Selling a Valley Village townhome while the owner was overseas.
The owner had lived in his Valley Village townhome for 30 years and had already left for England by the time it was time to sell. When I walked in, it was a time capsule — three decades of life, untouched. He needed someone here to hire the right people and manage every local detail. I coordinated the cleanout, the donations, the designer-led overhaul, the staging, and the sale. The home attracted a lot of interest and ultimately sold for a great price.
By Kendra Fuchs
What needed to happen before listing?
Thirty years of belongings had to come out first. I hired a clean-out company to handle the removal, and the usable items went to a local homeless shelter the clean-out crew worked with. I got the owner the tax receipts for the donation, so that part of the cleanout had value to him as well.
With the home empty and the owner overseas, arranging each local step was a central part of my role — I coordinated the cleanout, the donations, then the updates and staging.
What did I recommend updating?
I hired contractors and brought in a designer who helped overhaul the entire home. New flooring, paint, updated light fixtures, and recessed lighting in spaces that didn't have it transformed how the interior presented — the time capsule became a home a buyer could picture living in.
After the updates, I staged the interior. The kitchen was already partially updated, and we made the existing bathrooms look their best rather than undertaking a full remodel. My expectation was that buyers might want to make their own changes, so I didn't see that larger pre-sale expense as worthwhile.
What was my role while the seller was away?
I handled the local coordination from preparation through the sale: hiring the clean-out company, the contractors, and the designer; managing the updates and staging; and keeping the owner involved in the decisions without needing to be in the country to arrange any of it himself.
What happened when it went on the market?
The home generated a lot of interest, and it ultimately sold for a great price. Both buyer and seller were happy with the result. This is an account of the transaction, not a quoted client testimonial or a promise of another property's price or timing.
What can another seller learn from this?
An owner being away doesn't mean preparation has to be left unmanaged. A clear scope, local coordination, and decisions about where to spend can help move the work forward. It is also worth deciding what to leave for a future owner rather than treating every dated feature as a required remodel. Donating usable items can carry value too — in this sale, the donation supported a local homeless shelter and the owner received tax receipts.
Common questions
- Can you help manage preparation while I am away?
- Yes. Working with out-of-town sellers is a regular part of my business. This sale involved coordinating local preparation while the owner was overseas.
- What happened to everything inside the home?
- I hired a clean-out company, and the usable items were donated to a local homeless shelter the crew worked with. I handled the tax receipts for the owner.
- Was the whole home remodeled?
- Contractors and a designer helped overhaul the interior — new flooring, paint, and lighting — and I staged it afterward. The kitchen had already been partially updated, and we presented the bathrooms in their existing condition rather than fully remodeling them.
- Will another home sell for the same result?
- That cannot be promised. Condition, pricing, location, and the market affect each sale.