SEATTLE AVENUE

BLUNDER
During an inspection for my brother and his wife this little mishap occurred. The inspector was testing some plumbing and we didn’t know that water was pouring into the kitchen from a hose poking out of the wall that was shared with a half bath on the other side. It took the four of us 20 minutes to soak up half an inch of water. Nothing was damaged, no carpeting was flooded, and my brother and his wife bought the house. If you bring a tote bag with gloves, paper towels, a towel, a note pad, a tape measurer, and camera to your inspection you’ll probably never need them but you’ll have them just in case.

BRILLIANCE
One of the best investments sellers can make is to hire a professional cleaner before their house goes on the market. The person I refer has an extensive background in construction, contracting, rentals, and other areas of real estate. I refer her to all of my selling clients. Buyers and agents can (and should) be relentless. We have one chance to make an instant impression of quality. If buyers walk into your listing and it’s spic-n-span clean, they’ll be less suspicious and more optimistic. When buyers walk into a dirty house most of the time I hear something like “I wonder what else is wrong here” and honestly I think the same thing and more. Professional cleaners are always wise investments. Expect to pay between $25 and $30 per hour for a professional cleaner.