How To Sell a Hoarder House in the Twin Cities

Are you dealing with a house that has years and years' worth of belongings packed into it?

Maybe it's your own house. Maybe it's a parent's or a relative's house you're trying to help with, or a house you inherited. Or maybe a tenant left one behind. Either way, the idea of cleaning it out and selling it can feel completely overwhelming.

First... you're not alone. We see this a lot more often than people think, and there's no judgment here. Hoarding is often tied to loss, health problems or just a lot of hard years. Be gentle with yourself and whoever lived there.

Here are some tips to help you sell a hoarder house in the Twin Cities.

Safety first

Before you dive in, take a good look around. A house that has been packed full for a long time can have hidden problems:

• Blocked exits and hallways
• Mold, water damage or a leaky roof nobody noticed
• Pests or rodents
• Floors weakened by the weight or by water
• Furnaces, water heaters or electrical that haven't been looked at in years

Wear gloves and a good mask. If it's really bad, it might not be safe for you to go in at all. That's a job for the pros. And if the city has gotten involved, there may already be orders on the house that need to be dealt with.

Get organized

When you see everything piled up, filling every closet, cupboard and room, it's hard to know where to begin. Pick a plan of attack and stick to it.

You can go room by room, or you can start by grouping similar items together. Either way, set up four spots:

1. Keep
2. Sell
3. Donate
4. Trash

Start with the easiest room. Getting one space cleared out can give you the momentum to keep going.

And look carefully as you go. People often find important papers, cash, jewelry or family photos tucked in among everything else.

Be ruthless (but kind)

A lot of the stuff will have to go, and you need to be mentally ready for that. Remember that the useful things will go to people who need them.

For the sentimental things, take photos. A photo album (or a phone full of pictures) takes up a lot less space than boxes of old trophies, clothes and papers. Pick a few special things to keep, and let the rest go.

If it's a family member's house and they're still living, try to involve them in the decisions as much as you can. Pushing too hard, too fast usually backfires.

Get some help

You don't have to do this all yourself. There are cleanout and junk removal companies in the Twin Cities who handle this exact kind of job. It isn't cheap. A full hoarder cleanout can easily run into the thousands of dollars depending on the size of the house. A dumpster in the driveway helps too, but if it has to sit on the street, you'll probably need a permit from the city.

If you're going to list it

If you want to sell the house the traditional way, it pretty much has to be cleaned out first. Most buyers can't see past the piles. Once it's cleared out, you'll probably also find repairs that were hiding underneath everything.

When you list it:

• Focus on the good. Big windows, a nice yard, a great neighborhood. Put whatever is great about the house front and center.
• Disclose everything. Minnesota requires sellers to tell buyers about known problems with the house, like water damage, mold or pests. Hiding them can come back on you later.

Sell the house as-is... junk and all

The fastest, easiest and least stressful way to sell a hoarder house is to sell it to an experienced, professional buyer like Trademark Properties.

When you sell to us:

• We buy the house as-is, with whatever you want to leave behind. You take what you want to keep, and we handle the rest.
• No cleanout, no repairs, no showings.
• No commissions, and we pay the closing costs.
• Take the time you need. We'll close on the date that works for you, so you have time to go through the things that matter.

If you need to sell a hoarder house in the Twin Cities, reach out to us before you spend thousands on a cleanout. Whether it's your own house, a family member's, an inherited house or one a tenant left behind, we can help. Give us a call at Call us or fill out the form.