A Tale of 2 Vacant Houses

Selling a home after the death of an owner is not a simple straightforward transaction.  As agents we need to verify that the executor / executrix have the legal authority to dispose of assets in the estate.  Negotiating the final offer can be a long distance fax nightmare when all the family members are involved.  During the listing and sale process the biggest challenge is to maximize the sale price for the inheritors.       

In the past few months, I have seen two examples - one good and one not-so-good - about how to keep the increase the sale value.

In the first house, the executrix had staged the house with a few pieces of furniture and with a few things in the cupboards.  She left a vacuum and mop in the home so that she could return and keep the home clean during the selling period.  She also collected all the mail and pizza ads that normally litter the entrance to a vacant home. Everything was spotless.  The staging was just a few bits here and there but showed the function of each room.   The dining room table had been set with a few dishes and looked inviting; the master bedroom was almost emptied but a bed and one dresser were left. The bathrooms had clean towels, soap and toilet paper.  There was a fall wreath on the door.  The house said - I am well loved and cared for.  This house sold in less than a week.

In the second house, old bits of furniture, dust bunnies and dirt were the predominant features.  It looked like the family had stripped out anything they wanted and the things left in the home were of no value to them (or others).  The washroom was dirty, old cosmetics and medicine bottles were left on the counter.  It was as though someone started to clean the medicine cabinet and then stopped halfway through the job, leaving everything they didn't want on the counter.  In the kitchen, each cupboard had a layer of grime that would have required considerable elbow grease to remove - if someone wanted to work that hard.  At this house, Buyers and Agents kept their shoes on as the house and floors were filthy.   It was clear no one was living in the house but also that no one had bothered to clean it before putting it on the market.  This house said - The owner is dead and this is a desperation, the family doesn't give a damn, sale.  While in a good location and priced to reflect the amount of work needed, the house did not sell for several weeks.

If you are managing an estate or working with an executor to sell a home, do everything possible to get the family's agreement to clean and fix the house beforeit goes on the market.  If there is a budget, bring in a home stager.  Return several times during the sale to keep the exterior and interior clean.  It will be worth every penny.

 Photo credit: My Old Medicine bottle / jar collection on Flickr

Valerie Zinger  email: vzinger@royallepage.com  (613-723-5300)

Royal LePage Gale Real Estate,  Ottawa, Ontario, Canada