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The House Is Full of Belongings. You Don’t Have to Solve Everything First.
For many homeowners, one of the biggest obstacles to selling a home isn’t the real estate market, the mortgage, or even finding another place to live.
It’s everything inside the house.
Maybe you’ve lived in your home for 20, 30, or 40 years. Perhaps you inherited a property from a parent or family member. Maybe you’re helping someone move into a smaller home or transition to a different living situation.
You look around and see furniture, boxes, clothing, dishes, tools, photographs, keepsakes, and decades of accumulated belongings.
It can feel overwhelming.
And that often leads to one conclusion:
“I can’t even think about selling until I get all of this cleaned out.”
That may not be true.
You Don’t Have to Do Everything Before Calling a Realtor
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is assuming you have to completely empty, repair, clean, and prepare the property before talking with a real estate professional.
You don't.
In fact, I would rather see the property before you start spending money or throwing things away.
Why?
Because every situation is different.
Some homes may benefit from cleaning, repairs, painting, or removing belongings before going on the market. Other properties may make more sense to sell in their current condition.
You need to understand your options before deciding how much work to do.
Selling As-Is May Be an Option
Depending on the home, its condition, your financial situation, and your goals, selling the property as-is may be worth considering.
That doesn't necessarily mean giving the property away.
It means looking at the numbers.
What might the property sell for after spending thousands of dollars and weeks or months preparing it?
What might it sell for in its present condition?
How much time, money, and effort would the preparation require?
Only after looking at those questions can you make an informed decision.
Don't Spend Money Until You Know Why You're Spending It
I've seen homeowners assume they need to replace flooring, paint the entire house, haul everything away, landscape the yard, or make other improvements before they can sell.
Sometimes those improvements make sense.
Sometimes they don't.
Before you spend $5,000, $10,000, or more preparing a property, you should have some idea whether you're likely to recover that money when the home sells.
Preparation should have a purpose.
Start With the House You Have Today
If you're staring at a house full of belongings and don't know where to begin, you don't have to figure out the entire process today.
Start with one question:
What are my options with the house exactly the way it is right now?
That's a question I can help you answer.
I'll look at the property, talk with you about your situation and goals, and discuss the different ways you might move forward.
Then you decide what makes the most sense.
The first step doesn't have to be filling a dumpster, renting a storage unit, holding an estate sale, or spending weeks cleaning.
The first step can simply be a conversation.
Need Help Figuring Out Your Next Step?
If you have a home in the Tucson area that's full of belongings and you're considering selling, give me a call.
You don't have to have everything figured out before we talk.
Wes Stolsek
OMNI Homes International
520-404-9773
The house may be full of belongings. Your next chapter can still start today.
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