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The real estate agent doesn't think the house is ready to put on the market.

I told her that we have to balance the need to get the most we can out of selling, and the toll (emotional and financial) it might take to keep working on getting it ready for market. It's such a hard balance getting this place ready, dealing with the divorce, dealing with the X's issues, taking care of three kids as a single parent, and working a full time job. Ugggg.

Was the RA agent specific on what she thought needed work? Are you (and the RA agent) willing to sell below market value because it needs work?

The thing you have to balance when selling a house is the price (as in reduced price) of putting the house on the market that needs work. There are still people who are looking for a deal so they can flip the house. And then you can do work that will make the house more attractive to the average home buyer who willing to do a little work but basically wants a house they can move into and not have to spend a bunch of cash to make the house reasonably liveable. And then there are people who literally want "move in ready" and do not want to even paint.

So, does you house meet the middle group (basically ready to move in, but needs some cosmetic updates)? And how much time and effort and money will it take to make the house ready for the market? And will it increase the price, reduce time on the market, or what?

These are some of the questions you need to ask the RA agent. If you just want OUT (and when you are in the middle of a D, most people do) then the RA agent should be working with you to make it happen. If he/she is not then you need a new agent, IMO.

Good luck!

We are somewhere in the middle. The thing is that we have been working on this house since March. Clearing it out. Working on patching, and painting, and fixturing. There are just things that will get done, but I feel like we need to get it on the market before the summer to not lose folks before the summer months. It is also hard to show when three kids are hell bent on messing it up.

Starting in a week the kids will be living with me in my new place, so half the time it will show better, but still, it is hard to keep in showing shape when the kids and an adult are actively living in the place.

Oh boy - I'm heading down this road soon.

We are just barely starting the purging to make the home show better - living in a place for 9 years things collected and collected. Kids rooms are so full, basement is full, basically every room needs a run through.

Good luck on finding some easy fixes to make the home show better. Agree, moving some things out to a new place will help a lot. I'm not sure if we will get that luxury.