Yesterday afternoon I had a seller call and ask, "What does leaving a house clean mean?" Good question. It is interpreted by many in different ways. The courts have pretty much said it cannot be defined. A seller might take the toaster out of the cupboard and say they have left the cupboard clean. The buyer comes in and says it is not clean as there are crumbs on the shelf. In the world of real estate we use the term, swept clean and free of debris. That does not insure to the buyer that the place has been scrubbed clean and ready for the white glove treatment.
I was doing a walkthrough before closing with a buyer several weeks ago, and she was disgusted by the condition of the property. The back of the refrigerator had not been vacuumed, the lint tray of the dryer had not been vacuumed, the walls had not been washed down, and each surface of the place needed cleaning. To many buyers the place would have been fine. It had been cleaned out and carpets shampooed. Most buyers will accept hangers left in closets or a few things forgotten in the attic. Tolerance is the guide word on moving day. It would be a perfect world if each house were left spotless and germ free, but those are few and far between. So many sellers are tired and all they want to do is close the door and move on.
A great gift you can give someone is a cleaning service for either moving out or moving in. If you can't afford the service, offer your own services to help with the move. Coming over with a mop in hand can be a welcomed sight.
I have a rule of thumb not to visit with my clients for several weeks after the move has been made. They need that time to fall back in love with their new property. In the beginning the closets are too small, they never knew how stained the carpets were, the house lacks storage, and the yard is a mess. With time they make the place their own and all those issues go away. They are back in love with their house. That is when I want to see them. It happens to all of us.
So---try not to be a clean nut. Let go of those concerns. Put on your Playtex gloves and have at it!
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