Have you ever been on a listing appointment where the home was so dusty and dirty that your eyes watered, your throat got real raspy, you start sneezing, and you just couldn't stop? They seller asks you if you are coming down with a cold, and you answer "No," but cannot stop sneezing? You sneeze, aand sneeze again! Your contacts want to jump out of your head because the home is just so filthy, and dusty! Perhaps it isn't the worse you've seen in a while! There are other homes that we've seen that when you walk across the floor...your feet stick to the floor like a fly on the ceiling! Then there was the home of the the divorcing couple, you know the one where they have literally built walls inside the home. You step on dog poop in the yard that is in such a big pile that you look around to see if their pet is an elephant! The seller tells you it's ok, just wipe it off on the rug inside! Sound familiar, even if you don't want to admit it! Well you know as well as I do that it happens more than we would like to admit.
If we have a partner or team member it is good to speak in code so as not to offend the home owner. Our code word is "Betty Davis!" That means thehome is so bad we are not interested in listing it. In one of Betty Davis' old movies...Bette Davis would say, "Whatta dump!" Then she would flick her cigarette ashes right on the rug!
So sometimes the home is dusty, other times we deal with filth...so as a real estate professional, how do you seal with it? Do you low ball the price? Tell them you charge double commissions? Are you blunt and tell them your not interested in listing the home in it's current condition? Or are you subtle, and after you've taken your inhaler advise the sellers to call other agent in town for a second opinion? Perhaps you give them the names of your competition! What your your thoughts? How do you deal with it?
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I recently looked at a condo that the owner asked me to view the renovations he had done and wanted a valuation for possible sale. He also wanted my opinion on any other needed upgrades.
The house smelled worse than a dirty ash tray. There were three adults, all chain smoking in the house. It was so bad I rushed home and showered and changed clothes before meeting my next appointment. Even my hair wreaked of smoke when I left.
one of the main reasons sellers hire us is to help them stage their home for sale, and that means helping them do those things that will help their house sell in the shortest time for the most amount of money. Having said that, it's important that you point out to sellers those things they need to do to achieve just that
If you are willing to walk away from it you may as well tell the seller why you are willing to walk away from it. You might just maybe get through to them. After all, there are cleaners for hire and I own an ozone generator that will deodorize anything.
Ha. I've had that happen. I simply tell them that I can't possible give them any selling help until the house is completely cleaned and all systems serviced. Call me back when it's ready to sell.
One family in Gaithersburg did just that and I sold the house in about a month. Hey. If no one tells them, how are they supposed to know. You don't have to go into great detail. Just, get back to me when it's in selling condition.
I am very upfront with people on the phone. When I set the appointment I am coming over for two reasons.
Neighborhood Market Report for proper pricing and
FREE walk through for home evaluation-or How to get TOP $$ for your home.
When we sit down after I have made my list and discuss it with them I tell them they have 2 choices-1)They can spend a few hours and a little money to clean, repair etc or 2) They can pay $10,000 for someone else to do it! (Of course this is the amount that we would reduce the listing price of the house to get the sale-but the argument generally gets them off their butts!)
Jim,
You gave me a real giggle this morning! Thanks! Yeah, we've sure had them and we are usually as blunt as possible using as much tact as possible. After all, they are hiring a professional and if we can't tell the seller what needs to be done to sell their home, then shame on us. I like Stephen's approach too. Good stuff! Thanks for another great post.
Martha Steward Does Not Live Here!
I tell my sellers right up front that I am a stickler with condition. I follow up that up with having my stager come out to tell the issues. NOT ME!! I want them to love me. I will talk to them seriously if there is a smoker in the home. In NC some folks don't understand what a damper this can put on, even the prettiest home.
My stager makes no bones about it. This has to change, this needs to go, that needs to be mowed, cleaned off, etc.
Some people do not realize that it is "normal" to live in a clean, clutter-free home while selling.
First of all thank you for all the comments! I never expected to see so many so quickly! Maybe we should all write a book based on of real life experiences!
Oh, we never tell the owner's "Whatta Dump!" We speak in real estate code and since we are a husband and wife team... the message is so we do not waste time. "This reminds me of that old Betty Davis movie!" If my wife agrees, we move on! Next! LOL!
A better story took place about8 years ago. We were showing a home in the 650K range and finally came to the last home on the list. Actually it was from our "B" list, and we hadn't planned on showing the home. It was one of those homes that just kept getting better. Then cats started jumping out of everywhere, closets, kitchen cabinets, all the rooms of the home. The more we showed the home the more bizaar it got. The cats and dogs were OK, because the owners of that home were Vets! The more I showed the home, my buyers lovers it. I had to tell them not to talk so loudly because the sellers would realize that they were interested. The home just kept firing on all cylinders for my buyers. If I could have written a contract on the back of my buyers, I would have. By this time I had counted over 50 cats, not counting the dogs! My buyers literally thought this home was the "Cats Meow!"
We were ready to leave the home to race back to the office to write a contract when we realized we did not see the basement! So I asked the owner where is the door for the basement, and they told me, but kept telling me that we really did not have to go down stairs. I thought it was an odd answer, but we mentioned if we are interested, we might as well see it now. They kept trying to deter us from going downstairs, when I asked the seller was there any particular reason they did not want us to see the basement? She told me yes! The reason was that since she purchase the home ten years ago, the pets never went out side to go to the bathroom, they went in the basement! My buyer said "How bad could it be?" I told her, "I don't know, but since my asthma is acting up why don't you go and take a look!" My buyer opened the door, and in a few minutes ran up, locked it and ran outside with the dry heaves!
I forgot about this story until I started reading the responses here. Real estate is a very difficult job, and why make it harder. The seller of the home was a doctor! It is hard to believe that someone in the medical or health field could not see how dangerous health wise the condition of their home was in. It was truley and eye opener to a reality I could not imagine!
Also: What if you're brave enough to tell them and they ask you to go ahead and list and they will clean it up and do whatever you say. So you list and nothing gets done.
Judi
JIm-
In this scenario you could never ask to many questions. I let them do alot of talking and find out through their answers what they are willing to do.
When I visit a home I take a large range and point blank tell them that because of the condition of the home we will have to price it at the low range and they have a couple of choices: comply and raise the price or price it low so people can see past it. I invite them to preview other homes that are in the subdivision so they can see what other buyers are seeing and they usually decline the invitation. I had one person take me up on the lowball price and the house had an offer just days after it was listed, otherwise the other homes I have taken have been clean and didn't have this issue. I have been lucky!
One time I was touring a home on a listing appointment and for some reason I started out with a dry asthmatic type of cough when I walked in and by the time we got near the back door I was coughing uncontrollably in full bronchitis style. I am allergic to pine and the seller had a pine grove in his backyard! That listing appointment put me on my back for a week and I didn't take the listing!
I would locate a professional home stager in your area & recommend to the home owners that they have a consultation with the stager - thats what we do!
A Home stager can take all that off your plate and you get the listing & in better shape & keep a great working relationship with your clients - win win win situation I like to call it ;)
We have staged homes long before it became trendy thing to do. The example I am giving were way beyond that! The home with the accumulated 10 years of pet feces and urine on the basement floor should have been a health department issue. I wonder why the listing agent took that listing. There is no esteem in placing your sign on filth! By the way the home sat for years, and has never sold! A dozen agents signs, and no sales.
There are dirty homes, there are circumstances, and then there are attitude problems. I guess I get concerned wiht the attitudes. And yes, the work has to be finished before the home lists! Promises to do the work ASAP are never delivered! A while ago we assisted a very elderly couple move out of an condo into a home. There was illness and depression. The home was overwhelming, but they listened to everything we said, and the sellers worked with us. They addressed one issue at a time, clutter, garbage, moving, storage, paint and cleaners. It was 2 months in the making, and we sold their home in 2 days. tThey were very appreciative, and we are best friends with them until this day!
I had a listing once that was a total disaster. More than just filthy, it needed a lot of work as well.Tiles missing from the floor, trim missing from the doors and walls,holes in the walls and ceilings.
What I did ,was made a very detailed list of work that needed to be done ,along with the price range they could "then" expect to sell their home for.I also gave them a separate CMA for the home listed in it's current condition.
This was several thousand dollars difference in the two, they chose to list it as it was .
Realtors were practically fighting in the driveway to buy it, sight unseen .I still kick myself for not buying it.
Someone rehabbed it and sold it for $30,000 more than they paid.
I also sold them their new home.In my book , brutal honesty is better than refusing the listing. :)
Thanks for all the comments! I may be in Georgia, but I am from New York originally! I have a tendency to tell people the truth. I do it in a very nice way. Some people are just in total denial. It is like talkng to a rock! A waste of time in the final analysis! If you give a slob a pamphlet...5 minutes later they cannot find it. That is the real world.
And you know ...if they need help, and listen it is OK. If they don't, and just hem and haw...I don't need the money that bad! Read the post above about the cats! It never sold! That was from several years ago! Many agents later is still hasn't! Call it my real estate intuituition! Many of the homes I pass on linger forever! They do not even make listing periods that long! Let a person like that drive your competition from the business!
Makes you wonder what else was not taken care of inside the home. This is when you would whip out your list of things to prepare your home for sale. Declutter and CLEAN. Recommend a cleaning service.
JIM! I like the way you put this together! You want stories? I have plenty! Look at this: Whew she's gone! This was from a rental! My husband has a cleaning company - folks like these help keep us in business!!
I guess if you tell these stories to someone new in real estate they would not believe you. For those that have worked in real estate for amny years, they could tell you some stories. Some we may not want to put into writing! Each home, each deal is so different from another one!
Thanks for sharing!
It is my duty to be honest with these people. Though the truth may hurt, the sale feels good. Some people are honestly not aware of the fact they live like pigs. If you do not have the nerve to do it, have a colleague or a stager tell them. Soften the blow with words like "potential" to the seller. No insults are necessary, just honesty. They may appreciate you for it. (or they could be offended, you never know)
I agree no insults, just honesty. However, since the average listing appointment is over 1.2 hour. After a few exchanges you know which way it is heading. I am also a firm believe that I do not have to feel guilty for ever turning down a listing. It is a business decision. Some agents feel the challenge is getting the listing, I don't. It is getting it sold that matters.
Should You Take This Listing?
by Jim Crawford
This is one of the many times I'd bring in my stager. She is professional and as a third party, she is the one informing the seller of the "situation". Let your stager know ahead of time, then set the appointment for them to come into the home and have a sublte but direct talk with the seller.
Rhonda Fee
www.Rhondafee.com
I have more than my fair share of clients who don't seem to see the problem. Right now I have one that I was able to get her to paint 2 rooms, pull up the filthy carpet, and dust a few things. Her painting ability was not good and the cleaning was just taking off the top coat. She had no problem leaving chicken casserole on the counter for days, red meat juices flowing down the inside of the refrigerator and dust an inch thick on fan paddles. (really, an inch thick) I should have waited to list the house until it was up to my standards. But, this is going to be a short sale and needed to get in on market soon. I couldn't stand the dirty kitchen and bath, so I scrubbed for two days on then. The front living/dining room was a dark grey that was depressing. So, I painted it a light yellow/beige to brighten up the house.Client paid to have new carpet put into the den. Looks so much better. I have promised myself that I will not list another house before everything is done.
I showed a house once where there were monkeys in the garage. The smell was was so strong that you couldn't get near the door. We went out back to see the yard, and there was a couger in a cage. This house was in a nice city with many rules and codes. City finally made the owners move out. Don't know where they went. Be careful out there on you showing trips.
I have a pre-list package that I send to the sellers a do or so before the listing appointment. It has Staging Sugguestions in it. When I got there I would try a variation on a pricing script.
Me: "Mr & Mrs Seller I have a delimia, would you like to know what it is?
Seller: Yes
Me: Well I want to tell you something but I'm afriad that you might be offended by the truth and list with someone else that maybe doesn't care so much. Do you want the truth or do you want me to lie?
This is a variation on a Floyd Wickham script. If you get a chance to take those classes you really should. They are great!
Vickie, that is great! That is basically what we tell them. Some listen, some are offended no matter how much sugar we place on the spoon. Thanks I'll look into the classes.
Eva - I do tell them other agents will get the listing sometimes because they won't tell the seller the truth. I guess sometimes, we have to listen to that voice within. Is it worth the hassle? Will they do the work? I used to work expired listings and there was a a less that I learned there that was worth listening to. I learned a lot. There was a very dirty home with loads of pets, and loads of cats that had expired several times. It was filthy. It got so that no one wanted to list the home or show it. When I was working the expireds one day, I found it had already relisted. The seller told me about the pets and the filth,and how one agent got the listing because she allowed him to redo the entire home, and replace all the carpeting.
I thought to myself he was a genius or a fool. Then I asked her, "Since all the work was done, are you still allowing all those pets in the home?" She said "YES!" The home never sold, the agent was out the money, and no longer in business. I'd Rather have nothing to do, than to have trouble I don't need that is unproductive.
Hey Jim,
Great Blog!
Sometimes it is hard to tell people that their house stinks! I keep Glade plug ins in my car for this very reason! Usually if I feel like it needs a little freshing up I'll run out to my car and get a plug in and leave it on the coffee table. I then tell my client that I do this for all my listings just to help keep things fresh. Sometimes they are able to take the hint!
Debra Imagination does work!
Ryan You're thinking outside the box!
Christoper Assertiveness works/ A lot of people confuse assertiveness with aggression. I view it as character on a mission from GOD! Good job!
Carmen I once listed a home where the seller got carried away with those Glade things. Instead of cleaning, he plastered them in every room. You would go into the house and leave quickly because your eyes burned so bad! This was one of those listing I mentioned earlier. We parted ways, and he listed with several other agents and he never did sell with them either!
Some people just don't get it. And the airfreshener doesn't always work...especially to cover up cat litter boxes and embedded smoke.
A stager is a great idea. They are an outside party offering an opinion.
Teri I agree fully. You really are right! A third party is a lot better, and more objective!
Eric - NEXT is sometimes a good thing!
Greg,
I have about 5 years of property management during/after law school and have to agree that ozone generators can provide huge benefits in preparing homes that had smokers. Just remember that they should be used when the home is vacant and nobody will be home for about 1-2 hours after their last use. In addition, prolonged use can cause rubber and adhesives to break down so be careful with latex paint--especially fresh paint if the client painted recently to "cover" the odors.
Jim,
You just sold the concept of Staging to the entire AR community! My Realtor partners know that I will gently get across the message that certain things need to be done in order to sell their home. It's amazing how a "Third Party Unbiased Opinion" gets through to even the most stubborn homeowner.
Don't turn away business due to the condition of a home: THESE PEOPLE NEED YOU!
As Barb Schwarz says: "The way you live in your home, and the way we market and sell a house, are two different things!"
Your friend in Staging,
Jodi
Greg - You are a genius! In a million years I would not have thought about an ozone generator.
Christopher - Thanks for the comments! I did not know about the effects of the ozone generator.
Jodi - Anytime, I do not run away from an issue, only attitude. Thanks!
As a Stager for very progressive Realtors..... do I have stories to tell! True, sometimes the home is so bad that you need to make that "Do I walk away", decision. Hiring a Stager does take the load off of you in delicate situations. We can be very diplomatic and offer eloquent suggestions on how to market the house to a global buyer. The bottom line is...... will the client follow the suggestions? Many times, the homeowner does not smell the smells like we do...ahhhhh! So it can be a hard sell.
One of my Realtors will not take the listing unless the clients promise to follow my recommendations. When he gives me the heads up about a Consultation Report that may be tricky............ I know that I need to be ready for anything... and I mean anything:)
Be honest, hire a Stager, or walk away and spend your energy on another client who will appreciate your expertice.
Lori
Artful Journey Designs and Staging
I agree with Jim that the people that need the assistance the most are generally the ones that don’t think there is a problem. My seller that had cat feces on the couch & urine on the floor on a regular basis thought it not a concern since it was his furniture and pets. Both would be gone when he moved out when it was sold so why should the prospect care.
The floors had been freshly refinished so all you had to do was wipe up the urine puddles—something I didn’t address in my marketing literature in that exact manner. 8>)
Lori & Christopher There is something to the old saying "You can't see the forest through the trees!" Many do not even see there is a problem! Very strange but more otfen...it is true! Like Alfred E. Neuman from MAD magazine ...."What me Worry?"
As a inspector I done numerous homes that are ill maintained. I just roll up my sleeves and tell them I'm going be here a long time.
Tell the sellers that home that are "dirty" will be more scrutinized then if they are "clean"
I think I saw this place, there were more wheels on the home then on all of the cars in the yard combined! Oh, wait, I think that was my place!
I have an agent in our office who has a client who is in love with Betty Boop. When you walk into her home it is a scary freakish shrine to everything betty boop down to the TP! She ended up not taking the listing (neither did we!)!
My approach after the listing is signed is to say, "I'll set up for open house this weekend, the cleaning crew will be here friday afternoon." Then I call the company that does my rentals. Its easy, inexpensive, and I've never had someone tell me "oh no! don't clean my house for heaven's sake, don't do that!"
Don't just sell your client's home. Sell them a service. Sell them on the idea that YOU are a professional and arranging a cleaning crew to come out and spiff up the place is part of the service that you offer. If you run your business with that attitude, you'll get more business, more referrals, and you won't be negotiating that commission all the time!
-John
Elizabeth Great comments! I forgot about the Betty Boop collectors! LOL! We also had a few home sellers that were obsessed with color! Lavender, walls, rugs, accents, trim..even had it in their email address. And when you mentioned neutralizing you were treated like the exorcist! I still think she spun her head around lie Meagan when I mentioned a neutral color! LOL! - True story! How could I forget a story like that?
John I fully agree..."Don't just sell your client's home. Sell them a service. Sell them on the idea that YOU are a professional"
While ozone can be an effective odor eliminator its use does have some potentially serious consequences for certain kinds of materials and for occupants as Christopher Sevick, Real Estate Attorney pointed out above. Some recommended additional reading from the EPA... http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html
Mitchell Captain above is also very correct in that home inspectors will have a field day on such properties and deservedly so. Inattentive homeowners who keep a filthy living environment are typically not much for keeping up with other routine maintenance items around the house and there will always be plenty for the inspector to find if he can work his way through the garbage.
But back to the question at hand; dirty and downright unsanitary conditions are always a problem when encountered and I personally think its best that you let the homeowner know up front that such conditions will have a very negative impact on the sale of the property. Politely or otherwise discretely ignoring a bad situation just does not serve any one's best interests. It always best to be tactful but make sure the point gets across that something needs to be done about the situation.
I agree, but I think that after a while in the business... you develop some instincts. Perhaps it is based on a series of leading questions you pose, and the responses you receive. Based upon those responses is where I would make a determination of how the rest of the interview will go. When agents are on a listing appointment, I really believe it is the real estate agent that is doing he interview. Do I want to take that listing, or pass on it? Are they motivated or not? It is the agents choice on the quality of the work you choose. It will be your name in front of the home with the dirty underwear on the floor, and dishes piled high in the sink. The next time your competitor sees a listing after perhaps seeing a really bad listing of yours before...they will pass on showing your new listing. That is a reality in real estate, you just have to be in real estate long enough to know the consequences of your choices! An article I wrote on the subject for RealtyTimes.Com discusses a lot of the issues - Should You Take this Listing?
Jim Crawford
Years ago I started "Merchandising" all the homes I listed. I would go into homes of all sizes and prices and go through room by room telling them everything that needed to be done. If the sellers were willing to do the work, I knew we could work as a team to get their house sold.
Jim, I love your Blog on this. As an Auctioneer, many times I find myself in these circumstances. As a professional and expert, this is what the Sellers are looking for. Advice from an expert. If I have bad hair and dry skin, is your doctor embarrassed to tell you? No...this is their job..."Mr. Smith, you have lice and your skin is dry". The seller is now looking for a solution.
We as professionals need to be honest. I have walked out of properties with a listing agreement in hand that was $25 to $50 Thousand less than their initial price expectations.....simply because of condition. I was the expert...I gave them advice....I gave them facts....I sold their house.
Jim, I was just giving you a hard time about Bette Davis, I do know who she is.
Matthew Zgonc, REALTOR® It is always possible to clean it up, a match could do that too...but empty promises won't. It is like the old saying, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions!" Performance is what matters. Experience shows me, do the work first, then we'll list it!
Jim,
Have to agree with most of the comments. I don't think there has been a time that I just walked away without telling the client what they need to do to market their home. That is why you are there as the professional. I have told clients what they needed to do to properly market and sell their home and some have complied and done awsome jobs. Some were insulted, but I remind them that this is not a personal thing, it's about what the public will see and we want that to be the best first impression. Some just refuse, but are willing to sell for less because of the condition. I've sold a couple cat smelling, dirty dishes covered in mold, unmowed lawn, garage falling down homes, because I marketed it as the stinker that needs descenting, but given a good bath will be a great return on investment, Be truthful, be honest but be upfront and tactful.
Mike Gambino Mike you are so right! Before we walk through any home we try to sit down and find out what is taking place, and what are their needs. Every sale is different. There is a difference in a neglected home if a spouse is sick, has health issues or a partner has just passed away. A listing sign and a commission will never sell a home. It is a team effort, and if the seller just refuses...to listen or to act on anything...we cannot perform miracles. A journey to success start with being honest and truthful and then offering some solutions!
Seriously though, a house in such condition will definitely appraise for less. Cluttered homes aren't so severly affected, but if the house is actually dirty such that, as the inspector above suggested, there could be other problems with the house, any reputable appraiser will end up valuing the property at the low end of the range, or even lower depending on the condition.
I think you are best off to advise your potential client exactly what they need to do to get the best possible value for the house, and to help the marketing of the house for a timely sale.
John Fariss - Appraiser Bakersfield, CA LOL! Exactly! Sellers now more than ever need to understand that Cleanliness, and appearance can greatly influence value! Perhaps it did not matter as much when inventory was in short supply, but the shoe is on the other foot now!