

How do I know if I’m selling a house with foundation issues?

Start with a walk around the outside of your house to look for obvious signs of structural or foundation issues that warrant further investigation. “A qualified Realtor® should be able to walk through a basement of the home — or look at it from the outside if there isn’t a basement — and be able to pick up on any warning signs,” says Brett Young, an experienced agent who sells 47% more quickly than the average Indianapolis, Indiana, agent.