Sell your fire-damaged house without rebuilding it first.
HBS buys houses directly for cash and as is. After a fire you may be dealing with the insurer, the mortgage company, the building department, and a board-up order at the same time. We can make an as-is cash offer on the house in its current condition; tell us where the insurance claim stands so the offer and closing plan reflect it.
200+ homes bought·100+ renovations completed·4.5+ star seller reviews
We buy houses across Florida, from our home base in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco & Hernando counties. Every purchase depends on property fit, a signed agreement, and title.
What house do you want to sell?
Start with the property address. You do not need photos, repair estimates, or paperwork.
What happens after a house fire in Florida, and how a sale fits.
Insurance deadlines, the mortgage company, and the building department all touch a fire-damaged sale. These are the rules that come up most.
Insurance claim deadlines
Florida bars a new or reopened property claim unless notice is given within 1 year after the date of loss, and a supplemental claim within 18 months. Insurers must acknowledge a claim within 7 days and generally pay or deny it within 60 days after receiving notice.
Why your lender is on the check
Payments for the dwelling are usually made out to both you and your mortgage servicer, which may release repair money in stages as work is inspected. Florida's Department of Financial Services says contents and living-expense payments go to the policyholder alone.
Public adjusters
Florida caps public adjuster fees at 20 percent of claim payments, or 10 percent for claims made in the year after a declared state of emergency, and lets you cancel a public adjuster contract without penalty within 10 days of signing.
Permits and power
Florida law generally requires a permit to repair or demolish a building, and Pinellas County has dedicated fire-damage building and electrical inspections. The fire department checks that utilities are safe, and Tampa Electric's service rules call for building department approval before it energizes new or changed service.
Unsafe structures and demolition
St. Petersburg lists fire-damaged buildings among unsafe structures, requires vacant buildings to be boarded, and can condemn and demolish an unfit structure, billing the owner and recording a lien if the bill goes unpaid. Hillsborough County also has authority to condemn and demolish dangerous buildings.
Disclosure when you sell
Florida's Supreme Court held in Johnson v. Davis that a home seller who knows of facts materially affecting value that are not readily observable and not known to the buyer must disclose them. Putting the fire, the claim, and any repairs in writing protects both sides; an attorney can advise on specifics.
What can affect your as-is cash offer.
| Input | How it affects the offerPlain English |
|---|---|
| Extent of the damage | Structural, roof, smoke, and firefighting water damage decide whether the house is repaired or rebuilt. |
| Insurance status | Where the claim stands and what has been paid affect the sale terms and timing. |
| Orders and liens | Unsafe-structure findings, board-up orders, demolition review, and recorded liens affect price and timing. |
| Lot and location | When a rebuild is likely, the land and neighborhood carry much of the value. |
How the property and local records can change the sale.
Pinellas County
Pinellas County's building department has dedicated fire or vehicle damage inspections for building and electrical work, and St. Petersburg can condemn and demolish unsafe fire-damaged structures and record liens for unpaid costs.
Hillsborough County
The City of Tampa posts a public list of properties under demolition review, Tampa Fire Rescue takes fire report requests online, and Hillsborough County can condemn and demolish dangerous buildings.
Pasco County
Pasco repairs follow the same state permit rule, so ask the county building department which inspections a fire-damaged house needs before work or demolition starts.
Hernando County
Hernando owners follow the same state insurance rules: notice of a new property claim within 1 year of the fire, and a supplemental claim within 18 months.
What to gather after a house fire.
Start with what you have. You do not need to clean up or collect repair bids before asking.
Fire report and date
The fire department's incident report or request number, and the date of the fire.
Insurance claim details
The claim number, adjuster contact, payments so far, and any denial or reservation-of-rights letters.
City or county notices
Board-up, unsafe-structure, or demolition notices and any case numbers.
Mortgage and payoff
Your servicer's contact, how it is handling claim checks, and a payoff estimate.
How the cash sale moves from first call to closing.
Send the address and the basics
Share photos, the fire date, and where the insurance claim stands. You do not need cleanup or estimates first.
Get an as-is cash offer
We price the house as it sits, including demolition or rebuild costs when they apply, and explain what you would net.
Close when it works for you
The title company handles the mortgage payoff and any liens, and the closing date can be planned around your claim and housing needs.
More help for this Florida home sale.
Check the rules behind this page.
These primary sources explain the rules summarized above. They are not legal, tax, or insurance advice; an attorney, CPA, insurance professional, or building official should confirm how they apply to your property.
Florida Statutes, s. 627.70132 (claim notice deadlines)
The 1-year and 18-month notice deadlines for property claims.
Open official sourceFlorida Statutes, s. 626.854 (public adjusters)
Public adjuster fee caps and the 10-day cancellation right.
Open official sourceFlorida DFS Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights
Claim acknowledgment and decision timelines and the mortgage company as co-payee.
Open official sourceCFPB: How do home insurance companies pay out claims?
How servicers hold and release repair money.
Open official sourceCity of St. Petersburg: Unsafe or Unfit Structures
Fire-damaged structures, board-up rules, demolition, and liens.
Open official sourceU.S. Fire Administration: After the Fire
Utility safety and first steps after a house fire.
Open official sourceFire Damage cash-sale questions.
Yes. A house can be sold in its current condition. Known damage that is not readily observable should be disclosed in writing, and the price reflects repair or rebuild costs.
Notice of a new or reopened property claim must be given within 1 year after the date of loss, and a supplemental claim within 18 months, under s. 627.70132.
Lenders are usually loss payees on dwelling coverage, so the check names both you and the servicer, which may release repair money in stages. Contents and living-expense payments go to you alone.
Often, but how claim money is handled in a sale depends on your policy, your mortgage, and the contract. Talk with your insurer and an attorney before signing, and tell the buyer where the claim stands.
Generally, yes. Florida law requires a permit to repair or demolish a building, and local building departments inspect the work.
In a mapped flood zone it can. FEMA defines substantial damage as damage of any origin costing 50 percent or more of the structure's pre-damage value to repair, so a badly burned house there may need to meet current flood elevation rules when rebuilt.
Get a cash offer for your house as is.
727-497-7766Start with the address and what is going on. There is no obligation to accept the offer.
Get My Cash Offer