Many home sellers move out of their home before they’re able to sell it, leaving it vacant. This sets both a challenge to the homeowner who no doubt has concerns about the safety of the empty property and the realtor, who wants to ensure that the house is in top condition before trying to sell it.
One of the biggest problems with selling a vacant home is that the house has no furniture. Although this might sound like you’re giving buyers a potential blank slate from which to imagine their own home, the reality is, many fail to imagine their furniture in the home. Without rugs, lighting and other decor, they see the place as a property but not a home.
Mould and Other Problems
Houses need airing and without a steady supply of fresh air and without this they can quickly develop mould and other problems. Obviously this is going to put viewers off, so if you are leaving your home vacant be sure to ask a neighbour to pop into the house once or twice a week to open it up and air it out. If your house has been left vacant long-term, it may be worth hiring a cleaning company to give it a once over.
Crime
Although vacant homes rarely have anything in them to steal, leaving a house empty can open it up to squatters and vandals. Timed light switches are available which switch the lights on at various times during the evening to give the feel of a lived in home.
Vacant Home Insurance
Is your home insured while it’s vacant. You might be surprised to find this out but many home insurance policies don’t cover homes that are left empty for more than 30 days.
Websites like TrustedHousesitter.com provide a solution to this by connecting homeowners with live-in house sitters, most of whom offer their services for free. House sitters can also be a deterrent to burglars and can be asked to carry out a few chores in return for their accommodation.
Garden, Pool & Facilities
Gardens, pools and everything else outside also help to sell a home and if these have been left to run wild they can discourage potential buyers. Make sure to employ the services of a gardener, pool boy or even just a friend’s neighbour in need of some pocket money to keep the outside maintained and looking good.