What we take on
We buy fire-damaged houses exactly as they stand — no cleanup, no repairs, no hauling debris. You do not have to clean out the house, repair the damage, or arrange debris removal before selling to us.
Tell us what happened and what you know about the property's condition and access. You can talk with us about the house as it stands without entering an unsafe structure or arranging restoration first.
Insurance proceeds and your mortgage
We buy the house exactly as it stands, and you keep your insurance proceeds.
Confirm how the proceeds and any mortgage requirements apply to your claim with your insurer and mortgage servicer.
What happens next
- Tell us the Des Moines address, what happened, what you know about the damage, and any access limits.
- We discuss the property and review the house as it stands.
- We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours. You receive the written offer and terms before you commit.
- If you choose to proceed, closing is handled through a title company.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Iowa real estate transfer tax. Your mortgage, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes remain separate.
Des Moines safety, repair, and property-record contacts
Do not enter a structure that may be unsafe. Follow directions for the actual property from fire officials, building officials, utility providers, and your insurer. Before cleanup, repairs, or demolition, ask the official responsible for the address which access limits, permits, or inspections apply to the planned work.
For a Des Moines city address, use the City of Des Moines official website to find the appropriate city contact and confirm which office handles questions for the property. The incorporated city spans Polk and Warren counties; county offices depend on the property's actual address.
County assessors handle assessment and parcel-record inquiries, not fire-safety clearance or city permit decisions. Contact the office for the county shown in the property's records:
Compare rebuilding with selling as-is
Rebuilding may fit if the repair scope, cost, timing, insurance claim process, mortgage requirements, and any permits work for you and you want to keep the house. Selling to us means you do not have to arrange cleanup, repairs, or debris hauling for the sale. Compare written repair estimates and likely holding costs with the written sale terms; do not guess at an insurance payment or repair bill.
Use the Des Moines home-sale net proceeds calculator with your own planning figures to compare a possible listing with what you might keep after costs. The calculator is an estimate, not an insurance or property-specific offer.
Questions and contact
Call 888-274-5006 or use the form to tell us about the property and fire damage.
Testimonials are real, from our transactions, verified and approved by our attorneys. Each review keeps the seller's actual location; a review from another place is not presented as a Des Moines transaction.
What sellers say about USA Home Buyers
Questions about selling a fire-damaged Des Moines house
Can I sell a fire-damaged house in Des Moines, IA?
Yes. USA Home Buyers buys fire-damaged houses as-is for cash in Des Moines, Iowa, including the city portions in Polk and Warren counties. We buy fire-damaged houses exactly as they stand — no cleanup, no repairs, no hauling debris.
Do I have to clean up, repair, or haul debris before selling to you?
No. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. We buy fire-damaged houses exactly as they stand — no cleanup, no repairs, no hauling debris.
What happens to my insurance proceeds and mortgage requirements?
We buy the house exactly as it stands, and you keep your insurance proceeds. Confirm how the proceeds and any mortgage requirements apply to your claim with your insurer and mortgage servicer.
Can I enter the house or begin repairs after a fire?
Do not enter a structure that may be unsafe or where officials have restricted access. Follow directions for the actual address from fire officials, building officials, utility providers, and your insurer. Before cleanup, repairs, or demolition, ask the official responsible for the address which permits or inspections apply to the planned work.
What happens after I tell you about the fire damage?
We discuss the damage and what you know about the property's condition and access. We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours. You receive written terms before you commit; if you choose to sell, closing is through a title company.
How can I compare rebuilding with selling as-is?
Compare written cleanup and repair estimates, the work and time involved, likely holding costs, and written sale terms. Confirm your claim and loan requirements with your insurer and mortgage servicer, and use the Des Moines calculator with your own planning figures to compare possible sale proceeds.
Who pays closing costs and Iowa real estate transfer tax?
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Iowa real estate transfer tax. Your mortgage, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes remain separate.
Talk with us about your fire-damaged Des Moines house
Tell us the address and what you know about the damage and access. You can ask about a cash offer without arranging cleanup or repairs first.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Tell us what happened and what you know about the property's condition and access.
Prefer to call? 888-274-5006