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What Would you Need to do to Your Home to make it Ready for Market?

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Real Estate Agent with Long and Foster Real Estate VA License # 0225089470

It's an interesting question.  As I look around my house, I see a listing agent's nightmare. 

I think about this tonight because it has been one of those weeks where I've had to counsel two new listings about getting rid of clutter, cleaning, and staying organized.  It's easy advice to give out, but how hard would it be for me to follow it?  REALLY HARD.

Next time you find the advice you are giving people rolling off your tongue, without the slightest empathy for the people who have to follow it, do a drill and get your house ready for market.  See how long you can keep it that way. 

I'm cetain that, if there were a contest of Realtors on AR, that wanted to see how long they could keep their homes in "show condition", that I would be out within a day or two....if not before then.  The TV show Seinfeld comes to mind...the episode about "The Contest."  Just consider me Kramer.  No willpower to hang in there.

Just a thought.  We all need to realize how hard it is to live to the standards to which we ask our sellers to adhere. 

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Shane Smith
Remax/ Olson - Chatsworth, CA
That is so true, I didn't even realize.  It is very hard to keep your home in show condition.  My house is always a mess.  You can tell that by my car! I hate when someone calls me up on the spot to see a home, and I have no time to alert the seller to clean up.  Actually, I love when people call me up to see homes :)
Mar 15, 2008 02:08 PM
Lane Bailey
Century 21 Results Realty - Suwanee, GA
Realtor & Car Guy
I can certainly put myself in the shoes of the sellers I counsel to de-clutter, etc.  My house is a mess.  My garage... oy!  Luckily, I don't have to worry about selling it for a while. 
Mar 15, 2008 02:21 PM
Jim Albano
Prudential Damiano Realty - Little Falls, NJ
Team - Jean-Marie Vantuno / Realtors North Jersey Real Estate
To answer your question What would you need to do - probably rent a dumpster and fill it up. Just kidding. It's true, how our homes are while living in them is different than how they must be while selling. Not always an easy task.
Mar 15, 2008 02:26 PM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA
Sounds like with Realtors, as with so many professions, it's does as I say, not as I do.  Sort of like those doctors you see in the cafeteria of hospitals eating the greasiest, most sodium filled, cholesterol loaded sandwich they can find. 
Mar 15, 2008 02:45 PM
Lola Audu
Lola Audu~Audu Real Estate~Grand Rapids, MI Real Estate - Grand Rapids, MI
Audu Real Estate~Grand Rapids, MI ~Welcome Home!
Hi Chris, I think that real estate agents should move from time to time just to remind ourselves of what it's like for our clients.  You're right, it's not easy to keep a house clean all the time. 
Mar 15, 2008 02:47 PM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Lola:

I've heard my Broker touting that same advice. :)  I think cleaning up and organizing is punishment enough. 

Mar 15, 2008 02:51 PM
Bob & Carolin Benjamin
Benjamin Realty LLC - Gold Canyon, AZ
East Phoenix Arizona Homes

This is a good point. For many of us it would be a challenge and even a bigger challenge to keep it that way day and and day out.

Mar 15, 2008 05:01 PM
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