What we take on after a fire
You can sell without cleaning the house, repairing fire damage, or hauling debris for us. We buy the property as it stands, so you can discuss a sale without first taking on cleanup or restoration work.
Safety directions still matter. Do not enter if officials have restricted access or said the structure is unsafe. Before arranging cleanup, debris removal, repairs, or demolition, ask the municipality where the property sits which requirements apply.
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 what was damaged and what you know about access, the claim, and any mortgage requirements. We discuss the property, give you a written offer and written terms before you commit, and close through a title company.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including the Illinois state, county and city transfer taxes. This does not cover your mortgage, liens, back taxes or your share of current property taxes.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the damage and any access, insurance, or mortgage details you have.
Freeport and Stephenson County contacts
For a Freeport property, start with the City of Freeport’s official site to ask which local office handles the address’s fire restrictions, building-safety questions, permits, cleanup, or demolition. If the property is elsewhere in Stephenson County, ask the municipality where that property is located. Do not enter a property that officials have said is unsafe or off-limits.
- City of Freeport official site →
- Stephenson County Clerk and Recorder → for county office information and Real Estate Records → for recorded-property records. The county records office is not a building-safety or permit office.
Ask the local municipality whether a permit or other approval applies before work begins, and check claim-related requirements with your insurer. Requirements depend on the actual property and work planned.
Compare rebuilding with selling as-is
Compare the written offer and terms with your own estimates for repairs, cleanup, debris removal, permits, holding costs, payoff, and closing costs. Consider how much time and project management a rebuild could take. Confirm your claim and mortgage requirements with the insurer and mortgage servicer rather than assuming a particular payout.
The calculator is a planning comparison, not a property-specific offer. Just an estimate — the actual number could be more or less depending on the home's condition.
Compare sale options with the Freeport calculator →Fire-Damaged House Questions in Freeport, IL
Can I sell a fire-damaged house in Freeport without repairing it?
Yes. We buy fire-damaged houses exactly as they stand — no cleanup, no repairs, no hauling debris. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.
Do I keep my insurance proceeds if I sell?
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 or clean up the house after a fire?
Follow the fire and building officials’ directions for the actual property. Do not enter if officials have restricted access or said the structure is unsafe. Ask the municipality where the house is located whether permits or other approvals apply before cleanup, debris removal, repairs, or demolition.
What happens after I contact USA Home Buyers?
Tell us what was damaged and what you know about access, the claim, and any mortgage requirements. We give you written offer and written terms before you commit, then close through a title company. We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Who pays closing costs and Illinois transfer taxes?
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including the Illinois state, county and city transfer taxes. This does not cover your mortgage, liens, back taxes or your share of current property taxes.
Seller reviews
Testimonials are real, from our transactions, verified and approved by our attorneys. Each quote keeps the seller's actual location; these are other sellers' experiences, not a promise about this property.
What sellers say about USA Home Buyers
Here's what sellers have said about working with us.
“After the Chrysler supplier closed, I was out of work for fourteen months and never really caught back up. The mortgage servicer filed in Winnebago County and I didn't know what to do. USA Home Buyers explained where the Illinois judicial timeline was, gave me a written offer in forty-eight hours, and we closed in twelve days before judgment. I came out with $28,000.”
“The sewer line backed up into the basement twice in two years — the city said it was a main line issue they were working on. Second time we had four inches of sewage in the basement and the HVAC system was a complete loss. USA Home Buyers came out two days after I called. Fair number, closed in fourteen days.”
“I'd worked at the Chrysler supplier in Belvidere for nineteen years when the plant shut down. Then a job offer came in from a manufacturer in Indianapolis — good opportunity, but I had four weeks to figure out the house. USA Home Buyers gave me a real number the next day. We closed in ten days. I made the Indianapolis start date with a week to spare.”
Talk through the fire-damaged house
Call 888-274-5006 or send the Freeport property address and what you know about the damage.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the property details and any access restrictions you know about.