The Power of Clean!

One of the less appealing tasks we have to do as Real Estate Professionals is to tell sellers to clean up their acts!

There is no effective way to market or sell a dirty property. None! For years I felt it was invasive and rude to tell people the cold hard truth about that. For years in fact I failed to be as effective at my job.

When people live in a house for many years they do not see things as clearly as when they first purchased.

It may be that over time perceptions dim. It may also be that deep cleaning becomes a true chore and just is not a priority. We are all given the same number of hours in our days. The work we do, children, social engagements and even relaxation tend to be preferable to cleaning cobwebs out of corners.

Many of the homes we are sent to do Broker Price Opinions on are just plain nasty if we look at them from the perspective of a buyer.

That is why we have designed what we call our "yellow pad" tour.

Starting at the street, we look at the subject house as if we were planning to buy it. Landscaping, roofing, paint etc are all evaluated'. If we see anything that needs work, we make a note along with suggestions about how to make the situation better.

Each room is looked at closely and we continue making notes. No detail is overlooked. Our point is that no one gets a second chance to make a good first impression.

If a room is over stuffed, we make recommendations as to what furniture needs to be removed. If furniture is worn, we suggest getting slip covers.

Color is a sensitive issue so we make painting suggestions as needed too.

We find that it is far better to delay putting the house on the market, and use a couple of weeks to put the house in show shape.

Overall even in a declining market, if the house is in good condition, squeaky clean, and priced right from the beginning, it will sell more quickly and for a better price.

People will appreciate your being totally up front with them. It does no good for anyone to overlook the basics. Clean is essential to a successful sale. Successful. Is the goal... Isn't it?