The Unconventional Things We’ve Seen in Homes – by Jonathan Broekman
Category Home Buying/Selling Tips
When selling a house, there are many things that will affect the ultimate value. From the location of the property to the overall condition, but there are a few small things that can make it a little harder to sell a home. Fortunately, they are sometimes amusing. Here are the three most memorable things I have seen in homes getting ready to go onto the market.
The Little Boys Room:
All men need their own space, a place to escape from the world; an office, a games room, a ‘man cave’ if you will. We had a home brought to us where the whole lower story had become the mans’ hideaway, with one small renovation. The owner of the house had removed the guest toilet and replaced it with a urinal. Yes, a urinal. He decided that his women guests could head on upstairs. We suggested to help with the saleability of the home, he removed the urinal and replaced it with a normal toilet. He said no.
The Poles:
This hasn’t been a surprise to us for a while; we’ve seen quite a few pole dancing poles in homes over the years. A good portion of these poles could be removed easily for show days and taken with the owners when they move, but some of them were permanently fixed in place. A permanent pole is another thing which can affect the saleability of a home, especially as the poles have often been installed at the end of the bed in the master bedroom. One of the best suggestions we can make in these cases is to try and grow a pretty vine up it.
Family Memorabilia:
It’s a general rule of thumb to take down any family photographs and even children’s artwork before putting a house online to advertise a show day. Potential buyers don’t want to see another family living in a home they’re trying to picture themselves living in. The situation needs to be approached very sensitively, but burning candles and memorials are something buyers don’t need to see in a home they may buy. It will often lead buyers to ask the question, “Did that person die in this house?”
The smallest detail can affect the sale of a home: the colour of the walls, the tiles facing the wrong way in a bathroom, even a photograph. Before putting your home on the market, consider what will put the average person off in buying a home, urinals instead of toilets, stripper poles at the end of a bed, or a shrine to a lost loved one, these things can affect a sale, and maybe end up in an article one day.
Author: Lillian Rencken
