Being able to look beyond someone's stuff is definitely a skill that not every buyer has. But those that possess it do have a tactical advantage.
Wish more buyers would think this way. I think that it's gone to the extreme for most buyers - they want a home that looks like a furniture show room or on the cover of a magazine.
I listed a home yesterday that I initially interviewed at 4 months ago. I told them, declutter or you will never will get the price you want.
Have to say, they did a good job of listening. The place looked so much newer with everything packed up.
The responsibility lies with the listing agent to inform these sellers on the protocols for selling a home. Joy
I heard something very early in my career. Clutter eats equity. I have used that when people don't want to pick up before they sell. I ask them if they would rather lose 5-10% of their money or pack up a few things for a few months. It has to be packed anyway....and then I offer to help them pack.
Mike you are right on with this one. I always tell my sellers they need to follow the 3 D's. De-clutter, de-personalize and de-odorize.
Primarily a buyer representative, my hope is that not every seller in our area gets the message. Thanks to you all for the comments, and I wish you the best in your efforts to educate sellers. I know that, for every seller who gets the message, there will probably be two who do not. Yes, it's a great time to buy, and clutter may eat equity (great line, Liane) from sellers' proceeds, but the other side of the balance sheet is that it creates value for buyers with the vision to capitalize on great opportunities.
Mike, I love this positive look at cluttered homes! Buyers often look for terms such as "motivated seller" on listings. Perhaps they should be looking at clutter in the posted photos!
I don't pass judgement. Sellers have a lot going on. Sometimes decluttering is too hard while they're living there.
I love your positive look at the other side of the coin. Too much clutter probably also means the buyers will need to do a thorough cleaning before they move in - but elbow grease or cleaning help for a couple of days is nothing compared to thousands off the selling price.
Mike, you are right, clutter deters most buyers from previewing a home. With only 10% of the population having the ability to visualize and see the potential, sellers are limiting their pool of buyers by not investing some elbow grease in preparing their property for sale.
Mike, Interesting perspective. You're correct about cluttered homes being an advantage for buyers because most others buyers would walk in and out in seconds.
We clean out our house each winter because we spend the winters in Mexico. its amazing how well the house shows when we get all our personal stuff out. Minimalist is best for selling homes. Get rid of the junk and stuff and show your home in a different light.
Very interesting take on the issue of clutter, Mike! You're right, cluttered houses are always devalued by buyers. I love the comment above "Clutter eats equity!"
Hi Mike, I agree. When sellers ask me what they should do to stage, my most common suggestion is to de-clutter.
Some people, when you tell them, do a great job. Other's will not, and I drop them. Don't have the time to mess with people who are so much trouble in the EARLY stages of a sale!
Perhaps we could look at clutter as a building block for the American way of life. What better way to preserve the American Dream than to keep housing affordable, and clutter tends to do just that. Once word of the clutter concept gets to Washington, there will probably be leftislation requiring it. Banks may have to hire destagers to bring in piles of stuff before putting vacant homes on the market.
Mike,
It is hard to look past cluttered homes and what sellers need to consider is that it will all need to go when it closes escrow so why not start packing it up before it goes on the market.
Dee Dee, you are expressing the most logical opinion anyone could have. Problem is that there are lots of wannabe sellers who will not do it anyway. Logic only prevails in logical minds. "If I pack my stuff now, what will happen if the house doesn't sell?" In the meantime, buyers should delight in their opportunities to purchase at a lower price.
I don't think sellers realize how much clutter can change the value of their home...to the buyers advantage.