In today’s market it is not unusual for sellers who are relocating, especially for a new job, to reach a point where they NEED to move to the new location even though they have not sold their current home.

How can you best handle this situation, and protect your investment?

• Discuss the situation with your REALTOR and reach an agreement regarding him/her checking the house regularly, especially after bad weather (say, at lest once per week or more). They ought to do this without you asking but better to be sure

• Entrust a good friend or neighbor with a key to also check in, in case your REALTOR gets busy and is not available, or forgets to check in. Have them check the bathrooms in case they have been used by folks touring the home, and watch for leaky pipes and sinks. They can also check the heat and AC in case buyers or agents turn them on and forget to turn them off.

• Turn off the water to the washer if there is one in the house.

• Keep the utilities – yes, it will cost a little, but it is not impressive to show a home without any lights, especially on a cloudy day or in the evenings. And if it’s the cold season you do not want the temperature in your home to go too low – pipes could freeze, and it’s an annoyance for buyers who are touring your home.

• If you move your furniture out, I would urge you to consider some staging so your home continues to look lived in. It could help from a safety standpoint but it also makes the home show better than when empty.

• If the home remains on the market for an extended time period, consider having a cleaning service in periodically – buyers are not keen on seeing lots of dust balls floating around and cobwebs hanging in their faces.

• Hook up at least 1 lamp to a timer so lights come on in the evening – again this can help from a safety standpoint by making the home look lived in

• Hire a neighbor’s kid, or a service to come in regularly and trim the grass and keep the yard looking neat. Curb appeal is so important for showings, and this will also create the impression the home is occupied. In the winter you will need someone to shovel snow (or your REALTOR had better do it). Nothing worse than trying to schlep through piles of snow to get to a cold, dark house.

• Maintain your homeowner’s insurance for added protection. But check with your provider on the appropriate coverage – some insurance policies change dramatically when a home is vacated and your coverage may be very different, or even lapse. Don’t assume you are covered if the home is vacant just because you are paying premiums.

• Make sure all mail is forwarded and newspapers are stopped – piles of papers in the drive are a tell-tale sign no one is around.

• Consider letting the police know the home will be vacant as well – they may step up their patrol.

As a side note…if your home is not selling, price is likely the problem (with location and condition possible factors as well). Have a frank discussion with your agent about a price reduction, and make sure they keep you well informed of what is going on in the market.

AGENTS - these may be good ideas for your to share with YOUR relocating clients. And consider what services YOU can provide to ease their transition.

Having to vacate an unsold home may be unavoidable, but a few precautions will help ensure your home looks its best so it will sell, AND remain safe in your absence.

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If I can provide more information about this community or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360
or email me at JDowler@remax.net.