Insurers refuse it, so lenders refuse it, so buyers disappear.
Knob and tube, a fuse panel, or aluminum branch wiring will stop a policy from being issued. That is usually what is actually killing the sale, not the wiring itself.
Sell it unrewiredThe three that trigger refusals
Knob and tube from the pre 1950 era, which has no ground and degrades where it has been buried in insulation. Fuse panels rather than breakers, which many carriers will not write. And aluminum branch circuit wiring from the mid 1960s to mid 1970s, which has a connection failure history and is a common underwriting decline.
Certain panel brands from that era also have documented failure histories and are frequently called out by inspectors and refused by carriers.
Rewiring is invasive and expensive
A full rewire means opening walls and ceilings, which means drywall repair, paint, and often trim work behind the electrician. On a plaster house the collateral damage is worse.
Owners who start this in phases usually stop partway, and a half rewired house with open walls is harder to sell than one that was left alone. If you are considering it in order to sell, run the full number first including finish work.
What we assume going in
Older Kentucky housing gets a service upgrade and rewire in our budget as a default. If yours has already been partly done, that helps and we want to know.
You do not need an electrician's report, a permit history, or any work completed. If the power is off entirely, that is fine too.
Five questions. That is the whole thing.
We already know your situation from this page. Change it if it does not fit.
Question 1 of 5
What people ask about this
My insurance was cancelled because of the wiring. Can I still sell?
To a cash buyer yes. A financed buyer will not be able to close without a policy in place.
Is knob and tube illegal in Kentucky?
Existing installations are generally allowed to remain under grandfathering, though extending or modifying them is restricted. The practical problem is insurance, not legality.
What if the electrical was done without permits?
Common, and it does not stop us. Unpermitted work becomes our problem to resolve after closing.
Often it is more than one thing at once
Sell it unrewired.
No cost, no obligation, and nobody shows up at your door unless you ask them to.