Selling A House Without Running Water

Imagine living in a house without a running water supply.  Pretty hard to picture, huh?

That’s why selling a home without a water supply can be extremely difficult. 

Not impossible, but just difficult.

This article is going to walk you through some tactics and strategies for selling your house without water.

You’ll learn:

• What types of buyers and offers you can actually expect
• Why running water is such an important feature to have in your house
• How to sell your house as-is without any water supplied to the property

Let’s dive in! No pun intended 😄

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Running water is a baseline requirement for selling a home in 2024.  The vast majority of buyers are going to expect a water supply available to the property.
• Many lenders will not finance a home purchase without running water.  It’s a basic necessity and underwriting requirement to issue the loan.
• There are alternative options for selling a house without any running water.  It’s important to consider all of your options.

How To Sell A House Without Running Water

If you own a home that does not have running water and you’re looking to sell it, then there are some critical things you should know.

For one, you’re in the minority.

And by a long shot:

Most buyers and sellers don’t even ask the question anymore.

Running water is just an expectation for a livable space.

We use water for cooking, cleaning, drinking and many other sanitary reasons. 

Without water, a home is a health and safety hazard.

Knowing that 99% of other homes have a water supply, only means that selling and marketing your house without one is going to be a gargantuan effort. 

You should expect to sell your house at a discount if you plan to sell it without running water.

Here are four steps to follow for a successful sale of your house without running water.

Step 1 – Disclose The Issue

If I had to guess, the lack of water supply might not be the only issue with the house.

Does it have any other available utilities?  What about heat and electricity?

Disclosing the current condition and status of your house is of utmost importance.

Here’s why:

Buyers are going to find out anyways.

They walk the house.  They hire an inspector.  Their realtor will point it out.

A home without any running water supply will not qualify for financing. It’s important to know this upfront and set expectations with agents, buyers and lenders.

Trying to hide the fact that there is no running water is only going to waste everyone’s time – yours included!

Be transparent when you sell your house and make it known that there is no running water supply.

Additionally, explain why:

1. Was there ever a water supply?
2. Was it from a well or the city?
3. Why is it no longer available?
4. What options does the buyer have to hook up a water supply?
5. What kind of plumbing systems can the buyer install in your location?
6. Are the appliances that use water in good condition or bad?

Having answers to these questions will make it a lot easier for a buyer to contemplate a scenario where they buy your house without running water and then fix the issue after closing.

Step 2 – Decide On Sales Approach

There’s really two different ways you could go about selling your house without running water.

The first is to list it with an agent.

You can do it.  It’s possible.  I’ve bought homes from agents before without running water.

The problem is that it’s going to create a lot of hassle and noise.

Here’s what I mean:

The agent needs to know that you can only accept a cash offer on the home.  Any other financed or contingent offer is not going to pass bank approval or inspections.  The lack of running water significantly devalues the home’s price and overall utility.

If you have a rockstar agent who can navigate this nuance, then listing your house might a good move.

The second option is more convenient and appropriate for selling a house without running water.

And that is to sell it to a cash house buyer who is local to your area.

Cash buyers can purchase your home “as is” and they don’t require any financing contingencies.

These buyers are also more than likely investors who plan to remodel or improve your property anyways.

They will install a new water supply, plumbing system and obtain city approval on all the future work – thereby reducing the headaches and hassles on your end.

But to be clear, you do need to pick an option here!

You can either:

1. List your house or
2. Sell it to a company that buys houses with cash.

Step 3 – Get An Offer

Now it’s time to look at an offer.

Don’t hold your breath though!

You should expect the number to be reflective of the fact that there is no running water.

Any offer to purchase a house without water is going to be discounted.

Step 4 – Sell The House

Once you find a suitable offer, you should move on it – accept it or negotiate it.

Here’s why:

You’re already narrowing down your buyer pool by selling the house without running water.  This eliminates close to 90% of potential buyers.

Once you do get an offer, you might not see another one come in for quite a while or maybe even at a similar price.

You have to realize that selling a house without a water supply is basically selling a problem to another party.  They have to go out and fix the issue to get the property into a suitable condition again.

The best way to sell your house without running water and close the deal is to find a cash buyer who offers to purchase the home without any financing or inspection contingencies. 

Luckily for you, my team and I are experts at buying home without running water. You can get a quick and easy offer from us by filling out this form below:

Why Selling A House Without A Water Supply Is Hard

By now, it might be crystal clear on why a running water supply is required for a home.

So why is that selling a house without one is so difficult.

For one, the average cost to setup a water supply is $19,000.  This includes:

1. Digging out and trenching in new supply pipes
2. Connecting into the city supply or well
3. Running new supply pipes throughout the home
4. Hiring a licensed and insured plumber to do all the work
5. Pulling all required permits and licenses to complete the project

You can see why not many people would be interested in buying a house with this issue.

It’s expensive and time consuming.

Tips For Selling A House Without Running Water

Tip 1 – Set Pricing Realistically

You already know that selling a house without running water means selling it a discount.  Think about what price you would be comfortable selling it for and keep that as your bottom line.

It’s always a good idea to leave some room for negotiation.  And the fact is, many investors or cash buyers will make offers lower than what you’re looking for – this strategy will give you room to counter offer.

Tip 2 – Stick To Your Approach

Don’t start off selling your house without running water and then decide to fix that issue part way through the process.

Before you even list it or reach out to any buyer, be firm on whether or not the sale will include a connected water supply or not.  This way you don’t get into negotiations with a lowball offer and then end up fixing the water issue anyways!

Tip 3 – Sell To A Cash Buyer

A cash home buyer can give you an offer without any contingencies.  They won’t back out because there is no running water and they don’t require any third-party approvals to close.

If you’re selling a house without an incoming water supply, then a company that buys houses for cash is going to be your best bet!

Other Resources & Articles From Doug

Selling A Home In Foreclosure

Sell Your House In Probate

How To Fire Your Realtor

Author: Doug Greene

Doug brings over a decade of real estate and business experience to his content. Educating homeowners and helping sellers with their properties is his passion.

His contributions have been featured on Realtor.com, Washington Post, Apartment Therapy, HomeLight, Better Homes & Gardens and many more.