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Getting Your Vacant House SOLD After You Have Moved Out

Reblogger Lise Howe
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Capital Properties DC AB15253

As our sellers move to their new homes so they are in place before school starts, that creates vacant homes that are still for sale. Marketing a vacant home requires some extra steps and a new approach. Thanks to Myrl Jeffcoat for this excellent post about how to market a vacant home - and definitely worth sharing with our sellers. 

Original content by Myrl Jeffcoat
  After the long spell of sitting tight in your existing home, you have finally been able to accumulate a little equity, and move up.  Or, your employment required that you relocate to another city.  If you have already vacated your old home, and moved into your new place there are things you should consider.

 

Vacant homes often sell slowly, and for less money than a like property, which is well furnished, real estate professionals say.  That's because many folks buy on emotion and have a hard time warming up to an empty house.  A lived-in home can be much more appealing.

There is often an echo when you walk through empty houses, and odors can accumulate because doors and windows aren't opened to allow air to circulate.  

So, you are marketing a vacant home, what can you do to create an edge from all other vacant properties listed For Sale?

(1) Leave draperies and window coverings on the windows when you move.  In most cases they will not fit your new home anyway.  And leaving them in place, helps to muffle the echo heard in vacant houses.

(2) Deep clean and paint the house.  When homeowners move, they take pictures and move furniture to take with them.  This usually leaves discolorations on the walls, and flaws not previously noticed are now visible.  Paint is inexpensive, and often pays dividends in sales price.  Use neutral colors, which will go with furniture, prospective homebuyers may have. 

(3) Light fixtures should be left throughout the house.  Lighting helps the house seem more welcoming.  If you have 60 watt bulbs in the fixtures, consider increasing the watts to 75 or even 100, if the lamp or fixture will accommodate it.  Rooms seem larger and warmer with more light. 

(4) If you can leave some of your furniture behind, it is worth doing.  Make certain it is of reasonably good quality, and not old furniture you were planning on hauling off to the dumps.  Furniture in a marketed home can help a homebuyer put things in perspective.  Furniture provides an element of scale to a room.  

(5) Consider a Home Staging service, or furniture rental.  If you don't have enough furniture for your new home and this existing home you’re selling, staging or furniture rental can make a great difference.

(6) Only rent out your vacant home if you have no financial recourse, but to do so.  Generally typical tenants do not keep houses in "show-to-sell" condition, nor are they always the most cooperative in allowing access for showings. 

If you are selling a vacant home, be certain to communicate with your real estate professional about other tips to selling your home!  And Good Luck to YOU!

James Dray
Fathom Realty - Bentonville, AR

Good morning Lise.  Interesting re-blog but a lot of information one need to say attention to. 

Jul 07, 2015 09:40 PM
Colleen Ferrary
Small Business USA www.SmallBusinessUS.com - New York, NY
Delivering Affordable Success-Critical Tools

Great points!!! Staging really makes a difference

Jul 07, 2015 10:16 PM
Barbara-Jo Roberts Berberi, MA, PSA, TRC - Greater Clearwater Florida Residential Real Estate Professional
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Safety Harbor

Excellent choice for a reblog, Myrl always writes excellent posts!

Jul 07, 2015 10:42 PM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Lise -  a recently vacated house presents a bigger challenge.  Leaving it very clean and staged is the best solution.

Jul 08, 2015 12:43 AM
Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

Six great points to selling that vacant house Lise Howe ! Sometimes people just divorse themselves from the old....

Jul 08, 2015 12:48 AM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good morning Lise Howe,

Good choice to re-blog! I missed this one and Marte Cliff offers some great tips on selling vacant homes!

Jul 08, 2015 09:25 PM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Thanks you for the reblog, Lise.  It's greatly appreciated!  I hope you are having a good week!

Jul 08, 2015 09:34 PM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

Great tips....when you call the Realtor AFTEr you moved everything from the house...estate...investement...it's too late !

Jul 08, 2015 10:23 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Grat tips - and after that, be sure someone comes by to check and do a little cleaning now and then. Nothing says "abandoned and unloved" like dead bugs on the floor or the window sills. 

Jul 09, 2015 12:42 AM
Claude Labbe
RLAH / @properties - Washington, DC
Realty for Your Busy Life

Right;

vacant homes are seen as an opportunity for quick action by some buyers, but it still has to be attractive & appealing....once your marketing has brought the home to the buyer's attention.

Jul 12, 2015 11:03 AM