Lesser of two evils: short sale or tenant?

Q: I bought a house about four years ago, and relocated for work last year. My old house has been on the market for almost a year. I thought about renting it, but I really don't want to deal with tenants from a long distance. The place is almost fully remodeled, and people have been viewing it, but my Realtor says I need to lower the price and try for a short sale. The one thing I haven't tried is putting in stainless steel kitchen appliances -- the appliances currently in there are newer, but they are black. Should I invest my last few thousand dollars in upgrading the appliances to stainless steel, or should I attempt a short sale?

A: Contrary to popular belief, everyone doesn't love stainless steel appliances. In fact, some folks actively dislike them. Buyers generally want updated appliances; if yours are up-to-date, they are not likely the thing that is stopping your home from selling.

All rights reserved. This article may not be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, in part or in whole, without written permission of Inman News. Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright law.