Pick Up The Dirty Laundry

As a real estate professional who works with many Buyers, I often don't get to view a home until I'm showing to a client. There are some things I've seen that would make every mother mad and ready to get out a rolling pin ready to discipline someone, anyone. As for me, I am sometimes just so flabbergasted I find myself at a loss for words trying to explain what's there to incredulous clients. Here's just a short list of some of the showing no-no's that I have been subjected to, and believe me when I say the value of the home really isn't the factor that determines what you'll see once inside. Some of these strange things have happened in $100,000 homes as well as in $750,000 homes:

- Dirty underwear on the floor, many items, not just one

- Unmade beds - this is so much more common than you would believe      

- Dirty dishes in the sink - not just from breakfast this morning, sometimes, days old

- Is leftover foods on the dining table a separate category or does it fit with the point above

- Bathrooms that look like they've never been cleaned with bottles and boxes of every personal care product on show

- Open suitcases with dirty laundry strewn all over the floor

- Here a living one, the owner lounging on her bed on the phone wearing - well, not very much (and the listing agent met me here)

- Sex toys on the side table - I won't go into detail here :)

- Enough religious items hanging on every inch of wall space, to make the place look like a cult den

Oh, I could go on but I think you get the message. Needless to say, I haven't yet met a Buyer willing to overlook any of these showing transgressions. If fact, they usually want to get out of the home as quickly as possible.

So, please Sellers, understand that your home will never sell if it looks like a college dorm room or like some religious sect has invaded the property. Now don't get all mad at me about the religious items, a few pieces here and there are fine, but when there is no more wall space left to hang one more religious item and that's the only decoration you have on the walls, you may have a problem selling the home.

Your Realtor should be advising you what to do with your home to help it sell quickly at the best possible price. This includes tips on staging, what personal items to remove from view. How to live in your home and have it ready to show at a moment's notice. With religious items, keep in mind that you're showing to people of all faiths and a more neutral environment will all make people feel more comfortable.

I am out of excuses to give my clients – suggestions please.