Mr. Clean doesn’t live here
Not everyone is Mr. or Mrs. Clean. Not everyone is good at taking care of their houses. That is one of the reasons that sellers give for hesitating to put their houses on the market. It is too much work to get it cleaned up, keep it clean, and to face all the criticism for repairs not done and repairs not done well.
A friend of mine says his goal was to “buy a nice house and turn it into a fixer-upper.”
What’s in your basement, or attic or garage? For that matter, what’s in your closets? Are these skeletons the reason you hate the idea that, one day, you are going to sell your house?
I don’t do any listing business. When one of my clients wants to sell a home, I refer them to a listing agent that I think takes good care of their clients. I judge good listing agents as those who didn’t tell me confidential things about their sellers, worked to negotiate the best deal for their sellers, and took care of the details that he/she is responsible for.
Frequently, the better listing agents will help a seller prepare the house for sale. Sometimes, it is a lesson in de-cluttering, sometimes it’s a suggestion to put in brighter light bulbs or paint the front hallway a cheerful color.
Sometimes it is a suggestion to hire someone else to de-clutter or to stage the house. These are all good suggestions, and they have their place.
I hear from friends and client who sell, that sometimes tact is missing. I had clients tell me that, after meeting with a listing agent, they have decided to let their heirs sell the house. The initial meeting with the listing agent led to an embarrassing list of work items. They were left feeling so hopeless; they shelved the plan to down-size. If they had the energy to fix up the house, they’d stay and enjoy it for a while.
Have you had one of those conversations with a would-be listing agent? Did it help or humiliate? Is your clutter or deferred maintenance something that keeps you from selling your house?
