How to sell a fire-damaged house in Atlanta, Georgia
Overview of house fires in Atlanta
The worst fire in Atlanta, the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917, burned for over 10 hours and destroyed almost 2,000 structures, leaving over 10,000 people homeless and laying waste to over 70 city blocks.
Of course, Atlanta didn’t have the modern firefighting equipment that we have now, nor did we have fire-deterrent building codes in effect. Most of the buildings in the fire’s path had wood shingle roofs, which were easily ignited. Atlanta banned wood shingles in new construction soon after the devastating fire.
The origin of the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917 is a mystery. These days, most residential fires are caused by accidents in the kitchen, faulty wiring, lightning strikes, and smoking. As colder weather sets in, many fires are ignited by space heaters. Atlanta has 35 fire stations with more than 1,100 employees, according to the Atlanta Fire Rescue Website, which also records fires in Atlanta.
Options for a fire-damaged house
If you have had the unfortunate experience of a house fire, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed, sad, and emotional. If precious belongings have been lost, you will grieve.
Even though this is a traumatic time, you will have to decide what to do with the damaged house. Should you go through the expense of cleaning, repairing, and rebuilding? What damages will your insurance cover?
Will your insurance company fight the claim? Do you have the needed cash? Where will you stay while the renovation is being carried out? How will you pay for another place to stay? Is it possible to sell a fire-damaged house and avoid the many hassles of restoration? To answer these questions, you should know what is involved in cleaning and restoring a house that is damaged by fire.
Types of house-fire damage
The cost and hassles of smoke removal and repairing damage from even a small house fire can be enormous. If the fire was large, it can be overwhelming. Professional cleaning and renovation are expensive.
There will be water and fire damage along with smoke and soot damage. The costs to remedy each of these depend on several factors, including what materials burned, the size of the fire, the cost of labor and materials, and location. Every house fire is different.
Water damage could include warped cabinets, ruined carpeting and flooring, and damaged drywall on walls and ceilings. Action must be taken at once for water damage. Mold can start to grow within a day or two, and special treatments for mold may be needed.
Smoke can permeate every porous surface, even walls. Professionals use special equipment and chemicals to clean, ventilate, and remove smoke damage, and it can be a lengthy process. If wall and attic insulation has been damaged by smoke or water, it may have to be removed.
Soot is acidic and difficult to remove. It can infiltrate HVAC systems, causing heavy damage. Soot will stain all sorts of surfaces, including walls, appliances, and windows. Oily soot from a grease fire is more costly to clean up than dry soot, which comes from fast-burning material.
Is it possible to sell a fire-damaged house?
If your house has fire damage, you may want to skip all the hassles of cleaning, smoke and soot removal, and expensive repairs. It is possible to sell a fire-damaged house, but not easy with the traditional house-selling methods. It may be best to sell a house with fire damage to a cash home buyer, since an ordinary mortgage loan would most likely not be approved.
With over 25 years of operation and service, We Buy Ugly Houses® is a cash home-buying company that has bought many fire-damaged houses across the United States. We Buy Ugly Houses has helped homeowners out of various predicaments since 1996, and we have a 95%* approval rating from our happy sellers.
How to sell a fire damaged house to We Buy Ugly Houses®
If you are thinking of selling a house with fire damage, set up an appointment with We Buy Ugly Houses. Our consultations are free with no obligation. During the appointment at your house, we’ll take a tour of your property with you and answer your questions.
We can give you a fair cash offer for your house, often on the very same day as the appointment. If you accept our offer, your fire-damaged house problem is solved. We typically close fast, but if you need some time, we are happy to work with your timeline.
To sell a house with fire damage, or a house in any condition, call us today at 866-200-6475 to make an appointment with your local We Buy Ugly Houses property specialists.
