In May I published an article Attention Orange County Home Sellers - Top 10 Reasons Why Your Home Didn't Sell
Here's a comment I received today on that May article from a home shopper who will soon be relocating to Orange County. It is startling and a real eye opener and offers some great advice. This home buyer added a few more items to my original list---she candidly reveals why homes are rejected by the market. If you are thinking of selling your Orange County home, you must read this!
Dear SoCal realtors,
As a soon to be Orange County resident I feel the need to share a story. We are getting ready to relocate for my husbands job from Chicago. During a recent company national event , there was group of us sitting at a table talking about our relocation stories. Several people had taken a turn living around Orange County in the past 10 years and I was shocked to hear that we all had the same opinions of the homes/sellers. The consensus was that the homes were poorly maintained, generally dirty, and outdated. We shared stories of homeowners remaining in the home during showings, mold and mildew in bathrooms, disorganization, filthy carpeting, dog excrement etc. etc. etc. Then we laughed so hard at the low quality design choices made in $1 million ++ homes. Tile countertops are not acceptable anywhere else in the country. Laminate floors are only good in basements. White thermofoil cabinets are only put in government housing projects in the rest of the country. Wall to wall carpeting in the bathroom is DISGUSTING. Windows only last 15 years and garage doors take up 50% of the exterior of your home. Get rid of the old ugly ones!!
We have lived in Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, New York and Ohio. We have bought homes in all of those states at many different price points, and have never been so sorely disappointed as we were in OC. I thought it was very sad when people were consoling us when they found out we were relocating. I would venture to say that peoples homes in OC account for a higher percentage of their overall net worth than the rest of the country, it would be nice to see them take better care of them.
Perhaps you can enlighten some of your clients.
Laura Wagner
I think Ms. Wagner has made her and her relocation savvy friends' opinions abundantly clear and there's no need for me to elaborate. We owe her a debt of gratitude for her candid, constructive criticism. If you are considering selling your Orange County home in the future---"kid's don't try this at home-alone"---seek professional help!
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Marlene Bridges, REALTOR® 800 777-1775
South Orange County Real Estate Website
Orange County Seniors Lifestyles Blog
SRES - Seniors Real Estate Specialist®
CRS-Certified Residential Specialist®
President - Laguna Hills/Laguna Woods Chamber of Commerce
Marlene is a highly experienced South Orange County CA REALTOR® specializing in residential Real Estate and the sale of Homes and Condos in South Orange County, California and Saddleback Valley cities of: Laguna Woods, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach, Rancho Santa Margarita, Lake Forest, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo.
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