A newly listed Florida home is giving new meaning to the term “hot property” after it was put on the market for $259,000 — despite the fact that it is still smoldering from fire damage that is believed to have been caused by the recent hurricanes in the state.
Located in St. Petersburg, the property’s asking price is well below the median for a home in the area, which is $465,000, according to Realtor.com® data.
However, that might not come as a surprise given the current state of the home.
Due to its dire state, potential buyers will not be allowed to enter the home because of safety concerns, according to the listing.
The property last came on the market in 2020, when it was sold for $325,000, albeit without the untold damage that it has since suffered amid the devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The storm-damaged property is being sold at “lot value,” the listing notes, “ideal for complete renovation or a new construction project.” It’s being sold as is.
Red-hot interest
Not surprisingly, the still-smoking listing got some red-hot attention on social media.
“It sold in 2020 for $325,000. I would expect more than a $65K discount,” a Reddit user noted.
But with another hurricane on the way, some saw gallows humor in the owner’s attempt to sell the home.
One quipped, “Fire sale.” Another added, “No worries. Hurricane Milton will put out the fire.”
Another wrote, “Seriously, though, I hope no one was injured and that the owner’s losses will be covered by insurance.”
Still smoking
On the market for just four days, still smoking from the last hurricane that just came through, the property is braced now for Hurricane Milton, which is set to wreak havoc on the area.
The terrifying storm is forecast to make landfall on Florida’s central coast as a Category 3 level and unleash one of the most destructive storms in the area on record.
Phone calls and emails to the listing agent, Matthew Spero with Matthew Guthrie And Associates Realty, weren’t returned.
The pool is ‘undamaged’
In a small bit of good news for the owner, the pool wasn’t damaged, although the house certainly was.
But the house will need a complete renovation or, more likely, will be torn down by the new owner and built anew.
The ask is for cash offers. Seller financing is also available, the listing notes.
Opportunity knocks
Dare we call this a hot property — and not just because it’s smoking?
This is a “prime opportunity for redevelopment, priced competitive for land value,” the listing notes.
The low price comes with some caveats: “Cash offers or seller financing only with no inspection contingencies,” the listing states.