After a fire, owners face a choice on top of everything else: rebuild — which can mean a year of contractors, permits and insurance negotiations — or sell the house as it stands and move on.
Fire-damaged houses are hard to sell on the open market: most buyers can't get a loan on them and the city may have boarded or condemned the building. Investors who rebuild houses buy them for cash, as-is, often while the insurance claim is still open.
Your options
Rebuild with the insurance money
Makes sense if you want to live there again and your policy covers the full cost. Expect months of permits and contractor work.
Settle the claim and sell as-is
Many owners take the insurance payout for the structure and sell the damaged house too. How that works depends on your policy and your mortgage.
Sell before the claim is settled
Possible, but who keeps which insurance money must be spelled out in the contract. Talk to your adjuster first.
After a fire
- Secure the house: the city or fire department may board it, and some bill the owner for it.
- If you have a mortgage, insurance checks for the structure are often made out to you AND the lender.
- Unsafe buildings can be placed under a city order to repair, vacate or demolish within a set time.
- Keep paying the mortgage and taxes during the claim — a fire doesn't pause them.
What to have ready
- The fire report number
- Your insurance claim number and adjuster's contact
- Any city notices (boarding, condemnation, demolition)
- The mortgage statement
Don't have all of it? Send the form anyway — buyers can work with what you have.
How it works
One form instead of a dozen phone calls with buyers.
Tell us about the house
One short form: the address, its condition, your timeline and your situation. No photos, no showings, no appraisal.
Local cash buyers compete
We share the house — not your contact details — with local investors who buy in your area, and they put their best offers forward.
We match you with the right one
We look past the headline price at the closing date, the conditions and the buyer's record, introduce you to the best fit, and you decide.
Questions sellers ask
Can I sell a house after a fire without fixing it?
Yes. Cash buyers purchase fire-damaged houses as-is and handle the cleanup, permits and rebuild themselves.
Do I keep the insurance money if I sell?
It depends on your policy, your mortgage and the purchase contract. Often the seller keeps the payout and sells the house at an as-is price, but the contract must say so. Ask your adjuster before you sign.
The city put an order on the house. Can I still sell?
Usually, if you disclose it. The buyer takes over the order and its deadlines. Some cities require the buyer to sign an agreement to complete the repairs.
How is a fire-damaged house valued?
Investors start from what the house would be worth fully repaired, subtract the rebuild cost, holding costs and their margin. Comparing several offers shows you where the real number is.
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ by state and county — talk to a local attorney about your situation.