Selling a home, remove religious crosses, statues, stars?

[Anonymous]

The point is, you want to make it as easy as possible for potential buyers to imagine themselves in the home. By having religious icons/images of your religion in place, you make it that much harder for those who are not of your religion to imagine themselves in the home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Alternatively, we looked at a house with budha worship or something - red candle, fruit, statue, etc.

We looked at one that had a whole prayer room, with the request that you not enter the room while looking at the house. I wouldn't expect them to remove the prayer room and the rest of the house seemed pretty neutral.

[Anonymous]

My thought is to take down everything reasonably possible that could deter a buyer, offend a buyer, distract from the sale. Of course there are those buyers, but if 50% of the people of this thread say take it down, I would assume there are more than a few people out there that wouldn't want to see it. You go through so much to sell your house, why turn off half of the possible pool of offers.

[Anonymous]

A little bit is probably fine -- but too much of anything will do more than distract. Anything - not just religious stuff.

We saw one house which was a shrine to Santeria. It was creepy and we left really quickly. Another house was full of rooster paraphernalia and decoration - literally every picture, knob, textile, wall paper etc had a roosters on it. We just couldn't take it seriously when touring. We were too amazed by the sellers commitment to poultry..

Best to minimize - one or two items probably aren't a big deal... But if it's thematic, buyers may not take it seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So do you think Jews should remove the mezuzah from the front door, because it would offend or be a distraction to buyers?

A mezuzah is subtle (usually). It is also a requirement in a Jewish home so I'd understand if it was there. However, I'm not religious and the only reason I had a mezuzah is because my mother made a fuss. When I put my old house on the market, the mezuzah came down.

We bought a house with a mezuzuah and kept even though we're not Jewish. I think it's bad luck to remove it! It's also tiny and in a doorframe. Hardly the same thing as an altar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Boy, not a lot of Italians or Irish on this thread! We grew up with a crucifix or small altar in every room plus often a Madonna painting or a bloody Jesus heart (referred to as the Sacrd Heart). I don't think most Catholics are hard to negotiate with in a real estate transaction.
When I was house hunting I didn't like the houses with altars where people burn incense or stuff, mainly because I felt the smell permeated.
I'm also not bothered by family pictures, though. I never understand why people don't want to buy a house unless it looks like one of those furnished corporate residences.

I'm Italian. But I'm not Roman Catholic and crosses in homes make me uncomfortable. I don't believe in Jesus and am undecided on God. Seeing a bunch of religious stuff wouldn't stop me from buying a home I like, but those things would be the first to come down before we moved in if they were left there.

[Anonymous]

I'd have bad experiences with extremely religious people portraying themselves as one thing, but actually acting in another way.

This is so bad but it's true: when I see a lot of crosses in a house, I think 'child molester'. There's such a thing as overcompensation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The point is, you want to make it as easy as possible for potential buyers to imagine themselves in the home. By having religious icons/images of your religion in place, you make it that much harder for those who are not of your religion to imagine themselves in the home.

+1. It's not about giving offense it's about allowing as many people as possible to imagine themselves at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd have bad experiences with extremely religious people portraying themselves as one thing, but actually acting in another way.

This is so bad but it's true: when I see a lot of crosses in a house, I think 'child molester'. There's such a thing as overcompensation.

I'm like this about businesses that advertise themselves as Christian or put Christian symbols in their advertising. If you see a Jesus fish, they're going to try to cheat you. I don't mind doing business with Christians, but if they put it out there in that way, they are running a scam.

I think a lot of religious imagery in a house probably means the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So do you think Jews should remove the mezuzah from the front door, because it would offend or be a distraction to buyers?

I wouldn't even notice a mezuzah on the front door, but if you were observant enough to have a mezuzah at every interior door then, yeah, that should come down too.

If you are observant enough to hang a mezuzzah on all the doors, and you do so because you believe it is halakhically required, you probably are not comfortable taking them down for purposes of selling the house.

[Anonymous]

We toured a vacant house yesterday that still had the Mezuzah at the front door. I'm not Jewish, but it made me... happy, like knowing the previous owners cared about the house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So do you think Jews should remove the mezuzah from the front door, because it would offend or be a distraction to buyers?

I wouldn't even notice a mezuzah on the front door, but if you were observant enough to have a mezuzah at every interior door then, yeah, that should come down too.

If you are observant enough to hang a mezuzzah on all the doors, and you do so because you believe it is halakhically required, you probably are not comfortable taking them down for purposes of selling the house.

Plus you probably live in a rum neighborhood, and you have a line of buyers out your door, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So do you think Jews should remove the mezuzah from the front door, because it would offend or be a distraction to buyers?

I wouldn't even notice a mezuzah on the front door, but if you were observant enough to have a mezuzah at every interior door then, yeah, that should come down too.

If you are observant enough to hang a mezuzzah on all the doors, and you do so because you believe it is halakhically required, you probably are not comfortable taking them down for purposes of selling the house.

Plus you probably live in a rum neighborhood, and you have a line of buyers out your door, right?

Oops, a frum neighborhood/

Though a rum neighborhood would be good to, eh man?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A little bit is probably fine -- but too much of anything will do more than distract. Anything - not just religious stuff.

We saw one house which was a shrine to Santeria. It was creepy and we left really quickly. Another house was full of rooster paraphernalia and decoration - literally every picture, knob, textile, wall paper etc had a roosters on it. We just couldn't take it seriously when touring. We were too amazed by the sellers commitment to poultry..

Best to minimize - one or two items probably aren't a big deal... But if it's thematic, buyers may not take it seriously.

I like a house with a lot of cock in it.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s a sad commentary of our times that the home is not considered sacred anymore. It is a person’s home that they are selling! If they have religious objects in their home it should be able to stay. It is theirs; same with books. Books shouldn’t have to be removed as if the person living there never read. To make a home sterile is ridiculous!