Special offer
Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude (eXp Realty of California, Inc.)

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Ambassador
3,168,124
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Many times if a home has been recently painted buyers want those nearly empty cans for touch up and paint codes.  But it's discussed.  Our contracts call for all debris to be removed and property to be "broom swept clean"

Jun 15, 2016 01:36 PM
Rainmaker
3,986,308
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

WE have a clause on our contracts to have all debries removed...But, if something small is left I get rid of it..

Jun 15, 2016 12:38 PM
Rainmaker
4,319,773
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Burlington, MA
Metro Boston Homes For Sale

Jeff Dowler CRS - sometimes buyers want to keep it. I let the listing agent know - or else, it has to go.

Jun 16, 2016 03:25 PM
Rainmaker
4,800,132
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

If discovered in the walk through, either delay the closing or get enough funds from the seller to cover disposal.

Jun 16, 2016 05:08 AM
Rainer
2,890
Ruth Primeau
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Lutz, FL
Associate Broker, GRI, SFR, REO

I call 1-800-Got-Junk and they come and deal with it.  They are very reliable and do trash out all the time.  

Jun 16, 2016 03:39 AM
Rainmaker
1,506,613
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

It's not usually an issue here.  Most buyers are happy for the extra paint.

Jun 16, 2016 03:26 AM
Rainmaker
4,583,659
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

It needs to be a discussion(sooner than later) although I typically caution buyers that if they want certain clauses included in their offer(especially when they are in a highly competitive market) they may be met with a degree of suspicion that they are ultra-picky. 

Jun 16, 2016 12:59 AM
Rainmaker
1,847,471
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

Our contract calls for that & sellers get whacked big time for hazardous materials. No excuse for it, sellers are just lazy.

I always tell people that with cluttered garages. 

Jun 16, 2016 12:40 AM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

If they are left behind the the seller is long gone, I simply make those things disappear. I like simple.

Jun 16, 2016 12:25 AM
Rainmaker
1,617,916
Harry F. D'Elia III
WEDO Real Estate and Beyond, LLC - Phoenix, AZ
Investor , Mentor, GRI, Radio, CIPS, REOs, ABR

I just call my vendor to be removed.

Jun 16, 2016 12:15 AM
Rainer
69,794
Shawn and Angela Miller
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Amabassador Real Estate - Lincoln, NE
Lincoln and Omaha, NE REALTORS®

If we see something during the walk through, we will ask the listing agent.  Never had issues before besides several cans of interior paint.  One time we got nervous as the seller had already moved out but left a 50 gallon drum of used oil in the garage.  Listing agent was aware and the sellers were having it picked up for recycling.

Jun 16, 2016 12:13 AM
Rainmaker
4,964,651
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

I coach sellers about it before the closing.

Jun 16, 2016 12:05 AM
Rainmaker
1,466,257
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Jeff Dowler CRS Yes, put it in the offer. Yes, coach sellers how to deal with hazardous materials.

Jun 15, 2016 11:59 PM
Rainmaker
2,785,156
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Sometimes those things stayed in the rafters of the garage. Other times, the gardener was told to take care of it. Today, it gets done without fanfare

Jun 15, 2016 11:33 PM
Rainmaker
5,583,328
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

final walk through will find it.... hold back at closing for one and half times the going rate will cover the removal of it....

Jun 15, 2016 10:52 PM
Rainmaker
991,652
Jennifer Mackay
Counts Real Estate Group, Inc. - Panama City, FL
Your Bay County Florida Realtor 850.774.6582

We have a landfill I tell them about

Jun 15, 2016 10:37 PM
Rainmaker
5,244,151
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Leaning in that direction since most contracts are not specific enough!

Jun 15, 2016 10:14 PM
Rainmaker
3,071,489
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

Boilerplate language states it is to be removed - final walkthrough - coupled with a "stay" on closing if not removed - typically does the trick...

Jun 15, 2016 09:59 PM
Rainmaker
1,554,237
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® e-Pro CRS RCS-D Vets
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
CEO of Vision Drive Realty - Coastal San Diego

We typically have that as a a boiler plate request in the RPA Jeff Dowler CRS , I'll do a write in to emphasize section 8C Items Excluded From Sale: Seller to remove all paint, chemicals, car parts, building materials, etc. personal items & clean up debris by final walk-through, 5 days prior to close of escrow, unless otherwise requested by buyer(s).

I will also coach my sellers that they are to be prepared for a buyer to want this from them too. I have a couple haulers that I let deal with it properly.

 

Jun 15, 2016 09:45 PM
Rainmaker
4,434,177
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

I do not like them to leave paint behind,

Jun 15, 2016 09:44 PM
Rainmaker
7,869,279
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

More good reasons for a pre-settlement walk through. Don't settle until the stuff has been removed.

Jun 15, 2016 08:31 PM
Rainmaker
2,378,732
Lise Howe
Keller Williams Capital Properties - Washington, DC
Assoc. Broker in DC, MD, VA and attorney in DC

I tell sellers to clean this stuff out themselves - otherwise I end up taking it to the dump

Jun 15, 2016 02:33 PM
Rainmaker
1,157,791
FN LN
Toronto, ON

Put appropriate clauses into the agreement.

Jun 15, 2016 02:15 PM
Rainmaker
1,771,867
Noah Seidenberg
Coldwell Banker - Evanston, IL
Chicagoland and Suburbs (800) 858-7917

I would bring it up from the final walk through. I have dealt with people from CA Jeff Dowler CRS and we close face to face at the title company. Slightly different than the way you folks handle it.

Jun 15, 2016 12:15 PM
Ambassador
3,743,313
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Our contracts call for the home to be left "broom clean and free of trash and debris."  Sometimes the sellers thing they are doing a favor by leaving behind paint, and I always ask the buyers first if they want the old paint.  Usually they don't.

Jun 15, 2016 12:15 PM
Rainmaker
1,231,853
Mary Yonkers
Alan Kells School of Real Estate/Howard Hanna Real Estate - Erie, PA
Erie/PA Real Estate Instructor

PA contract :  'broom clean, free of thrash & debris' means gone.  A pr-close walk through will determine seller compliance.  If there is a problem contact other agent, if not resolved notify the buyer's legal counsel.  It may be necessary to escrow money to hire trash hauler to remove debris.

Jun 15, 2016 11:48 AM
Rainmaker
1,525,616
Sybil Campbell
Fernandina Beach, FL
Referral Agent Amelia Island Florida

I would sugget that the sellers ask to have them removed.

Jun 15, 2016 11:45 AM
Rainer
212,500
Kristen Correa, Broker
Kristen Correa Real Estate & Reedy Creek Realty Services - Keller, TX
I love coffee & real estate. I am out of coffee!

You guys are coming up with some whoppers today. I have not had his happen (that I know of) in 13+ years of RE. And opposed to what some people above said, it is not free to dump HAZMAT here in DFW. If it happened, and I caught it in the final walk through, I would hire and charge the seller back for "trash out" service at closing.  What is common? They hired a mover and the mover will not transport bleach, pesticides, paint so the seller asks if it is OK to leave it in a box and not once has a buyer said, "No, I don't want your free cleaning supplies and free yard supplies and paint to touch up...."

Jun 15, 2016 11:43 AM
Rainmaker
913,818
Jeff Pearl
RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA
Full Service Full Time Realtor

I advise them not to leave them behind because of potential liability. We have facilities here that make it fairly simple to dispose of hazardous materials.

Jun 15, 2016 11:24 AM
Rainmaker
1,242,104
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

dry ones can go to recycling.

rest are useful for touch up. Hired one guy to take a bunch wet ones away.

Jun 15, 2016 11:20 AM
Ambassador
2,684,769
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

     I make the seller take it to the drop-off center at the county landfill.  There is no cost to drop it off; the county has pallets and 55 gallon barrels where you put the stuff.

    If it is really bad, I won't take the listing.

Jun 15, 2016 11:17 AM
Rainer
231,224
Mike Rock
Complete Design - Granite Bay, CA
Granite Bay Luxury New Construction...For Less

sellers are to remove anything not fixed. so a paint can qualifies. me..i call the sellers agent (if not u) and ask them to remove. if its my peeps.. i will ask them to get it...hopefully its caught on walk thru before. good item to add to walk thru list

Jun 15, 2016 11:07 AM
Rainer
94,155
Val Evans
Scottsdale, AZ

99% of that stuff ends up being dumped either in the storm drain, toilet, or in the trash can. Since gravity flows upwards for all that nasty stuff, thankfully it ends up in the air (where it is easily dispersed) rather than in the water supply.

Jun 15, 2016 11:03 AM
Ambassador
3,383,434
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

I always tell sellers to take whatever is not specified in the contract.  As for buyers, yes, if they want something left, specify it in the contract.

Jun 15, 2016 11:00 AM