Sugar Land FSBO is a Pigsty. They're Selling It That Way. Oink! Oink!

Their Sugar Land FSBO is a Pigsty and They're Selling It That Way. Oink! Oink!

Because listings are scarce these days, I am always on the hunt for low hanging fruit aka FSBO's (for sale by owner).  A couple days ago I spied a lovely FSBO sign across the street from where I was showing a home. After finishing up with my clients I slowly circled the house while I debated the merits of ringing the doorbell or straining my eyes to make out the phone number. Courage won. I confidently strode up the driveway to the front door, rang the doorbell, stepped back and waited for a response. 

I heard the garage door being raised and I stepped back onto the driveway as Mrs. Homeowner greeted me. I launched into my FSBO spiel and asked if she would permit me to take a look at the house in case it was a fit for one of my clients. She agreed and I followed her into the house through the laundry room. Wow! Clothes on the floor, clothes on top of the washer, clothes on top of the dryer, clothes hanging from the clothes rod. Clothes, clothes  everwhere.  

We continued on into the family room that opened into the kitchen/breakfast area. Mama Mia! Are my eyes and nose deceiving me? What the heck am I smelling? Are those really filthy dishes on the filthy island in the filthy kitchen? Geez, her daughter is busy chomping away totally oblivious to the crap all around. Must be no big deal. 

We stepped outside.  The backyard with it's stainless steel outdoor kitchen (which I didn't dare take a peek inside any of the appliances) seemed to be a bit more organized. Blame it on the Texas heat.  I assumed it was clean because they don't hang out in the backyard. If they did, it would look like the inside. When we came back inside she asked her son to give me a tour of the upstairs. The only things that I saw were clean clothes, dirty clothes, unmade beds, overflowing waste baskets, old food and stained carpet. Bathrooms? What bathrooms? I was NOT crazy enough to go there. 

Mrs. Homeowner told me that the house was over 4000 square feet of filth living space with 6 bedrooms and 4.5 baths. I believed her. I thanked her for the tour and wished her good luck with her efforts. Jumped into my car and promptly pulled out my hand sanitizer. If I could have used that stuff for a quick bath I would have.

That is a listing I had no desire to pursue. If the Homeowner family kept the house in THAT condition while THEY were trying to sell it by themselves what would they do to a real estate agent?

The name of the family has been changed to protect the untidy. Oink! Oink! 

Sellers, you NEVER get a second chance to make a first impression.  Here are 5 basic tips for showing your home in the best possible light.

1. Declutter everywhere.  Buyers are not interested in seeing how YOU live inside the house. They want to figure out how the property fits them and their lifestyle. 
   
2. Make sure the bathrooms and kitchen are clean. Clean bathrooms and clean kitchens sell houses. 
3. Make sure all burned out light bulbs are replaced.Buyers like to turn on lights to make sure they see the entire room and that its dimensions fit their furniture. 
4. Make up the beds. Buyers eyes will be drawn to the bed. They won't see anyting else. 
5. Make your house sparkle. Dust, clean, polish. The pay off in dollars for a little bit of elbow grease will go a long way.