Selling my house

[drop45]

Closing on my house is scheduled for the 23rd of this month. Other than a clean house should I leave the buyers a gift of sorts? A bottle of wine, or a fruit basket? Any ideas INGO.

 

[Cameramonkey]

sardines in the floor registers.



(Sorry, I got nuttin. Unless they overpaid, a clean house with no "surprises*" left behind is the best you can give them)

*excess junk for them to have to dispose of.

 

[IndianaSoloMcfly]

"Welcome home" etched dust cover? If they know what it is they will chuckle. If they dont itll be funny knowing they are confused?

 

[amboy49]

sardines in the floor registers.



(Sorry, I got nuttin. Unless they overpaid, a clean house with no "surprises*" left behind is the best you can give them)

*excess junk for them to have to dispose of.

Rookie mistake - put them in the curtain rods

 

[ruger1800]

Rookie mistake - put them in the curtain rods

You sir are truly a sick sick man. Smear the sardines around inside the fans. Set several coffee cans full off chicken beef livers egggs intestines deep inside the duct work

 

[Snipercop]

I guess it would depend on how good of a deal you felt like you got. I don't believe it's a customary practice.

 

[churchmouse]

Maybe a hand written note wishing them well.

 

[TB1999]

Buy them a new car

 

[Jeepster48439]

Broom swept, debris-free is all that is required. Don't leave a full trash barrel for the buyer to deal with. They'll need the barrel to get rid of their own trash from moving in.

Any gift is a nice gesture, but not the norm.

I've been in this business for 13 years and have never seen the seller give a gift to the buyer or vice versa.

Her are some tips for things that are nice to do's, and often overlooked.

Make sure you leave extra keys, garage door openers and such in a place that will be easily found. Usually a kitchen drawer or cabinet.

Leave any instruction/owners manuals.

If there is anything that you do to keep things in working order that isn't common sense, make sure you write it down for the buyer.

If you have a programmable thermostat, give the programming information to the buyer.

Make sure to leave instructions on how to program the garage door code, set the recharge cycle on the water softener, change the sprinkler system programming.

Make of list of service providers you have used, with phone numbers, for systems such as HVAC, plumbing, electrical , sprinkler, pool, etc...

Inform the buyer of when trash day is.

Give them your forwarding information in case something slips by the post office. If you receive mail for someone not easily recognized as part of your household, let them know and what to do with it.

Exchange phone numbers so they can ask questions or you can call with additional information you forgot to mention.

 

[indytechnerd]

I can't believe nobody has suggested the all time classic... The upper decker!

 

[CindyE]

When we moved into our house, i remember making a late night run to the store for toilet paper and a few other basics. Lots of people probably already have that, but our closing and move-in was a little unusual.
Oh...and there was a nice litter of feral kittens waiting for us at the back door, hissing and ready to fight.

 

[Jeepster48439]

When we moved into our house, i remember making a late night run to the store for toilet paper and a few other basics.

I'll have to add these to the list.

 

[bacon#1]

I can't believe nobody has suggested the all time classic... The upper decker!

I prefer the dry dock.

 

[SmileDocHill]

My wife has moved over 50 times, 7 times since I've been married to her. We once had a letter left for us describing all the neighbors, which ones to avoid, nice ones, ones they help in the winter (elderly).... The neighborhood had a weird dynamic so it was fitting for that hood.

 

[Bfish]

My wife has moved over 50 times, 7 times since I've been married to her. We once had a letter left for us describing all the neighbors, which ones to avoid, nice ones, ones they help in the winter (elderly).... The neighborhood had a weird dynamic so it was fitting for that hood.

That is something super odd to have left in a letter, but I guess that's not a bad thing... I HATE moving though, I can't imagine being your wife. I feel like I'd limit all things I owned/possessed if I moved that frequently.

 

[femurphy77]

My wife has moved over 50 times, 7 times since I've been married to her. We once had a letter left for us describing all the neighbors, which ones to avoid, nice ones, ones they help in the winter (elderly).... The neighborhood had a weird dynamic so it was fitting for that hood.

That is something super odd to have left in a letter, but I guess that's not a bad thing... I HATE moving though, I can't imagine being your wife. I feel like I'd limit all things I owned/possessed if I moved that frequently.

Well you sure as hell don't want to tell them the neighbors are *******s BEFORE closing! I sold a house in Greenwood BECAUSE the neighbors were *******s and when the buyer asked our motivation I told them that we had just decided it was time to get some space around us, which wasn't untrue. . . . . .

 

[Thegeek]

Any manuals or repair receipts you have. Any institutional knowledge you have that may save them frustration in the future. No need to spend money.

 

[JettaKnight]

I left a binder with:
- all the manuals and warranties
- notes about any filters needing periodic changing or other service type stuff
- a map of all the plants I planted over the years (incl. tags if I had them)
- instructions on how to take care of the fish pond


In addition, all the electrical breakers are clearly marked.


When we closed on the upgrade (i.e. house we moved in to), the seller popped a bottle of sparkling wine in the closing. Anyone else have that?

 

[Timjoebillybob]

A list of good pizza places or such in the area that deliver? I know when I moved I wasn't in the mood to cook or go out and pick something up.

 

[CountryBoy19]

sardines in the floor registers.



(Sorry, I got nuttin. Unless they overpaid, a clean house with no "surprises*" left behind is the best you can give them)

*excess junk for them to have to dispose of.

This ^^^ No surprises... IE, when we bought out place the seller asked if we wanted him to leave the kids toys his kids had outgrown. We said that was fine as long as it wasn't all junk, and that he left X, Y,& Z toys specifically (he said he was going to donate those toys). He took all the good toys, including those specifically requested to be left, and left all the junk. My wife had to haul 2 truckloads of broken toys to the dump... Furthermore I hauled several truckloads of trash out of the outbuildings... Don't be a trashy jerk-wad and you're GTG.