“Clean Litter Box . . . Clean Chimney . . . Clean TISH(?!?)

No, the listing agent isn’t touting the condition of some obscure new appliance, or instructing anyone to clean anything.

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“Clean as a . . . “

They’re referring to the municipal Truth in Sale of Housing inspection.

Public vs. Private Home Inspection

Required by about a dozen municipalities locally, I think of the TISH as the “lowest common denominator” of housing inspections:  sufficient to rule out any imminent threats to the safety or well-being of the home’s inhabitants, but by no means a substitute for a rigorous (private) Buyer’s inspection.

So, what’s a “clean TISH?”

At least to me, it’s shorthand for, “the home’s in good working order, with no deferred maintenance.  Anything that’s broken during the Seller’s ownership has been promptly and professionally repaired.”

And sometimes, it’s a tip-off that — given the age of the house if not occupants — Buyers might otherwise have questions about the home’s condition.

P.S.:  I’m thankfully WAY past the kids-in-diapers phase, but nobody had to tell me what a “clean tush” was.  🙂

See also, “When is it Smart to Market a Clean “Point-of-Sale” Inspection”; “City Inspection “True or False”; “Who’s Doing the City Point of Sale Inspection ” and Why it Matters“; “Are Municipal Inspections a Waste of Time?”; and Updating the City Point-of-Sale Inspection (or not).”

About the author

Ross Kaplan has 19+ years experience selling real estate all over the Twin Cities. He is also a 12-time consecutive "Super Real Estate Agent," as determined by Mpls. - St. Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business Magazine. Prior to becoming a Realtor, Ross was an attorney (corporate law), CPA, and entrepreneur. He holds an economics degree from Stanford.

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