In a tough market, a house needs to be in tip top shape to sell. Even one little nitpicky thing can have potential buyers hurrying back to their cars to check out the next house. So, you’d assume everyone is doing his or her best to keep the house immaculate, right? That’s not always the case. Perhaps the potential sellers don’t really want to move or maybe they’re just overwhelmed. Whatever the reason, I’ve seen a whole lot of houses that have given me some wonderful material for a list of ways to make sure your house doesn’t sell.
- Leave dirty dishes in the sink. Not ordinarily dirty ones. Make sure they’re covered with old food and a little colorful mold. To top off the appealing display, leave smears of something not quite identifiable on the countertops. You get bonus points if you have something like a failed sprouting experiment on the counter, too.
- Make sure your toilet isn’t very clean and leave the seat up. Encourage someone to do his daily showering, shaving and tooth brushing routine without cleaning up. Nothing says, “Don’t buy my house!” like dirty undergarments on the floor and beard stubble and toothpaste globs in the sink.
- Tell the kids it is okay to play hooky on days the realtor will be showing the house. Suggest they slouch around looking angry and slightly violent in dirty clothes. Give them a raise in their allowance if they curse more than a stand up comic while the realtor and the prospective buyers are there.
- Don’t worry about repairing the door after someone broke in. It creates a nice, welcoming feel.
- Be sure all bedrooms have unmade beds and more outfits on the floor than in the closet. To really ramp things up, make sure the walk in closet ceiling has been replaced by a tarp and leave a note telling the realtor you are taking care of the leaky roof.
To really heighten the shock value, you should be sure to only bother with these things in houses that say “Shows well” or “Will go fast” in the realtor’s notes. He or she will be so embarrassed that the potential buyer’s time was wasted that you’ll probably be rid of the realtor and all future buyers for good.
Seriously, though, am I the only one who sees this kind of stuff when I look at houses? I’m not talking houses for rehab, which I’d expect this stuff in. I’m talking the ones listed as being in move in condition.
Photo: SXC
Post from: Blisstree