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When we retired we downsized to a brand new smaller house. So we got rid of most of the junk at that time. Now we live in a 1561 sq ft house that was built in 2015, has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a two car garage. That gives us one bedroom for ourselves, one for guests and grandkids and one for an office. And when only one of us is left, it won't be too big and there won't be much to clean out and it won't be a maintenance nightmare. I lived in an apartment when I was younger and I don't ever want to live in one again.
I didn't realize that potential buyers would bring that many family and friends with them. Since there is only 1 realtor riding herd, I decided to move anything valuable to a storage unit.
Got the septic system inspected, waiting for report. Well to be test Thursday. The realtor said these things are normally done shortly before closing. I want them done now so I can fix anything that needs fixing.
Had a buyer want to walk on my roof to inspect it. Told him he would need to make do with the home inspection report.
Home inspection listed a bunch of minor things, so I am having those fixed even tho I am selling the house as is. I am not repainting; I am not landscaping; I am not paying to hook up cable; I am not taking down my chain link fence and putting up a wooden privacy fence. None of these things would make the home unlivable, so the buyer can handle it. Personally, I don't regard landscaping the yard as a major defect, but one buyer requested it. I am not going to resod, plant trees, or create planting beds.
The buyer who made a bid sent me a list of things he wanted fixed. I asked the realtor what part of 'as is' he didn't understand. Declined to make any of his requested changes.
Yes, tell me about it. We have a backyard that is heavily treed, not a flat open yard like people apparently want. Thus we were careful to put lots of pictures of it in the listing. Still, tons of comments about the backyard being inadequate. My favorite was one that complained that it was not big enough for the hockey rink they wanted to install.
I had to laugh at this. We had a comment that our lot was "too small". It is an acre.
My favorite was one that complained that it was not big enough for the hockey rink they wanted to install.
These aren't really complaints, you know? It's hard not to take some of the reasons for rejection personally. Sometimes it's hard to tell from photos if a yard is flat. An acre lot could be 1/4 acre in the front and 3/4 in the back -- or it could have a huge front yard and almost no backyard. Sometimes, you just don't know until you lay eyes on it. Most of us are sophisticated enough to use Google satellite view to pre-screen a house for a shopping center next door, the busyness of a street, proximity to a retention pond, etc. But many aren't. And Google isn't great about details of terrain -- the degree of slope of the backyard, frontyard, etc. An experienced eye can make some guesses, but nothing takes the place of actually LOOKING at the site.
What your prospective buyer was telling you was that a) they want a hockey rink and hoped your yard could support it, and b) unfortunately, your yard wasn't big enough.
And sometimes, they just can't think of anything nice to say to shut down any further selling blandishments -- they don't want to tell you that your wallpaper is tacky, or your antique doll collection creeped them out. :-) It's the dating version of "It's not you, it's me."
"The worst was any negative feedback. We got such odd comments like...."want a bigger yard, when our house was on a acre and they could see that on the listing." How were you getting this feedback?
Our agent had a app where the potential buyers could leave remarks about the house. This is in Illinois where most shoppers do leave feedback for the sellers.
We got a lot of
Nice home, too small
Nice home, too big
Nice home, get rid of swing set if I buy
Nice home, yard too small
Nice Home, yard too big
Feedback is mostly useless.
Unless it's something specific that can be fixed that your agent is hearing people say over and over
A house either works for someone or not
I'm selling my first time... i hate it, it's horrible. And the feedback is pretty useless. Buy it if you like it enough! Nothing that i can change ever comes up in the feedback...
I've lived here for 22 years, but i'm ready to move to another state. I'm impatient. Been on the market for 7 weeks and i hope there is an offer SOON.
I didn't realize that potential buyers would bring that many family and friends with them. Since there is only 1 realtor riding herd, I decided to move anything valuable to a storage unit.
Got the septic system inspected, waiting for report. Well to be test Thursday. The realtor said these things are normally done shortly before closing. I want them done now so I can fix anything that needs fixing.
Had a buyer want to walk on my roof to inspect it. Told him he would need to make do with the home inspection report.
Home inspection listed a bunch of minor things, so I am having those fixed even tho I am selling the house as is. I am not repainting; I am not landscaping; I am not paying to hook up cable; I am not taking down my chain link fence and putting up a wooden privacy fence. None of these things would make the home unlivable, so the buyer can handle it. Personally, I don't regard landscaping the yard as a major defect, but one buyer requested it. I am not going to resod, plant trees, or create planting beds.
The buyer who made a bid sent me a list of things he wanted fixed. I asked the realtor what part of 'as is' he didn't understand. Declined to make any of his requested changes.
Oh, well, let's see what this week brings.
OP, I agree that landscaping makes the outside of the home look nicer, but has nothing to do with living in the home. Selling is hard, we did it last year and we lived there 10 years. Definitely not as long as you, but it was where I had both of my children, it was hard to leave. Just know that as hard as it is to leave, a new chapter will begin in a new home.
If you are selling "AS IS" the buyer should have already known that when putting in an offer. I'm assuming your sales price accommodated for that? It will all work out! I wish you the best!
I think the feedback can be useful at times. If everyone is saying the same thing, and it's something you can fix, it helps your realtor help you sell, either by fixing or lowering the price. It's not Him now, it's him and the marketplace.
However, we got a lot of, "we need a larger house."
Me: "if you need a larger house, you should look at larger houses."
Reading these stories of makes me glad that I was not living in the house when it went on the market.
Currently in escrow, but never anyone that came to look at the house.
Home went under contract pretty quick so I guess there was no need for the listing agent to give any feedback on the house.
I lived in the house for 7 years...but I can imagine it would be very difficult to sell a home you lived in for 30 years.
Regarding inspections...I was worried about it too and kept worrying that the buyer would try to ask for a discount but luckily they didn't. I guess the market being strong helped a lot. Not much inventory.
Just know that it will soon be over and you'll be able to move on.
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