Would you pay someone

[Breezy]

to come in and clean your house to put on the market and by clean I mean, like wipe down the baseboards, the ceiling fans etc... Those things that don't happen often or would you just have the dh take the kids away for the day and get everything done?
We did it ourselves in VA but this house is bigger and I am just not in the mood.
So what would you do?

[Graydon]

I would pay...

You'll have to do enough work to get it to a point for them to do the final cleaning, but it does make a difference. Especially if your real estate agent is going to have an "agents open house" where other agents make the tours of all of the newly listed homes.

Plus, once it's clean, it makes it a bit easier to keep clean during the next couple of rounds of house showings.

Of course this is dependent upon what they are quoting you for the cleaning... I can get motivated if it means saving enough money.

Good luck.

[Breezy]

Thanks Graydon. No quotes yet as I haven't begun to do anything but go through crap and put in containers so that it will be easy to take out of the house. Yeah if they quote me too much I will get motivated but right now I just want out of here period. I could literally walk away from this house and never look back. It wouldn't hurt my feelings at all.
In VA we only showed our house 3 times all on the same day and had an offer 2 hours later lol and then we accepted the 2nd which was lower but guaranteed. This one obviously will take a while which really sucks :(
Thanks for the luck cause I need it, if 2008 isn't better I may be locked up in a padded room somewhere :D

[CaptainTom]

Breezy
I'd pay someone to do the work. I had a present recently of a half day of housecleaning by a friends normal housekeeper. This lady came and did a great job in half the time it would have taken a mere mortal. Hire a professional (s).

[Breezy]

Thanks Tom.
I guess I should have as much of our crap out as possible first though huh?
So should I have her come out before the photos by the realtor or just after the pics but before the open house or showings?
I seriously just dont' want to deal with it, and dh will be stuck at work after the first of the year for some inspections etc... so I always get stuck with the crappy jobs.

[Wes]

Pay someone to do the work.

Two years ago we tried to trade-in my wife's 2003 Toyota Highlander. Nothing at all wrong with the vehicle, we just didn't want to pay the fuel bill. I took it to a dealership and basically couldn't agree on what they offered in trade. We put the whole trade-in thing on the back shelf for a while. Then 5 months later I had the vehicle detailed for $130 and then drove straight back to the same dealership to see if we could negotiate a trade. They offered $1000 MORE than they did 5 months earlier even though the vehicle had a few thousand more miles on it.

The moral of the story - the professional cleaning job that cost me $130 netted me $1000 more on trade. I can't help but think that the same thing might apply to your situation. Have your house professionally cleaned and you may be able to get a bit more on the sale price.

[Graydon]

You can get by with having the "deep clean" done after the photos are taken... but make sure all of the other clutter and straightening is done and the house is as close to showing ready as possible.

I like having the house clean before photos... but if your real estate agent is the one taking the photos, then it might not make a difference. Based upon my experience with a lot of agents and seeing some of your work... you can probably do better taking your own photos.

[Breezy]

Thanks Graydon
Wes I get what you are saying.
I will be calling cleaners tomorrow to set up just after the first of the year

[carrbowl]

Breezy, Make sure you clean up the clutter before you get a bid on cleaning. Clutter makes the house look harder to clean...GOOD LUCK!!!

My husband was the only one in his family not in the service. Lucky for him because I hate to move---with a passion!!! And it was "easy" the truck pulled up loaded everything in, and delivered it to the new house. Both moves though were when the kids were young!!! 2 were 3 and one was 2 the first time.. Then the second time the twins were 4, next one 3 and last one was one years old!!! Maybe that is why I hate to move!!!!!

[Cope]

BC, I would also put all teh extra accumulated stuff in storage ASAP. The less in the house, the bigger it looks. Then when you move, the movers just pick up the packed boxes and load them on the truck.

[J Eddington]

After 9 homes in 30 years,12moves. 1. Remove all personal stuff. Box it and get it out. 2. Hire a housekeeper to come in and clean. 3. Have the photos taken.

[mchong75]

Do you want me to send over my housekeeper? :)

[MikeyG1965]

I would and have paid someone.

Last house we sold, I was so busy and wife was too. We hired someone recommended by our realtor and was very happy to pay (forgot costs...but worth it to us).

[Breezy]

Thanks Renee.
Moving is the part I look forward to lol. I haven't found my place yet. So I am always excited to go. We still don't know where we are moving too, but at this point I just want the house on the market so that hopefully it will sell by the time we know. Or dh walks which ever one comes first. He is out of the Navy Feb 29 unless he reenlists between now and then, but bargaining doesn't seem to be working lol.
As for the moving though, the first we were 18 and it was fun cause it was an adventure 2nd I was 4 months pregnant and moved alone. Then moved again when the baby was 3 weeks old alone again. Got crap out of storage, car included alone that one sucked the baby was cholicy and oh I about went crazy lol.
4th one the baby was 9 months old and we left on Friday before Labor day. The movers were great. But dh and I didn't do well in the car with each other for 11 days straight lol. BTW I was 2 months pregnant again lol. Makes for a miserable ride.

5th one we had 3 kids by then lol. ages 3, 2 and 1.5 thankfully dh took the truck I took the van, Movers were pretty good broke a bunch of crap but hey that seems to be the norm now.
Then here. We sold dhs truck cause we were told we were going overseas, then we get orders to CC Any way a 7, 6 and almost 5 yr old in a van together for 3 days SUCKS lol. But we didn't kill each other. Was told in transit to set up delivery a week out. Then we got here and tried to set up the delivery for 9 days later. Oh no it was going to be July. And I called middle of May. Needless to say I went off. Got my stuff in 12 days. Amazing what can happen when you threaten to talk with the CO But yeah we have "ok" moves but I am just ready to get out of here. The more I am here worse it gets.
As for the clutter we planned on putting what we can in the attic, and the rest in the trailer. Not sure where all of my photos will go as either one would damage them :( any suggestions?

Originally Posted by carrbowl

Breezy, Make sure you clean up the clutter before you get a bid on cleaning. Clutter makes the house look harder to clean...GOOD LUCK!!!

My husband was the only one in his family not in the service. Lucky for him because I hate to move---with a passion!!! And it was "easy" the truck pulled up loaded everything in, and delivered it to the new house. Both moves though were when the kids were young!!! 2 were 3 and one was 2 the first time.. Then the second time the twins were 4, next one 3 and last one was one years old!!! Maybe that is why I hate to move!!!!!

[Breezy]

Originally Posted by Cope

BC, I would also put all teh extra accumulated stuff in storage ASAP. The less in the house, the bigger it looks. Then when you move, the movers just pick up the packed boxes and load them on the truck.

Thanks Alan only problem with that is if they dont' pack it they don't pay if they break it. But we will definately get it all out.