How to Sell a House As-Is in Southwest Florida

Selling a house as-is in Florida means you will not make repairs, but you must still disclose known defects that materially affect value and are not readily observable (Johnson v. Davis, Fla. 1985) and give the written flood disclosure required since October 1, 2024 (s. 689.302, F.S.). Most as-is sales use the Florida Realtors and Florida Bar AS IS contract, which lets the buyer inspect and cancel for any reason during the inspection period, so pricing from closed sales of similar-condition homes matters more than ever.

Last updated November 6, 2026.

What does selling a house as-is mean in Florida?

It means the buyer accepts the home in its current condition and you have no obligation to repair what inspections find. It does not mean you can hide known problems.

An as-is sale shifts the condition risk to the buyer, who prices it in. You still deliver clear title, the home must be in the same condition at closing as when the contract was signed, apart from normal wear, and you still owe disclosures. As Cape Coral attorney Eric Feichthaler wrote, under an as-is contract the seller generally has no repair duty beyond following the original terms (Cape Coral Breeze, December 27, 2024). As-is sales are common in Southwest Florida for older homes, storm-damaged homes, estate sales and rentals with deferred maintenance.

Do I still have to disclose problems if I sell as-is?

Yes. Florida requires disclosure of known material defects that are not readily observable, and an as-is clause does not remove that duty.

In Johnson v. Davis, the Florida Supreme Court held that a home seller who knows of facts materially affecting value that are not readily observable must disclose them. Florida courts have since rejected an "as is" exception to that rule (The Florida Bar Journal, June 2004; Barnes Walker). Separately, section 689.302 requires a written Flood Disclosure at or before contract covering known flood damage during your ownership, flood insurance claims including NFIP, and flood assistance including FEMA. If your home took water, read selling a house that flooded.

Disclosure protects you. A buyer who knew about the roof leak and the old claim before signing has little to argue about after closing.

How does the Florida AS IS contract work?

The buyer gets an inspection period, a set number of days written into the contract, to inspect and cancel for any reason with a deposit refund. After that, the buyer is generally committed.

Offer and acceptance. Price, deposit, financing or cash, closing date and the inspection period length are set. Fifteen days is a common inspection period, and shorter periods are negotiable.
Inspections. The buyer orders a general inspection, often a 4-point and wind mitigation report for insurance, a wood-destroying organism inspection and, for waterfront homes, a seawall or dock review.
Buyer decision. Before the period ends, the buyer can proceed, cancel in writing for a deposit refund, or ask for a price reduction or credit. You can say no; you have no repair obligation (Barnes Walker; Cape Coral Breeze, December 27, 2024).
Financing and appraisal. If the buyer is financing, the appraisal and loan approval follow, and lenders may require certain repairs for some loan types.
Walk-through and closing. The buyer confirms the home is in the same condition as at contract, and you close.

The standard, non-as-is Florida contract instead sets repair limits the seller agrees to cover. As-is gives you more certainty about costs but less control over whether the buyer stays after inspections.

Who buys as-is houses in Southwest Florida?

Cash buyers, renovation buyers, investors and some owner-occupants with renovation loans. The more of them who see your home, the stronger your price.

Buyer type	How they pay	What they look for
Owner-occupant with cash	Cash	A home they can update over time; often seasonal or relocating buyers
Owner-occupant with a loan	Conventional, FHA, VA or renovation loan	A home that can pass appraisal and get insured; condition limits apply
Investor or flipper	Cash or private loan	A price low enough to cover repairs, carrying costs and profit
Direct cash-offer company	Cash	Speed and a deep discount; often assigns or resells the contract

Cash is common here, with 35.1% of single-family sales across the eight MLS areas we track paid in cash in October 2026, up from 31.6% a year earlier, and 69.1% of condo sales (Cameron Smith analysis of MLS data, October 2026). Listing as-is on the MLS puts your home in front of all four groups at once, so they compete. A single direct offer has no competition.

Single-family cash share and timing by city
City	Cash share, Oct 2026	Cash share, Oct 2025	Cash share, 12 months	Median days list to contract, 12 months	Median days to close, cash	Median days to close, financed
Cape Coral	29.9%	25.8%	27.3%	53	26	35
Fort Myers	48.1%	37.1%	49.4%	45	35	36
Lehigh Acres	11.2%	8.2%	9.3%	59	21	35
North Fort Myers	31.4%	36.7%	37.4%	60	29	34.5
Estero	43.5%	50.0%	50.2%	62	35	40
Bonita Springs	62.1%	38.8%	54.8%	58	34	39
Naples	48.0%	46.6%	50.7%	62	33	39
Marco Island	66.7%	40.9%	59.6%	72	30	38

Source: Cameron Smith analysis of Southwest Florida MLS data, pulled November 6, 2026.

Cash buyers also close faster, in a median 31 days after contract versus 36 for financed single-family buyers over the past 12 months.

How these numbers were measured. Figures come from closed MLS sales and listings in Southwest Florida MLS, pulled November 6, 2026. Each city follows the MLS City field. Estero includes Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers covers only the city limits and downtown MLS areas (unincorporated Fort Myers mailing addresses are left out), and Naples is the Naples postal city on the Collier mainland, with Marco Island counted separately. Single-family means detached homes and detached villas that are not condo owned. Condo and townhouse covers condo-owned units in low, mid and high rise buildings, attached villas and townhouses. Manufactured homes, co-ops, timeshares, land and rentals are excluded. Sales under $20,000 or below 50% or above 150% of list price were dropped, and sales entered after the fact without MLS marketing count toward prices but not toward days or sale-to-list figures. Days list to contract runs from the listing date to the first pending date. Months of supply is active listings at period end divided by average monthly closed sales over the prior 12 months. Flood zone is not in the MLS export, so any flood zone figures on this page come from FEMA or county sources. Days to close by cash or financed buyer were computed from the same listing-level MLS file using the same cleaning rules.

How do I price an as-is house?

Price from closed sales of homes in similar condition, not from updated homes minus a guess. Then check the result against repair estimates and what investors need to make the numbers work.

Updated homes and dated homes are different markets. Across the eight MLS areas, the single-family median was $470,000 in October 2026, up 0.2% from a year earlier, but that median mixes renovated and original-condition homes. Buyers have options, too, with 6,921 active single-family listings at the end of October and 49.4% of October sales closing after a price reduction (Cameron Smith analysis of MLS data, October 2026).

My as-is pricing work includes:

Closed sales of similar-condition homes in the past 6 to 12 months, matched for lot, water access and age
Closed sales of updated homes, to show the after-repair value buyers are working from
Contractor estimates for the biggest items, such as roof, HVAC, electrical panel or plumbing
Insurance and flood cost for the buyer, which affects what financed buyers can pay
A net sheet comparing an as-is listing with any cash offer you already have

Good starting points: what your home is worth and selling in Naples.

Will buyers be able to insure an as-is house?

Insurance is the biggest hurdle for as-is homes in Florida. Older roofs, original electrical panels, polybutylene plumbing or a past claim can make a home hard to insure, which shrinks the buyer pool to cash.

Florida law bars insurers from refusing to issue or renew a homeowner policy solely because a roof is less than 15 years old (s. 627.7011, F.S., via Insurance Journal, January 23, 2025); older roofs may need an inspection showing remaining life. Starting January 1, 2027, Citizens requires flood insurance on all personal residential policies with wind coverage, regardless of value (Citizens Property Insurance). The insurance market has eased: Citizens' policy count fell to 266,231 in August 2026 and regulators approved more homeowner rate cuts in September (Insurance Journal, September 23, 2026).

A pre-listing 4-point and wind mitigation inspection, which costs far less than most repairs, tells you up front whether a financed buyer can insure the home and lets you price accordingly.

Should I list on the MLS or take a cash offer?

List on the MLS if you can wait 30 to 90 days for a better net. Take a direct cash offer if speed or certainty is worth more to you than price.

A direct cash offer can close in a couple of weeks with no showings, which matters for an inherited, vacant or storm-damaged home. The trade-off is price. An as-is MLS listing exposes the home to every cash and renovation buyer at once, and competition is the only thing that reliably raises an as-is price. Single-family homes across the eight MLS areas took a median 54 days to go under contract in October 2026 (Cameron Smith analysis of MLS data, October 2026), and as-is homes priced correctly often move faster with cash buyers. If you already have a cash offer, I will put it next to a realistic MLS net on one page so you can compare.

What repairs are worth doing before an as-is sale?

Only repairs that remove an insurance or financing barrier, or that cost little and remove a buyer's biggest objection. Cosmetic updates rarely pay back in an as-is sale.

Usually worth it: clearing an open permit, fixing an active leak, servicing the HVAC, removing debris, and a basic clean.
Sometimes worth it: roof repair to extend insurability, replacing an electrical panel insurers reject, a pre-listing inspection.
Usually not worth it: new flooring, kitchens, baths or paint throughout, because buyers will redo them their own way.

Before any repair over a few thousand dollars, compare its cost with the price difference between closed sales of similar homes with and without that item. If the repair would trigger permits on a home in a flood zone, check the 50% rule with the building department first.

Frequently asked questions

Can I sell my house as-is in Florida?

Yes. Florida sellers can sell as-is, usually on the Florida Realtors and Florida Bar AS IS contract, which means no repair obligation. You still must disclose known defects that materially affect value and are not readily observable, under Johnson v. Davis, and give the written Flood Disclosure required by section 689.302. You must also deliver clear title at closing.

Do I have to disclose problems when selling as-is?

Yes. Florida courts have rejected an as-is exception to the seller's duty to disclose known, hidden defects that materially affect value, per the Florida Bar Journal's review of Johnson v. Davis. You also must give the statutory Flood Disclosure covering known flood damage, flood insurance claims and flood assistance. Accurate disclosure reduces your risk of a claim after closing.

Can a buyer back out of an as-is contract?

During the inspection period, yes. The AS IS contract lets the buyer cancel for any reason before the inspection period ends and get the deposit back. After it ends, the buyer is generally committed, subject to other contract terms such as financing and title. That is why a short inspection period and good pre-listing information help as-is sellers.

How long is the inspection period on a Florida as-is contract?

It is whatever number of days the parties write into the contract. Fifteen days is common, and sellers often negotiate shorter periods, such as 7 to 10 days, especially with cash buyers. Providing a pre-listing inspection, permits and insurance reports up front makes a shorter inspection period easier for a buyer to accept.

Will I get less money selling as-is?

Usually less than an updated home, but not necessarily less than you would net after paying for repairs. The key is pricing from closed sales of homes in similar condition and getting multiple buyers to compete. A single direct cash offer usually nets the least, because it has no competition. Compare both on a net sheet.

Can a buyer get a mortgage on an as-is house?

Often, if the home can pass appraisal and be insured. Some loan types require certain repairs, and insurers may decline homes with very old roofs or rejected electrical panels. Florida law bars refusing coverage solely because a roof is under 15 years old. A pre-listing 4-point and wind mitigation report tells you whether financed buyers are realistic.

Should I sell my house as-is to a cash home buying company?

It can make sense if you need speed, the home is vacant or damaged, or you want no showings. Expect a lower price, and read the contract for assignment rights and inspection terms. Listing as-is on the MLS reaches the same cash buyers plus owner-occupants, so it usually nets more if you can wait 30 to 90 days.

Talk to Cameron

For an as-is sale, I price your home from closed sales of homes in the same condition, get repair estimates for the big items, and give you a net sheet comparing an as-is MLS listing with any cash offer you have. I also help you assemble disclosures, permits and insurance reports so buyers can move fast in a short inspection period. Call or text me at (239) 940-2101, or send me your address. Related: selling in Cape Coral and why a house is not selling.

Cameron Smith, eXp Realty LLC. Florida Sales Associate, license SL3246540. In real estate full time since 2009 and a second-generation agent. This page is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Contract terms are negotiated and forms change, and disclosure duties depend on your facts. Confirm contract and disclosure questions with a Florida real estate attorney, permit questions with your building department, and insurability with an insurance agent.

Sources

Southwest Florida area guides

Naples Cape Coral Fort Myers Bonita Springs Marco Island