Often when we manage the sale of a property, we also have to deal with the owner’s belongings. It may be just some leftover furniture, or it could be an overwhelming hoarder’s mess! We have dealt with both extremes and everything in-between.

We are often engaged when the owner moves into aged care, or by an Executor of a deceased estate. A lifetime of belongings typically remains in the home right up until the owner’s day of departure.

When dealing with goods, we initially work with the owner/Executor/family members to ensure that they identify everything they wish to keep and assist them with the removal process if necessary.

Care needs to be taken to check all the contents of a home – we recently found $20,000 inside a scale model of the Acropolis which was about to be sent to auction - so we never know where something of value could be hidden.

Once we are given the green light to deal with what’s left, we follow a three-step process: 1. Identify items of value and arrange to sell these through auction houses or second-hand dealers; 2. Give any remaining items suitable for donation to charity; and 3. Dispose of the rest.

Recently we acted for an Executor to manage the sale of a home in a sleepy Victorian beach-side town. The home was full of the usual household and personal belongings accumulated over decades by the owner. We initially assisted the Executor by retrieving items of value, including a stamp collection, as well as legal and financial documents etc. Next, we worked with the family to have them collect items that they wanted to keep.

However, two items of value presented a particular challenge.....

One was an extensive audio-visual system in the theatre room that comprised of no less than 14 huge speakers, all wired to a complex array of other componentry. Its value was hard to determine as the technology was obsolete, however, we found a buyer who was prepared to pay an acceptable price and remove the system.

The other was a 2017 Toyota with just over 100,000 km’s on the clock. It was a good car, apart from some dents and scratches caused by the owner ‘touch parking’. Unfortunately the owner was also a heavy smoker, and the interior of the car was nicotine-stained and smelt strongly of cigarettes. It needed to be completely reupholstered.

A family member ‘generously’ offered to buy the car for $2,000 to “free the estate of this burden.” We believed the car was worth much more, so offered it to various dealers. We ended up selling it through an On-line Auction House for $12,750 – much to the joy of the beneficiaries. After arranging to donate and dispose of all remaining goods, the home was ready for sale.

Realestate.com reported that the median time for properties in the town to be on-market was 140 days, so good presentation and market pricing was key to a timely sale. As winter months approached, getting the property on the market was a priority. The common method of sale in the town was private treaty rather than auction.

We attended to the gardens and had the home thoroughly cleaned and styled. We arranged a valuation from an independent valuer, to ensure its value aligned with the agent’s estimate, and the advertised ‘Indicative Selling Price’ reflected the current market price.

After some strong initial interest and competing offers, the property was sold within just three weeks of marketing, much to the relief of the Executor, a busy Melbourne-based lawyer - “Many thanks Phil for your assistance on this matter. It was invaluable and greatly appreciated.”

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Thinking about selling your property, contact us today for an obligation free consultation.

Phil Hoopmann 0402 890 830 or Robert Allanadale 0418 517 643