To plastic or not to plastic?

**amanjud** · 11-04-2010, 09:11 AM

Good morning! We have our house on the market, it's been there since August. We have had quite a few lookers but no offers yet and it has slowed down dramatically since the end of September. Every fall we put plastic on the windows to help with the heating bill, this year my DH doesn't want to just in case someone comes to look, he doesn't want the house to look "cheesy". I say we put the plastic up, because after all it is still our house and our heating bill, and if someone happened to look at the house who cares and at least they would know what they were getting into. What would you do?

**Libby** · 11-04-2010, 09:57 AM

I agree with both of you. Maybe make a compromise - put up the plastic a lil later then usual 'just in case' you have a showing. A potential home buyer may not feel the same about the plastic on the windows as you do - as in it saves money on your heating bill but rather they think that you have inefficient windows which is why you need the plastic to start. If its truly colder and snow is flying about....it'd be more understandable?

**craftypam** · 11-04-2010, 10:04 AM

I agree with Libby.

**mamamia** · 11-04-2010, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by craftypam

I agree with Libby.

....and i agree with craftypam who agrees with Libby.

makes sense, and you both "win".

Theresa

**amanjud** · 11-04-2010, 10:18 AM

Thanks ladies! I can see where he's coming from too, just hate seeing $$$ going out the window! Maybe this year we will go with some heavy drapes to keep some of the cold out.

**Dancing Lotus** · 11-04-2010, 03:59 PM

I think the plastic would be a turn off to a buyer, wrong signal if you know what I mean. GO with heavy drapes

**druthb00** · 11-04-2010, 04:02 PM

Yeah...I'm kind of with Ann on this one. Heavy drapes and set the thermo 1 or 2 degrees lower.

**mndtrp** · 11-05-2010, 12:34 PM

I wouldn't be impressed with plastic on the windows. If it's in the budget, get the drapes, and then take them with you when you move. You won't be saving any money buying the drapes compared to the money lost with heating, but you can take the drapes with you.

**patticakes** · 11-05-2010, 03:47 PM

Coming from an agent's perspective, go with heavy drapes. Keep the home as attractive as possible to buyers when they come through.

**shoiji** · 11-12-2010, 03:58 PM

Have to second the heavy drapes. I would walk away if I saw plastic on the windows as a buyer.

**Darlene** · 11-12-2010, 04:04 PM

raising my hand to go with insulated drapes. You can make some draft dodgers/snakes for the sill that you can whip off & store quickly if you want.

Good luck with your buy/sell adventure!

**kyletaylor2024** · 12-13-2010, 04:18 PM

I think you may have to swallow the higher heating bill this year. Consider it a cost of staging...

**MomToTwoBoys** · 12-14-2010, 09:45 AM

For the sake of staging the house, I would leave the plastic off of the windows. It's getting into the winter time now, though, and most home sales dwindle until about March. A lot of people looking to buy homes aren't going to want to buy a new one if it means yanking their kids out of school to do so. We just went through this and it's rough. We took a $35k hit on our purchase price, but we sold before Christmas.

I would eat the higher heating bill or find ways to keep it down by doing things like wearing more layers, using slippers, etc.

**amanjud** · 12-14-2010, 02:40 PM

Thanks ladies! Just a little update. We decided to stay where we are for a while and took the house off the market. The plastic went up 2 days after the for sale sign came down!