Can't tell you how much I appreciate this video. Not just the tips she gave, but HOW she delivered them. No long winded speeches, no long detailed stories about herself, just information quickly and succinctly given. I wish more youtube people would follow her lead!
It is difficult to make exact projections for the housing market as it is still unclear how quickly or to what degree the Federal Reserve will reduce inflation and borrowing costs without having a substantial negative impact on demand from consumers for anything from houses to cars.
I recently sold my home in the Boca Grande area and am considering investing a lump sum into the stock market before the anticipated rebound, couple of folks have been discussing a potential May rally, speculating on which stocks may experience substantial growth during the festive season. Do you have any insight into which stocks these might be?
If you need advice, consider speaking with a financial advisor. Don't get me wrong, you can do it on your own, but financial advisors have a lot more knowledge and expertise in this area.
People often overlook the value of financial advisors until they experience the downside of emotional decision-making. I recall a few summers ago, after a difficult divorce, when I needed help reviving my struggling business. I did some research and found a licensed advisor who worked diligently to grow my reserves, even amid inflation. As a result, my reserves grew from $285k to around $720k.
“Melissa Terri Swayne” is the coach that guides me, She has years of financial market experience, you can use something else but for me her strategy works hence my result. She provides entry and exit point for the securities I focus on.
Yes, agree, I was very impressed with how she got right into it. I wish other creators would do the same. But then their 10 minute videos would be only 4 minutes long, ha!
I definitely agree. I really dislike videos where the person spends 15 minutes trying to convince me how amazing they are when all I want is the information they have to share. I usually turn it off and move on. This video is perfect.
Thank GOD when I sold my house I had taken all valuable off the property. I forgot & left my little cheap watch on night stand. It was missing after the last showing. I missed it but I quickly replaced. This is awesome. Thank u for your great work!!!
I have a dear friend who has tried 4 times to sell her beautiful,elegant house. She has often been complimented by the agents on how she stages her whole home, but she has never even gotten an offer. I think it is because she insists on being present (she's afraid they could steal something) plus she insists on giving them " my tour and my speech". I'm convinced it is the kiss of death. She rejects suggestions that she not be there with horror.
Well, your dear friend is getting feedback from buyers...she's just not listening. Sounds like she is trying to over sell. This gives buyers that sense that she is going to be difficult and unreasonable to deal with. I do wish her luck...her home sounds lovely. Some sellers just can't get out of the way and trust the process. It is important to hire the right agent.
If I went to tour and the owner tried to give me “her tour and her speech,” I would listen carefully because they will tell me things that they probably shouldn’t
I would add one thing - if you have a favorite light fixture/chandelier that you want to take with you, swap it out VEFORE photos are taken of the inside of your place that are done prior to dale. Also, check and see if the buyers want your washer, dryer, and fridge. You can get ones for your new place and not pay for the cost of moving the old ones.
Where I live, most buyers want turn-key houses these days. In addition to neutral, modern decor ("carpet-free" is a big sellinng point now) being practically a must, it's assumed all the large appliances will be included. When I bought my house decades ago, things like appliances, window treatments, ceiling fans & chandeliers were a negotiating point. A lot has changed since then. My daughter was selling her home last fall & was advised to update the dryer because it was old & people touring her house had commented on that i.e. they could tell by the style of it. So she went out & got a newer one at a resale store. The house wasn't selling, so she was prepared to do anything within reason to make it more appealing, as per her agent's advice.
All very good suggestions; that is what we did when we sold our home several years ago. I had two decorative items that I really liked that were permanently attached to the wall. I changed those out with pictures that I purchased at a second hand store. We patched the holes and touched them up with paint, also.
Nice video Audra! Also, remove all religeous statues, paintings and crosses in the house. Finally, never show a house with a incense smell. Make sure the house is free of any odors or unusual smells.
Respectfully disagree about religious objects being removed. I've never removed and have never been been asked by realtors to remove them from my house, wouldn't anyway....and may I add I've had no problem selling any of my houses. Just felt I had to defend that point but I agree, good video.
@@KH-sx1xv I think moderation is key. I had one house where there was so much religious artifacts/crucifix that the buyers thought there was something really evil going on in the property. They thought the property might be possessed...not kidding. I really think keep it tasteful and you'll be fine.
@@KH-sx1xv respectfully disagree with your comment because with all the prejudices in our society, it is better to remove anything to indicate any religion or other personal values. You want the property to be absolutely neutral and simply attractive to the buyer, and these things may trigger prejudices that will interfere with the sale or pricing. remember, if the buyer doesn’t agree with your values that might be the trigger not to Buy. Really simple.
@@divinewon73 if they don't buy they don't buy...never been a problem in my experience. My love for God comes before anything. I think the author of the post was correct in saying, moderation is the key.
We sold our house after we moved out. Had it professionally cleaned, including carpets, fresh paint on walls and holes in walls repair. Sold for full price in 24 hours.
@angelayoung5798 We'll never know, but I'm convinced it mattered. The identical townhouse next door with folks still inside and selling for $10k less sat for another month before selling.
@@arcy5798We did a similar thing and I guarantee you it wouldn’t have sold as fast. We (wife, 2 young kids and I) were able to get ALL of our stuff out except for a few pieces of furniture and minimal items for staging. The place looked twice as big and was able to stay clean and tidy for the couple weeks we had to show it. The closets, cabinets, etc were 99% empty which made a big impact. It would have been impossible for us to maintain that while living there. I realize this isn’t possible for most people but it definitely can make a big difference.
@@roseseifert8939 There are always exceptions. This is about what works best on average. Plus it’s also dependent on the current market and the asking price.
These are all great points. the last house I sold was in 2010 during one of the worst selling markets for my area. I had contacted a realtor but A) the comps she came up with weren't really appropriate for my house, B) she dissed some of the paint we had used to clean up the walls before showing the house and C) she lowballed us on setting a price because she wanted to make a quick sale. I understand that realtors and agents need to eat too, but we ended up selling the house ourselves- did the marketing ourselves, took the pictures and had it appraised (appraisal came out $15K higher than her price) and ended up having a bidding war from three parties and sold it higher than appraisal. We had cleaned it out of most of the furnishings, just left a few for staging purposes (it was a relative's house, we weren't living in it) so it actually seemed larger. I asked the buyer what he thought of all the other houses he had looked at before settling on ours and he said "this is the best one we looked at- most of the others needed a lot of work" . In other words, because we had taken the time to do some landscaping and had cleaned up the insides with fresh paint and some cosmetic fixes, we sold the house for more than we thought at the worst housing market in 80 years.
Love to hear stories like this...You took matters into your own hands. I also applaud you getting an appraisal...well done. You are smart! I know it was a lot of work...it paid off. Congrats...and thanks for sharing.
Actually, it was the basement, and my FIL had painted it a pale yellow, and because we found the half-can of it still at the house, we used it to refresh the walls down there. All the walls upstairs were painted off white (swiss coffee).@@nancyadams9228
Good for you. If you have the skills to market the house, and most people don't, you should continue to do as I say: buy with a realtor- OK, but always sell by owner.
Totally agree with not talking about how 'nice' the neighbors are. When we bought our last house, the seller's realtor kept gushing about how nice a particular neighbor was, mentioning them by name and how we would really benefit from living almost directly across the street. Little did she know, she was actually hurting the deal because that 'nice' neighbor was from my old childhood neighborhood and broke into my parent's shed, destroying and stealing things, also they were very nasty to us when my parent's refused to let them into our yard to swim in our pool with the other neighborhood kids after that incident... oh, and did I mention they enjoyed 'practing' their katate lessons on us? Meanwhile, their mother had a problem when the guy (then boy) got beat up by the much smaller and younger girl in my family. So, yeah, don't point out how 'nice' you neighbors are when selling. You could literally be killing the deal. I bought the house, but it was in spite of them. It’s a much nicer house than theirs and I know it irks them that I live here. But, trust me, I thought long about if it was worth it.
Great info my realtor also told us. One thing I hate is viewing a home that is so cluttered I cant see the room. I also hate loud colors and wallpaper. One thing that we did was rent a storage building and went ahead and packed up excess furniture and knic knacs to make the rooms look spacious. Since we were moving, might as well pack up things and store them ahead of time.
What a great comment...and I agree. You are right about you have to move anyway...might as well start the packing and decluttering. Thanks for watching my video.
Wow. I HATE wallpaper too. But both of our houses we bought were covered in wall paper - both of them were at the right location and at the right price, so i was willing to scratch it. But god do i hate wall paper. Why people do that is beyong me
I viewed a home like that. It also had the hardest layout to walk around AND they left a Nazi flag and a Confederate flag on the bedroom wall…and this was in NYC. 🤦♂️
Please tell sellers to get rid of those dumb wall hangings with words like " Blessed" or "Family" or "Wine" or "Eat, pray, love", etc. I hate those dumb @ss signs. What is wrong with women? You know the husbands aren't buying that stuff!
After selling 7 homes in my life, I’ve learned that the less contact you have with the buyers and the less they know about you , the better. Not to be rude or antisocial, but to keep things a simple as possible. The last house I sold, the buyers didn’t have the best social skills and could be quite rude. It got so bad that at the closing, our agent had them sign papers at her office, and then we signed the papers 3 hours later in another city even though we weren’t moving very far away. ( bless her heart… I sent her flowers!)
Thanks for sharing your experience. Couldn't agree more!! Better just to keep buyers and sellers separate. Keeps things more professional. Just my opinion.
VERY WISE advice 👍 , we now live-in a multi cultural world, in the West we have very clear social etiquette boundaries, i am finding out that is NOT the case in many cultures, thats cool for them but i will not be engaging with that type of up in your face personal intrusive interaction when I don’t know these individuals. Its almost like a stand over tactic designed to intimidate and put you on the back foot, very insidious and threatening. NO THANK YOU 😂
Great advice. I'd also like to add--get rid of dogs, dog kennels, dog waste in the yard before photographing properties. I know people love their dogs, but I NEVER even schedule a showing if the photos show dog cages, etc.. I just think "ick".....that place is going to have a smell or a "feeling" of being not clean.
Uhg! We looked at a property where the small dog was in the house and there was literally dog poop on the carpet in the basement. Needless to say, we didn't put in an offer.
@suemar63 I love dogs and have a tiny one. But I would NEVER buy a house where a large dog lived for many years. Most people with yards don't walk their dogs (outside their property), so the yard is litterally 'filled' with ... ya know...pee and decomposed 'other'. And I can smell it, call me 'Sniffy'. My little dog does not want to do her business on the property, she knows that she gets her regular 2 walks per day. I organized a corner for her with a pee-pad. She has NOT USED IT ONCE. She's turning 10 soon. Dogs are clean.But not when you don't give them what they need: WALKS
We sold a house about 20 years ago. The rear door had a doggy door in it for our little Jack Russell. After the home open the agent told us the new owners were concerned about the doggy door as our chickens invited themselves in for their afternoon snack. We forgot to lock them up before we left. In all honesty, they had never used the doggy door before - they usually pecked on the lounge window for their snack.
Thanks for the suggestion of document removal. I would not have thought of removing, hiding or locking the investment papers etc. for showings. Following your channel has given me many, many tips for when we put our home on the market in April. We haven't purchased or sold a home in about 40 years. Thanks for you many efforts.
I know you're going to do great when you go to sell your home. I am so glad you are getting value out of my videos. Thrilled I can help. Best of luck!!
Wow, how things have changed. I remember my parents buying a home Wayback in the 80s. None of the houses were staged, they were usually a mess, the homeowners were almost always there. This was middle-class housing. This was not high end housing by any means but it was just different back then.
Yes, a lot has changed in real estate over the year. The internet really changed everything. Now sellers need to have beautiful photos and clean, tidy homes. If they don't, the buyers won't show up at the property because they are enticed by what they see on line.
I get cross with buyers who can't see past a colour scheme or a piece of furniture. The furniture will not come with the house, and colours are only a coat of paint, which almost everybody will change anyway. All you need to find out at a viewing is the state of repair, the size and layout of rooms, and how light the rooms are. Bathrooms and kitchens are exceptions because they are expensive to redo, but even then they can be lived with fir a while.
@@AudraLambert Exactly. The internet and social media exponentially increased the importance of visual stimuli-- your lifestyle, appearance, house, car, etc, are held to much higher standards than before. Everything is just more competitive. It's both a blessing and a curse.
We sold our house quickly we did have a realtor I told this person that we will be present at every open house. We were in the background she sold it but no where on earth am I trusting any stranger in our home without us.
Yes, I'm 100% with you. I've successfully sold our houses doing the same. I've heard too many bad stories about houses shown with realtors present but homeowners absent. I'd not expect the owner of a car to be absent while I decided if I wanted to purchase their vehicle, ( test drive it) why should I demand it of them in regard to THEIR house?
@@BobPenzienwhy should anyone put their home and belongings to the trust of someone even a realtor. I can tell you how many houses I've toured where the seller's realtor/agent was nowhere to be found. I HATED being in someone's house with all their personal belongings yet they were absent. I felt very creepy. If the house is empty then it's great to freely tour it. Otherwise I prefer the homeowners to be present.
Always have a good quality door mat outside all of the exterior doors. If seller insists on shoe removal or booties, have a chair or bench next to the door. Many older buyers have difficulty with balancing on one foot.
At 72 I can bend over and put my hands flat on the floor, do a deep knee bend and a full back bend, take stairs 2 at a time and get up from a sitting position on the floor without using my hands, balance on one foot for long periods of time…many people in their 20’s and 30’s can’t do this. It isn’t uncommon for your younger folks to have more flexibility and balance issues than some of us old folks. Do not show your age prejudices to the world with dumb remarks like the one you added here.
Audra is 100% right on every item she shared. I am a long time home stager and all of her tips are critical. Don’t leave yourself open to any liability or issues!!!!!
We just sold our house after only three showings. Thankful for that. Now going through the inspection process. Only 4 minor things were found that will only take a few minutes to repair.
I'd to add to signs of distress things that are associated with disability and aging such as walkers, wheelchairs, raised toilet seats, etc. Maybe it was my own discomfort acknowledging the inevitably of advanced age and the difficulties it entails, but whenever I have seen these things in houses I was looking at, it was a huge turn-off.
Yes, I would agree. However, if the house is located in a retirement community...its more than likely the person looking in that area would appreciate the installation. In most cases, I would agree. Thanks for the comment.
I remember a woman living on the next block who wanted to get into the real estate business. She was, for a short while, the real estate agent for a house on my block. For some reason, she wanted to give the impression that the house in question was perfect for children. She went out and bought toys, bikes, games etc. She went overboard. The front yard looked like a Toys-R-Us was hit by a tornado! Every square foot of the property was buried under toys, bikes skateboards. It actually was an eyesore. The irony was that the kids who lived in that house were all a lot older and would not be using any of that crap. Perspective buyers saw right through it. That's how obvious it was.
I live in New York (Manhattan) and in an apartment building. Especially since COVID nobody lets anybody walk into their home with street shoes on. If someone doesn’t want to put on booties or take off their shoes let them bring bedroom slippers. We don’t spend our days driving around in our own cars or walking down pretty country lanes. City streets have everything disgusting in them. Our subways are also places filled with stuff you don’t want to touch. In NYC most of us have beautiful hardwood floors. Aside from the germs and filth nobody wants their floors getting scratched or damaged because the condition of your floors does actually impact the price of the sale. (Most of us change from our outdoor clothing once we get home. I wouldn’t sit in a taxi and then sit on the bed with the same clothes.)
Yes!!!! Not just shoes, but outside clothes as well. The second I get home, before touching or ever sitting on anything, I wash my hands and change my clothes.
well arent you lucky then you dont have to worry about showing a property you dont own one and did they make you take your shoes off when they showed you that dirty apartment? you dont have a home, you have a RENTED space
that’s what I’m going to do. I don’t want anything in the way of buyer’s consideration. I brought our home with all the contents and there was wall to wall furniture pieces. I am so tired of everyone acting stuffy about everything. Look at the house visualize what you need and stop with all the requirements to see a showing. Booties? Sellers present? please who cares??? you’re there to see the home and an old lady sitting in the kitchen affects you? We have truly become so odd and fabricated
All great points , especially the first and the last from my own personal home buying experience! I can still remember the sad owners, sitting in their kitchens, literally driving potential buyers away with their presence. I also remember my then "new to the industry:"real estate agent who kept getting caught up in personal photos and mementos left in the various sellers' properties. She would draw my attention to them which was very distracting. People seem to have no idea just what personal information can be deduced by such items. I would completely depersonalize any property that I was selling. Potential buyers don't need to know what your family and friends ( or pets) look like. Rather, they need to imagine themselves living there!
As a Buyer, I can recall a showing where the Sellers (an elderly couple) remained on property seated in their backyard. I deduced this was because leaving the property was not an option for health reasons? It was a warm day (in Scottsdale), so my husband, realtor and I went through the house as fast as we could which really did no one any favors.
@@tammyrussell-rice5508 Yes, I get this a lot from buyers. Some home sellers don't care and then can't understand why they aren't getting offers. Can only do what you can do I guess. Thanks for your comment. People need to hear this. Thank you
I remember going into a scheduled appointment viewing of a property where dad was in the living room watching TV and the kids were in their rooms. We couldn’t see anything and felt really uncomfortable. we figured that they didn’t want to sell their house that badly.
I moved 19 times in 23 years of marriage. In that time we bought many homes but never had an open house. If someone wanted to view the home, they would need to have an appointment with their realtor!
Need to add get rid of smoking & pet owners. My seller was a chain smoker. The house was immaculate but rhe house reeked of smoke. The odoe was in the furnishings, carpets, and draperies. I saw a dozen pill bottles in the kichen & being in the medical profession, I could tell this person was taking meds for advanced cancer. It wasn't a good feeling. I did wind up purchasing the house & immediately pulled the carpets & drapes. That alone helpef but I painted & that helped a lot.
No need to ban pet owners! I didn’t have my pets at home while my home was being showed (for their own safety!) but it’s not always possible with kitties to remove them easily.
Get rid of pet owners? What does that mean? Ban pets or refuse to sell houses where the sellers own pets? Evict them from the property before selling? I'm confused. Owning pets is a pretty common thing.
Every house I've sold, I leave a binder for the new owner with all the documents for appliances, contractors I've used, companies I bought from, etc. etc., so they have a full history of what was used and put into the house. I also ensure I leave paint or paint samples used throughout the house. I set up a binder the day I move in and add to it throughout the years so it is 'full' when I leave. (I wish someone would have done that for me!!!) Maybe some selling agent could devise a great 'binder' system and give that to their buyers.
I didn’t create a binder, but I left all the user manuals for everything, leftover paint, the repair people I had used, and I still had old documents from the previous owner from 20 years ago.
We did a For Sale By Owner in PA several years ago. Since we were selling it ourself; we had to show the property to people who did not go through a Real Estate Agent. What we did was take them through the house; point out the highlights of the home, then we sat in our car out in the street and left the potential buyer tour the home on their own. Several that viewed the property came out to us and asked us to come back in the house because they had questions. We sold our home in three days for over the asking price.
I went to an open house where the seller had their beautiful jewelry on the bedroom dresser. I let the agent know to put it somewhere safe. It was real” jewelry.
I was helping my soon to be husband with some staging when he was selling his house. He doesn't have a creative bone in his body! LOL I inadvertently left a pair of my favorite gold earrings on one of the dressers. You guessed it.....they were gone when we returned after the open house. Definitely my fault, but they had sentimental value. Now even if we go out of town for an extended vacation, I box up all my jewelry and leave it at my daughter's house. Lots of sticky fingers out there.
Great, helpful video, thanks! I’ve had either agents or potential buyers turn on my fireplace while I was gone and LEAVE IT ON after they left. They also turned off the pilot light on our attic heater. And they’d leave the doors unlocked. And they often left ALL of the lights on. So if the sellers leave for a showing, come back right afterwards to check everything.
@@AudraLambert , thanks! Leaving the gas fireplace on was the scariest for me. Luckily, I came right back after I saw them leave (I was parked nearby so I could tell when they left). I would think that if someone wanted to know if the fireplace worked, they should get a home inspection instead of messing with that and the space heaters. What if I had not come back for several hours? I didn’t need my gas bill to skyrocket for that month!😄 I also had read that some “clients” would intentionally leave doors or windows unlocked for a break-in later, so I always checked those. I’ll bet you have some great “war stories,” too! I’m going to follow your channel and see. 😊 You provide great information for people selling and/or buying a home.
I would also add that you shouldh't cook anything that has a strong smell while the house is on the market --- ideally, the house should have no smell at all, and be absolutely neutral. Another thing is not to use a lot of air fresheners. I have personal experience with this -- when looking at houses more than once it happened that my husband had to grab one of my arms while the realtor took the other one and rushed me out of the house before I went into respiratory distress -- this is an extreme example, I know, but any one of the houses I was rushed out of could have been the perfect house for us, but we will never know that. The eager sellers had rushed around their houses spraying aerosol air fresheners which triggered an allergic reaction in me. And the question at the back of our minds was "what are they trying to cover up and hide"? The only thing that you should be able to smell is fresh paint, and hopefully that won't be a strong smell either.
I agree with you 100%...smells can really effect a buyer's experience when touring a home. Neutral smell is always the best. Thanks so much for your comment...its a good one.
@@patgorham4796 Not a bad idea. I did have one incident where kids were making messes with the cookies all over the house. Chocolate chip smudge marks on walls. Parents of course did not notice. I do love the smell of fresh baked cookies.
@@KMBblessingsme too. I love curry but could hardly stand the smell in the house - it permeated everything (drywall, flooring, furniture…). Anyone buying the house would have to be East Indian or would need to strip back everything to the studs and replace it ALL.
Those are all very valid points! And I would never be present during an open house! You either trust your agent, or you don’t! If you follow the above advice and remove your valuables then you definitely don’t need to be there!
I am looking to relocate to my hometown of Dallas TX. I went to look at a house I was really excited about and the homeowner was there and actually opened the door while my realtor was opening the lock box. I felt like I was in his space (which I was), but it caused me to hustle through the place so I didn’t put him out any more than necessary. I’m sure I missed a lot of the good qualities people notice about homes that one can only get by actually being inside, so I immediately knocked the house off the list of potential homes because I didn’t feel like I got a better feel for the house beyond the online photos. I have no way of knowing for sure, but I think that house would’ve been a better contender had I been able to really go in and absorb what the home really had to offer. So I agree that it’s not great to be home when you agree to show your home to a potential buyer.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this comment. People need to read this. Your experience with the home seller being present is what I hear from a lot of potential buyers. Thanks for sharing.
You weren't that interested in it in the first place. If you really liked it you'd have taken a proper look, gone back a second time and looked some more. If it was his car would you expect him to hand you his keys and walk away? No. You fully expect him present and to answer your questions about HIS car that you are interested in purchasing. His home is still HIS but he's wanting to sell it to YOU. If it suits your desires you will buy it, regardless if he is present. YOUR realtor has numerous houses to sell and the bottom line is to find one for you to purchase so as to collect a commission for that sale. Only a fool will fully trust their investment to a stranger who has zero personal investment in its protection ( which is exactly the case when a buyer arrives with their agent given most often that agent does NOT represent the house they are opening for you to tour.
@@gdhhayes2129 I disagree. My realtor is a good friend of mine, so she’s not only out for commission. The owner didn’t follow us around to answer questions. He went out on the front porch & I felt like I was putting him out by keeping him from being in his house, so I rushed through. It just wasn’t a scenario conducive to being able to tour it thoroughly. Since I don’t live in Dallas and am only there for certain occasions, such as the holidays, I’m only looking at the homes I’m most interested in. While I get that there are people who don’t trust others to be in their homes, your perspective is inaccurate in my case.
@@AudraLambert you’re so welcome! And thank you for your insight! Buying a new home is a huge investment, and selling my house will be a huge investment for a buyer. I’ve lived in my house almost 15 years and the market has changed drastically, so your videos are quite helpful. Thank you!
When I've successfully sold my previous homes, before listing I packed up 50 to 60 percent of our belongings which included personal photos, handbags, etc. it serves both to hide things we didn't want stolen, as well as decluttering and depersonalizing the house. My presence didn't prevent a sale but personal " junk" and clutter most definitely is a deterrent.
For sure! As I am now almost 75 years old I am slowly downsizing and don't even have anything of real value except my car and 15 year old washer/dryer and range. No TV screens, printer, electronics, smart phone, etc. Just one 5 year old laptop. All that I have to be concerned with is one file drawer.
I completely agree. When I built my house the realtor who was a friend asked if she could use my model to show to prospective buyers. The developer did not have my model in any of their developments. I said yes and occasionally she would bring people through. I was usually not at home. After a few months I discovered a pair of very expensive shoes were missing and I surmised someone had had sticky fingers. Live and learn.
How about a list of things NOT to do when you are a buyer?! Dont be late Don't bring your kids-- if you must, make SURE they stay with you-- not running through the house, jumping on beds or using the toilets! Dont stay longer than 45 minutes--if you are that interested make an appt. For a 2nd viewing. Etc...
Absolutely right. My fiancé had a showing. In his country the seller is expected to be present to answer any questions. The adults couldn’t even hear themselves speak, because the children were so wild. People are indeed human, not animals, and they as humans are expected to obey certain rules of behaviour.
We were aghast at the condition of our home when a 3rd party realtor brought a potential buyer with children that ran amuck destroying things and no one bothered to clean up or inform us what was broken. Totally unacceptable.
Oh man, that list would be endless!!!! 1) Don't ask for a snack or beverage. 2) Don't open people's furniture drawers unless the furniture comes with the house. 3) Don't bring 4 or 5 friends with you. 4) Don't ask to use the bathroom and don't have your friends ask to use the bathroom 5) Don't bring your pet 6) Don't stomp on the floors of a second floor condo to see "how solid the floors are" when there are neighbors living underneath. 7) Don't plop yourself on the sofa and sit there for hours, 8) Don't bring your friends and let THEM plop on the sofa. 9) Don't let your kids pound on the piano (appalling!!!), 10) Don't flop on the seller's bed. No one wants you on their bed with your dirty shoes and your dirty street clothes!!! 11) Don't bring any food or drink with you besides plain water. 12) Don't negatively comment on items that aren't part of the sale. 13) Don't show up to the house unless you are genuinely interested and able to purchase it. It's not open to satisfy your curiosity or entertain you on a Sunday afternoon... Bottom line, people are ignorant and rude and seem to have lost all common sense and manners. 80% of the people who show up to these open houses have no interest or ability to actually buy.
@@eden_aumakuaBeing "human" is not an excuse for being a rude, obnoxious, inconsiderate boar. Being "human" is all the more reason not to behave like an animal. You sound like a nightmare!
Yet again, you talk so much sense!! Please come over to the UK and give all our agents some training!! I get it totally and we have just agreed a sale on our home but it is so disappointing and so frustrating viewing properties to buy which are so badly presented! The property itself and also the presentation by the agent, the lack of basic knowledge about the property they’re showing is shocking. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.
Hello UK...so glad I can offer some assistance. Congrats on selling your home...sounds like the process isn't ideal. You'll find the right house despite the not so great options out there. Really appreciate your support.
There's no excuse for any property to be badly presented for selling in the UK - we have been bombarded with popular property shows for well over 20 years beginning with "House Doctor". There's nothing new that hasn't been said 1000 times before in this video - including in the UK.
Great video. I will remember these tips when we list our house. I especially agree with tip #10. When we home shopped years ago the buyers were home at one listing and both my husband and I felt so uncomfortable! It was like we were trespassing! How can you judge closet size and such when the homeowners are right there? We barely looked at anything, felt pressured to compliment what we saw and couldn’t wait to get out of the house! And we didn’t even consider buying that property!
1-personal photos 2-no video surveillance without a warning sign 3-no valuables 4-medications (controlled substances) 5-personal documents or papers 6-safes (unless hidden) 7-no personal memory items (facts only) 8-no signs of distress (shows desperation to sell) 9-no plastic runners or requests people remove/cover shoes 10-homeowners shouldn’t be present
Thank you. I wish RUclips channel producers would do this right from the get-go. It would encourage me to watch further. It's not as if there are giving away spoilers, and reassures that you're not wasting time on clickbait.
I don't agree, with the shoe item, I' ve had bad experience with high heels denting new hardwood floors, I am sure it was the realtors! Shame on them!!!
I’ve sold 2 houses by owner in less than 2 months. My husband is very savvy regarding inspections and has been open about any issues, and the buyers appreciate that. Plus, we’ve staged our home well. Saved a boat load of money.
As always Audra, great info! My husband and I are preparing our home to list in a few weeks and I’ve been watching your videos for many months. I’m using info you’ve given to help us with this part of our journey. Thank you! I love your honest opinion on everything.
I'm doing the same - using Audra's advice to get our house ready to put on the market this spring/summer. I'll also be needing to list my 86 year old parents' home before long, so this will likely be two listings I'll be making within a couple of years. Seems a bit overwhelming, but being prepared will surely help.
Funny story, this falls under category of personal taste in art...dont make it permanent to the house. I was looking at a house with my realtor. Backyard wall covered in gang-style graffiti, hmm MLS photos didnt include this feature. I looked at the agent and asked , is this a high crime area?! Expression on his face was priceless! He inquired, turned out sellers had an artist paint this deliberately, to be cool I guess. I still bought the house, that permanent art is now behind a layer of stucco.
Nice. The safes stay private knowledge, and the buyers are happy because they got an extra asset basically for free, since it wasn't part of their calculations in the price they agreed to. Happy buyers are the best buyers.
All great points! Also, secure firearms, kitchen knives, and anything else that could be used as a weapon against your realtor. Realtors often work solo and are mindful of the risk of being overpowered and/or outnumbered. Sadly, not all strangers who enter the home should be trusted. Please stay safe.
Very good advice, very important advice. All seriousness aside, when our last house was for sale, I put my Timex watch and my velvet Elvis at my brother's house for safekeeping.
Audra, absoloutly love your videos. You get straight down to information without a lot of fluffing around as some videos do. Wish you were in New Zealand for when we sell our home later this year, not many people here use home staging. I watch you and put tips to good use. Thank you
Those are all good suggestions. The most important factor is pricing if you want a quick sale. If you have time to sell, then you can list around the comps. I listed below the comps and had an above price offer within two days.
Id say #11, no overly religious items. My husband and I walked into an open house and not only was the owner there he was sitting at a folding table right when you walked in and had a huge floor to ceiling Jesus painting. It was so off putting, there were dozens of crosses all over the house as well. #12 bad smells, this specific house also smelled so odd. We barely toured the house, we went through the living room to the kitchen outside and then back and left. We were just creeped out by the religious stuff everywhere and the smell. The owner looked angry sitting there too and looked like he disapproved of everyone walking into his house. We just noped out of that house.
Back during the Carter era I tried to sell a house for a year and a half (dicey neighborhood, plain house). I tried all the 'make cookies' tricks and the thing that finally did it was throwing a turkey in the oven. I figured I was going to be gone for 3 hours anyways, and the whole place smelled like Grandma's house...
Excellent advice Audra such a great list! many I wouldn’t have thought of. Being in 🇨🇦 I feel that in general we are a bit too trusting, but we shouldn’t be! So hiding documents, safe deposit boxes, anything of value is great advice. So many realtors here could learn a lot from you.
I do like your list. I have toured homes that had issues, and it was a turnoff fast. However, depending on the realtor (pick a good one) I've been present once by accident and the realtor didn't know anything about an older home. I answered the question factually, and that sold the home. Other homes realtors did their job, and I was absent. I was lucky to find the right realtors since I shopped and talked. I had some lulu's who didn't know anything about the industry. So don't just list, know who you are listing with. Professionalism will benefit the seller and the buyer.
No public open houses - ever. When I went to purchase an apartment for my son I had to bring proof of assets over the cost of the apartment to get an appointment to view any apartment. And when I sell mine, my broker will insist on the same. Nobody wants to be a Sunday activity for bored couples. As a buyer I always ask permission if I want to photograph something or take a video.
We returned to our home after the Open House to discover that someone had spilled their coffee on our brand new carpeting, someone had layed down on our bed (we could actually see their body outline on our comforter and one of the pillows), someone had used our master bedroom toilet (ugh - going #2) without flushing, AND someone had rummaged through our medicine cabinet (we’d removed all prescription meds beforehand), removing all of the cold/congestion tablets and leaving the empty box! Thank goodness we accepted a very good offer 3 days later, sparing us a second Open House.
So sorry to hear your experience. Not cool. Thanks for sharing...and so glad you got a good offer 3 days after listing it. I am sure your house showed beautifully.
Rental home with tenants who insisted on being present for each showing: someone went through ( a tenant lawyer) who used bathroom without asking, and without shutting the second door. Tenants horrified, furious , frustrated. I couldn’t blame them
Great points! In my region, homes are more and more often being marketed vacant and staged digitally. Moving out before listing, moving into temp short-term rental housing, etc., is hard (some friends have done it recently) but it makes everything a lot easier in the long run. Homes can also be shown at any time --- no more asking the owner if they can tidy up and leave the house for awhile on a given day.
I agree with most of what you say here. However, I have bought, fixed up, and sold 8 homes in 20 yrs and with the exception of 1 of them. I sold them all by being home and answering questions as they were asked. Staying out of the way, but within ear shot. Pointing out what's new, what's newer and what's upgraded is always a plus. On the other hand, in buying homes I have yet to have one agent know much about the property other than what's in the MLS and I HATE that. When you're looking to buy it's a PIA to have to wait a couple days for answers and in the mean time loose the chance to move on another house if the answers are not great. Also, if you are there, you don't have to worry about people rummaging through your stuff. so moving valuables isn't a issue or extra expense.
I have to tell you that I stumbled on your talk about what not to do when you sell your house. It is really good. You are really good great ideas I probably would’ve thought of them but maybe not. I just wanted you to know that I very much appreciate it, I wish you were in my area
I agree with getting valuables off the property or at least secured. My mom was selling their house in Bay Area and thieves came in by posing as buyers and making an appointment with the realtor. They unlocked a window and door to the garage and came back later and stole tools. Luckily, all jewelry and other valuables were moved out. The houss was vacant during the selling. The realtor admitted he should have checked to make sure things were locked because he felt something "off" about these potential buyers. The booty thing drives me nuts. I do work where I have to go into new occupied homes. Booties are a hassle. and dangerous, especially carrying items up a solid tread staircase. I have a pair of non marking indoor rubber soled slippers I carry with me. Totally agree that the seller shouldn't be around. We sometimes got calls with little notice, especially on Sundays. It's part of selling. We would go for a walk or run an errand and leave the house empty. That goes for your pets too.
So sorry to hear about your experience. Thanks so much for sharing..people need to be aware of this...realtors too. I completely agree with sellers not being on the property...AND I do not feel cute or comfortable in booties. Just saying!!
Wow! That is good to know. I could see that happening, especially during an open house where just anyone can walk in. We have robberies all the time in our area following garage sales as robbers case the property when they come into the garage looking for entry into the home, and to see what you might have.
Someone fiddled with the ceiling fan switch and it broke, leaving the fan spinning at top speed. We had to get an electrician to fix it for $400. The fan cost less than that. The realtor said she didn’t see anything (she was a top-selling agent in that city). We were so angry at her, but didn’t make a fuss. After that, she neglected our listing for 10 months (we were already living 800 miles away). Finally it sold, but for far less than original asking price. After 30 years, that still stings.
@gaywells7340, We’d hired the top selling agent in our area too, thinking with waterfront property we’d have good results. She neglected us too, we were not impressed at all, she just wanted to stack those listings. We wound up getting a different agent. She’s still in the area and thirty years later the photo on her sign hasn’t changed (no updated photo over time, once in a while - truth in advertising? 😂 )
Give lesser known agents a try. Those with so many listings are not going to give each home the attention it needs. Meanwhile, other agents are out there busting their tails above and beyond for clients and trying to grow enough to afford a living.
The last home my parent's sold , they could tell that children (or someone) had been jumping on their bed. Even worse, their file cabinet had been rifled through. When the buyers wanted to go back in to measure, they absolutely refused and told them exactly why.
Where are people's manners...Just unbelievable. Who does that? So sorry to hear about your parent's experience but am glad they taught them a lesson on respect. Good grief!!
One of the homes we toured when shopping for a new place had a sidearm sitting on the bed stand. We didn't care at all but I am certain the owner was in a hurry and simply forgot to store it out of sight. (Didn't end up buying that home) We did buy the one down the street where the owner had her husband's ashes on the mantle. It didn't creep us out - he certainly wasn't going to bother us.
I had a bad experience one day visiting a house. I had my baby in my arms, and while in the stairs, I had the dog of the owners (they were waiting in the kitchen), jumping on me. In the stairs. My husband was trying to keep the dog at distance.We left the house, very angry. Never came back. The owners should have listened to your advice...
I sold 2 homes back to back. I made sure the homes were empty, freshly painted inside & out and the cleaned inside and out. All landscaping trimmed neatly. They both sold in 2 days.
Our home is on the market right now and we moved out, remodeled it and have been living in a rental until we build a new one. When someone asks why we moved out, it was simple, my X husband that lives with me is a pig...lol he can't keep anything organized or clean anymore. Less arguments that way too We did everything on your list. I knew this because I was a realtor a long time ago...lol Not only does it show well, it also photographed beautifully for the online presence.
Man, can I agree with the last one! When we started our home search, we had two showings where the owners were present. It felt creepy. We also saw one house where they had two rooms blocked off because their DOGS were in there.
I would like to add #11. I realize that men are extremely proud of their accomplishments. However….please remove from the wall and hide all Deer heads, moose heads, and all other animals that you have hunted off the walls! My wife is completely turned off with a home if she sees any other “weird animal eyes”. You will want to take them with you so please pack them before showing the home.
Many houses in the area we were looking had heads mounted , stuffed bears etc. I couldn't get past looking at those things to really see the house some times.
I’ve moved over ten times and I’ve thought about most of these things, but the surprise was how many houses that we looked at with owners that didn’t. (We thought of them as people who didn’t “really” want to sell their house!) Especially with the “Booties”, we put them on one time and decided not to to look at any houses that “bootie’s” were mandated in the future and we haven’t!
Several years ago when we were looking for a house, we went into one where it said we had to remove our shoes. Sure enough, we walked upstairs to look around but when going back down, my socks made me slip and I did fall down several steps hurting my back. I didn’t make a deal about it but I was sore for several days. Be careful!!
I needed to sell my deceased parents home. I was at the house when a realtor came by with prospective buyers. I was asked if I were a buyer or the seller. I told her that I was the seller...all three seemed to look right through me and then left. It was on a golf course and it sold itself, however I will never be in a house with someone's realtor and potential buyers again!
One thing you forgot to list: NO Snakes on the property! When house hunting in the early 1990s, my husband and I looked at a house that was being sold by an agent for someone we happened to know. He had left his pet snake in the garage! Everything else had been moved out. Of course, we commented on the snake, felt creepy, etc. I heard through the grapevine that the agent told him, "The snake has to go!" It certainly was not helping to sell the house.
RE: Hip breaking when falling down stairs. Insurance investigators have told me that what usually happens is that the hip breaks or cracks and that's what causes the person to fall, not the other way around. So when someone says, "I fell down and broke my hip", what really happened is the hip breaking is what caused the fall in the first place.
I’ve experienced home buying with and without the owners present and I prefer the latter. I felt uncomfortable touching anything in the house where the owner was present for fear of making them uncomfortable. Yet I wanted to check closet, drawer & cupboard space to see if it was the right fit for our lifestyle. The owners followed us around and pointed things out that were of no interest to us and that had nothing to do with selling their home. They made our viewing take 30 minutes plus longer than necessary. Very uncomfortable situations and we didn’t buy those houses.
This is exactly why owners should be present. You should not be touching things. Open a closet door… fine. But what drawer? I sold my house and was there when some buyers toured and they poked into furniture… stand alone bookcases that would be moved. Buyers are nothing more than curious monkeys and they steal!
As a long time blg repair man the 2 homes i bought in my past i didnt care about anything that was in house. I looked for water an termite damage electrical problems mold. Who care what previous owner has in there house if you buy thats gonna be gone before you move in.
Thanks for explaining #10. I always knew that, but never knew why. I can't believe people insist on booties! My first thought was, "...but aren't you moving out? Why would you care?" I have hardwood floors throughout, tile in the bathroom and linoleum in the kitchen; not a scrap of carpet and only a few small rugs or runners. I can tell the difference in the air quality between our home and mostly carpeted dwellings. Not to be judgey, but if you have any health issues with breathing or allergies, I highly suggest getting rid of those dust, dirt, grime, and hair catchers aka wall to wall carpets! Said with all kindess intended. :)
Hello there! I do agree about the carpet...but some people just love their carpet. Carpet isn't great for allergies and is a sponge for dirt and grime. I prefer hard surface flooring with area rugs...its cleaner and easily cleaned. Appreciate your comment...and glad you got value out of my video. Have a lovely day!!
@@AudraLambert Which is why people should NEVER under any circumstances walk around a carpeted home with street shoes on. You said it....a sponge for dirt and grime which CAN NOT be removed with cleaning as you suggest. The carpet is never the same.
While I agree with the guidelines you’ve offered, I did want to mention that when sellers express concern about having multiple visitors walk over newly replaced carpet, it’s typically out of a desire to keep the carpet in a new-condition for the final buyer of the home, not because the current homeowner is stressing over their own continued comfort while still in the home. That explanation as given seemed weird and inaccurate.
Hi Cheryl, thanks for your comment. However, if you read some of the comments regarding homeowners selling their homes, the homeowners are the ones concerned about their carpet being dirty...not necessarily concerned for their buyer. I hear ya though...it makes sense.
Ohmygosh. Had the homeowner there when my husband and I looked at a house. He was selling it without using a realtor. He went on and on about things in the house my husband and I had absolutely no interest in. How he had remodeled something and the costs, the herculean effort, etc. He was trying, I think, to let us know how particular he was about making renovations and repairs top quality but all he did was take our time. We couldn't go anywhere in the house without a lecture about what he had done to "craft" a perfect house. We cut our tour short and did not go back. We also did not tour homes which were being sold by the owner. Lesson learned!
I totally agree about the owner being present. When we were looking for a home we avoided houses that are sold by owner and shown by owner. In fact we preferred to look on my own so we could point out things, good or bad. When we were househunting, we liked to move at our own pace. Meaning we didn't want people pointing out things for us. We could quickly judge if the home had potential, and then we would slow down or back track and ask quesions. I have sold two properies (I owned them). In both cases the homes were empty. This was before the days of a lot of staging. However, we did leave some furniture, especially chairs and a table so people could sit and talk.
Not making it up:). Home sellers are just trying to assist with the sale of their home...but unfortunately this memory book can create some liability for them.
I’m a RE Broker in two states & I completely agree with everything presented here. Every point is salient & necessary in order to sell your home quickly while protecting yourselves & your family from bad actors. One more point I’d add is to remove all traces of pets & their toys, beds, grooming essentials etc. Also, remove all pet odors, along with cooking odors.
surprised you left pets off the list. I went to open houses where the dog or cat was locked in one of the rooms and we werent allowed to open door to see the room. Send Fido to doggy day care... for their safety if nothing else. Why risk the animal getting lost because a stranger didnt comply and left gate or door open. I toured a house where seller's the dog was in laundry room. I returned another day after requesting pet not be there. I love dogs but what if buyer doesn't or has severe allergies?!
I do agree...and I should have added pets to the list. Its creates a lot of stress for the listing agent managing the showings with pets on the property. Some even get aggressive. Good points..thanks for commenting.
I agree pets should be away from the home- for their sake! I’ve heard too many stories of doors being left open, and indoor pets getting out and not found.
I sold my house with 3 dogs...black labs.....made it look like there were no dogs. Take the dogs, out with you, put away pet bowls, pick up the yard. Clean clean clean! My house sold for full price, no concessions in 31 hours! 😂 Also, keep your dogs groomed to help with smells!
Please make a separate video (maybe you have) about pets. We have two old indoor cats in delicate health. Jerking them around for multiple viewings is just plain cruel. What creative and compassionate solutions have your previous clients come up with that are kind to animals but allow people to really see all the house?
Wow! This video was suggested to me for some reason so I watched it and was very impressed. I immediately thought this is a smart woman who could teach me a lot and I had to look up where you were located before the video ended. Surprise! So Cal. No wonder I like her! I’m a new subscriber.
Excellent advice as usual :) . I'd also add take your laptops or iPad and such devices with you, sticky fingers. I was lucky to have a great agent back in 2018. I'd do all you said. Also, had my checkbook and bills in a small carrying case and electronic devices ready to leave in a 1/2 notice (throw in my car trunk and bring back in with me).
Add to that boats and trailers in the yard 😎 seriously no guns on the wall , no triggers even tho I carry and am big second amendment guy don’t have stuff that can be off putting to some people .
Absolutely great advise. Having been through 10 relocations with my husband’s employer (being both a buyer and seller) you are spot on. I never thought about disguising the safe but certainly a very good idea. As the buyer I absolutely would not look through a house with the owners there! I have turned around a left several potential homes due to the owners presence.
I agree with you completely...some home owners will not leave. Its their home...but I recommend them not being there. That's typically the same feedback I receive when the sellers are present. Really appreciate your comment...and 10 relocations..WOW!!
"As the buyer I absolutely would not look through a house with the owners there! I have turned around a left several potential homes due to the owners presence." That's just stupid.
Can't tell you how much I appreciate this video. Not just the tips she gave, but HOW she delivered them. No long winded speeches, no long detailed stories about herself, just information quickly and succinctly given. I wish more youtube people would follow her lead!
I know! Some RUclipsrs are so yakky
Thank you so much. I really appreciate your kinds words.
Yes very refreshing just get to it and inform us... thank you..
😂like yours
@@AudraLambert You are GOOD....I learned quite a few things.
It is difficult to make exact projections for the housing market as it is still unclear how quickly or to what degree the Federal Reserve will reduce inflation and borrowing costs without having a substantial negative impact on demand from consumers for anything from houses to cars.
I recently sold my home in the Boca Grande area and am considering investing a lump sum into the stock market before the anticipated rebound, couple of folks have been discussing a potential May rally, speculating on which stocks may experience substantial growth during the festive season. Do you have any insight into which stocks these might be?
If you need advice, consider speaking with a financial advisor. Don't get me wrong, you can do it on your own, but financial advisors have a lot more knowledge and expertise in this area.
People often overlook the value of financial advisors until they experience the downside of emotional decision-making. I recall a few summers ago, after a difficult divorce, when I needed help reviving my struggling business. I did some research and found a licensed advisor who worked diligently to grow my reserves, even amid inflation. As a result, my reserves grew from $285k to around $720k.
I’m intrigued by your experience. Could you possibly recommend a trustworthy advisor you've consulted with?
“Melissa Terri Swayne” is the coach that guides me, She has years of financial market experience, you can use something else but for me her strategy works hence my result. She provides entry and exit point for the securities I focus on.
Audra, you now what I loved about this video? You got right to you points without 5 minutes of how great you are! Good job!
Thanks so much!! Appreciate the feedback.!!
This is why I love her. She does this because she cares. She has a big heart and wants to help people.
Yes, agree, I was very impressed with how she got right into it. I wish other creators would do the same. But then their 10 minute videos would be only 4 minutes long, ha!
I definitely agree. I really dislike videos where the person spends 15 minutes trying to convince me how amazing they are when all I want is the information they have to share. I usually turn it off and move on. This video is perfect.
Thank GOD when I sold my house I had taken all valuable off the property. I forgot & left my little cheap watch on night stand. It was missing after the last showing. I missed it but I quickly replaced. This is awesome. Thank u for your great work!!!
Thank you for your comment...and so sorry to hear your watch got stollen. Its just not right.
I have a dear friend who has tried 4 times to sell her beautiful,elegant house. She has often been complimented by the agents on how she stages her whole home, but she has never even gotten an offer. I think it is because she insists on being present (she's afraid they could steal something) plus she insists on giving them " my tour and my speech". I'm convinced it is the kiss of death. She rejects suggestions that she not be there with horror.
Well, your dear friend is getting feedback from buyers...she's just not listening. Sounds like she is trying to over sell. This gives buyers that sense that she is going to be difficult and unreasonable to deal with. I do wish her luck...her home sounds lovely. Some sellers just can't get out of the way and trust the process. It is important to hire the right agent.
If I went to tour and the owner tried to give me “her tour and her speech,” I would listen carefully because they will tell me things that they probably shouldn’t
@@ronica2623 thank you!
KISS OF DEATH!!!
You are so right that would turn me off also.
I would add one thing - if you have a favorite light fixture/chandelier that you want to take with you, swap it out VEFORE photos are taken of the inside of your place that are done prior to dale. Also, check and see if the buyers want your washer, dryer, and fridge. You can get ones for your new place and not pay for the cost of moving the old ones.
Oh, I love this advice. Completely agree!! Well said!!
Where I live, most buyers want turn-key houses these days. In addition to neutral, modern decor ("carpet-free" is a big sellinng point now) being practically a must, it's assumed all the large appliances will be included. When I bought my house decades ago, things like appliances, window treatments, ceiling fans & chandeliers were a negotiating point. A lot has changed since then. My daughter was selling her home last fall & was advised to update the dryer because it was old & people touring her house had commented on that i.e. they could tell by the style of it. So she went out & got a newer one at a resale store. The house wasn't selling, so she was prepared to do anything within reason to make it more appealing, as per her agent's advice.
All very good suggestions; that is what we did when we sold our home several years ago. I had two decorative items that I really liked that were permanently attached to the wall. I changed those out with pictures that I purchased at a second hand store. We patched the holes and touched them up with paint, also.
Nice video Audra! Also, remove all religeous statues, paintings and crosses in the house. Finally, never show a house with a incense smell. Make sure the house is free of any odors or unusual smells.
Thanks Bob...yes, I agree with you on all points!! Thanks for your comment.
Respectfully disagree about religious objects being removed. I've never removed and have never been been asked by realtors to remove them from my house, wouldn't anyway....and may I add I've had no problem selling any of my houses. Just felt I had to defend that point but I agree, good video.
@@KH-sx1xv I think moderation is key. I had one house where there was so much religious artifacts/crucifix that the buyers thought there was something really evil going on in the property. They thought the property might be possessed...not kidding. I really think keep it tasteful and you'll be fine.
@@KH-sx1xv respectfully disagree with your comment because with all the prejudices in our society, it is better to remove anything to indicate any religion or other personal values. You want the property to be absolutely neutral and simply attractive to the buyer, and these things may trigger prejudices that will interfere with the sale or pricing. remember, if the buyer doesn’t agree with your values that might be the trigger not to Buy. Really simple.
@@divinewon73 if they don't buy they don't buy...never been a problem in my experience. My love for God comes before anything. I think the author of the post was correct in saying, moderation is the key.
We sold our house after we moved out. Had it professionally cleaned, including carpets, fresh paint on walls and holes in walls repair. Sold for full price in 24 hours.
And it would have if you had just stayed put and not had that done.
@angelayoung5798 We'll never know, but I'm convinced it mattered. The identical townhouse next door with folks still inside and selling for $10k less sat for another month before selling.
@@arcy5798We did a similar thing and I guarantee you it wouldn’t have sold as fast. We (wife, 2 young kids and I) were able to get ALL of our stuff out except for a few pieces of furniture and minimal items for staging. The place looked twice as big and was able to stay clean and tidy for the couple weeks we had to show it. The closets, cabinets, etc were 99% empty which made a big impact. It would have been impossible for us to maintain that while living there. I realize this isn’t possible for most people but it definitely can make a big difference.
I think you just need the right buyer. We didn't do any of that except cleaning ourselves. Sold 1 day full asking price.
@@roseseifert8939 There are always exceptions. This is about what works best on average. Plus it’s also dependent on the current market and the asking price.
These are all great points. the last house I sold was in 2010 during one of the worst selling markets for my area. I had contacted a realtor but A) the comps she came up with weren't really appropriate for my house, B) she dissed some of the paint we had used to clean up the walls before showing the house and C) she lowballed us on setting a price because she wanted to make a quick sale. I understand that realtors and agents need to eat too, but we ended up selling the house ourselves- did the marketing ourselves, took the pictures and had it appraised (appraisal came out $15K higher than her price) and ended up having a bidding war from three parties and sold it higher than appraisal. We had cleaned it out of most of the furnishings, just left a few for staging purposes (it was a relative's house, we weren't living in it) so it actually seemed larger. I asked the buyer what he thought of all the other houses he had looked at before settling on ours and he said "this is the best one we looked at- most of the others needed a lot of work" . In other words, because we had taken the time to do some landscaping and had cleaned up the insides with fresh paint and some cosmetic fixes, we sold the house for more than we thought at the worst housing market in 80 years.
Love to hear stories like this...You took matters into your own hands. I also applaud you getting an appraisal...well done. You are smart! I know it was a lot of work...it paid off. Congrats...and thanks for sharing.
I suspect that the realtor wanted you to paint everything gray! 😂
Actually, it was the basement, and my FIL had painted it a pale yellow, and because we found the half-can of it still at the house, we used it to refresh the walls down there. All the walls upstairs were painted off white (swiss coffee).@@nancyadams9228
Good for you. If you have the skills to market the house, and most people don't, you should continue to do as I say: buy with a realtor- OK, but always sell by owner.
You’ve convinced me never to have an open house.
Totally agree with not talking about how 'nice' the neighbors are. When we bought our last house, the seller's realtor kept gushing about how nice a particular neighbor was, mentioning them by name and how we would really benefit from living almost directly across the street.
Little did she know, she was actually hurting the deal because that 'nice' neighbor was from my old childhood neighborhood and broke into my parent's shed, destroying and stealing things, also they were very nasty to us when my parent's refused to let them into our yard to swim in our pool with the other neighborhood kids after that incident... oh, and did I mention they enjoyed 'practing' their katate lessons on us? Meanwhile, their mother had a problem when the guy (then boy) got beat up by the much smaller and younger girl in my family.
So, yeah, don't point out how 'nice' you neighbors are when selling. You could literally be killing the deal. I bought the house, but it was in spite of them. It’s a much nicer house than theirs and I know it irks them that I live here. But, trust me, I thought long about if it was worth it.
Oh my goodness...what an unbelievable situation. Good grief!!! Thanks so much for sharing...its a great example!! Glad you like your house.
I hate socializing so when you mention neighbors, I cringe.
Great info my realtor also told us. One thing I hate is viewing a home that is so cluttered I cant see the room. I also hate loud colors and wallpaper.
One thing that we did was rent a storage building and went ahead and packed up excess furniture and knic knacs to make the rooms look spacious. Since we were moving, might as well pack up things and store them ahead of time.
What a great comment...and I agree. You are right about you have to move anyway...might as well start the packing and decluttering. Thanks for watching my video.
@mellocello187 Couldn't have said it better!!
Wow. I HATE wallpaper too. But both of our houses we bought were covered in wall paper - both of them were at the right location and at the right price, so i was willing to scratch it. But god do i hate wall paper. Why people do that is beyong me
I viewed a home like that. It also had the hardest layout to walk around AND they left a Nazi flag and a Confederate flag on the bedroom wall…and this was in NYC. 🤦♂️
Please tell sellers to get rid of those dumb wall hangings with words like " Blessed" or "Family" or "Wine" or "Eat, pray, love", etc. I hate those dumb @ss signs. What is wrong with women? You know the husbands aren't buying that stuff!
After selling 7 homes in my life, I’ve learned that the less contact you have with the buyers and the less they know about you , the better. Not to be rude or antisocial, but to keep things a simple as possible.
The last house I sold, the buyers didn’t have the best social skills and could be quite rude. It got so bad that at the closing, our agent had them sign papers at her office, and then we signed the papers 3 hours later in another city even though we weren’t moving very far away. ( bless her heart… I sent her flowers!)
Thanks for sharing your experience. Couldn't agree more!! Better just to keep buyers and sellers separate. Keeps things more professional. Just my opinion.
VERY WISE advice 👍 , we now live-in a multi cultural world, in the West we have very clear social etiquette boundaries, i am finding out that is NOT the case in many cultures, thats cool for them but i will not be engaging with that type of up in your face personal intrusive interaction when I don’t know these individuals. Its almost like a stand over tactic designed to intimidate and put you on the back foot, very insidious and threatening. NO THANK YOU 😂
Have you ever done small towns? The sort of thing where the potential buyer is asking after the seller/seller's relatives?@@AudraLambert
@@markbernier8434 I can only imagine.
Business is business 😁
I went in a house once and the crazy owner was telling people her mothers ghost lives in the attic,,, so you have a point there
Perfect example!! Thanks for sharing!!
👻😂😂😂😂 Australia 🦘
What about pointing to your garden and saying their ashes are buried there?
😂😂😂😂😂
Great advice. I'd also like to add--get rid of dogs, dog kennels, dog waste in the yard before photographing properties. I know people love their dogs, but I NEVER even schedule a showing if the photos show dog cages, etc.. I just think "ick".....that place is going to have a smell or a "feeling" of being not clean.
Great tip! Couldn't have said it better myself!!! Thanks for commenting.
Especially if new buyers are cat people!
Well of course I would take my dogs out, because with GSDs on the property no one could get in the house to see it
Uhg! We looked at a property where the small dog was in the house and there was literally dog poop on the carpet in the basement. Needless to say, we didn't put in an offer.
@suemar63
I love dogs and have a tiny one. But I would NEVER buy a house where a large dog lived for many years. Most people with yards don't walk their dogs (outside their property), so the yard is litterally 'filled' with ... ya know...pee and decomposed 'other'. And I can smell it, call me 'Sniffy'.
My little dog does not want to do her business on the property, she knows that she gets her regular 2 walks per day. I organized a corner for her with a pee-pad. She has NOT USED IT ONCE. She's turning 10 soon. Dogs are clean.But not when you don't give them what they need: WALKS
We sold a house about 20 years ago. The rear door had a doggy door in it for our little Jack Russell. After the home open the agent told us the new owners were concerned about the doggy door as our chickens invited themselves in for their afternoon snack. We forgot to lock them up before we left. In all honesty, they had never used the doggy door before - they usually pecked on the lounge window for their snack.
That's hilarious! Great little story. Do the chickens come with the house?
😂😂😂
😂😂😂😂
This is the most intelligent presentation of this topic I have ever come across. Thank you!
Wow...thanks so much! Really appreciate it!!
Thanks for the suggestion of document removal. I would not have thought of removing, hiding or locking the investment papers etc. for showings. Following your channel has given me many, many tips for when we put our home on the market in April. We haven't purchased or sold a home in about 40 years. Thanks for you many efforts.
I know you're going to do great when you go to sell your home. I am so glad you are getting value out of my videos. Thrilled I can help. Best of luck!!
We haven't purchased a home in 56 years
Wow, how things have changed. I remember my parents buying a home Wayback in the 80s. None of the houses were staged, they were usually a mess, the homeowners were almost always there. This was middle-class housing. This was not high end housing by any means but it was just different back then.
Yes, a lot has changed in real estate over the year. The internet really changed everything. Now sellers need to have beautiful photos and clean, tidy homes. If they don't, the buyers won't show up at the property because they are enticed by what they see on line.
I get cross with buyers who can't see past a colour scheme or a piece of furniture. The furniture will not come with the house, and colours are only a coat of paint, which almost everybody will change anyway. All you need to find out at a viewing is the state of repair, the size and layout of rooms, and how light the rooms are. Bathrooms and kitchens are exceptions because they are expensive to redo, but even then they can be lived with fir a while.
@@rosemarielee7775 I hear ya. I promise you, a lot of buyer really can't visualize very well.
@@AudraLambert Exactly. The internet and social media exponentially increased the importance of visual stimuli-- your lifestyle, appearance, house, car, etc, are held to much higher standards than before. Everything is just more competitive. It's both a blessing and a curse.
Because they lack imagination to see past the stuff.
We sold our house quickly we did have a realtor I told this person that we will be present at every open house. We were in the background she sold it but no where on earth am I trusting any stranger in our home without us.
Its ultimately your home...you get to do what you like with it. Heck, you sold your home...Congrats!!
You also don't trust your Realtor to do their job. I agree with Audra ... sellers should not be present when buyers are viewing a property for sale.
Yes, I'm 100% with you. I've successfully sold our houses doing the same. I've heard too many bad stories about houses shown with realtors present but homeowners absent.
I'd not expect the owner of a car to be absent while I decided if I wanted to purchase their vehicle, ( test drive it) why should I demand it of them in regard to THEIR house?
@@BobPenzienwhy should anyone put their home and belongings to the trust of someone even a realtor. I can tell you how many houses I've toured where the seller's realtor/agent was nowhere to be found. I HATED being in someone's house with all their personal belongings yet they were absent. I felt very creepy.
If the house is empty then it's great to freely tour it. Otherwise I prefer the homeowners to be present.
You missed the yard
Always have a good quality door mat outside all of the exterior doors. If seller insists on shoe removal or booties, have a chair or bench next to the door. Many older buyers have difficulty with balancing on one foot.
Smart...good suggestion. Thanks for the comment.
I feel it's disrespectful to leave footwear on when entering someone else's home.
@@brendarussell363 sounds like a cultural thing. True in Hawaii.
@@brendarussell363 I agree...but I wouldn't demand your visitors to take their shoes off when touring a home. Most visitors are respectful!!
At 72 I can bend over and put my hands flat on the floor, do a deep knee bend and a full back bend, take stairs 2 at a time and get up from a sitting position on the floor without using my hands, balance on one foot for long periods of time…many people in their 20’s and 30’s can’t do this. It isn’t uncommon for your younger folks to have more flexibility and balance issues than some of us old folks. Do not show your age prejudices to the world with dumb remarks like the one you added here.
Audra is 100% right on every item she shared. I am a long time home stager and all of her tips are critical. Don’t leave yourself open to any liability or issues!!!!!
Well, thank you so much! Really appreciate the vote of confidence coming from an experienced stager. Thank you!!
We just sold our house after only three showings. Thankful for that. Now going through the inspection process. Only 4 minor things were found that will only take a few minutes to repair.
Yah...congratulations!! Well done!!
@@patgorham4796 That's what I recommend. Great point.
I'd to add to signs of distress things that are associated with disability and aging such as walkers, wheelchairs, raised toilet seats, etc. Maybe it was my own discomfort acknowledging the inevitably of advanced age and the difficulties it entails, but whenever I have seen these things in houses I was looking at, it was a huge turn-off.
Yes, I would agree. However, if the house is located in a retirement community...its more than likely the person looking in that area would appreciate the installation. In most cases, I would agree. Thanks for the comment.
We all get older, no stopping it. Must be your own discomfort then because that would not bother me.
It isn't good to see lots of bottles of vitamins & pharma on countertops.
No one wants to think someone just died in the house. I agree.
You need to concentrate on what's important. Are you REALLY going to pass on a house because it had a raised toilet seat?
I remember a woman living on the next block who wanted to get into the real estate business. She was, for a short while, the real estate agent for a house on my block. For some reason, she wanted to give the impression that the house in question was perfect for children. She went out and bought toys, bikes, games etc. She went overboard. The front yard looked like a Toys-R-Us was hit by a tornado! Every square foot of the property was buried under toys, bikes skateboards. It actually was an eyesore. The irony was that the kids who lived in that house were all a lot older and would not be using any of that crap. Perspective buyers saw right through it. That's how obvious it was.
I live in New York (Manhattan) and in an apartment building. Especially since COVID nobody lets anybody walk into their home with street shoes on. If someone doesn’t want to put on booties or take off their shoes let them bring bedroom slippers. We don’t spend our days driving around in our own cars or walking down pretty country lanes. City streets have everything disgusting in them. Our subways are also places filled with stuff you don’t want to touch. In NYC most of us have beautiful hardwood floors. Aside from the germs and filth nobody wants their floors getting scratched or damaged because the condition of your floors does actually impact the price of the sale. (Most of us change from our outdoor clothing once we get home. I wouldn’t sit in a taxi and then sit on the bed with the same clothes.)
I live in Fl. and SC. and NO one comes in my home with shoes on. I do provide paper slippers.
Yes!!!! Not just shoes, but outside clothes as well. The second I get home, before touching or ever sitting on anything, I wash my hands and change my clothes.
well arent you lucky then you dont have to worry about showing a property you dont own one and did they make you take your shoes off when they showed you that dirty apartment? you dont have a home, you have a RENTED space
We sold our last house after we moved out. Empty meets all the requirements.
You aren''t wrong:)
that’s what I’m going to do. I don’t want anything in the way of buyer’s consideration. I brought our home with all the contents and there was wall to wall furniture pieces. I am so tired of everyone acting stuffy about everything. Look at the house visualize what you need and stop with all the requirements to see a showing. Booties? Sellers present? please who cares??? you’re there to see the home and an old lady sitting in the kitchen affects you? We have truly become so odd and fabricated
Right the best way to
Better fact check that - staged homes sell faster and for more $$$
I like that
All great points , especially the first and the last from my own personal home buying experience! I can still remember the sad owners, sitting in their kitchens, literally driving potential buyers away with their presence. I also remember my then "new to the industry:"real estate agent who kept getting caught up in personal photos and mementos left in the various sellers' properties. She would draw my attention to them which was very distracting. People seem to have no idea just what personal information can be deduced by such items. I would completely depersonalize any property that I was selling. Potential buyers don't need to know what your family and friends ( or pets) look like. Rather, they need to imagine themselves living there!
Thanks for your comment. I completely agree! Appreciate you watching my video.
As a Buyer, I can recall a showing where the Sellers (an elderly couple) remained on property seated in their backyard. I deduced this was because leaving the property was not an option for health reasons? It was a warm day (in Scottsdale), so my husband, realtor and I went through the house as fast as we could which really did no one any favors.
@@tammyrussell-rice5508 Yes, I get this a lot from buyers. Some home sellers don't care and then can't understand why they aren't getting offers. Can only do what you can do I guess. Thanks for your comment. People need to hear this. Thank you
I remember going into a scheduled appointment viewing of a property where dad was in the living room watching TV and the kids were in their rooms. We couldn’t see anything and felt really uncomfortable. we figured that they didn’t want to sell their house that badly.
@@wcwright44 Oh good grief...that's super uncomfortable. Would not recommend this.
I moved 19 times in 23 years of marriage. In that time we bought many homes but never had an open house. If someone wanted to view the home, they would need to have an appointment with their realtor!
Need to add get rid of smoking & pet owners. My seller was a chain smoker. The house was immaculate but rhe house reeked of smoke. The odoe was in the furnishings, carpets, and draperies. I saw a dozen pill bottles in the kichen & being in the medical profession, I could tell this person was taking meds for advanced cancer. It wasn't a good feeling. I did wind up purchasing the house & immediately pulled the carpets & drapes. That alone helpef but I painted & that helped a lot.
No need to ban pet owners! I didn’t have my pets at home while my home was being showed (for their own safety!) but it’s not always possible with kitties to remove them easily.
Get rid of pet owners?
What does that mean? Ban pets or refuse to sell houses where the sellers own pets? Evict them from the property before selling?
I'm confused. Owning pets is a pretty common thing.
Every house I've sold, I leave a binder for the new owner with all the documents for appliances, contractors I've used, companies I bought from, etc. etc., so they have a full history of what was used and put into the house. I also ensure I leave paint or paint samples used throughout the house.
I set up a binder the day I move in and add to it throughout the years so it is 'full' when I leave.
(I wish someone would have done that for me!!!) Maybe some selling agent could devise a great 'binder' system and give that to their buyers.
That is a great point. I am sure your new home buyers were thrilled with all your detail. This is a great service!
I didn’t create a binder, but I left all the user manuals for everything, leftover paint, the repair people I had used, and I still had old documents from the previous owner from 20 years ago.
@@katydid2877 Love it!! I am sure your home buyer really appreciated it!!
WE were given the original blueprints to our house.
@@clevercloggs7029 Terrific...that's like winning the lottery! Hope you framed them.
We did a For Sale By Owner in PA several years ago. Since we were selling it ourself; we had to show the property to people who did not go through a Real Estate Agent. What we did was take them through the house; point out the highlights of the home, then we sat in our car out in the street and left the potential buyer tour the home on their own. Several that viewed the property came out to us and asked us to come back in the house because they had questions. We sold our home in three days for over the asking price.
I went to an open house where the seller had their beautiful jewelry on the bedroom dresser. I let the agent know to put it somewhere safe. It was real” jewelry.
That is crazy! That's inviting a problem. What was the seller thinking? Oh my goodness!!
what the hell were they thinking
why not just put it in the sidewalk
@@nancyinthegarden3160 okay..that was funny!!
I was helping my soon to be husband with some staging when he was selling his house. He doesn't have a creative bone in his body! LOL I inadvertently left a pair of my favorite gold earrings on one of the dressers. You guessed it.....they were gone when we returned after the open house. Definitely my fault, but they had sentimental value. Now even if we go out of town for an extended vacation, I box up all my jewelry and leave it at my daughter's house. Lots of sticky fingers out there.
Great, helpful video, thanks!
I’ve had either agents or potential buyers turn on my fireplace while I was gone and LEAVE IT ON after they left. They also turned off the pilot light on our attic heater. And they’d leave the doors unlocked. And they often left ALL of the lights on. So if the sellers leave for a showing, come back right afterwards to check everything.
Oh my goodness, this gives me heartache...I am so sorry!!
@@AudraLambert , thanks! Leaving the gas fireplace on was the scariest for me. Luckily, I came right back after I saw them leave (I was parked nearby so I could tell when they left). I would think that if someone wanted to know if the fireplace worked, they should get a home inspection instead of messing with that and the space heaters. What if I had not come back for several hours? I didn’t need my gas bill to skyrocket for that month!😄 I also had read that some “clients” would intentionally leave doors or windows unlocked for a break-in later, so I always checked those. I’ll bet you have some great “war stories,” too! I’m going to follow your channel and see. 😊 You provide great information for people selling and/or buying a home.
For sure!
I agree, as a Realtor I've had them leave doors wide open, and you know that really pissed me off!
@@patgorham4796 Pat, we are on the same page!!
I would also add that you shouldh't cook anything that has a strong smell while the house is on the market --- ideally, the house should have no smell at all, and be absolutely neutral. Another thing is not to use a lot of air fresheners. I have personal experience with this -- when looking at houses more than once it happened that my husband had to grab one of my arms while the realtor took the other one and rushed me out of the house before I went into respiratory distress -- this is an extreme example, I know, but any one of the houses I was rushed out of could have been the perfect house for us, but we will never know that. The eager sellers had rushed around their houses spraying aerosol air fresheners which triggered an allergic reaction in me. And the question at the back of our minds was "what are they trying to cover up and hide"? The only thing that you should be able to smell is fresh paint, and hopefully that won't be a strong smell either.
I agree with you 100%...smells can really effect a buyer's experience when touring a home. Neutral smell is always the best. Thanks so much for your comment...its a good one.
Baking fresh cookies before a showing, and leave them on the counter in the kitchen with a note "take one" they will remember your house.
@@patgorham4796 Not a bad idea. I did have one incident where kids were making messes with the cookies all over the house. Chocolate chip smudge marks on walls. Parents of course did not notice. I do love the smell of fresh baked cookies.
Toured a house that stank from curry. I knew every carpet and wall covering was ruined
@@KMBblessingsme too. I love curry but could hardly stand the smell in the house - it permeated everything (drywall, flooring, furniture…). Anyone buying the house would have to be East Indian or would need to strip back everything to the studs and replace it ALL.
Those are all very valid points! And I would never be present during an open house! You either trust your agent, or you don’t! If you follow the above advice and remove your valuables then you definitely don’t need to be there!
Exactly!! Appreciate your vote of confidence.
I am looking to relocate to my hometown of Dallas TX. I went to look at a house I was really excited about and the homeowner was there and actually opened the door while my realtor was opening the lock box. I felt like I was in his space (which I was), but it caused me to hustle through the place so I didn’t put him out any more than necessary. I’m sure I missed a lot of the good qualities people notice about homes that one can only get by actually being inside, so I immediately knocked the house off the list of potential homes because I didn’t feel like I got a better feel for the house beyond the online photos. I have no way of knowing for sure, but I think that house would’ve been a better contender had I been able to really go in and absorb what the home really had to offer. So I agree that it’s not great to be home when you agree to show your home to a potential buyer.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this comment. People need to read this. Your experience with the home seller being present is what I hear from a lot of potential buyers. Thanks for sharing.
You weren't that interested in it in the first place. If you really liked it you'd have taken a proper look, gone back a second time and looked some more.
If it was his car would you expect him to hand you his keys and walk away? No. You fully expect him present and to answer your questions about HIS car that you are interested in purchasing. His home is still HIS but he's wanting to sell it to YOU. If it suits your desires you will buy it, regardless if he is present.
YOUR realtor has numerous houses to sell and the bottom line is to find one for you to purchase so as to collect a commission for that sale. Only a fool will fully trust their investment to a stranger who has zero personal investment in its protection ( which is exactly the case when a buyer arrives with their agent given most often that agent does NOT represent the house they are opening for you to tour.
@@gdhhayes2129 I disagree. My realtor is a good friend of mine, so she’s not only out for commission. The owner didn’t follow us around to answer questions. He went out on the front porch & I felt like I was putting him out by keeping him from being in his house, so I rushed through. It just wasn’t a scenario conducive to being able to tour it thoroughly. Since I don’t live in Dallas and am only there for certain occasions, such as the holidays, I’m only looking at the homes I’m most interested in. While I get that there are people who don’t trust others to be in their homes, your perspective is inaccurate in my case.
@@AudraLambert you’re so welcome! And thank you for your insight! Buying a new home is a huge investment, and selling my house will be a huge investment for a buyer. I’ve lived in my house almost 15 years and the market has changed drastically, so your videos are quite helpful. Thank you!
@@AudraLambert then you may have lost. Strangers in my house including a realtor is a no go. We sold our house in three days.
Along with expensive jewelry, ladies, hide your expensive designer handbags, shoes, sunglasses and accessories!
So true! Right on!!!
When I've successfully sold my previous homes, before listing I packed up 50 to 60 percent of our belongings which included personal photos, handbags, etc. it serves both to hide things we didn't want stolen, as well as decluttering and depersonalizing the house.
My presence didn't prevent a sale but personal " junk" and clutter most definitely is a deterrent.
For sure! As I am now almost 75 years old I am slowly downsizing and don't even have anything of real value except my car and 15 year old washer/dryer and range. No TV screens, printer, electronics, smart phone, etc. Just one 5 year old laptop. All that I have to be concerned with is one file drawer.
@@virginiamoss7045 Well, there are upsides to not having a lot of valuables. Less to worry about. Best of luck to you.
I completely agree. When I built my house the realtor who was a friend asked if she could use my model to show to prospective buyers. The developer did not have my model in any of their developments. I said yes and occasionally she would bring people through. I was usually not at home. After a few months I discovered a pair of very expensive shoes were missing and I surmised someone had had sticky fingers. Live and learn.
How about a list of things NOT to do when you are a buyer?!
Dont be late
Don't bring your kids-- if you must, make SURE they stay with you-- not running through the house, jumping on beds or using the toilets!
Dont stay longer than 45 minutes--if you are that interested make an appt. For a 2nd viewing.
Etc...
WRONG. People are human.
Absolutely right. My fiancé had a showing. In his country the seller is expected to be present to answer any questions. The adults couldn’t even hear themselves speak, because the children were so wild. People are indeed human, not animals, and they as humans are expected to obey certain rules of behaviour.
We were aghast at the condition of our home when a 3rd party realtor brought a potential buyer with children that ran amuck destroying things and no one bothered to clean up or inform us what was broken. Totally unacceptable.
Oh man, that list would be endless!!!! 1) Don't ask for a snack or beverage. 2) Don't open people's furniture drawers unless the furniture comes with the house. 3) Don't bring 4 or 5 friends with you. 4) Don't ask to use the bathroom and don't have your friends ask to use the bathroom 5) Don't bring your pet 6) Don't stomp on the floors of a second floor condo to see "how solid the floors are" when there are neighbors living underneath. 7) Don't plop yourself on the sofa and sit there for hours, 8) Don't bring your friends and let THEM plop on the sofa. 9) Don't let your kids pound on the piano (appalling!!!), 10) Don't flop on the seller's bed. No one wants you on their bed with your dirty shoes and your dirty street clothes!!! 11) Don't bring any food or drink with you besides plain water. 12) Don't negatively comment on items that aren't part of the sale. 13) Don't show up to the house unless you are genuinely interested and able to purchase it. It's not open to satisfy your curiosity or entertain you on a Sunday afternoon... Bottom line, people are ignorant and rude and seem to have lost all common sense and manners. 80% of the people who show up to these open houses have no interest or ability to actually buy.
@@eden_aumakuaBeing "human" is not an excuse for being a rude, obnoxious, inconsiderate boar. Being "human" is all the more reason not to behave like an animal. You sound like a nightmare!
Yet again, you talk so much sense!! Please come over to the UK and give all our agents some training!! I get it totally and we have just agreed a sale on our home but it is so disappointing and so frustrating viewing properties to buy which are so badly presented! The property itself and also the presentation by the agent, the lack of basic knowledge about the property they’re showing is shocking. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.
Hello UK...so glad I can offer some assistance. Congrats on selling your home...sounds like the process isn't ideal. You'll find the right house despite the not so great options out there. Really appreciate your support.
There's no excuse for any property to be badly presented for selling in the UK - we have been bombarded with popular property shows for well over 20 years beginning with "House Doctor". There's nothing new that hasn't been said 1000 times before in this video - including in the UK.
Great video. I will remember these tips when we list our house.
I especially agree with tip #10. When we home shopped years ago the buyers were home at one listing and both my husband and I felt so uncomfortable! It was like we were trespassing! How can you judge closet size and such when the homeowners are right there? We barely looked at anything, felt pressured to compliment what we saw and couldn’t wait to get out of the house! And we didn’t even consider buying that property!
1-personal photos
2-no video surveillance without a warning sign
3-no valuables
4-medications (controlled substances)
5-personal documents or papers
6-safes (unless hidden)
7-no personal memory items (facts only)
8-no signs of distress (shows desperation to sell)
9-no plastic runners or requests people remove/cover shoes
10-homeowners shouldn’t be present
Quick learner!
Thank you. I wish RUclips channel producers would do this right from the get-go. It would encourage me to watch further. It's not as if there are giving away spoilers, and reassures that you're not wasting time on clickbait.
@@Bearwithme560 Thank you so much for your comment. In future videos, I will try to get right to the point. Thanks.
I don't agree, with the shoe item, I' ve had bad experience with high heels denting new hardwood floors, I am sure it was the realtors! Shame on them!!!
I am getting ready to list my home now, trying to ready my home for a quick sale.
I’ve sold 2 houses by owner in less than 2 months. My husband is very savvy regarding inspections and has been open about any issues, and the buyers appreciate that. Plus, we’ve staged our home well. Saved a boat load of money.
As always Audra, great info! My husband and I are preparing our home to list in a few weeks and I’ve been watching your videos for many months. I’m using info you’ve given to help us with this part of our journey. Thank you! I love your honest opinion on everything.
I'm doing the same - using Audra's advice to get our house ready to put on the market this spring/summer. I'll also be needing to list my 86 year old parents' home before long, so this will likely be two listings I'll be making within a couple of years. Seems a bit overwhelming, but being prepared will surely help.
Oh wow...I am so happy I could help. I know you're going to do great!!
Oh hi again Diana...I am so glad I could help. Thanks for your support. I know you will do well selling your parent's home.
Funny story, this falls under category of personal taste in art...dont make it permanent to the house.
I was looking at a house with my realtor. Backyard wall covered in gang-style graffiti, hmm MLS photos didnt include this feature. I looked at the agent and asked , is this a high crime area?! Expression on his face was priceless! He inquired, turned out sellers had an artist paint this deliberately, to be cool I guess. I still bought the house, that permanent art is now behind a layer of stucco.
Laughing...that is a very good recommendation. No permanent art!
Just sold my in-laws home after them passing away, they had two built in floor safes that we didn’t disclose until the deal was closed.
That's one way to do it.
Nice. The safes stay private knowledge, and the buyers are happy because they got an extra asset basically for free, since it wasn't part of their calculations in the price they agreed to.
Happy buyers are the best buyers.
@@carollynt NEGATIVE! I just TOLD you we didn’t disclosed it! SMH…
All great points!
Also, secure firearms, kitchen knives, and anything else that could be used as a weapon against your realtor. Realtors often work solo and are mindful of the risk of being overpowered and/or outnumbered.
Sadly, not all strangers who enter the home should be trusted.
Please stay safe.
All very good points!! Appreciate you looking out for us..but you are right. Realtors can be put in very vulnerable situations.
Very good advice, very important advice. All seriousness aside, when our last house was for sale, I put my Timex watch and my velvet Elvis at my brother's house for safekeeping.
I would have left the Velvet Elvis out and hoped it “disappeared”.
Laughing..always good to take our valued possessions off the property! Thanks for commenting.
🤣😂❣️
Audra, absoloutly love your videos. You get straight down to information without a lot of fluffing around as some videos do. Wish you were in New Zealand for when we sell our home later this year, not many people here use home staging. I watch you and put tips to good use. Thank you
Wow, New Zealand...that's incredible. I am so happy I can help across the globe. Best of luck to you...You'll do great!
Those are all good suggestions. The most important factor is pricing if you want a quick sale. If you have time to sell, then you can list around the comps. I listed below the comps and had an above price offer within two days.
Yup...couldn't agree more;)
Id say #11, no overly religious items. My husband and I walked into an open house and not only was the owner there he was sitting at a folding table right when you walked in and had a huge floor to ceiling Jesus painting. It was so off putting, there were dozens of crosses all over the house as well. #12 bad smells, this specific house also smelled so odd. We barely toured the house, we went through the living room to the kitchen outside and then back and left. We were just creeped out by the religious stuff everywhere and the smell. The owner looked angry sitting there too and looked like he disapproved of everyone walking into his house. We just noped out of that house.
that would have got me out of there too. Yikes.
Back during the Carter era I tried to sell a house for a year and a half (dicey neighborhood, plain house). I tried all the 'make cookies' tricks and the thing that finally did it was throwing a turkey in the oven. I figured I was going to be gone for 3 hours anyways, and the whole place smelled like Grandma's house...
I LOVE IT!!! Very creative!! Good for you! If I can't sell a house, I'll try the turkey trick. Thanks for sharing.
Excellent advice Audra such a great list! many I wouldn’t have thought of. Being in 🇨🇦 I feel that in general we are a bit too trusting, but we shouldn’t be! So hiding documents, safe deposit boxes, anything of value is great advice. So many realtors here could learn a lot from you.
Absolutely!! So glad I could help you. Canada is a very trusted place..but always better to be safe than sorry. Thanks for watching.
I do like your list. I have toured homes that had issues, and it was a turnoff fast. However, depending on the realtor (pick a good one) I've been present once by accident and the realtor didn't know anything about an older home. I answered the question factually, and that sold the home. Other homes realtors did their job, and I was absent. I was lucky to find the right realtors since I shopped and talked. I had some lulu's who didn't know anything about the industry. So don't just list, know who you are listing with. Professionalism will benefit the seller and the buyer.
Love your comment!!! You seem like you got a head on your shoulders!! Appreciate you sharing ...and watching my videos.
No public open houses - ever. When I went to purchase an apartment for my son I had to bring proof of assets over the cost of the apartment to get an appointment to view any apartment. And when I sell mine, my broker will insist on the same. Nobody wants to be a Sunday activity for bored couples. As a buyer I always ask permission if I want to photograph something or take a video.
We returned to our home after the Open House to discover that someone had spilled their coffee on our brand new carpeting, someone had layed down on our bed (we could actually see their body outline on our comforter and one of the pillows), someone had used our master bedroom toilet (ugh - going #2) without flushing, AND someone had rummaged through our medicine cabinet (we’d removed all prescription meds beforehand), removing all of the cold/congestion tablets and leaving the empty box! Thank goodness we accepted a very good offer 3 days later, sparing us a second Open House.
So sorry to hear your experience. Not cool. Thanks for sharing...and so glad you got a good offer 3 days after listing it. I am sure your house showed beautifully.
Open houses do not sell houses ! They are for nosy neighbors. Facts.
Rental home with tenants who insisted on being present for each showing: someone went through ( a tenant lawyer) who used bathroom without asking, and without shutting the second door. Tenants horrified, furious , frustrated. I couldn’t blame them
@@jeanchampion671 I hate to hear things like this...Ugh!!
Reminds of the tale of Goldilocks. "Someone's been ... in my ...."
Yeah. The booties are needed. My new carpet was messed up during 8 showings in one day. People ignored to bootie request. It was very frustrating
Great points! In my region, homes are more and more often being marketed vacant and staged digitally. Moving out before listing, moving into temp short-term rental housing, etc., is hard (some friends have done it recently) but it makes everything a lot easier in the long run. Homes can also be shown at any time --- no more asking the owner if they can tidy up and leave the house for awhile on a given day.
Yeah, it's much better to get out of it, people don't care today about doing things up, so if they want it they buy it, if not, it sits there.
I agree with most of what you say here. However, I have bought, fixed up, and sold 8 homes in 20 yrs and with the exception of 1 of them. I sold them all by being home and answering questions as they were asked. Staying out of the way, but within ear shot. Pointing out what's new, what's newer and what's upgraded is always a plus. On the other hand, in buying homes I have yet to have one agent know much about the property other than what's in the MLS and I HATE that. When you're looking to buy it's a PIA to have to wait a couple days for answers and in the mean time loose the chance to move on another house if the answers are not great. Also, if you are there, you don't have to worry about people rummaging through your stuff. so moving valuables isn't a issue or extra expense.
I have to tell you that I stumbled on your talk about what not to do when you sell your house. It is really good. You are really good great ideas I probably would’ve thought of them but maybe not. I just wanted you to know that I very much appreciate it, I wish you were in my area
Thank you so much! That is so nice of you to day. Glad you are getting some value out of my videos. Appreciate the kind words. :)
I agree with getting valuables off the property or at least secured. My mom was selling their house in Bay Area and thieves came in by posing as buyers and making an appointment with the realtor. They unlocked a window and door to the garage and came back later and stole tools. Luckily, all jewelry and other valuables were moved out. The houss was vacant during the selling. The realtor admitted he should have checked to make sure things were locked because he felt something "off" about these potential buyers.
The booty thing drives me nuts. I do work where I have to go into new occupied homes. Booties are a hassle. and dangerous, especially carrying items up a solid tread staircase. I have a pair of non marking indoor rubber soled slippers I carry with me.
Totally agree that the seller shouldn't be around. We sometimes got calls with little notice, especially on Sundays. It's part of selling. We would go for a walk or run an errand and leave the house empty. That goes for your pets too.
So sorry to hear about your experience. Thanks so much for sharing..people need to be aware of this...realtors too. I completely agree with sellers not being on the property...AND I do not feel cute or comfortable in booties. Just saying!!
Wow! That is good to know. I could see that happening, especially during an open house where just anyone can walk in. We have robberies all the time in our area following garage sales as robbers case the property when they come into the garage looking for entry into the home, and to see what you might have.
Someone fiddled with the ceiling fan switch and it broke, leaving the fan spinning at top speed. We had to get an electrician to fix it for $400. The fan cost less than that. The realtor said she didn’t see anything (she was a top-selling agent in that city). We were so angry at her, but didn’t make a fuss. After that, she neglected our listing for 10 months (we were already living 800 miles away). Finally it sold, but for far less than original asking price. After 30 years, that still stings.
@gaywells7340, We’d hired the top selling agent in our area too, thinking with waterfront property we’d have good results. She neglected us too, we were not impressed at all, she just wanted to stack those listings. We wound up getting a different agent.
She’s still in the area and thirty years later the photo on her sign hasn’t changed (no updated photo over time, once in a while - truth in advertising? 😂 )
Give lesser known agents a try. Those with so many listings are not going to give each home the attention it needs. Meanwhile, other agents are out there busting their tails above and beyond for clients and trying to grow enough to afford a living.
The last home my parent's sold , they could tell that children (or someone) had been jumping on their bed. Even worse, their file cabinet had been rifled through. When the buyers wanted to go back in to measure, they absolutely refused and told them exactly why.
Where are people's manners...Just unbelievable. Who does that? So sorry to hear about your parent's experience but am glad they taught them a lesson on respect. Good grief!!
OMG, I was expecting things like pets, knick knacks, clutter etc. What a crazy world we live in!
Right? The things you don't think about when selling a home.
So was I.
One of the homes we toured when shopping for a new place had a sidearm sitting on the bed stand. We didn't care at all but I am certain the owner was in a hurry and simply forgot to store it out of sight. (Didn't end up buying that home) We did buy the one down the street where the owner had her husband's ashes on the mantle. It didn't creep us out - he certainly wasn't going to bother us.
Good grief...firearms and dead people's ashes. I'm horrified. Glad you don't get spooked easily. Congrats on your purchase, btw!
I had a bad experience one day visiting a house. I had my baby in my arms, and while in the stairs, I had the dog of the owners (they were waiting in the kitchen), jumping on me. In the stairs. My husband was trying to keep the dog at distance.We left the house, very angry. Never came back.
The owners should have listened to your advice...
I sold 2 homes back to back. I made sure the homes were empty, freshly painted inside & out and the cleaned inside and out. All landscaping trimmed neatly. They both sold in 2 days.
You lost money if you sold in 2 days. DUH
Our home is on the market right now and we moved out, remodeled it and have been living in a rental until we build a new one. When someone asks why we moved out, it was simple, my X husband that lives with me is a pig...lol he can't keep anything organized or clean anymore. Less arguments that way too We did everything on your list. I knew this because I was a realtor a long time ago...lol Not only does it show well, it also photographed beautifully for the online presence.
Not to mention having to vacate the premises at a moments notice, ugh!!
Man, can I agree with the last one! When we started our home search, we had two showings where the owners were present. It felt creepy.
We also saw one house where they had two rooms blocked off because their DOGS were in there.
We were also denied access to view rooms where pets were kept and never even considered those homes!
I would like to add #11. I realize that men are extremely proud of their accomplishments. However….please remove from the wall and hide all Deer heads, moose heads, and all other animals that you have hunted off the walls! My wife is completely turned off with a home if she sees any other “weird animal eyes”. You will want to take them with you so please pack them before showing the home.
Yup...that would make a good #11. I will add that to the list the next time I do a similar video. Appreciate your input.
Yep , for sure. I will turn and walk out if I see dead animals on your walls.
Many houses in the area we were looking had heads mounted , stuffed bears etc. I couldn't get past looking at those things to really see the house some times.
@@Fawn0001 I understand. I am an animal lover!!
I would put this in a general category of "potentially offensive artwork" which should be an item on her list.
Very good advice, as a former Broker, you would be surprised how many home owners don't "GET IT"!
Hello Pat...yes, I do know how many home owners don't get it..lol. Hence the reason for this video. Thanks for your comment.
Respectful, hell. Our house was tossed by a family while Mom and Dad kept the Realtor distracted.
I’ve moved over ten times and I’ve thought about most of these things, but the surprise was how many houses that we looked at with owners that didn’t. (We thought of them as people who didn’t “really” want to sell their house!) Especially with the “Booties”, we put them on one time and decided not to to look at any houses that “bootie’s” were mandated in the future and we haven’t!
Thanks so much for watching this video. I really appreciate your comment. People need to hear this...especially about the booties.
Thank you for the excellent information you provide on your channel.
You are so very welcome!! Glad you are getting value. Have a good one...and thanks for watching.
These videos are superbly compiled . . . such a high degree of competence and joy!
Several years ago when we were looking for a house, we went into one where it said we had to remove our shoes. Sure enough, we walked upstairs to look around but when going back down, my socks made me slip and I did fall down several steps hurting my back. I didn’t make a deal about it but I was sore for several days. Be careful!!
Sounds like a you problem. In Canada, it’s customary to remove your shoes.
@@fluffytail6355 Its very easy to slip on stairs while in socks. People do it in their own homes!
I needed to sell my deceased parents home.
I was at the house when a realtor came by with prospective buyers. I was asked if I were a buyer or the seller. I told her that I was the seller...all three seemed to look right through me and then left. It was on a golf course and it sold itself, however I will never be in a house with someone's realtor and potential buyers again!
One thing you forgot to list: NO Snakes on the property! When house hunting in the early 1990s, my husband and I looked at a house that was being sold by an agent for someone we happened to know. He had left his pet snake in the garage! Everything else had been moved out. Of course, we commented on the snake, felt creepy, etc. I heard through the grapevine that the agent told him, "The snake has to go!" It certainly was not helping to sell the house.
Oh good grief...that is not cool! I am not a snake person. I think I would have freaked out. Unbelievable.
@@AudraLambert OMG. You folks don't like attorneys? 🤣
And no pet tarantulas either! Even when secured in a terrarium, they freak me out.
@@scvcebc Yah, tarantulas scare me.
I left town while my house was on the market. Made showing it much easier for everyone
RE: Hip breaking when falling down stairs.
Insurance investigators have told me that what usually happens is that the hip breaks or cracks and that's what causes the person to fall, not the other way around.
So when someone says, "I fell down and broke my hip", what really happened is the hip breaking is what caused the fall in the first place.
Interesting...I did not know that.
Yep. This is so.
Sure, hips break spontaneously all the time.
I completely agree about #7. And of course all the security issues.
I think its ok to surveille people in Texas. I was shocked that it was comming practice when i used to sell real estate.
Thanks for this. You mentioned several items I wouldn't have thought of, especially medications.
Thanks Audra. To the point and well done.
Thanks for watching! Appreciate the compliment!!
You're so competent, I love it
I’ve experienced home buying with and without the owners present and I prefer the latter. I felt uncomfortable touching anything in the house where the owner was present for fear of making them uncomfortable. Yet I wanted to check closet, drawer & cupboard space to see if it was the right fit for our lifestyle. The owners followed us around and pointed things out that were of no interest to us and that had nothing to do with selling their home. They made our viewing take 30 minutes plus longer than necessary. Very uncomfortable situations and we didn’t buy those houses.
Thank you for your comment!! Sellers need to hear this!! Agreed:)
This is exactly why owners should be present. You should not be touching things. Open a closet door… fine. But what drawer? I sold my house and was there when some buyers toured and they poked into furniture… stand alone bookcases that would be moved. Buyers are nothing more than curious monkeys and they steal!
You are a super-smart practical and informed agent! I wish agents here in Ireland were the same….
As a long time blg repair man the 2 homes i bought in my past i didnt care about anything that was in house. I looked for water an termite damage electrical problems mold. Who care what previous owner has in there house if you buy thats gonna be gone before you move in.
Same here. People now seem to lack common sense and imagination too.
Thanks for explaining #10. I always knew that, but never knew why. I can't believe people insist on booties! My first thought was, "...but aren't you moving out? Why would you care?" I have hardwood floors throughout, tile in the bathroom and linoleum in the kitchen; not a scrap of carpet and only a few small rugs or runners. I can tell the difference in the air quality between our home and mostly carpeted dwellings. Not to be judgey, but if you have any health issues with breathing or allergies, I highly suggest getting rid of those dust, dirt, grime, and hair catchers aka wall to wall carpets! Said with all kindess intended. :)
Hello there! I do agree about the carpet...but some people just love their carpet. Carpet isn't great for allergies and is a sponge for dirt and grime. I prefer hard surface flooring with area rugs...its cleaner and easily cleaned. Appreciate your comment...and glad you got value out of my video. Have a lovely day!!
@@AudraLambert Which is why people should NEVER under any circumstances walk around a carpeted home with street shoes on. You said it....a sponge for dirt and grime which CAN NOT be removed with cleaning as you suggest. The carpet is never the same.
While I agree with the guidelines you’ve offered, I did want to mention that when sellers express concern about having multiple visitors walk over newly replaced carpet, it’s typically out of a desire to keep the carpet in a new-condition for the final buyer of the home, not because the current homeowner is stressing over their own continued comfort while still in the home.
That explanation as given seemed weird and inaccurate.
Hi Cheryl, thanks for your comment. However, if you read some of the comments regarding homeowners selling their homes, the homeowners are the ones concerned about their carpet being dirty...not necessarily concerned for their buyer. I hear ya though...it makes sense.
Ohmygosh. Had the homeowner there when my husband and I looked at a house. He was selling it without using a realtor. He went on and on about things in the house my husband and I had absolutely no interest in. How he had remodeled something and the costs, the herculean effort, etc. He was trying, I think, to let us know how particular he was about making renovations and repairs top quality but all he did was take our time. We couldn't go anywhere in the house without a lecture about what he had done to "craft" a perfect house. We cut our tour short and did not go back. We also did not tour homes which were being sold by the owner. Lesson learned!
#9: have 2 door mats for wiping feet. One outside the door, one inside
Good point...thanks for the tip!
I totally agree about the owner being present. When we were looking for a home we avoided houses that are sold by owner and shown by owner. In fact we preferred to look on my own so we could point out things, good or bad. When we were househunting, we liked to move at our own pace. Meaning we didn't want people pointing out things for us. We could quickly judge if the home had potential, and then we would slow down or back track and ask quesions. I have sold two properies (I owned them). In both cases the homes were empty. This was before the days of a lot of staging. However, we did leave some furniture, especially chairs and a table so people could sit and talk.
A Memory Book?! That is a new one to me. Must be the creation of a scrapbooker? I don't even have a Guest Book in my Vacation Rental! LOL
Not making it up:). Home sellers are just trying to assist with the sale of their home...but unfortunately this memory book can create some liability for them.
I’m a RE Broker in two states & I completely agree with everything presented here. Every point is salient & necessary in order to sell your home quickly while protecting yourselves & your family from bad actors. One more point I’d add is to remove all traces of pets & their toys, beds, grooming essentials etc. Also, remove all pet odors, along with cooking odors.
Thanks Amy for sharing. I agree about the pets. Great reminder. Appreciate your support.
surprised you left pets off the list. I went to open houses where the dog or cat was locked in one of the rooms and we werent allowed to open door to see the room. Send Fido to doggy day care... for their safety if nothing else. Why risk the animal getting lost because a stranger didnt comply and left gate or door open.
I toured a house where seller's the dog was in laundry room. I returned another day after requesting pet not be there. I love dogs but what if buyer doesn't or has severe allergies?!
I do agree...and I should have added pets to the list. Its creates a lot of stress for the listing agent managing the showings with pets on the property. Some even get aggressive. Good points..thanks for commenting.
I agree pets should be away from the home- for their sake! I’ve heard too many stories of doors being left open, and indoor pets getting out and not found.
@@marilynhalldin2499 Yes, totally agree.
I sold my house with 3 dogs...black labs.....made it look like there were no dogs. Take the dogs, out with you, put away pet bowls, pick up the yard. Clean clean clean! My house sold for full price, no concessions in 31 hours! 😂 Also, keep your dogs groomed to help with smells!
Please make a separate video (maybe you have) about pets. We have two old indoor cats in delicate health. Jerking them around for multiple viewings is just plain cruel. What creative and compassionate solutions have your previous clients come up with that are kind to animals but allow people to really see all the house?
Wow! This video was suggested to me for some reason so I watched it and was very impressed. I immediately thought this is a smart woman who could teach me a lot and I had to look up where you were located before the video ended. Surprise! So Cal. No wonder I like her! I’m a new subscriber.
Oh wow...thank you so much!! Really appreciate your support.
Excellent advice as usual :) . I'd also add take your laptops or iPad and such devices with you, sticky fingers. I was lucky to have a great agent back in 2018. I'd do all you said. Also, had my checkbook and bills in a small carrying case and electronic devices ready to leave in a 1/2 notice (throw in my car trunk and bring back in with me).
Brilliant...great tips. Glad you had a great agent to work with. Thanks for commenting.
Thank you so much. Great information!
Add to that boats and trailers in the yard 😎 seriously no guns on the wall , no triggers even tho I carry and am big second amendment guy don’t have stuff that can be off putting to some people .
Triggers lol
no heads with antlers
Absolutely great advise. Having been through 10 relocations with my husband’s employer (being both a buyer and seller) you are spot on. I never thought about disguising the safe but certainly a very good idea. As the buyer I absolutely would not look through a house with the owners there! I have turned around a left several potential homes due to the owners presence.
I agree with you completely...some home owners will not leave. Its their home...but I recommend them not being there. That's typically the same feedback I receive when the sellers are present. Really appreciate your comment...and 10 relocations..WOW!!
Wish I had known you when we were transferred to SoCal. We bought a home in Chino Hills!
@@jaynegilman2811 Chino Hills is a great area!! Congrats!! Thanks for the kind compliment.
And yet we got our house sold in three days.
"As the buyer I absolutely would not look through a house with the owners there! I have turned around a left several potential homes due to the owners presence."
That's just stupid.