Oh my goodness, I took some buyers out yesterday and we visited 12 short sale listings all located in the Vistas and Paseos Villages of Summerlin. I was quite surprised how bad of shape these homes were in. It was very clear that many of them had been rental homes and where left vacant in very poor condition. I understand that homeowners of the short sale listings are in hardship and do not have money to spruce up the property. But come on you can at least do a little something something to the property. Throw things away that were left behind to start with. Or, take a broom through the place. Bring a few gallons of water and flush out the toilets. Sorry to say but sometimes when tenants move from these properties they aren't in the best of spirits. So they can get a little destructive and mean. I have a list of violent things people have done to properties when leaving but I think the worst is what is left behind in the toilets. My buyers see that and it's just an instant NO to even considering looking at the property anymore. I always tell them the toilet can be replaced but something about seeing what others leave behind in the bathroom just makes the buyers want to run. I can't say I blame them.
What I've shared is all the horror of what was happening to foreclosed homes. Now that our market here in Las Vegas is 3/4 short sale listings I guess it's to be expected that these poor vacant homes turn into what used to be foreclosures. It's such a shame.. short sales listings used to be the pretty homes, at least people were still living in them so they would keep them up. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of wonderful short sale listings out there. I have several short sale listings that look fantastic. It's just a trend I see coming. Vacant short sale homes=distressed homes.
