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Vacant Homes... little tricks.

By
Real Estate Agent with Max Broock Realtors

Vacant homes are tough.  Without furnishings, a home's blemishes are so much more glaring.  Although I believe in staging a home whenever possible, sometimes its just not possible. Maybe your sellers are moving out of state.  Maybe there simply isn't the money in the budget to afford staging.  Whatever the reason may be.  Whenever I can, I've been known to stage a home or two with "goodies" from my own house.  What do I do when I have run out of goodies?  What about the vacant home??

I have a few tricks up my sleeve that I use when I have an unoccupied home.

1)      Have the windows professionally cleaned. What a difference!

2)      If necessary, have the house detailed.  A clean home is a must.

3)      Baby oil the stainless sinks.  Makes them shine like new.

4)      Fabric softener sheets on the furnace filters.  Not over powering, pleasant.

5)      Run the dishwashers ONCE with powdered lemonade mix.  Great for old dishwashers.

6)      Put lights on timers.  Homes show better with the lights on.

7)      Put Polident (yes denture cleaner) tablets in all the toilets.  No more yellow ring.

 

Obviously, these things wont necessary sell a home.  However, these things will make a home shine.  What tricks do you use to sell a vacant home?

Brian Brady
Matthews Capital Markets - Tampa, FL
858-699-4590

I thought that vacant homes sold better but after reading you blog, it makes sense that a "staged" home would sell better.

 

Sep 03, 2006 06:19 PM
Maureen Francis
Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel - Bloomfield Hills, MI
Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel
Sara could give Craig Shiller a run for his money with her staging.  She actually had a HUGE room full of staging stuff in her old house.  Her vacant homes always look great.
Sep 04, 2006 12:38 AM
Bryant Tutas
Tutas Towne Realty, Inc and Garden Views Realty, LLC - Winter Garden, FL
Selling Florida one home at a time
Wow Sara. That was awesome. 3 thru 7 will be going in my car this week. Excellent solutions.
Sep 04, 2006 12:39 AM
Craig Schiller
Trempealeau, WI

Baby oil, Powdered Lemonade Mix, & Polident... aren't those all now banned on commercial airliners now?

Coincidence? I think not... Sara just outed herself as a terrorist in pearls. 

LOL... great tips I am gonna steal! 

Sep 04, 2006 01:20 AM
Sara Lipnitz
Max Broock Realtors - Birmingham, MI

Craig... I'm laughing so hard at that one!  I guess if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck... it is a duck.  You have outted me... I'm a duck!

Sep 04, 2006 03:58 AM
Christopher Smith
TREGO REALTY - Cedar Rapids, IA
For odors like cigarette, mold, mildew,  bug bombs, I use an air purifier made by Ecoquest International called The Blaster.  It eliminates all odors generally in 48 hours and your home smells fresh and clean.  When I clean listings and my own, I run the ceiling fans on low (if there are any) and run the fan on the HVAC system.  Works everytime and it's guaranteed!
Sep 04, 2006 04:59 AM
"The Lovely Wife" The One And Only TLW.
President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Kissimmee, FL

AHHHH! It smells really good in here. I just put Gardenia scented dryer sheets near the intake on my A.C. system. I am a pro on cleaning but that's one I never thought of! Thank you. Kum La Ka Lakka.

Is cantaloupe or can't elope! Sorry Southern Thing.

Sep 04, 2006 08:42 AM
Leslie Bloss, Bellevue Real Estate Professional
Bellevue, WA

Thank you Sara--very helpful. 

 I think I would include it in a Seller's Package.

Sep 04, 2006 12:00 PM
Professor X
NONE - Ludington, MI

Sara,

What in the World does the lemonade do...

and if it is really that good at cleaning old dishwashers, what the heck is it doing to my insides?

JP

Sep 04, 2006 12:21 PM
Jim Casey
SKBK Sotheby's International Realty - Birmingham, MI
Lipnitz, Thanks for sharing that list of outstandind ideas.  I am going to put them to use.
Sep 05, 2006 07:57 AM
Tori Stamps
Stamps Realty - Franklin, TN
MA JD - Broker/Owner Franklin TN Homes for Sale

In my vacant houses, I do a thorough vacuum and then put down plastic "sticky saran wrap" runners.  Even if they aren't new carpets, it puts it in the buyer's mind that they are being kept nice.  I also put towels, soaps, lotions in decorative bottles, candles, baskets, etc. in all the bathrooms.  Makes it lived in, but without the furniture.  As for the kitchen, I shine the sink (anyone familiar with flylady.net?) then add baby oil to keep it shiny, give the kitchen a thorough cleaning, and set out familiar kitchen stuff (flour/sugar/tea/coffee canisters, kitchen towel, bowl of veggies (make sure to choose those that don't rot quickly - dried corn, potatoes, onions, etc.), a nice copper pan or clay pot, etc.  Anything that can add life without being lived in is added. 

Don't forget to double-check all the light bulbs and replace them if necessary.   

Sep 05, 2006 12:55 PM
Sara Lipnitz
Max Broock Realtors - Birmingham, MI
JP... that's why I stopped drinking the powder lemonade.  It eats away at the crud in the dishwasher... YUCK!
Sep 05, 2006 01:31 PM
Susan Milner
Florida Future Realty, Inc. - Cape Coral, FL
Cape Coral Real Estate Broker, FloridaFutureAgents
Thanks. Those are some really good tips for anyone.
Sep 06, 2006 05:43 AM
Ann Guy
NA - Allentown, PA

These are some great tips for all homeowners, not just vacant homes.  I never knew about the baby oil in the sink. 

Also, use grind fresh citrus fruit (I prefer lemons) in the garbage disposal for a clean scent.

Sep 07, 2006 04:37 AM
Sharon Simms
Coastal Properties Group International - Christie's International - Saint Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg FL - CRS CIPS CLHMS RSPS
I'd add: bring in some kitchen accessories and bath accessories for staging those important rooms, and a few green plants (artificial, or I'd kill them).
Sep 10, 2006 06:09 AM
"JT" Prevatte
Former Agent - Fayetteville, NC

Those are some tips I never thought of...Thanks!

I will say one thing...depending on how long the home has been vacant or rather or not the dishwasher has been used...BE CAREFUL!  THe motors have a little cheap seal that if the dishwasher has not been used for some time dries out and will cause a HUGE water mess on the kitchen floor.

I found this out due to it just being me and my wife so we normally just handwash.  Well, we decided to use the dishwasher one day and presto...Lake Placid....LOL 

Sep 14, 2006 01:22 AM
Carole Cohen
Howard Hanna Cleveland City Office - Cleveland, OH
Realtor, ePRO
What a timely post for me, thank you thank you!  I visited a vacant home I have listed today, wandering around, making sure things were okay there.  As I gazed into the kitchen sink I was wondering what I could do to make it look newer.  I will be buying some baby oil tomorrow! 
Sep 18, 2006 06:07 PM
Robert Mayo
Mayo Auction & Realty - Your Kansas City Auctioneer - Kansas City, MO
CAI, AARE, AMM, GPPA
Good list of tips.
Sep 24, 2006 09:18 AM
Sabine Pyrchalla
Colorado Springs, CO

Sara,

Thanks for the ideas. All easy and doable - and anything that helps that vacant home sell - I'm for it! Not sure if this exists anywyere else - but we have a service here that not only stages but adds tenants for the listing period. Not something we do for smaller homes - but the larger homes (5000sq.ft.+) - it makes a huge difference.

Oct 02, 2006 08:57 AM
Sara Lipnitz
Max Broock Realtors - Birmingham, MI

Sabine,

I would love to know more about that.  How do you do that???  What about the liability??  Please tell!

Oct 02, 2006 09:01 AM