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Modern Homes Portland – Tips For Selling A Rummer Home

by | Sep 22, 2014 | Living Urban

Selling a Rummer home in Portland is not even close to the same process as selling other style homes within the city.  It takes a lot of preparation to get ready for the cult-ish onslaught that will ensue once you hit the Active switch on RMLS.  Sellers be forewarned!  Here are some tips for a successful sale.

Know What a Rummer Home Is

This may sound like an absurd statement to make when writing an article about Rummer homes.  However not everyone who likes the modern Rummer style even knows what a Rummer home is.  Rummers are Modern Homes Portland built in the late 1950’s to early 1960’s by renowned builder Robert Rummer.  Rummer fashioned his architectural style after a famous Bay Area builder by the name of Eichler.  The story about how Rummer happened upon building modern homes is fascinating and can be read in its entirety on the Eichler Network website.

Know You Have a Rummer Home

Sad but true Rummer homes were not always popular.  In fact in the 80’s and 90’s Rummers were cheap buys that buyers often did hideous things to. Making them almost unidentifiable.   Additionally when the wave of Rummers caught momentum in the early 60’s there were other builder’s who took notice and designed similar homes.  There are distinct features that a Rummer home has that is telling.

Be Careful Not To Mis-market a Home as a Rummer

I have seen several listings over the years marketed as a Rummer home, when they were not.  Think about the dismay a buyer may feel when they find out they didn’t buy an authentic?  I liken it to buying a fake Rembrandt.  Just because the Realtor or owner says its a Rummer, doesn’t make it so.  Do your due diligence.

Modern Rummer Home

Have The Home Pre-Inspected 

It is super important for a seller to know what hiccups might be coming down the pike for the sale of any home, however for a seller of a Rummer it’s imperative.  You see the roof and boiler are just two of the many unique features that must be worked on by a seasoned contractor that has worked on Rummer homes before.   The buyer is going to do an inspection, but their inspector and contractors might not have the experience of working on Rummers and therefore their bids will be unrealistic.  Save time and money by getting the work done upfront.

Price The Home Appropriately

As Rummer homes become more and more popular, and because there is a limited amount of them, the values are rising dramatically.  Pricing a Rummer home can be tricky.  Obviously you don’t want to leave any money on the table, but don’t be fooled into thinking that there will be demand no matter how high you price it. Overpricing by even $25k can be detrimental to getting top dollar.  I use a strategy that creates a lot of demand and in turn a bidding war. Buyers tend to really want what other buyers really want.  And that’s a win for a seller.

Leave Town For The First Weekend On The Market

No Seriously, leave town.  If you have done all the work to make your home shine and have priced it in line with reality, expect that there will be so many showings that you might as well just be gone all weekend.  Have your Realtor hold the home open and let as many people through the home as you can.  The more interest, the higher the sales price.  And the easier it is to show, the more interest there will be.If you have any questions about marketing a Rummer home, or any other Modern Homes Portland for sale, please do not hesitate to call me.  I am always available to answer questions.