The trauma of a fire in your Longwood, Florida home will shake you to your core. It will turn your life upside down and drain you both physically and emotionally. After the initial shock of a fire incident comes the realization you have a lot of work cut out for you.

You must negotiate with your insurance company, find temporary housing, replace damaged personal items, and decide how to sell your house. The entire ordeal can be overwhelming.

Below, we’ll share practical steps that can serve as a plan of action. This will make the sale of your Seminole County house more manageable and less stressful.

Contact your insurance company

Call your insurance company immediately. The sooner you file a claim, the faster you will get things rolling. Your insurance agent will tell you what your insurance policy covers. If your home is uninhabitable, most policies will offer loss-of-use coverage. Your insurance will cover living expenses such as food, lodging, clothing, and other essential items.

Helpful Tip: Don’t forget to save receipts. You will need them to get your money reimbursed from your insurance company. 

Document all communication with your insurance company 

Keep an accurate record of all communication you have with your insurance company. Ensure you write down the name of the person you speak to and the conversation date. This information will help to speed up your insurance claim process and may provide valuable documentation if you appeal to your insurance company’s payout.

Secure your Seminole County, Florida home

Do not enter your fire-damaged house until the fire department says it is safe. Once you are permitted to enter, remove valuable items and save undamaged possessions from further destruction.

Then, secure your property. Remember, it is your responsibility to prevent further damage from trespassers or damage from the weather. Delays in securing and protecting your property can lead to increased losses.  

Ask your insurance agent what steps to take to protect your property. Your insurance representative or adjuster may recommend several fire restoration companies that will help you by pumping out water and boarding up your property. 

Notify the police

A fire-damaged property may attract looters and squatters. So make sure you contact your local police. Many local law enforcement agencies will try to monitor your property by scheduling additional drive-bys in your neighborhood.

Assess the damage

A fire restoration company can thoroughly inspect your Seminole County home to determine the extent of the fire damage and the cost to repair your property. You could then compare this information with the insurance company’s damage estimate.

Helpful Tip: If you disagree with your insurance company’s estimate, you could hire a public adjuster. Public adjusters work for policyholders; they will fight for your interests by ensuring you receive your full claim benefits.

Take inventory

Make a list of all the damaged personal property along with the description, model, date of purchase, brand name, and price you paid. If you don’t have all the information and your receipts have been destroyed in the fire, get copies of bank or credit card statements. That can help you in your claim process.

Ensure you also list important documents you may have lost in the fire and replace them as soon as possible. Important documents can include:

• Investment documents – certificates of deposit, stocks, bonds, IRA
• Bank documents, credit cards and debit card
• Copies of insurance policies – automobile, life, medical
• Recent Account Statements
• Deeds
• Mortgage Papers
• Automobile Title
• Will
• Passports
• Social Security Card
• Income Tax Records
• Medicare Card
• Armed forces discharge papers
• Birth, death and marriage certificates
• Divorce Papers
• Citizenship Documents
• Animal Registration
• Prepaid burial contract

Helpful tip: Take pictures of damaged possessions, and remember to never throw out damaged items until after the insurance adjuster has inspected your house.

Who to notify about my Seminole County fire-damaged house  

Contact the following institutions with your new address and phone number: 

• Mortgage Company
• Employer
• Newspaper delivery carrier
• Children’s School
• Post Office
• Bank
• Credit Card companies  

Should I sell my Seminole County fire-damaged house as-is?

Once the insurance company has determined the extent of the fire damage and has offered an insurance payout that you find acceptable, you need to make an important decision. Either fix your home first and sell it or sell your home as-is. Be honest, and assess whether you have the time and disposition to oversee your home’s fire restoration.

Keep in mind that if you do not have experience in the construction field you may run into long delays, get stuck with unscrupulous contractors, and lose money.

If you decide that you want to avoid the headaches of repairing your fire-damaged house you could sell it as-is. It is unlikely you will be able to sell it to a traditional move-in buyer but you could definitely sell it to a “We Buy Houses For Cash” companies. 

Sell your Longwood, Florida home to Fix and Flippers and avoid all repairs

We specialize in buying Longwood area homes with all types of problems and are not afraid to take on even the most complicated fire restoration project. Don’t worry about anything. Hand us the keys to your house and leave your fire-damaged home to us.

Eliminate the need to hire an agent, pay a hefty real estate commission, and face the uncertainty of finding a buyer. Sell your house to us in just one day and close in as fast as 7 days.

We’ll buy your Seminole County house as-is no matter its condition, without dealing with bank appraisals, lengthy home inspections and mortgage loan approvals. Let us guide you through the entire sales process, to make the sale as smooth and worry-free as possible. There are no fees for our service. We will not charge you a penny, guaranteed.

To learn more about how to sell a fire damaged house for top-dollar call Fix and Flippers at 858-386-0949 and schedule a free no obligation appointment. Count on us to understand your needs, provide solutions to your problems and deliver exceptional service. 

Prefer a visual presentation on selling a fire damaged house? Look at this infographic below.     

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More Tips and Resources on Selling a Fire Damaged House in County

• What to do After a House Fire-Checklist Included via usfa.fema.gov
• Finding Agencies to Help After a House Fire via thriftyfun.com
• Understanding Home Owner’s Insurance via thesimpledollar.com
• Find Fire and Burn Injury Lawyers in Your Area via for the people.com