The seller, owner of the Maine real estate is some kind of anxious to load up the moving van, get relocated, to high tail it down the highway.

A new home down country, out west, overseas, wherever. So in the sale of the home you have listed, feedback is given, on a regular basis.
When you can get it, gain a reading from the folks that wander through the house listing.
The danger is a "I'll do anything" real estate seller that at the drop of a hat suggestion from anyone, will put in to gear a maneuver to help cause a sale.
The removal of clutter in half the garage you the listing agent, broker, REALTOR had discussed at the kitchen table at the beginning of this sale is still important. It has come up again as a comment to reinforce what you had warned from a few buyers. So did swamp out the garage. To remove all that stuff that is not going to help, allow a real estate buyer to "see", imagine their two family cars parked in this garage. Door down, ready for be out of a hurricane storm like Irene.The curb appeal talk about killing the grass growing up in cracks along the front paved walkway. Or the missing shutter on the living room window that one of the sons took out with a line drive hit from the back yard basebal game two years ago still needs replacing too. The seller's attention to these little details before the property hits the marketing conveyor belt. And those loose ends not showing up in the marketing images, video are crucial. Little items that cause great return when everything is ship shape, tightened up.
But what about the home, house that IS up to snuff, pretty darn spiffy, peachy keen already? Always has been and it is ready for the marketing and if priced right, this is going to be a sure fired trip to an easy real estate closing. One without a lot of set backs from the seller's side of the process. And one with a happy ending as long as the real estate buyer does not have a lot of wrinkles in their credit. Or loses their job, suddenly gets served with divorce papers right about in the middle of the sale after it goes under contract.
Here's where it gets dicey. In the situation of the home, real estate that is not the problem in the sale, and not many showings due to a glut of just like it, priced just like it in the market listings. One buyer says the color in the kitchen is all wrong.
While he is entitled to his opinion his taken as gospel critique comment means the seller goes in to gear to change it to whatever that buyer who does not end up purchasing thought would make the big difference.
One comment, not four people telling that seller through you the agent broker, REALTOR that this or that should be different, changed, improved.The real estate professional with the listing can be a culprit in the misdeed too. The place is not selling and as something to offer for a recommendation, he or she repeats one comment made by a real estate buyer. That may not be pertenent but seemingly gets them off the hot seat when asked "why hasn't my home sold"? Had one where the owner was told they needed to drill another well when the one they had was fine. So the seller did and spent thousands of dollars, never hooked it up. And listing agents, brokers, REALTORS came and and went as colors of signs changed on the front lawn on a yearly basis over several sets of four seasons.
It was the high power high tension wires over head the property that were the big shot in both feet on this property listing.
What was messing up the sale because someone years ago had built in the shadow of the proposed power line. Then proceeded to over improve the property to the point of no return. A lot like the simple mobile home with the palatial addition example of what not to do when you own a trailer.One buyer gives an off the wall comment on what it wrong with the property, the house you have listed. Take it all with a grain of salt. But unless it's something coming up over and over, and on the list of what you the agent, broker, REALTOR broght up during the listing paperwork, remember it is just an opinion. Not always one that you have to act on.
And sometimes it is not going to make a hill of beans difference in the long run, just wasting money, time.
But giving the seller something to do to feel like they are doing everything under the sun to hold up their end of the real estate selling process. Guide them from experience on what to pour money and time in to, and what is a case of the price is just too nose bleed section high. Needs adjusting, "fixing" to bring it in line with the current real estate market. Get to Vacationland quick as you can. Maine, big state, friendlier people.I'm Maine Independent Real Estate Broker, Andrew Mooers REALTOR
You cnnot put lipstick on a pig and get something different than that! THis post is the efinition of insanity!
I agree: lipstick on a pig is just that and nothing more. We just need to help our sellers understand what is lipstick and what is elbow grease!
I know in my market the house better be tip top and picture perfect or the price will be adjusted dramatically.
Kathy ... It was not a blog post on dressing up a pig with lipstick or covering up anything. It was taking one comment as gospel as the reason the place is not selling, or in one person's humble opinion what it would take to make the sale to this person. The agent, broker, REALTOR has to be careful bringing up a suggestion that is not going to help, will costs lots of money and not make a difference. Just because one person said it would. Be careful in your guidance of real estate seller you represent. With the feed back you hear if something is off the wall or not going to matter from your thorough knowledge of the market tradition of what works, does not and diminishing return efforts / expenses.
Josh ... Will check the closets. Got it.
Carol ... Kinda in a hurry and read the lipstick comment and built, flit on that one too. (Smile)
Tammy .... That same advice applies to all markets. But make the price low enough and anything will sell quickly. If you keep going and make it too good to pass up. The real estate buyer can tackle the issues if no bank saying it needs to be done before closing. Or someone can be hired to do the jobs the real estate buyer does not want to take on, tackle.