Should I buy a new refrigerator?

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

brought it to the contract as a condition of sale that the frige would stay. Heck - we were happy to oblige ...

It was probably some valuable antique worth more than the house.

[Katsmeow]

In my area refrigerators don't generally go with the house.

If they do in your area then I would look at what the competition (i.e. other comparable houses for sale) typically have in refrigerators and see about doing that. Offering a credit usually doesn't help as people tend to go more by what they see.

We've had our house on the market for 6 months and have had a lot of showings but haven't sold (yes we have reduced the price). In this area, even in good times, it can take up to a year for houses of this type (houses with 1-5 acres) to sell.

Things we did to sell (house is 20 years old so some things needed to be updated)

1. Painted inside
2. Replaced some siding on back of house
3. Recarpeted upstairs
4. Refinished wood floors
5. Put in granite vanities in master bath and half bath (amazingly this cost less than $1000 total and made a huge difference)
6. Repainted some painted cabinets
7. Replaced a couple of light fixtures
8. Put frames around mirrors.
9. Replaced rusted ceiling fans on patio.
10. Replaced kitchen cooktop and oven (they were ancient and the oven was on its last legs).

There were a few other things but those were the main ones.

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhoDaresWins In my previous house, which I sold in 2004, I had a cranberry glass shade antique farmhouse chandelier (which was my parents) over the kitchen table. I made it very clear to the purchaser that I was taking it with me, but I would have a replacement installed, which I did...a 50 dollar item from a big box store that a friend put up for me. I was lucky on the last house as I did not even have it on the market. A colleague of my late husband's called out of the blue and said she was going through a divorce, had always liked our house and would I sell it to her. She came over that evening and did a walk through and bought it on the spot. I broke out a bottle of champagne, and we relived some memories of good times in the house. My attorney handled the sale for me gratis and she bought it "as is". I left behind all my appliances as everything in the kitchen was built in, and it is expected around here that appliances remain. I have been back a couple of times and she has totally remodeled it to suit her tastes. It looks better than when we lived there.

Nice story.

Ha

[Retire2013]

Thank you EVERYONE for sharing your stories, thoughts, advice. I am exhausted from all the work that I did on my house this past weekend to help it get ready to be listed. The realtor does not want to list it until Spring but it takes a while to sell anyone so I don't think it would hurt to list it whenever the house (and me too) is ready.

[samclem]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retire2014 The realtor does not want to list it until Spring but it takes a while to sell anyone so I don't think it would hurt to list it whenever the house (and me too) is ready.

A "new listing" generates a lot of attention among buyers ("hey look, this is something new. Maybe it's a bargain or what we've been looking for and others will scoop it up") but only for a brief period. It could be that your realtor wants to time that "splash" for when more buyers are available. For consideration: List it now for 6 weeks, take it down over the holidays (so you guys can enjoy the house) and let it "reset", then list it again in the spring. One certainty-- It won't sell if it's not on the market.

[Texas Proud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by samclem A "new listing" generates a lot of attention among buyers ("hey look, this is something new. Maybe it's a bargain or what we've been looking for and others will scoop it up") but only for a brief period. It could be that your realtor wants to time that "splash" for when more buyers are available. For consideration: List it now for 6 weeks, take it down over the holidays (so you guys can enjoy the house) and let it "reset", then list it again in the spring. One certainty-- It won't sell if it's not on the market.

I was going to post similar info.... also, make sure that your agent can list it later with a new listing. I have seen a number of houses listed again and again, but it seemed they went to different agents and they 'started over'.

But like Samclean said, if it is not listed it will not sell....


From experience... make sure your agent has someone else there to cover for them if they are out. I got an offer on Dec 24th for an all cash deal at a discount to what I had listed. I did not get this info until the 27th. I could not get in touch with my realtor until Jan 3rd. The offer had been removed as they bought from someone else. I was willing to sell for that amount, but because we could not get in touch with our agent we lost out. Cost me an additional $5K to $7K because I had to wait, keep paying utilities etc. and the new agent cost me more money (I had a discount with my first agent as I used them to buy my house).

[Dimsumkid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by samclem For consideration: List it now for 6 weeks, take it down over the holidays (so you guys can enjoy the house) and let it "reset", then list it again in the spring.

A real estate listing for only 6 weeks? Shortest listing I've ever gotten was 3 months....unless the agent is a family member or a good friend? I'll have to ask my agent today about this. It took my current agent 11 days just to get a yard sign on the property! We're moving onto a new agent Wed.

[samclem]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dimsumkid A real estate listing for only 6 weeks? Shortest listing I've ever gotten was 3 months....unless the agent is a family member or a good friend? I'll have to ask my agent today about this. It took my current agent 11 days just to get a yard sign on the property! We're moving onto a new agent Wed.

I really don't know. As slow as properties are moving, I'd be surprised if an agent turned down a listing if it was attractively priced. But, since there would be promotional costs, it might be good for a seller to offer to pay the listing broker a few hundred dollars right up front to defray those promotional costs and encourage them to accept a short listing. It can't hurt to ask, at least you'd find out which agents are hungry and motivated.

[Retire2013]

The ideas offered here by several posters to list now then take it off to enjoy our home over the holidays then relist later in early Spring is excellent. I will approach realtors with that idea. I have not signed any listing agreement yet. In fact, the house is not even ready yet. I am still working on it evenings and weekends (I work long hours in my job!). Thank you again. I really learn so much from everyone, so please keep giving me any advice, share your thoughts. Trying to sell one's house is such a daunting and emotionally taxing experience, isn't it?!

[Dimsumkid]

I just met with my new agent and posed the "list for 6 weeks" and she said with the expenses involved in a listing, she wouldn't take on a listing this short. She doesn't have a problem with 3 months, but that's as short a term that she would take. Hopefully you can get someone to go 6 weeks.

[samclem]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dimsumkid I just met with my new agent . . .

Well, she's not your agent until you sign on the dotted line. There are plenty of fish in the sea.

Anyway, good luck. If you don't see a yard sign for 11 days, that will be a strong indication that she's not a go-getter, either.

[Dimsumkid]

Samclem,
I used this agent on the estate sale last winter. I liked her and what she did for me. This current agent that we're leaving, was DW's choice and I never cared for her. The new one was my agent of choice all along.

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Trying to sell one's house is such a daunting and emotionally taxing experience, isn't it?!

Yes. Well, it wasn't the time we sold to the first person who saw the house....but usually yes.

This time has been by far the worse. About this time last year we started getting our house ready to sell. We've done this before so know the ropes.

First we decluttered. Went through and threw out things. Called 1800GotJunk to pick up stuff. Then we packed away stuff. All that took awhile since we were still working then.

Then we decided that this time we wanted a quick sale so decided to spend a little money on professional staging. Got the stager in and then started on the stuff to get the house ready (such as painting, etc.). All that took longer than we expected. We had to wait for this, that needed to be redone, etc. We had planned to be on the market the first week of March.

We got on the market in mid-April. We told our agent (whom we have used before) that we wanted to sell quickly and wanted to price on the lower end. We didn't want to maximize price. (This is because we had already bought our replacement house that we planned to do extensive renovations to...making long story short, it now turns out we will need to demolish it and rebuild).

Well we got a lot of traffic but no offers. After a realtor open house it was clear that we were overpriced. So we reduced the price. SOme of the other negatives mentioned, the agent told me she had known them but had never mentioned to us.

So now it is six months later, we've reduced the price a little over 10%. I think it is a good price but wish we had listed it at this price six months ago. We've had a lot of showings according to the realtor for our price range but no offers. Typical feedback is they don't like our floor plan (we have a large house, but smallish kitchen and only one dining area).

Listing expires next month. We are inclined to take it off the market until it can come back on as a new listing (local MLS rules say how long that needs to be). We will probably switch agents. She is nice and responsive but hasn't really given us much advise. Every price decrease or other change has been initiated by us... All very frustrating particularly since we really need to sell.

[Retire2013]

Will everyone please post when your house gets sold so we can all congratulate you and celebrate your success? We all NEED good, happy news! To anyone who is trying to sell a property, best of luck to all of us!

[AngelFly]

Get one on layaway

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retire2014 Will everyone please post when your house gets sold so we can all congratulate you and celebrate your success? We all NEED good, happy news! To anyone who is trying to sell a property, best of luck to all of us!

Good luck to you too, Retire2014! Let's hear it for selling to follow one's ER dreams, and moving on with life.

Luckily this is not a contest since real estate markets differ so. Still, once it's sold it's sold and worth a big grin no matter how long it takes.

[Moemg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retire2014 Will everyone please post when your house gets sold so we can all congratulate you and celebrate your success? We all NEED good, happy news! To anyone who is trying to sell a property, best of luck to all of us!

Good luck to all you sellers ! I am doing work on my house but I'm not ready to list . I hate having my house on the market for more than a few months but hopefully you will all sell quickly or at least in a reasonable time span !

[Emeritus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Achiever51 I opened the freezer door -- and got drenched with a freezer-full of ice cold water..which then pretty much flooded the wood floor in the kitchen, to say nothing of my ruined wool suit.!

Cant say about the rest, but wool is processed in cold water. Putting a wool suit in ice cold water is a traditional means of taking off stains such as mustard.

[Emeritus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsmeow So now it is six months later, we've reduced the price a little over 10%. I think it is a good price but wish we had listed it at this price six months ago. We've had a lot of showings according to the realtor for our price range but no offers. Typical feedback is they don't like our floor plan (we have a large house, but smallish kitchen and only one dining area). Listing expires next month. We are inclined to take it off the market until it can come back on as a new listing (local MLS rules say how long that needs to be). We will probably switch agents. She is nice and responsive but hasn't really given us much advise. Every price decrease or other change has been initiated by us... All very frustrating particularly since we really need to sell.

Unfortunately your house appears to be overpriced for the market

[WhoDaresWins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retire2014 Will everyone please post when your house gets sold so we can all congratulate you and celebrate your success? We all NEED good, happy news! To anyone who is trying to sell a property, best of luck to all of us!

Ditto on the luck to all! I hope people will post when they sell, too. I plan to retire no later than 2014 and might possibly try to unload this place when I do. I hope I can at least break even as I will have owned my home 10 years by then.
A co-worker sold her home of almost 20 years here in PA in the spring and moved back to where she grew up in Alabama. She sold it for about 15 percent less than comparables in her neighborhood to the first person who made an offer. She just closed on a new home in Alabama which she says sold at a steep discount so it all worked out in the end. She did a bang up job of cleaning out all the clutter from her home before she listed it. She also did a little painting in neutral colors, made sure everything was very clean, did a lot of repairs so that everything was in working order, and hired a landscaper to give the place curb appeal. She lived near a college and the person who bought the place is an investor who plans to rent it out to students.