Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Sure! We started his training while I was still in the military, so he learned how I did when I went through Basic training. Just kidding! We sat him down and spoke to him like a "big Boy", and explained that there are people coming to look at our house and may like it enough to buy it and then we get to move. We took him to look at houses with us. Some he liked, others he didn't. He even said some were too small (he said that his bunk beds wouldn't fit). He got bunk beds last year for Christmas and we've had to put them in storage since we listed the house.
It's all in the explanation. Plus, we bribe him. If he helps keep the house clean for a month, we take a day and do Mommy/son time and go to Chuck E Cheese's. (there's something in it for him, but he has to earn it too). Just kidding! We don't bribe but if he's good he does get Chuck E Cheese's.
sorry, I think they are beyond help after age 7. I wish I could! Good luck. Just look at it this way, boot camp is a great way to teach them how to clean their room!!!! I learned and it only took me 28 years! My mother would laugh if she reads this!!!
sorry, I think they are beyond help after age 7. I wish I could! Good luck. Just look at it this way, boot camp is a great way to teach them how to clean their room!!!! I learned and it only took me 28 years! My mother would laugh if she reads this!!!
My 4.5 yo also "gets it" as we almost put our condo on the market a few weeks ago and did a week of trial days when we practiced keeping it immaculate. Letting her know that we had to sell our condo to get a house with a yard goes a LONG way with this age group!
As for decorations, luckily we celebrate at my Mom's about 45 min away, so we will probably just go for the tabletop tree again this year. We are considered by others to be atheists, but still celebrate and I wouldn't have a problem with some holiday decorating, but I do get uncomfortable with very religious displays like crosses on the walls or yard or pictures of Jesus on the walls (not to offend anyone, just for information). If I was viewing the house on my own it would be fine, but if the owner or an agent were with me then I get uncomfortable, hoping it won't be brought up. Then again I usually get uncomfortable when religion is brought up because people usually assume I share their beliefs!
I think discussing it with a PB is maybe not the way to go, but during the holiday season as long as you have tastefully decorated then it shouldn't make a difference. We were planning on putting out our menorah out to celebrate the holiday. If we had gone to a home where the whole house had been decorated for Christmas, or any other holiday for that matter, then I might think they went over the top but I wouldn't be offended.
Our holiday decorations are at my mothers in storage, so when we go for Thanksgiving, I'm going to get everything and then start on getting the tree decorated by the first weekend in December. I'm not going to go over the top, as offending someone is the last thing I want to do! Thankyou everyone for advise! I hope we are all able to sell quickly!
Now that's an eye grabber!
As for decor, well I guess I'm just going to risk offending some secular progressives then.... I can't believe we've come to the point that people are actually suggesting that you should completely sanitize your life of anything remotely religeous or personal for risk of "offending" a buyer. I can understand the neutral paint thing, cleaning up and making the house as nice as possible but I draw the line at becoming a closet christmas celebrant because some SP might take offense. Heaven forbid they might see a bible or torah etc. laying out, they may burn my house down or protest or something! And if you have a manger display, well you better disclose it!
Not to mention the fact that I find it totally dishonest! I would think that if the person is so dishonest that they are going to hide what they believe for money then how honest are they going to be in this transaction? Probably not very, remember, it's for money....
Personally, I get a bad feeling when I look at houses totally devoid of any type of emotion or family. IMO it makes the house feel cold and unwelcoming!
I do understand what you are saying and it does make sense...
the thing is when realtors tell you to do these things we are trying to accommodate as many buyers as possible
one person may come in and love your red dining room another well not so much
and the personal stuff.... well it distracts buyers and if you have made your family leave your home for the 10th time this week for a showing your want the buyer to get in get out and get done not daudling over your baby's beautiful pictures.
and also just on the safety side
sometimes these people are not honest
they are casing your home
you really don't want them to know who is in your family and especially what they look like
it is ok for the wedding picture but alot of kids pictures are probably a nono
I agree on the children's photos... there was just a story on the radio of someone who was going around with different realtors as if he wanted to purchase a house in the $500k range and was actually stealing things out of the home. You never know what kind of person will be there. I think in general there isn't something to worry about, but you probably don't want to let everyone see your children's faces. Just like you don't put their names on their backpacks so people can see anymore, so children aren't tricked into going with a stranger.
We took down all pictures except for a couple with son with friends. Can't tell which kid is ours from the pictures as we aren't in them. No names are on the pictures either. We had a friend who was selling their house in Albany NY. Realtor came through, not theirs mind you, and the couple looking brought their toddler. This child apparently had a messy diaper and took it off himself, then crawled on the brand new WHITE carpet and stained it. Then the mother used the nice towels to clean it up (she found them in the linen closet...closed door....) and then left the towels on the floor of the bathroom. In the meantime, the toddler was running through the house without diaper, and had put hands in "poop" and was coloring the walls.
When we listed our condo, we asked that our agent be here at all times, due to this happening to someone close to us. I have all personal things out of house except in sons room and those are just some small pictures. All jewelery is in storage and we take our portable finanical records and laptop computer with us when there is a showing. Can never be too careful.
Friends file suit against potential buyers and agent. Not sure if they one, but house was sold shortly after they "cleaned". Sore subject for friends.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Very smart little boy! He trained well too, dusts, sweeps and cleans his own room. Next lesson, LAUNDRY!
sorry, I think they are beyond help after age 7. I wish I could! Good luck. Just look at it this way, boot camp is a great way to teach them how to clean their room!!!! I learned and it only took me 28 years! My mother would laugh if she reads this!!!
And if you have a manger display, well you better disclose it!
