Tag Archives: Kansas City Home Selling Tips

Top 10 Things To Do If You Want To Kill Your Kansas City Home Sale

Posted on by
Checking The Pulse Of The Kansas City Real Estate Market

Just when I think I’ve seen it all, I walk into a home this week that has three puppies in the master bath tub. The showing directions indicated dogs would be kenneled but who knew this is what that could mean? My buyer was not amused and I was – well, I was slightly amused – until I realized my time had just been wasted because my client had no further interest in the home. So this got me thinking, what are some of the craziest things I’ve seen that turned my buyers off when viewing a home. Here’s my top 10 list of things to do if you want to kill your Kansas City home sale…


1. Put 3 puppies in the jetted corner tub.
2. Sit the cat litter in the entry way.
3. Have a front door lock that falls off when opening the door.
4. Tell the appraiser about an upcoming neighborhood foreclosure.
5. Tell the buyer the mold isn’t bad enough to mitigate.
6. Have Marmaduke’s cousin roaming the home during a show.
7. Have standing water on your basement floor.
8. Stay at home for the showing and tell the buyers to take their time.
9. Have bugs in the home and a note that the seller is willing to exterminate.
10. Tell buyer’s agent they have a 15 minute window to show your home.


And I don’t dare say I’ve seen it all because no sooner would I say that than carnival music would start playing and the bearded lady would greet me at one of my showings tomorrow.


Posted by Jason A. Brown

The Seller Never Promised You A Rose Garden When Buying That Kansas City Home… Did They?

Posted on by
Checking The Pulse Of The Kansas City Real Estate Market

There has been many a dispute between Kansas City Home Buyer and Kansas City Home Seller when it comes to just exactly what is a fixture and stays with the home. I’ve even had my own personal dispute as a home seller (when selling my own home). In that instance I had a $500 half bath mirror that was hanging on the wall. The mirror was not “attached” by glue, nail or screws. It was hanging on a screw and in my mind that meant it was personal property and not part of the home. The buyer disagreed to the extent that I was put in a very difficult situation. Due to my higher level of responsibility as a licensed Kansas City Realtor, I decided it was in my best interest to return the mirror. I didn’t feel I owed or promised the Buyer the mirror but brought it back anyway. I had a client one time who took her mother’s rose garden with her when she moved. Landscaping is a fixture but my Seller told me to tell the Buyer’s Agent that she hadn’t promised the buyers the rose garden…

… couldn’t resist working that in. So you get the idea now of the possibilities that could arise from a seller taking an item they felt is personal property but the buyer feels is a fixture and should have stayed with the home. The base Residential Real Estate Sale Contract approved by my own Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors attempts to clear this up by indicating the following items as real estate fixtures (assuming they are attached and owned)…

Attic and ceiling fans
Garage door openers
Bathroom mirrors (wall mounted)
Outside cooking units (if attached)
Gas heaters
Owned propane tanks
Central air conditioning
Gas logs and fireplace grates
Shelving (if attached)
Central vacuum & attachments
Heating and plumbing equipment
Soft water conditioner (if owned)
Fences (including invisible)
Storm windows, doors & screens
Fire, smoke and burglary detection
Humidifiers
TV antennas
Keys to all doors
Satellite dishes
Fireplace screens and/or glass doors
Kitchen appliances (if built-in)
Sprinkler systems & controls
Lighting and light fixtures
Window coverings and components
Floor coverings (if attached)

I’ve probably missed a few in trying to type them in here from the actual contract documents, but you get the idea. If you don’t see the item listed in your contract and you feel there’s ANY chance that there could be a misunderstanding, always use the Addition Inclusions or the Additional Exclusions paragraphs of the contract to clear things up.  Despite everyone’s best intentions, sometimes things are clear as mud. So who decides when a buyer and seller are at a stalemate (after going under contract or after closing) on a particular item?  Well, it may take a judge to decide matters in the worst of scenarios, but usually calmer heads prevail and one side gives in or some other common ground is found.

Here’s a few more items that I’ve personally seen have to be cleared up in a real estate contract… air conditioner window unit, hanging bathroom mirror (yep, that was my own deal), unattached wet bar, free-standing kitchen center island, family air loom light fixture, rose garden (get that song out of your head), stacked shelving in a garage, artwork attached to a wall by a frame that’s secured into the wall, window treatments and refrigerator — on this last item, did you know in some states its common practice for the sellers to LEAVE the refrigerator. In other states, like Kansas and Missouri, it’s common for Sellers to TAKE the refrigerator. This is important to know if you are relocating to another area. One of my favorite items is curtains. It’s impossible to know if a Seller plans to take or leave the items or whether the buyer even wants them. This is the most common item (along with refrigerators) that I see cleared up one way or the other in the contract. A couple other items are outdoor play sets and hot tubs. These are usually considered personal property, so if seller wants to leave those items, the should be very clear about it.

Now remember, although I play an attorney when in a dispute with my wife, I’m just a Kansas City Realtor and you should obtain legal representation if you are in  a dispute over what is a fixture in your real estate dealings. Personally, I’m always thinking that if an item is nailed, screwed, cemented or glued  to the home then it’s a fixture. If it’s hanging on a nail or screw it’s personal property. A refrigerator isn’t attached in any way, so to me it’s clearly personal property. The rest of the kitchen fixtures are attached, so they’re fixtures to the home.

Posted by Jason A. Brown

Kansas City Home Sellers Should Simplify & Neutralize Their Home

Posted on by

Hands On The Heartland
Checking The Pulse Of The Kansas City Real Estate Market 

The majority of home buyers today aren’t messing around with homes that have “issues”.  Yet many sellers continue to miss the mark and doing so serves to push buyers to competing homes that are in great showing condition. Showing condition is one of the critical factors in getting a home sold and is no doubt just as important as a home’s pricing and the marketing on a home.  When starting the process of getting their home ready to sell, sellers should keep a clear focus on simplifying and neutralizing the home. Doing so will allow their home to appeal to the greatest number of potential home buyers.

Simplifying and neutralizing may sound boring but it may surprise you that these are the homes that often sell the quickest. It’s not uncommon to hear a homebuyer comment about a home’s boring tile and then move right along with making an offer on the property. On the other end of the spectrum, floral wallpaper usually means a contract doesn’t get written. Sometimes a seller just needs someone to explain what should be done. The following list includes the most common issues I see that seller’s overlook when getting their home ready for showings:

#1) Pack away all personal photos. Homebuyers want to begin thinking about their family living in the home and your personal photos can prevent that from happening.

#2) Remove pets from the home. Have a friend or family member care for the pets while the home is on the market. At the very least pets should be removed from the home for all showings.

#3) Update light fixtures, appliances, cabinet hardware and door hardware.  The home needs to be current to keep up with the competition. 

#4) Pack away all nic knacks. This includes school and sports memorabilia because a Jayhawk can be beloved to one and burn the eyes of another.

#5) Paint all interior walls showing signs of ware. Buyers in this market are going to expect it and remember that a neutral color is best.

#6) Remove all wallpaper. There’s no such thing as “neutral” wallpaper. You enjoyed the wallpaper while it was up but now it’s time to take it down.

#7) Remove all religious items. Religious items are personal in nature but if you’re hoping buyers get in and out quickly then by all means leave the voodoo doll on the fireplace mantle.

#8) Take care of deferred maintenance. There’s no reason to wait to make repairs because the home buyer’s inspections are going to uncover the issues anyhow. If the faucet or roof are leaking get them fixed immediately.

#9) Remove awkward furniture such as ottomans from all rooms. Bulky furniture makes rooms look smaller and items such as ottomans can do more harm than good when staging a home.

#10) Clean up lawn and landscaping. If the buyer doesn’t like the outside of your home they’re not going to want to come into your home. So work diligently to improve the home’s overall curb appeal.

Posted by Jason A. Brown

Comments Can Be Left Below…
Don’t see the LEAVE A COMMENT section below? 
Click on the headline at the top of this blog post.