A house fire turns everything upside down, and the last thing you need is months of cleanup, contractors and city permits. Wally Joe buys fire damaged houses in Houston for cash, in any condition. That includes partial burns, smoke and water damage, homes with an open insurance claim, and homes the city has ordered secured or repaired.
Share the address and how bad the damage is, and Wally Joe will call you back with a fair cash offer for the house as it sits. Prefer to talk first? Call 713 231 8030.
Not safe to go inside? We can work from photos.
713 231 8030Yes. You can rebuild with your insurance money and then sell, sell the house as is to a cash buyer, or sell it as a lot if it has to be torn down. A cash sale lets you skip the cleanup, repairs and permits. If the fire destroyed your homestead, you may also qualify for a new Texas property tax exemption for the rest of that year.
General information, not legal, tax or insurance advice.
Make sure everyone is safe, and don’t go back inside until the fire department says it’s safe.
Call your insurance company and start the claim. Write down the claim number and your adjuster’s name.
Insurers and title companies often ask for it. Request it from the Houston Fire Department Records Division through its online portal. If you’re outside the city, ask your local fire department or emergency services district.
Board up broken windows and doors so people can’t get in. An open, damaged house can lead to a city dangerous building case.
Take photos and keep receipts for board up, hotel stays and anything you buy.
Apply for the fire exemption with HCAD (or your county’s appraisal district) within 180 days if the fire destroyed your homestead.
Decide whether to rebuild or sell. You don’t have to decide in the first week.
If you decide to sell, we can walk you through it at your pace.
Call 713 231 8030
Most buyers can’t get a loan on a house with burned framing, a damaged roof or no working utilities.
Smoke and water damage spread further than people expect. Firefighting water soaks drywall, floors and insulation. Smoke residue gets into ducts and walls.
Rebuilding needs permits and inspections, and electrical and structural work has to meet current code.
City deadlines can kick in. If the house is open or unsafe, Houston can schedule a dangerous building hearing and order you to secure, repair or demolish it.
Insurance money may not cover everything. And insurance checks often name your mortgage lender too, which slows payment.
We buy it exactly as it sits.
Get My Cash Offer| Compare | Rebuild, then sell | Our Offer Sell to us as is | Tear down and sell the lot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront work | Cleanup, permits, contractors and inspections | None | Demolition permit and cost |
| Timeline | Often many months | As little as 7 to 14 days, depending on title | Weeks to months |
| Insurance | Repair money pays for the rebuild | You and your insurer settle the claim. We buy the house | Depends on your policy |
| Price | Can be highest after a full rebuild | A cash offer based on the current condition | Land value only |
| City orders | You must meet every deadline | We take over the house and the order once we close | You handle demolition |
| Best for | Owners with enough coverage, time and a good contractor | Owners who want to move on now | Houses that are a total loss |
Call or fill out the form. Tell us when the fire happened, which rooms were affected, whether there’s a claim open, and whether the city has sent any notices.
We walk the property, or work from photos if it isn’t safe to go inside. You don’t need to clean anything out.
The title company pays off your mortgage and any liens and pays you the rest. Talk to your insurer about how the sale affects any claim money still owed to you.
Texas law sets deadlines for insurers to acknowledge, decide and pay claims. If your insurer misses them, you can file a complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance.
Ask your adjuster how a sale affects your dwelling coverage, contents coverage and living expense payments. Each policy is different.
Since the 2026 tax year, Texas Tax Code section 11.351 lets a homeowner whose homestead was completely destroyed by fire get an exemption for the rest of that tax year.
The home must stay uninhabitable for at least 30 days. Apply to HCAD, or your county’s appraisal district, within 180 days of the fire.
Under Chapter 10 of the city code, Houston can hold a hearing on a dangerous building and order the owner to secure, repair or demolish it. If the owner doesn’t act, the city can do the work and place a lien on the property.
If you’ve received a notice or order, tell us. We buy houses with open city orders.
Please noteGeneral information, not legal, tax or insurance advice.
Yes. We buy houses with light smoke damage, houses where part burned, and houses that are close to a total loss.
No. We buy the house as it sits, debris and all.
Yes. Tell us about the claim, and talk to your insurer about what happens to any money still owed. Some payments may stay with you after the sale.
That depends on your policy and your mortgage. Checks often name both you and your lender. Ask your adjuster and lender before closing, so everyone knows where the money goes.
Yes. Tell us the hearing or order date. Once we close, the property and its order become our responsibility.
Yes. Texas sellers must disclose known defects and past damage on the seller’s disclosure, including fire damage and repairs.
Request it from the Houston Fire Department Records Division through its online records portal. Have the date, time and address of the fire ready.
Possibly less. If your homestead was completely destroyed and stays uninhabitable for 30 days, apply for the fire exemption within 180 days of the fire.
Call Wally at 713 231 8030 or fill out the form. You’ll get a fair, no obligation cash offer for your fire damaged Houston house. No cleanup, no repairs, no commissions, and a closing date that works for you.
This page is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice.
Your details stay private. Asking costs nothing.
