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You Can't Take it With You

By Dawn Bach Thurman

Home Stager with Eye to Eye Interiors, LLC

November 01, 2008 01:02 AM

Picture this. You've arrived at a property with your buyers and you have a good feeling about this. It's got good curb appeal, the neighborhood is nice, the price is right for the area. You haven't seen the inside yet, but you saw the pics online. Not bad. You tell your clients you don't know what to expect either - that you're visiting for the first time too. You open the door and walk in. Everything seems nice, but it's a tad dark. So you turn the corner and flip on a switch in the kitchen.

Gasps of horror - an unadorned lightbulb hangs above, blinding you and everyone else who dares walk into the room. Your buyers scrunch up their eyes and turn away - it's like a splash of cold water in the face. Seeing spots, you think, "Sheesh - such a nice place - why would there be a bare light bulb anywhere but maybe a closet?"

lightbulb Sound familiar? It's obvious what has happened - the seller has skedaddled. And with them went their favorite light fixtures. And curtains. And bathroom cabinets. Listing agents, don't let this happen to you! If your sellers have to move before their property is sold, it is to their benefit (and yours) to convince them to leave some of these key items (and others) behind. The minute they strip their home bare, they've entered the vacant home market. And there's nothing quite as bleak as entering a home and getting the bare light bulb treatment, especially after seeing listing photos filled with inviting furnishings.

Help your seller keep their house a viable contender once they move. Assuming the curtains fall anywhere between "nice" and "stunning," advise your seller to leave them behind! Window treatments are expensive, yes. But even if they've grown desperately attached to the color and fabric, your seller will have to dress completely new windows in their new home.

Further, convincing them to leave some furnishings behind is an economical way to help keep the home filled with life. With even just a few furnishings in place, a stager can enliven the interior and give a boost to the listing. And the place will be ready to show 24/7.

For more tips on selling and staging properties, contact a Certified Redesign Specialist with Eye to Eye Interiors for an affordable consultation. Serving Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. (773) 350-7020. www.eyetoeyeinteriors.com

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Gail Gladstone

Gladstone Group & Long Island Business Brokerage - Huntington, NY

Brokering Success

I don't know about other locations, but here in NY, if you take a fixture, the law says you have to replace it or the house will not pass.

Nov 01, 2008 01:11 AM

Linda Jandura

Raleigh Cary Realty - Apex, NC

Realtor, North Carolina Buyer & Seller Specialist

Curtains are not fixtures in NC so are usually taken. HOWEVER, light fixtures, bathroom cabinets, etc are left! The listing agent should have checked the house when his clients moved out. If they took that stuff, it should be noted in the MLS and repriced accordingly. Maybe if the sellers knew they would have to lower the price of their home when they took that stuff, it wouldn't have been so valuable to them.

Nov 01, 2008 01:15 AM

Anna Boyd

Re/Max Gold - El Dorado Hills, CA

CDPE, El Dorado Sacramento

I see this a lot in foreclosed homes. Hanging lights gone. Appliances gone. Automatic Garage Door opener gone. Bathtub gone (in one instance). Amazing.

If it's your normal seller, in California they need to leave anything attached - "unless" it's an REO, then all bets are off.

Nov 01, 2008 01:31 AM

Ilyce Glink

Think Glink Media - Chicago, IL

Best-selling author, award-winning TV/radio host.

Dawn- I completely agree with you. Sometimes it's hard to convince sellers to leave furniture and fixtures, though. But it really is worth it to bring a little life to the house!

Nov 01, 2008 06:55 AM

Dawn Helena Anderson

Coldwell Banker - Quality Properties - Porter Ranch, CA

Realtor Since 1998

Hi Dawn - Just last week a fellow real estate agent friend called me asking what to do with her clients taking all of the face plates on all of the outlets including towel bars etc. Well we spent some time with some handy dandy screwdrivers and corrected the situation. It could have been worse.

Nov 01, 2008 06:59 AM

Rich Mielke

REMAX Results, Frederick MD - Frederick, MD

REALTOR, Frederick Maryland Real Estate

In Maryland, the seller has to state what is being included with the property when it is listed. If it is in the MLS, the buyers expect it to be there.

Nov 01, 2008 07:17 AM

Benita Gottfried

New Vision Interiors LLC - Hopatcong, NJ

You are right Rich, that is my understanding as well. If you list it with all the details spelled out and have possible buyers notice that these things are truly not included, that is misrepresentation. I know times are tough, but how bad off can you be that you can't purchase light fixtures and minor things such as light switch covers for your new home. I would hope that i never find out.

Nov 01, 2008 01:30 PM

Dawn Bach Thurman

Eye to Eye Interiors, LLC - Chicago, IL

Redesign & Staging Services

Thanks for all the comments, guys. Face plates? Wow. I know people are feeling desperate these days... and Linda hit it on the nose with the repricing. I'm guessing some sellers just claim ignorance and figure it'll all get sorted out at closing. But without a decent showing, there'll be no closing!

Nov 01, 2008 04:09 PM

Kathleen Lordbock

Keller Williams Realty Professionals - Baxter, MN

Keller Williams Realty Professionals

I did a blog a while back on striping a foreclosure home on the items you can and can't LEGALLY take with you. Yes they take stuff, lots of fixtures, but it is illegal.

The other sellers are just cutting their own..............price.

Nov 28, 2008 01:42 PM

You Can't Take it With You

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