Selling a house is an ordeal. Between scrubbing your home to a polish and making all those improvements that you'd been putting off, it can be a hassle to get it in shape for potential buyers. And when your house is unique, well, you've got to appeal to an even smaller audience with similar tastes. Orland Park, Ill., couple Mike and Judy Lembke are learning this lesson the hard way as their enormous hunting-themed home has been on the market now for over three years.
The hunting and fishing enthusiasts' love of the outdoors is reflected in their 20,000-square-foot house, which could be more aptly described as a lodge. The stone-and-wooden house features 36-foot ceilings and, unsurprisingly, is decorated in a rustic southwestern theme. Built in 2001, the home boasts very unique features, including an archery range in the basement and nature murals in many rooms.
While we admire the home's gorgeous stone floors and grand oak beams, there are a few things we would have done differently when listing the home. Here, five takeaways from the Lembke's lodge:
1. Remove personal touches, like stuffed bear heads, to the basement. What is art to you may be peculiar to others and could turn them off from an otherwise lovely home.
So. Many. Heads.
2. Go hard or go home. This home is billed as a "real live ranch house" and is introduced by a real estate agent wearing a cowboy hat. A themed home may not be for everyone, but for that small percentage of the population who dreams of living cheek-to-jowl with nature, this is the spot for them.
He actually said, "Howdy."
3. Embrace multimedia marketing. The real estate agents selling this home have created a video to showcase this unique property. Unfortunately, the listing agent is standing in front a taxidermied bear, which is kinda distracting.
Whoa.
4. Enlist a professional to stage your home. When you're dealing with a property of this size (20,000 square feet is a whole lotta furniture) it's important to have an expert stage the property so that it doesn't feel like you're standing in "The Shining."
Imagine what this place is like at night. *shivers*
5. Understand that it may take a while to find the right buyer. When there's a hot tub facing the bed in the master suite, you may alienate some people.
That's, erm, rustic.
Check out the video below, and tell us your thoughts in the comments.
If you think this property is unique, wait until you see these:
UFO Homes
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