Selling a house as-is in London: the math
Yes. You can sell a house as-is in Ontario. You make no repairs, and the buyer takes the home in its current condition.
You might be worried a buyer will see the repairs and lowball you. Or that a problem you did not fix comes back on you after closing. Here is how to avoid both.
The Bottom Line (Quick Answer)
- Yes, you can sell a house as-is in London, Ontario. The Ken Small Real Estate Team prices an as-is home for its condition.
- As-is limits your duty to repair. It does not limit your duty to disclose latent defects.
- Buyers discount an as-is home twice: for the work they can see, and for the work they fear. A pre-inspection shrinks the second one.
The short version
- Selling as-is means you will not make repairs or give credits for them.
- As-is or not, a seller must disclose latent defects.
- A pre-inspection answers the “what else is wrong?” question before a buyer asks it.
What does selling a house as-is mean?
Selling as-is means you will not make repairs or give credits for them. The buyer takes the home in its current condition.
What it does not mean: hiding problems. Done in the open, as-is is a clear, fair deal. Done to conceal, it is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Ken keeps you on the right side of that line.
What do you have to disclose when selling a house in Ontario?
You still have to disclose hidden problems that make it dangerous or unfit to live in. As-is or not, a seller must disclose latent defects. RECO, which oversees real estate in Ontario, defines one this way:
“A latent defect is one that would make a property unfit for habitation, dangerous, or potentially dangerous, and is generally not apparent to someone exercising reasonable care in the inspection of the property.” — RECO Bulletin 7.4 (opens in a new tab)
A patent defect is one a buyer or their inspector can spot with a careful look. Our advice is simple. Put the problems you know about on the table.
This is general information, not legal advice. Your real estate lawyer can tell you what applies to your home.
When does selling as-is make sense?
As-is is often the right call for an estate or inherited home. Or a tired rental. Or a seller under time or money pressure. Or a house that needs repairs too big to fund before selling.
In these cases, the calm path is simple. Price it for its condition. Sell to a buyer who wants a project.
What does it cost to sell an as-is house with us?
A $1,500 Launch Retainer, paid up front. It funds the work before you list. A 3% listing-side commission, paid only when your home sells. We recommend 2% to the buyer’s brokerage, and that one is your call. HST goes on top of all of it.
See every line on what it costs to sell with us, or run the Seller Take-Home Calculator.
Each guarantee has its own conditions. Some need a home kept in showcase condition, so an as-is home may not qualify. See every guarantee and condition →
How do buyers price an as-is home?
Buyers discount an as-is home twice. Once for the work they can see, and again for the work they fear is hiding. That second discount is the one you can shrink, without a renovation.
The math: when a fix pays
A fix before you list pays only when the first number is bigger than the second:
- Your price after the fix, minus your price as-is.
- The cost of the fix, plus your costs while the work gets done.
You get your as-is price and your after-fix price in writing. Then you run the math with real numbers, and you make the call.
| Sell as-is | Small fixes + pre-inspection | Full renovation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you spend before you list | Nothing on repairs | A little: paint, cleaning, safety items | The most |
| What buyers discount for | The work they see, and the work they fear | Mostly the work they see | Little, if the work is good |
| Time before you list | Shortest | Short | Longest |
| Often fits | Estates, rentals, repairs you can’t fund | Many older homes | Only when the numbers say so |
Is there a middle path between as-is and a full renovation?
A few small fixes can take away reasons to offer less. Think paint, cleaning, a working furnace and obvious safety items. A pre-inspection answers the “what else is wrong?” question before a buyer asks it.
That is the Certified Pre-Owned Home program. Before your home is listed, an independent home inspector looks at it. Your $1,500 Launch Retainer pays for it. You get the report, and every buyer sees the summary, before they write an offer.
Then a 1-Year Canadian Home Shield SafeClose™ Warranty transfers to the buyer at closing. It gives up to $15,000 of protection, with a $100 deductible.
“For the Seller: You walk away clean. If the furnace dies next month, the buyer uses the warranty ($100 deductible), not your bank account.”
The whole deal, in plain English: Warranty provided via Canadian Home Shield SafeClose™ subject to deductibles and limits. The pre-inspection summary is for informational purposes only; it neither encourages nor discourages the buyer from arranging their own inspection.
Not every home is a fit for the program. You hear in writing if it is right for yours.
Should you sell to a cash buyer who buys houses as-is?
You can, and sometimes the date matters more than the price. Before you sign, get your as-is market value in writing. Then compare what you keep from each, not just the price.
Who this is not for
- If you want a problem kept quiet so the home sells, we are not your team. We put latent defects on the table.
- And if you want a top price without doing the work, we will show you why the numbers say no.
What London sellers say about working with us
★★★★★We would 100% recommend Ken Small if you are wanting to sell or purchase a home. After 65 years in the same house, my father and I had a huge task on our hands to clean it out and get it ready to put on the market. We were able to leave most of this with Ken and his team.
We honestly feel we could not have done this without him. He stepped right in and knew what needed to be done. We felt like he was on the same page with us and we had several offers to look at in less than a week. Ken is kind, personable, professional and turned a very stressful situation into a worry-free one for us once he was on the job.
Awesome job Ken, we can’t thank you enough. We second the other reviewer’s opinion that Ken goes above and beyond!
Denise F. · Seller · Aug 2024 · via Google
4.9 average from 14 Google reviews, as shown on our reviews page (October 2026). Read them all on the reviews page.
The honest takeaway
Do not pour money you do not have into a home you are leaving.
Common questions about selling as-is in London
Can I sell my house as-is in London, Ontario?
Do I have to disclose problems if I sell as-is?
Will I get less money selling as-is?
Is it better to renovate or sell as-is?
What if my house needs major repairs I cannot afford?
How can I sell my house fast in London, Ontario?
Should I sell my house as-is to a cash buyer?
What does it cost to sell an as-is house with the Ken Small Real Estate Team?
Not sure whether to fix it or sell it as-is?
A 15-minute call, no obligation. You get your home’s as-is value, what a few fixes would add, and the call is yours.
About Ken Small
Ken Small, REALTOR®, has been a real estate agent in London since 2003. He leads the Ken Small Real Estate Team at Century 21 First Canadian Corp., Brokerage. The office is at 420 York Street, London, ON N6B 1R1. RECO #4727293. Meet the team →