How to Sell Retirement Home

16 years ago

Greetings,

Bit of a situation here. I've got to sell my wife's grandmother's mobile home in a retirement park in Florida. I've listed with an "agent" who is also a resident in the park. There hasn't been any real movement for the past five months or so.

I'm trying to come up with ways to get the word out about the place. The first thing that I've come up with is to put up with a website (http://www.buygramshouse.com) to at least promote it, beyond the walk-ins that the agent gets every so often.

My real question is, how do we get this visible to people up north who might be looking for an inexpensive place? Are there forums, listings, or some other mechanisms that I simply don't know about? How do people go about looking for these type places?

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Comments (8)

randy427
16 years ago
Have you considered looking for a better agent? i.e. One that has made a lot of sales in the past 90 days.
nancylouise5me
16 years ago
From what I hear and read on the "selling and buying a house" forum here at GW, the housing market in FL. has tanked big time. Not a lot of anything is moving quickly at all. That being said, have you placed ads in the major newspapers in the North (Boston, Hartford,etc.)? Millions of people read the Globe and the Current. Start there. If you don't think your agent is doing enough to market the property, get another one that will. And make sure the property is priced correctly. What have the comps been for surrounding properties. Is grandma's property priced in that range...maybe even a little lower then the lowest priced comp? Give your realtor a call and get info. Good luck, NancyLouise
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Kate, I'm sorry for what you are being forced to go through right now. Very hard. Sounds like you started clearing out, next step is to take a deep breath. What worked for me was to go to Target or Walmart, I bought various sized plastic bins. I collect Barbies, so that was where I started. If the bin had more room in it, I found other collectibles that would fit in the bin. For his sheet music, they also sell a bin that is great for something a little bigger then magazines, so it will be protected. You want to invest in bubble wrap. Uhaul was cheap for moving supplies. They also sell boxes if you want to use them. For my more valuable or sentimental I did not box. IMO, getting a storage unit is the best thing to do. We were going to get a medium sized one but after realizing how much we had we got a garage sized one and it was perfect. Yes, it's a bit pricey but what choice do you have? Are you going to throw out, donate or yard sale your whole life? I was not willing to do that, nor was I willing to lose money on stuff I love. The other option is to ask family to hold stuff for you if they are willing. So, 1st you pack collectibles, or in your case the hobbies you listed. Next the extra stuff laying around, nick knacks, pictures. I did not put away every family picture, left one collage frame in each kids room, a table top wedding pic and a Christmas pic when my dad was still alive. It's a peeve of mine seeing no family photos in houses for sale & opinions vary. I've read posts where sellers missed their family photos so much. Leave out the most special ones to you, just don't over do it. Next, pick a room. I used to start in my daughters room. I took everything she didn't use. Clothes got put in bins & into storage. Everyone had a few long sleeves, a jacket and some summer clothes. The bulk went to storage. With the books, call your local school system, they might take some. I've donated stuff like magazines to guidance or the child study team. You can also go as far as donating other things, one used to love donations of beads so that when the kids went down for cool down time they had something to do. If you want to post where you are located, someone might be able to suggest specific places to donate stuff. I'm leaving a link to a post I started way back when, lots of good info in it Here is a link that might be useful: Sellers, what are you doing to prep?
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joyfulguy
16 years ago
Hi mdjtlj,

Where is it?

How big ... how many rooms ... maker ... age ... other relevant parameters, such as extra room, patio, swing-out awning, etc., please.

Oh - and asking price?

Somebody asked me where it was ... I couldn't tell them.

So I was a lot of help, wasn't I, then?? To either him or you!

Go-between ... who doesn't know nuthin'. Dad would have said, "As useless as tits on a boar"!

ole joyful
joyfulguy
16 years ago
How about a cheap, quick, easy visit to this beautiful, spacious home, folks?

Won't even track up the floor with your dirty boots (or need to take 'em off at the door)!

ole joyful

Here is a link that might be useful: Retirement mobile home in FL
joyfulguy
16 years ago
Did you see my post telling about it over on Kitchen Table ...

... where there are a great many more viewing eyeballs?

There was even a suggestion that we should all chip in and buy it ...

... as KT clubhouse!

Admin. slapped my wrist for trying to sell real estate!

Deleted.

Nobody can do that around here but them ...

... and their clients.

So - I tried.

That's what the steer did.

The result? Inconceivable!

ole joyful
patti43
16 years ago
First, either get on that realtor or get a new one. Has he shown it at all? Is the house in selling order or would you have the time to make a trip down to make sure all is well with it? Does the community allow "For Sale" signs in front of the house?

Winter is actually a good time of year in retirement communities because people from up north come down to visit friends and, if the price is right, decide to have their own little slice of Florida heaven.

I know there is something else--which I can't remember now--duh! I'll post it when it comes to me. Meanwhile, I wish you luck!
joyfulguy
16 years ago
Hello again, mdjtlj,

Haven't heard any updates, and it's been a couple of months since you spoke to us of your concerns about selling your Grandmom's property in FL.

Anything new to add?

I hope that my post over on KT may have brought a nibble or two, back then ... even though it wasn't up long till admin yanked it as being too commercial.

In the light of the troubles over the housing market in the U.S. in general these days, do you feel that it is having a substantial impact on your property?

Daughter was in negotiation over a property in Phoenix in the fall, neither willing to budge over $5,000. difference.

So she returned to Toronto.

Within a couple of months, maybe - three at the outside, I think, she said that a re-evaluation of the property had reduced the price by $20,000.

Planning to move down there (she lived there for a few years, upwards of 10 years ago) she went down a while ago so is staying on the scene, currently. She works out of her laptop.

We've had several snowstorms in the last month or so, with people around here being told to stay off of the highways yesterday - about 600 car crashes in and near Toronto, but no one killed or seriously injured.

Maybe I should buy your Grandmom's place - but I'd have a problem with my house here, for my insurance says that it must be checked every three days.

Maybe I could find someone who would exchange use of my houses - they spending the summer in FL and the winter in ON.

Yeah - maybe!

ole joyful
mab222
16 years ago
Have you tried advertising on Craig's List? It is free, and if you post photos, you might find an interested buyer. You can go to www.CraigsList.org and it is very easy to post a listing. The real estate market in Florida is picking up, so now may be the time to promote it yourself. Does the retirement park have a bulletin board where you could post the information? During the winter season, lots of visitors will be in the park looking for resale information.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mountain Retirement Homes

How to Sell Retirement Home

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