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Another Perfect Example of Home Seller Sabotage

By
Home Stager with Sharon Tara Transformations

I had an appointment to have my teeth cleaned this week. I really like the hygienist and I actually look forward to my appointments because it's like visiting with an old friend. She always has something interesting to share with me.  She used to sell real estate and is still very interested in the local market. She usually has a real estate story or two to tell.

Since I saw her last she has purchased a home.

She got a " really good deal " on the home and may not have been so lucky had the sellers made more of an effort to properly prepare it for sale.

Luckily, she recognized the "good bones" and potential that others had missed.

She told me that the home was FILTHY.

Kitchen cabinets were covered in fingerprints and sticky. There were dirty dishes in the sink and mold in the refrigerator. There was mold in the bathroom. 

Paint colors used throughout the home were French's mustard yellow, mint green, and lavender.

The price had been reduced twice.

Talk about money left on the table.  Seller Sabotage strikes again! 

 

She told me that she believes potential buyers just couldn't see past the condition and realize the home's full potential.  She didn't let it's appearance scare her away. 

She's been cleaning and painting since she moved in....something the sellers should have done PRIOR to listing.  Maybe if they had, they would have sold sooner and made more money. 

Seller's loss....Buyer's gain!

 

Comments(118)

Edward Gilmartin
CRE - Boston, MA

People spend more time cleaning their car when they want to sell it than they do their home when it goes on market.

Jan 09, 2016 09:01 PM
Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty
Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS
601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

I bought a house like that, too. In fact, I love buying them! The home I'm currently in had purple and lime green bathrooms, cat urine in all the corners (yuck!), and no flooring in the hallway. I bought at a great price and have sweat equity. Yippee! 

Oh, great post!

Jan 10, 2016 01:23 AM
Shanna Hall
Real Estate Solutions - Kirkwood, MO
I love selling houses!!!St. Louis, MO 314-703-1311

I love these stories and live in one of them too!  Congrats for you hygienist!

Jan 10, 2016 01:26 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

MaryBeth Mills Muldowney  Thank you, but she's not my client....just a friend. I have no involvement in this particular listing.

Michael Jacobs   Too many people who are incapable of seeing potential, really do believe they are capable. Too many people who think their home is show ready, are far from right.  It all makes the real estate business so much fun!

Jan 10, 2016 01:55 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

James (Jim) Lawson, DBA   Sometimes (often times) sellers must learn the hard way. Unfortunately it can be a very costly lesson.

Elyse Berman, Boca Raton, FL   Sometimes it's very little that could make a HUGE difference in the outcome of the sale!

Sham Reddy   LOL....a good tagline for a buyers' agent....."Look Beyond The Ugly!"

Edward Gilmartin   I know!  Now how on earth does that make any sense????

Pat Starnes  Good for you!  The house sounds lovely!  LOL.  Nothing like cat urine to bring in those offers!

 

Jan 10, 2016 02:01 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Shanna Hall  At least someone got a good deal, even if it wasn't the seller!

Jan 10, 2016 02:02 AM
Dorte Engel
RE/MAX Leading Edge - Bowie, MD
ABC - Annapolis, Bowie, Crofton & rest of Maryland

Dear Sharon,

Nobody likes to live with other people's dirt, but if you are or have a good cleaner, you can easily add $10,000 or more to your equity for the investment of a week's work or a few hundred dollars for a crew to do the work for you. Smart lady.

Jan 10, 2016 12:39 PM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

Happens too often...you can lead a horse...but Sellers often "know better."

Jan 10, 2016 06:25 PM
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

This is really true but people/buyers like your friend are so hard to find now. Everyone wants everything perfect with no work & honestly - that's just not reasonable.

Jan 10, 2016 11:45 PM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Dörte Engel  Exactly!  It's well worth the investment to make your home appear well maintained....makes all the difference.

Sally K. & David L. Hanson  Those who think they know better often times get a rude awakening!

Lyn Sims  Even when you are lucky enough to find a buyer who is willing to look past the mess....their offer will reflect the condition!

Jan 11, 2016 12:22 AM
Liane Thomas, Top Listing Agent
Professional Realty Services® - Corona, CA
Bringing you Home!

Our young buyers have been raised on HGTV and they don't realize how easy they can turn an "ugly duckling" into the home of their dreams. Kudos to the hygenist for looking past the dirt.

Jan 11, 2016 12:30 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Liane Thomas - Corona & Riverside Real Estate  That's why they need an experienced buyers' agent at their side!

Jan 11, 2016 12:47 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

Buyers say they can see past the condition, but they never do.

Jan 11, 2016 11:39 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Gene Riemenschneider   This buyer certainly did, LOL! She is very happy!

Jan 11, 2016 09:37 PM
Nancy Robinson Ranked #6 in MI
Century 21 Town and Country - Royal Oak, MI
#11 Century21 Realtor in the US, #16 in the World

This sort of thing particularly IRKS me when the property is owned by a senior and the listing agent is just trying to get a quick listing and an easier sell... Some agents don't have the guts to wait, help or are so greedy about getting a listing they will do anything to nail it on the spot!

A house cleaner is about 250-500 dollars and can add thousands in increase profit to the seller. 

Jan 13, 2016 12:06 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Nancy Robinson  I agree with you, but that was not the case here. I happen to know that the sellers were millenials.  You are so right about the cost of cleaning being a wise investment....with a huge payoff!

Jan 13, 2016 01:02 AM
Jim West
Real Estate Technology Partners - Marysville, OH
Our Passion Is Helping 1st Time Home Sellers

Had to save this one to read!  Hilarious.

Jan 15, 2016 12:12 PM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Jim West  Glad you enjoyed it.  

Jan 16, 2016 12:34 AM
Tracy Oliva
West USA Realty - Arizona - Fountain Hills, AZ
The Oliva Team Arizona Agents

Too funny we both had our teeth cleaned this week.

Tracy was quick, Ed had to go back....enough said.

 

fun info

Feb 03, 2016 11:02 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Ed & Tracy Oliva   I always look forward to my cleanings because we have so much to talk about. Problem is that it's so darn hard to talk while your teeth are being cleaned!

Feb 04, 2016 04:05 AM