BCCDC Real Estate by Marcie Sandalow

Archive for the 'Out of Town Sellers/Estate Sales' Category

Selling an Estate in Bethesda, MD

said on February 12th, 2011 filed under: Information for Sellers, Out of Town Sellers/Estate Sales

I was talking to a client the other day about selling her mother’s estate in Bethesda, MD.  She was feeling a little frazzled. There is so much that goes into preparing a home for sale, and it’s especially challenging when it isn’t your own home, or if you live out of town.  During our discussion, I realized I had addressed many of her issues in previous blogs.  So folks, I’ve pulled them all together into one spot… read on:

bigstock_Garage_Sale_Goodies_14971671.  How to Sell an Estate in Bethesda (and Beyond…).  This one covers the basics, including what to do with the stuff that’s left over (not wanted, but not ready for the trash bin).

2.  Staging Your Home.  Furnished homes typically sell more quickly and for more money than their unfurnished counterparts..  At Evers & Company, we provide free staging for empty homes (or homes that need a little extra umph) as long as you are willing to pay for the transportation of the furniture.  Compare this to a professional staging service and you’ll realize you’re saving a bundle.

3.  Six Reasons NOT to Renovate When Selling.  Sometimes there are legitimate reasons for not Read the rest of this entry »

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6 Reasons NOT to Renovate When Selling

said on February 1st, 2011 filed under: Information for Sellers, Out of Town Sellers/Estate Sales

Not every house is ready for prime time.  While in many cases all it takes to get a house ready for market is a little spit and polish (and maybe some granite counter tops!), for some homes coming on the market, it really doesn’t make sense to put any money into renovations. Here are a few scenarios suggesting why you might consider NOT doing any work, starting with the most obvious:

  1. No money $$$. There are plenty of situations where this might be the case.  Foreclosures.  Short sales.  Estate sales, etc.  (But don’t let this discourage you.  Many challenges to improving the marketability of a property center around clutter and cleaning.  If you can rise to the occasion and take care of these items, you can reap the rewards by releasing your inner cleaning god or goddess.  Are you handy?  Perhaps some basic painting & landscaping tasks can be performed… by you!  Also, sometimes when there’s no money for a bathroom re-do, there is a little bit of money for towels and a new shower curtain.  Make the most of your situation.)
  2. Sheer stubbornness/Decorators nightmare.  Some folks really like their stuff. Their big, brassy, UGLY, in-your-face kind of stuff.  And suggesting to them that they neutralize their surroundings falls on deaf ears (hey, I’ve tried!).  If swapping your orange painted walls and gold-leafed toilet seat Read the rest of this entry »

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How to sell an estate in Bethesda, MD (and beyond…)

said on January 27th, 2011 filed under: Out of Town Sellers/Estate Sales

bigstock_Renovation_Street_1179208Families really don’t live in the same town any more. My family is spread out on two different coasts, with a few tossed in the middle.  While we make a very good effort to see each other, we are by no means close, distance-wise.

As a society, because we are now so fragmented, when a parent, a favorite uncle, or anyone out of town dies, it can be hard to know were to start, especially if you live elsewhere. If you are the person in charge of dealing with the estate, knowing where to begin can be a challenge. Obviously, the estate lawyer will serve as a guide. And while there are a lot of issues that come up when dealing with the disbursement of an estate, the one I will focus on involves the preparation and eventual sale of a property. Some common real estate challenges for the executor include:

  1. The relatives have been by, and all of the items that were going to be claimed have gone. But there’s a lot left over. You don’t want to throw it out, but Read the rest of this entry »

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Staging your Bethesda Home

said on January 26th, 2011 filed under: Bethesda, Information for Sellers, Out of Town Sellers/Estate Sales

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Once an empty living room...

Great news! You got a promotion, they want you in Seattle yesterday, you have to leave town pronto because school starts next week, and that’s o.k. because the house needs a paint job.  But, you’re now in the unfortunate position of having an empty house to sell. And, empty houses typically don’t do as well as their furnished counterparts. Take a deep breath.

An obvious solution is to stage your home.  But staging can run a bundle… I have an old client who paid Read the rest of this entry »

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