Yes. You can sell a fire, storm, or water damaged house as-is, including after you open an insurance claim. The buyer takes the house in its current condition. You still follow your state's disclosure rules and your own policy. Home Pros (Balint Holdings, LLC) makes a written offer within 24 hours.
Not legal advice and not insurance advice. Coverage, deadlines, and disclosure rules come from your policy and from the state where the house sits. This page explains public sources we read on October 9, 2026, including FEMA, the Insurance Information Institute, and the Texas Property Code. Ask your insurer, and ask a real estate attorney in that state, before you sign a contract or a proof of loss.
Can I sell a fire damaged house as-is?
Yes. You can sell the house with the fire damage still in it. Selling as-is means the buyer accepts the burned rooms, the smoke film, and the repairs that are still open. You do not hire a contractor to rebuild the kitchen, replace the roof deck, or repaint before the deed transfers.
A standard homeowners policy is written to pay for fire when fire is a listed disaster. The Insurance Information Institute says your homeowners policy pays to repair or rebuild your home if it is damaged or destroyed by fire, hurricane, hail, lightning, or other disasters listed in your policy. What the insurer pays if you sell before the work is done is a question for that policy and that claim file. This page is not insurance advice.
Home Pros, the consumer name of Balint Holdings, LLC, will buy the house from you. The company was founded in 2025, is based in San Antonio, and is veteran-owned. Send the address, photos of the fire damage, and the claim facts you already have. A written offer goes out within 24 hours. You skip the listing and the showings. Use the cash offer form if you want a number on this house. Fire damage is already a situation on our problems page.
If the house is in Ohio, read the Ohio fire-damage seller guide for that state's form. Additional living expense coverage pays extra costs of living away from home after an insured disaster, and the Insurance Information Institute says it has limits. Some policies also add a time limit. The offer starts from after-repair value, then subtracts the repair, our margin, and holding costs. See how we calculate your offer.
Can I sell a storm damaged house for cash?
Yes. A cash buyer can purchase a house with wind, hail, or storm damage and repair it after closing. The sale does not wait on a retail lender to approve a torn roof, a broken window, or siding that came off in the storm.
The Insurance Information Institute lists hurricane and hail among the disasters a standard homeowners policy pays to repair or rebuild, when those disasters are listed in your policy. A hurricane deductible, a wind deductible, or a hail deductible is printed on your declarations page. This page does not state a percent, because that number lives in your policy, not in one national statute. Read the declarations before you decide whether filing is worth it. A storm that pushed floodwater through the house is a flood question, covered in the next section, even if the same weather system also tore the roof.
Home Pros buys in Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Missouri, Oregon, New York, Kansas, Alabama, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. That is 15 states. The markets are on the sell my house fast hub. Storm damage sits on the same problems page as fire.
The claim stays with the named insured under that policy. A deed does not, by itself, move the claim to the buyer. Do not sign an assignment, a release, or a proof of loss until you have read it. If you want a second reading, show it to your insurer or a local attorney. This is not insurance advice. Photos of the roof, the openings, and the rooms the storm opened are enough for a first number. You do not need a finished contractor bid. If you want to test a repair guess first, use the cash offer calculator.
Can I sell a water damaged house as-is?
Yes. You can sell with water damage still in the drywall, the floors, or the basement. Selling as-is means the buyer takes that condition.
Name the water before you assume a homeowners policy will pay. The Insurance Information Institute says a standard policy will not pay for damage caused by a flood, an earthquake, or routine wear and tear. FEMA says most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, and that flood insurance is a separate policy that can cover the building, the contents, or both. FEMA also says there is typically a 30-day waiting period before a National Flood Insurance Program policy goes into effect, unless the coverage is required by a government-backed lender or is tied to a community flood map change. A policy you buy after the water is already in the house does not cover that flood.
Homes and businesses in high-risk flood areas with mortgages from government-backed lenders are required to have flood insurance, FEMA says. The program is delivered by a network of more than 47 insurance companies and by NFIP Direct. FEMA reports 4.7 million policyholders and nearly $1.3 trillion in coverage, across about 22,600 participating communities. Congress established the National Flood Insurance Program on August 1, 1968.
If the water is a slow leak, a worn roof, or maintenance you put off, the wear-and-tear line on the Insurance Information Institute page is the one to match against your policy. If that water sat long enough to grow mold, read the separate guide on selling a house with mold as-is. Water damage is listed on our problems page. Photos of the wet rooms, plus a note on where the water came from, are enough for a first cash offer.
Can I file an insurance claim and then sell for cash?
Yes. You can open a claim and still sell the house as-is. What you are paid, and whether any check is shared with a lender, is controlled by the policy and by your loan papers. Ask the insurer and the mortgage servicer before you rely on either check. This is not insurance advice.
For an NFIP flood claim, the dwelling form of the Standard Flood Insurance Policy requires you to send a signed and sworn, detailed proof of loss within 60 days after the loss. FEMA can extend that deadline. The adjuster reports the loss. The adjuster does not approve or deny the claim. Keep photos, receipts, and the claim number. If you sell during those 60 days, tell the insurer you are selling. Do not guess that the buyer will finish the paperwork for you.
Use the table to separate the paths before you spend money on a rebuild you do not want to manage. Put in the contract who keeps talking to the insurer after the deed records.
| Question | Fire, hurricane, or hail | Flood | Wear and tear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard homeowners policy | Pays to repair or rebuild listed disasters, including fire, hurricane, hail, and lightning | Will not pay for flood | Will not pay for routine wear and tear |
| Separate policy | Not required for that listed disaster | Flood insurance is separate. NFIP is the federal program | No claim path cited here |
| Deadline | Read your policy | Signed and sworn proof of loss within 60 days, unless FEMA extends it | None cited here |
| Cash sale | Sell as-is without rebuilding first | Sell as-is. The claim stays under your policy | Sell as-is. There may be no claim to file |
What is substantial damage if the house flooded?
Substantial damage is the label a community uses when it decides what a repair permit must include. You can still sell the house. FEMA's Increased Cost of Compliance page says your community calls a building substantially damaged when flood repairs will cost 50 percent or more of the building's market value before the damage. FEMA says that determination is made when you apply for a building permit to begin repairing.
NFIP policyholders in a special flood hazard area, also called a high-risk flood area, may receive up to $30,000 to help pay the cost of meeting the local floodplain ordinance. FEMA lists four options: elevation, demolition, relocation, and floodproofing. Floodproofing is primarily for non-residential buildings. Elevation means raising the building to or above the flood elevation level the community adopted. ICC claims are paid only on flood-damaged buildings, and only for the cost of meeting that ordinance.
A partial ICC payment can be up to half of the eligible benefit, or up to $15,000, once the claims representative has a signed contract, a community permit, and your signed ICC proof of loss. If the work is not completed, FEMA says you must return any partial payment to your insurer. That line matters if you take an advance and then sell before the work is done. If you sell without applying for the repair permit, the substantial-damage determination FEMA describes has not been made, so the ICC path on that page has not started.
FEMA also describes repetitive damage: two floods in 10 years, with average repairs at or above 25 percent of market value each time, and a paid flood claim for each loss. That can also open an ICC claim. Ask the local floodplain administrator if a letter already exists.
What should I gather before a cash offer on a damaged house?
You do not need a finished rebuild plan. You need a clear picture of the damage and of the claim. Photograph the outside, the roof if you can do it safely, and every room the fire, the storm, or the water reached. Write down the date of the loss. If you have a claim number, the insurer's name, and whether a proof of loss is still due inside the 60-day NFIP window, include that. If the city or county has talked to you about a permit or a substantial-damage letter, send the letter. You do not need to hire a new contractor to get an offer.
In Texas, the seller's notice is required on a one-unit residence. Texas Property Code Section 5.008 says a seller of residential real property comprising not more than one dwelling unit located in this state shall give the purchaser a written notice in the statutory form, or a form substantially similar that contains, at a minimum, every item in that notice. The notice asks whether you are aware of previous fires, of water damage not due to a flood event, of present flood insurance, of previous flooding, of a location in a 100-year floodplain, of a prior flood claim including a National Flood Insurance Program claim, and of FEMA or U.S. Small Business Administration flood assistance. It also asks about any condition that materially affects physical health or safety. An as-is contract does not erase that notice. The statute defines a 100-year floodplain as land with a 1 percent annual chance of flooding. Other states use other forms. This is not legal advice.
Before you sign with a company you just found, read how to verify a we-buy-houses company.
How does a cash sale of a damaged house close?
You send the address and the condition, including any open claim. We review the photos and the facts you have, and we send a written offer within 24 hours. If you accept, title opens with a title company or a closing attorney, depending on the state. You complete the disclosure that state requires, including the Texas notice if the house is in Texas. You pick the closing date. The fastest close is 7 days. A typical close lands between 14 and 30 days. At the table you sign the deed. Home Pros pays closing costs. The repair after recording is the buyer's work.
A cash price on a damaged house is often lower than a retail list price on a finished house. The gap is the repair, the time, and our margin. If the price is wrong for you, decline it. Asking for the number does not cost a fee. Read the company overview on the we buy houses page if you want the full service description before you send the address.
Home Pros is veteran-owned and BBB accredited, with a 4.9 rating from 98 Google reviews. Call (830) 510-1597 or use the form. If you want the market list first, start at sell my house fast.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell a fire damaged house as-is?
Yes. You can sell with the fire damage still in the house. A cash buyer takes the property in its current condition and handles the rebuild after closing. You still follow your state's disclosure rules, including previous fires you know about. In Texas, Property Code Section 5.008 asks about previous fires on the seller's notice. Home Pros makes a written offer within 24 hours. This is not legal advice.
Can I sell a storm damaged house for cash?
Yes. Home Pros buys storm damaged houses as-is in the states listed on the sell my house fast page. You do not need a new roof before you ask for an offer. The Insurance Information Institute says a standard homeowners policy pays to repair or rebuild damage from hurricane or hail when that disaster is listed in your policy. Your deductible is on your declarations page.
Can I sell a water damaged house as-is?
Yes. You can sell with wet drywall, damaged floors, or a flooded basement still as they are. FEMA says most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, and flood insurance is a separate policy. A standard policy also will not pay for routine wear and tear, per the Insurance Information Institute. If the water has grown mold, use the mold guide for that question. Send photos. You do not need a contractor bid first.
Can I file an insurance claim and then sell the house for cash?
Yes. Opening a claim and selling the house are separate steps. The NFIP dwelling form requires a signed and sworn proof of loss within 60 days after a flood loss, unless FEMA extends that deadline. Selling does not automatically hand the claim to the buyer. Ask your insurer what happens to an open claim if you transfer the deed. This page is not insurance advice. Home Pros can still make a cash offer while the claim is open.
Does homeowners insurance cover flood damage?
No. FEMA says most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. Flood insurance is a separate policy. The Insurance Information Institute says a standard homeowners policy will not pay for flood. The National Flood Insurance Program, which Congress established on August 1, 1968, is the federal flood program. There is typically a 30-day waiting period before a new NFIP policy takes effect, with limited exceptions FEMA lists for lender-required coverage and map changes.
What is substantial damage, and can I still sell?
Substantial damage means your community finds that flood repairs will cost 50 percent or more of the building's market value before the damage. FEMA says that determination is made when you apply for a permit to repair. You can still sell. NFIP Increased Cost of Compliance coverage may pay up to $30,000 toward local floodplain rules, and only for a flood-damaged building. If you sell without that permit step, the ICC path FEMA describes has not started.
Sources
These are the pages cited above. They are not a coverage opinion on your policy. Read the declarations, the loss-settlement section, and your state's disclosure form, and have a local attorney apply them to your sale.
- Insurance Information Institute, What is covered by standard homeowners insurance?: repair or rebuild for fire, hurricane, hail, lightning, or other listed disasters; no payment for flood, earthquake, or routine wear and tear; additional living expense limits.
- FEMA, Flood Insurance: most homeowners insurance does not cover flood; flood insurance is a separate policy; typical 30-day waiting period; lender requirement in high-risk areas; 4.7 million policyholders; nearly $1.3 trillion in coverage; program established August 1, 1968.
- NFIP Dwelling Form, Standard Flood Insurance Policy (F-122): signed and sworn proof of loss within 60 days after the loss.
- FEMA, Increased Cost of Compliance Coverage: up to $30,000 in a special flood hazard area; substantial damage at 50 percent of pre-damage market value; permit trigger; partial payment up to $15,000 that must be returned if the work is not finished.
- Texas Property Code Section 5.008: written seller's disclosure for a residence of not more than one dwelling unit, including previous fires, water damage, flood history, and floodplain location.
Not legal advice and not insurance advice. Policies, FEMA bulletins, and statutes can change. Your deed, your policy, and the state where the house sits control the sale. Confirm the claim with your insurer and the disclosure with a local attorney and with the title company or closing attorney before you sign.