Houses that need work — Alameda County
Sell a house that needs work
without doing the work.
Foundation, roof, sewer lateral, old wiring or mold: we price the repairs into the offer and buy as-is, so you don’t fix anything or manage contractors.
About a minute · No obligation · Or call (510) 706-7203
What to know
Older East Bay houses need work. You don’t have to be the one to do it.
Many East Bay houses are 70 to 120 years old. They have character, and they also tend to have original wiring, galvanized pipes, aging foundations, tired roofs and sewer laterals near the end of their life. A buyer’s inspection finds all of it.
On the open market, that usually means a choice between paying for repairs before you list or watching buyers ask for credits, renegotiate or walk after the inspection. Selling as-is to a cash buyer skips that cycle: we see the problems up front, and the offer already accounts for them.
The repairs we see most in the East Bay
Foundations and seismic work on older raised houses. Roofs and dry rot. Knob-and-tube wiring and undersized electrical panels. Galvanized supply pipes. Drainage and moisture under the house. Termite damage, which shows up on the pest report most California buyers order.
Then there’s the sewer lateral. In Oakland, Alameda, Albany, Emeryville and Piedmont, EBMUD’s private sewer lateral rules require a compliance certificate when a property is sold, and Berkeley’s own program does the same. That often means replacing the pipe from the house to the street. Both allow the buyer to finish the work after closing in some cases, and when you sell to us, we take it on.
Repair first, or sell as-is?
Fixing up a house before listing can make sense when the work is cosmetic and you have the time and cash. Major work is different: permits, contractors, months of carrying costs and the risk of finding more problems once walls are open. Run the numbers both ways. A written as-is offer from us gives you a firm figure to compare against what an agent thinks the house would sell for after repairs, minus the cost of getting there.
Water damage and mold
Slow plumbing leaks, failed roofs and wet crawl spaces can leave mold behind walls and under floors. A buyer’s lender may want it fixed before closing. A cash buyer doesn’t need a lender’s sign-off, so we can buy the house with the problem and handle it afterward.
Disclosure still applies
Selling as-is doesn’t remove California’s disclosure duty: you still share what you know about the house’s condition, and a house built before 1978 also needs the federal lead-based paint disclosure. The difference with us is that we buy expecting problems, so the offer is built around the house’s condition rather than a list of repair requests.
General information about California rules as of October 2026, not legal, tax or financial advice. Laws change and every situation is different, so check the details with an attorney, CPA or housing counselor.
How it works
Major repairs: how the sale works.
Tell us what’s wrong
The big items you know about. Inspection or pest reports help if you have them; you don’t need to order new ones.
Get a written cash offer
Usually within 24 hours, with the repairs already priced in.
Skip the repair list
No contractors, permits or repair requests to manage, and nothing to fix before closing.
Close on your date
As fast as 3 days once title is clear. Take what you want and leave the rest.
Why sell to us
A direct cash sale vs. listing with an agent
| Feature | EZ Home Offer | Listing with an agent |
|---|---|---|
| Commissions & fees | None | Often around 5% of the price |
| Repairs & cleaning | None, sell as-is | Often required |
| Showings & open houses | None | Many |
| Time to close | As little as 3 days | Often 60–90+ days |
| Closing date | You choose | Buyer’s schedule |
| Financing fall-through | Low risk, cash offer | Common |
Common questions
Major repairs: your questions, answered.
Will you really buy a house with foundation problems?
Yes. We factor the cost of the foundation or structural work into the offer, and you don’t fix anything.
Do I need an inspection before I contact you?
No. If you already have inspection or pest reports, share them; they can make the offer more precise. Otherwise we’ll look at the house ourselves.
Who handles the sewer lateral certificate?
In Oakland, Alameda, Albany, Emeryville and Piedmont (EBMUD’s program) and in Berkeley (the city’s own program), a certificate is needed when the house sells. When you sell to us, we take responsibility for that work instead of you doing it before closing.
Should I fix it up first to get more money?
Sometimes, for small cosmetic jobs. For major repairs, the cost, time and risk often eat up the gain. Get an as-is offer from us and an after-repair estimate from an agent, and compare what you’d actually net.
Do I have to disclose problems if I sell as-is?
Yes. California sellers must disclose known material problems even in an as-is sale. Telling us everything up front also keeps surprises out of the deal.
How do you determine your offer?
We look at the property’s condition, the repairs it needs, and recent comparable sales nearby. We walk you through how we got to the number, with no pressure to accept.
Are there any fees or commissions?
No. You won’t pay agent commissions or pay us any fees. We cover typical closing costs, so the offer you accept is what you can expect to walk away with, minus any existing liens or mortgage payoff.
Are you real estate agents?
No. We’re real estate investors, not licensed agents or brokers, and we don’t list homes. We may buy your property directly or assign our purchase contract to another investor buyer. We’ll always tell you exactly how the deal is structured.
Other situations
Whatever’s going on, we can help.
- Inherited houseHow it works →
- Facing foreclosureHow it works →
- DivorceHow it works →
- Rental with tenantsHow it works →
- Fire damageHow it works →
- Vacant houseHow it works →
- Code violationsHow it works →
- RelocatingHow it works →
- DownsizingHow it works →
- Assisted livingHow it works →
- Hoarder houseHow it works →
- Selling as-isHow it works →
The direct line