When I heard that I’d inherited a house in Jacksonville, Florida, I was excited.
Although I hadn’t seen my Uncle in over thirty years, I was his only living relative. Living in the northeastern area of the country, I was very interested in a property down south. I imagined escaping the long, cold winters and enjoying a vacation home in close proximity to the ocean. I pictured palm trees and shite sand. My first glimpse of the house was an unpleasant shock. The lawn was overgrown and littered with garbage. The front porch was collapsing and the door was sagging from the hinges. Inside the house was a total disaster. It smelled of spoiled food, mold and body odor. There were signs of major water damage, broken windows and crumbling drywall. My Uncle must have saved every newspaper and magazine he ever read. They were stacked along the walls along with broken furniture, multiple televisions and all sorts of useless stuff. I wanted nothing to do with the property. I didn’t have the time, money or knowledge of the area to hire professionals to handle the cleaning, repairs and renovations. Listing the house through traditional means wasn’t an option. There was no way the roof, plumbing, electrical or HVAC system would pass a home inspection. The house wasn’t safe, secure or in good enough condition to qualify for a bank loan. The only way to sell the house was for cash. I checked online and found a local, Jacksonville cash home buyer. I like that the company is family-owned and operated and has purchased numerous properties in the area. They accept properties in any condition and close as quickly as ten days.
