Homeowners selling flood-damaged home "as is"
BATON ROUGE - Homeowners continue to put their flood-damaged homes up for sale.
Terry Martin, who lives off of Old Hammond Highway in Baton Rouge, says he remodeled his home about a year ago. The house flooded in August and while Martin was throwing out his water-logged possessions, he and his wife decided to sell their home, "as is."
"Because of the cost of repairing it," he said. "The price of it will fall like crazy."
The home took on about two feet of water. Right now, the interior floors, kitchen cabinets and bathroom remains untouched. Only a couple feet of drywall around the inside of the home has been ripped out.
Martin, who does not have flood insurance, says now is the time to move on. The homeowner put his house on the market for less than he purchased it for in 2008.
He's not the only one. According to the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors, there are 173 residential listings for "as is" or "currently damaged" homes in nine parishes including East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, West Feliciana, Ascension, Livingston, Iberville, Pointe Coupee and St. Helena. There could be more as the association says it's not a requirement to reveal that information when selling a home.