How Mold Can Affect the Sale of Your Home (And What to Do About It)

Mold in your home is not only unsightly and a potential health hazard but can also decrease your property’s value. For prospective buyers, the presence of mold is a significant red flag, as outbreaks can spread quickly and become more severe over time. Naturally, most buyers would prefer a home without such issues, making a mold-infested property less appealing.

But can I sell a house with mold? Yes, even if your home has dealt with mold problems in the past, it’s still possible to sell it—provided the issue is addressed properly and thoroughly. With the right steps, you can restore your property’s appeal and marketability.

In this article, we’ll explore whether selling a home with mold damage is particularly challenging, how mold may impact your home’s market value, and the best strategies for how to fix mold before selling a house.

Why Is It Tough to Sell a Home That Has Mold Damage?

Discovering mold patches in your home might seem like a minor concern at first. However, this issue can pose significant challenges, particularly when it comes to attracting future homebuyers. Here’s why:

• Mold can deteriorate the structure: Mold can spread rapidly, colonizing and damaging materials like wood and drywall in the process. Left unchecked, it can compromise the structural integrity of your home. In severe cases, a widespread mold infestation can cause damage from floor to ceiling, potentially rendering the home beyond repair and requiring complete demolition.
• Mold will reduce the visual appeal of your home: Mold will negatively affect the outward appearance of your home as it leaves ugly black spots and patches on the walls and rafters.
• Mold can lead to health issues: Indoor mold poses a significant health risk, as it releases allergens and irritants into the air. Approximately 6-10% of people are allergic to mold, and failing to address it can lead to a range of health problems. Certain types of mold also produce mycotoxins, which can be harmful if inhaled or absorbed through the skin, potentially causing more severe health effects. This is why it’s critical to address mold infestations promptly.

Does Mold Affect Home Value?

Having mold in your home doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t sell it, it depends on where the mold is located. For instance, mold found outside the house is typically not a major concern for health or safety and is unlikely to significantly affect your property’s value.

On the other hand, selling a home with an unkempt or neglected appearance can be more challenging. Potential buyers will factor in the costs of restoring the property, which could lead to a lower resale value.

The presence of mold inside the home is a bigger issue. Small dark patches in moisture-prone areas like bathrooms and showers may not drastically impact the property’s value. However, if mold is visible on walls or ceilings, it may indicate excessive moisture and potential water damage, which could signal more serious problems. This kind of damage is likely to reduce the home’s overall market value significantly.

How Do I Sell My Property with Mold?

If you are selling a property with mold, you must address the issue head-on by scheduling a professional inspection and remediation. This process will restore your property to its original condition, making it ready for the market. Here’s what you need to do:

• Start right away: You don’t want the buyer of your home to associate it with a mold inspection. Therefore, you will need to address the mold issues before you put the home up for sale. Do not list the home until the cleanup is fully completed.
• Do an inspection: Mold often lurks in attics and crawlspaces due to their infrequent use. Be sure to inspect these areas thoroughly. Additionally, pay close attention to moisture-prone spots, such as behind the water heater or around the dishwasher, where mold can easily develop.
• Figure out what is causing the mold: Mold typically develops due to excess moisture. Start by identifying the source, this could be a leaky roof, faulty windows or frames, high indoor humidity, water discharge from appliances, condensation on cool surfaces, issues with the HVAC system, or another underlying problem. Once you’ve pinpointed the cause, you can take the necessary steps to eliminate it effectively.
• Reach out to a professional mold remediation company for help: If you’re dealing with a small mold problem, you can likely address it yourself. However, for larger mold outbreaks, it’s best to call in professionals. They have the specialized cleaners and expertise needed to remove mold thoroughly and ensure it doesn’t return, keeping your home safe and healthy.
• Always let the buyer know the history of mold growth in your home: In many states, it is required for the homeowners to let the buyers know of any mold and fungal growth. As a responsible homeowner, you should make sure to disclose any mold issues to your buyer.
• Schedule a property appraisal after the mold removal: Once the mold has been removed by a professional mold removal company, you can schedule an official appraisal of the home.

Home Selling Checklist: Steps to Prepare Your Property for Market

If you’re getting ready to sell your home—especially one that previously had mold issues—it’s essential to prepare thoroughly to attract serious buyers. Here’s a trusted home selling checklist based on guidance from the National Association of Realtors:

1. Hire a qualified real estate agent
2. Schedule a professional home inspection
3. Get professional mold remediation before home sale
4. Understand disclosure requirements
5. Clean and declutter
6. Make necessary repairs and upgrades
7. Stage your home
8. Set a realistic asking price
9. Market your property
10. Prepare for showings

Professional Mold Removal Makes All the Difference

Selling a home with mold may present extra challenges, but it’s certainly not impossible. By taking proactive steps, such as identifying and addressing the root cause of the mold, hiring professional remediation services, and disclosing the issue transparently, you can restore buyer confidence and protect your home’s value. While mold can impact your property’s marketability, a clean bill of health after professional removal and an honest approach with buyers can go a long way in ensuring a successful sale.

If you want to put your home on the market but you discover a mold problem, you should call a mold remediation professional to remove the mold and help get your home ready for sale. Mold removal professionals can safely contain and remove any level of mold growth from your home using advanced equipment and remediation techniques. They can also repair the damage caused by the mold and ensure that your home is restored to safe living conditions.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.