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Also schrieb toddh: >x-no-archive: yes >However, you need to take what people say "with a grain of salt". >Many times it is just an off the cuff remark just to say something. >Maybe so, but if several different people are saying the same things, >it’s probably not a coincidence.
We had ten people at our last open house. All ten said "Great house… except only one bathroom." Hmm. Whatever could be wrong with the house?? <g> (Yes, we’re putting in the bathroom. Lived here 12 years with 1 bathroom, and now six months before we move out, we’re putting in a freakin’ master bathroom. We must be morons.) — Catch the cluetrain. http://www.cluetrain.com If you can read this, I’m still not in your killfile.
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> Lived here 12 years with 1 > bathroom, and now six months before we move out, we’re putting in a > freakin’ master bathroom. We must be morons.)
Thanx for letting me know what I have to look forward to. ;^) We’ve been 5 years with one bathroom no problem. When our house was built it had just an outhouse. –Chris Isn’t it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do practice?
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> I hate to follow up my own post here; but I have been getting > suggestions from people in this ng about what to do with the INSIDE of > the house. Our realtor has tracked 30+ showings that we have had. All of > the comments have been positive for the INSIDE of the house. There is no > clutter, freshly painted, nice floor plan, good carpet, great > neighborhood, etc. We have removed pratically everything related to our > personal style. The house is extremely neutral and almost bare. The only > negative comment that the realtors say that they get is about the fact > that the house is on a hill.
Often, people who live in a house and are used to it don’t see things the same way that a stranger would. I have a friend whose front entrance is separated from the driveway by a steep hill, with some stairs. In the daytime, it’s very pretty, but at night, my heart is in my throat when I go out to my car. The stairs are dark, steep and very slippery. I’ve slipped on them more than once. But my friends don’t see that – they go up and down those steps two or three times a day, so they know just where to step and the shadows and steepness are "no big deal" to them. They don’t understand why I am inching my way down these stairs while they run down them two at a time. Perhaps your hill is like that – not necessarily bad, but because you live there, you don’t see what a stranger might see. Something that is "no big deal" to you might be off-putting to a stranger. Even your realtor may not have the same point of view, since he or she is used to negotiating around unfamiliar houses. Do you have friends or acquaintances who rarely come to your house? Could you enlist them to give their honest opinion of what they think about your hill, since they aren’t familiar with it the way you are, and about how difficult it is to negotiate? Maybe something very simple could make it seem more inviting. Also, in my area, the insane real estate market of the last couple of years has suddenly slowed down. Six months ago, houses were being snapped up within days of listing. Today, there are three houses on my street that have been up for sale since July. Nice houses, the market just came to a screeching halt for some reason. Karen Wheless — http://members.dencity.com/regencyread/
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>Any suggestions?
If it will not sell it is almost axiomatic that it is overpriced FOR ITS CONDITION. By that I mean to include all factors such as clutter, odd decor, possible lack of steps, etc. Decide what is cost effective and what is not. Usually removing clutter is cost effective as there is minimal cost. Odd decor definitely detracts from value but in the case of wall to wall carpets and paint what it would cost to "neutralize" can be more than the ‘cost’ of just lowering the price an amount having the equivalent market effect (that way the buyer can customize to their own odd taste). Cost to you and value to others are NOT always the same thing. Whether steps are cost effective I leave to you. Otherwise just lower the price some more. A big chunk like 5% if you really want to sell. A little bit like $500 is not enough to make a difference in most cases. I have seen people hang on to get "their price" with resultant great loss. If you need to sell now do it rather than bleed slowly to death with the extra carrying costs. Good luck, -v.
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>…… The only >negative comment that the realtors say that they get is about the fact >that the house is on a hill.
If being on a hill is a detriment in your maket, you will need to lower the price enough to overcome it. It doesn’t really matter if you, I or other posters think the hill is a molehill or a mountain from where we sit. If buyers in your area react badly to it that is all that matters, Maybe you DO need steps if others are unable to visualize them. I once had a lot that wouldnt sell either. There was a "rib" of earth, sort of a berm, between the street and the lot. It was too high for someone on foot to see over. Also kind of brushy. *I* knew it was no big deal, but finally I cut a pass for a driveway through it to sell it. (Not even with dozer, a guy I knew did it cheap in less than one day with backhoe & chainsaw only) The buyer had been looking for some time and was *shocked* at how short, small and obviously easy the "pass" was to cut. So sometimes it pays if you can see something others can’t. Good luck again, -v.
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Also schrieb Chris Webster: > Lived here 12 years with 1 > bathroom, and now six months before we move out, we’re putting in a > freakin’ master bathroom. We must be morons.) >Thanx for letting me know what I have to look forward to. ;^) >We’ve been 5 years with one bathroom no problem. When our house was >built it had just an outhouse.
Do it now, man. Don’t wait till the last minute. It cost me a grand to get someone to tie in the DWV and run supply lines. I could’ve done the supply, but water’s stupid. I wasn’t as confident of the DWV. The floor’s done, the walls are almost done, I am setting the lavy, w/c and shower now. Whole thing is gonna cost me about $3500. The thing that gets me is the people who say "You’ll never get your money back." Well, let me see. If the difference between SELLING a house at $x profit and NOT selling a house at $0 profit is the cost of a bathroom, then NOT putting in a bathroom is costing me big time. — Catch the cluetrain. http://www.cluetrain.com If you can read this, I’m still not in your killfile.
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> <snip> >(Yes, we’re putting in the bathroom. Lived here 12 years with 1 >bathroom, and now six months before we move out, we’re putting in a >freakin’ master bathroom. We must be morons.)
====== Nah! You’re just not old enough. <GG> Harry (who thinks every couple over the age of fifty needs two bathrooms)
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>> > So what’s the problem you ask? The house is on a hill. >Wait until a flood and your house is the only one above water? ><g> >Seriously, we live in a house on a hill(coming down the driveway my >antilock brakes ativate) and we looked at many houses on hills before we >bought. The first thing you thing is how am I going to get in/out when >it snows?
Around here that’s not the major problem; instead, we worry about the house sliding down the hill when it rains in the winter. 
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>When I was selling my second home. One person told the realtor >that the house was oriented the wrong way. Yea, sure. It was a >passive solar house and it was oriented to the south. Besides, >what did this buyer want, me to rotate the house around?
You’ve obviously never heard of Feng Shui…
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I’ve had some rather disappointing experiences with Realtors. I’ve found that Realtors/Agents, seem to only be interested in themselves. Sometimes they seem to place blame on you for either not wanting to buy the place they show you or for something not being right with the house your selling. They have people visit your home even with these people can’t afford your place. That’s a real waste of everyone’s time. I decided to only buy or sell homes on my own. In case anyone’s interested, I really only found 1 real problem with doing this. Selling your own place is going to save the 6% commission (or however much the agent is charging), but you have to get people to visit your house or it won’t sell! I’ve run into a lot of cases where trying to sell a house has become tiresome and costly with running newspaper ads. A few weeks ago i came across a web site for a company that isn’t associated with any real estate people and they advertise your house for FREE! I couldn’t believe it. Anyway the site is www.isoldmyhouse.com and I personally recommend it, since it’s free and I’m pretty fond of saving money. Anyhow, be sure to check it out if you’re buying or selling a home. Before you buy.
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This is kind of funny – we have a house with two full bathrooms. It’s just me and my husband. We’ve been here for two years, and except for middle-of-the-night emergencies, we generally use the downstairs bathroom. We shower downstairs. Our toothbrushes are downstairs. It’s a bigger bathroom, and it’s just more convenient. The upstairs of our house is nice enough, but it’s three bedrooms, a sitting room, and a bathroom. Remember, it’s just us. We’re always downstairs, except to sleep. Every place we’ve lived (this is our fifth home in five years) has had only one bathroom. I grew up in a family of four with only one bathroom. (As soon as my brother and I moved out, my parents built a huge master bathroom with a jacuzzi – oh how I wish we had that when I was growing up!) We’re getting ready to move again, and I see all these houses with three bedrooms and three full baths. I don’t want that! One and a half would be perfect, thank you! That’s all I want. If I have to choose between one bath and two, frankly, I’d rather only have one to clean. Besides, after two years in a century-old house, I’d rather have a walk-in closet. That’s what I’m salivating over in the houses we’ve looked at. :) Liz – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Also schrieb toddh: >x-no-archive: yes >>However, you need to take what people say "with a grain of salt". >>Many times it is just an off the cuff remark just to say something. >Maybe so, but if several different people are saying the same things, >it’s probably not a coincidence. > We had ten people at our last open house. All ten said "Great > house… except only one bathroom." > Hmm. > Whatever could be wrong with the house?? <g> > (Yes, we’re putting in the bathroom. Lived here 12 years with 1 > bathroom, and now six months before we move out, we’re putting in a > freakin’ master bathroom. We must be morons.) > — > Catch the cluetrain. http://www.cluetrain.com > If you can read this, I’m still not in your killfile.
– Well, art is art, isn’t it? Still, on the other hand, water is water! And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now, uh… Now you tell me what you know. -Groucho Marx
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Definitely! I fell in love with our house because it had this weird curving hallway and great wood shingles. Our house is really quirky, and someone is going to think it’s great. (If not, it’s just paint, so how much can they really hate it?) Liz > Like I’ve said before, I’d rather have one buyer who loves my house > than a dozen who merely like it. People buy houses and cars because > they fall in love with them, not because they are neutral and don’t > make you throw up.
– Well, art is art, isn’t it? Still, on the other hand, water is water! And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now, uh… Now you tell me what you know. -Groucho Marx
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Also schrieb Scott & Liz: >that! One and a half would be perfect, thank you! That’s all I want. If I have to >choose between one bath and two, frankly, I’d rather only have one to clean. >Besides, after two years in a century-old house, I’d rather have a walk-in closet. >That’s what I’m salivating over in the houses we’ve looked at. :)
Wanna buy my house? ;-{) — Catch the cluetrain. http://www.cluetrain.com If you can read this, I’m still not in your killfile.
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> >When I was selling my second home. One person told the realtor >that the house was oriented the wrong way. Yea, sure. It was a >passive solar house and it was oriented to the south. Besides, >what did this buyer want, me to rotate the house around? > You’ve obviously never heard of Feng Shui…
Amazing what people believe in 
In traditional Korea, you were supposed to get good gravesites for the dead. For good luck to the descendents. WHich brings to mind the line from the movie Mulan, about getting good luck from the dead ancestors – "How lucky can THEY be if they’re dead?" — Jae Kim IX 1A-458 x3-9641 "Of course he’s sensitive to the needs of the common worker – that’s why he tries to avoid being one." In Doonesbury – Duke to his interpreter Honey about a labor leader.
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> We are building a new house while in the process of selling the house >that we are in. The house is in great shape. Seven years old and we >have taken good care of it. Our realtor and others in her office have >looked at the house and they give very positive comments on it. We have >had several showings–people seem to like it. We’ve even reduced the >price on it. >So what’s the problem you ask? > <snip> >Any suggestions? >Sandra
Unless you are tapped out and need every ’steenking’ dollar, offer to take back some paper. Make it easier for someone to get into the house. The main reason for a ‘positive comments’ house not selling: the price! Harry
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> We are building a new house while in the process of selling the house >that we are in. The house is in great shape. Seven years old and we >have taken good care of it. Our realtor and others in her office have >looked at the house and they give very positive comments on it. We have >had several showings–people seem to like it. We’ve even reduced the >price on it. > >So what’s the problem you ask? > <snip> >Any suggestions? > >Sandra We spent months and months househunting this year. (Closing on a nice house on October 1, knock wood.) Here are a couple of things you might consider: Maybe you need a different view/picture in the listing. There might be something about the way your house looks in the listing that is keeping people from considering it. There was a house here on the market for well over a year – - maybe even close to 2 years. The picture of it in the listing (and online) was hideous. Contemporary with sort of a bunker look. Nasty unkempt spreading junipers in the foreground of the picture. I recoiled every time I saw it. Our agent had been looking for a place for herself and had never bothered to consider it because it was so awful-looking in the picture. Not one of her clients who had seen the picture would even consider wasting the time to go see it. It was uuuuuuugly (but in a great neighborhood.) Then one day we saw a half-page ad for it in one of those giveaway magazines. In the ad was a picture of a room inside. It looked good. Really good. We decided to at least take a look at it (by that time it was under contract with a kickout provision.) Wow. What a wonderful house. Inside, and from the back and both sides, it was fabulous. It was so wonderful that we found that, having seen the inside, the looks of it from the front (the view in the listing photograph) really didn’t seem so bad. It even grew on us. We made an offer for it the next day, but the first contract holders managed to remove their contingencies and avoid the kickout. So we didn’t get the house. I suspect that if the listing agent had used a different view of it in the listing, the house would have sold much, much faster and probably for more money than it eventually brought. While we were looking at houses, a couple of things were real turn-offs and kept us from considering a house seriously (even when we were under the gun and HAD to find a place soon.) Clutter was a substantial turn-off. Animal smells (and I even like animals) were a problem. If you have any animals get some Febreze and use it on the carpets, the curtains, and the furniture. Even if you don’t smell anything, I don’t think it could hurt to take the extra precaution. Noses don’t notice what they’re used to. The last thing is try, try, try to be NOT THERE when anyone comes through the house. If you’re there (or your kids are there) people can’t help but feel a little like intruders. If you’re gone, then people are more relaxed and able to imagine the house as theirs, which is a good thing because you want it to BE theirs, eventually. Good luck, Sarah W.
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> > So what’s the problem you ask? The house is on a hill.
Wait until a flood and your house is the only one above water? <g> Seriously, we live in a house on a hill(coming down the driveway my antilock brakes ativate) and we looked at many houses on hills before we bought. The first thing you thing is how am I going to get in/out when it snows? Some people just don’t want to be bothered. Is your driveway sloped? That was a big factor in our decision. Ours is sloped, but levels off at the end. Some don’t level off till the garage! Also, hill houses can be difficult to landscape or mow. We have as little lawn on the slopes as possible. —
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