Purchasing a high-end luxury property can be a daunting task. Consider buying a luxury property overlooking the fairways and greens of Alamo's Round Hill Country Club. An equally opulent home at Diablo's namesake club a few miles to the south. Beautiful sought-after architectural gems in Danville. Any number of spectacular high-end estates in Lafayette or homes within an amenity-rich community in Walnut Creek.
Indeed, homes at the heart of the San Ramon Valley prove an attractive proposition for would-be buyers. An ideal setting or location and an exquisitely crafted facade are only half the equation.
Discerning buyers, particularly those seeking out the one-of-a-kind real estate in the Alamo and Danville area is known for, expect more from available listings than just a few years ago.
How do you, the seller, get a would-be buyer to notice your spectacular home amongst a landscape of equally impressive listings? And how do you make an impact without negatively impacting your bottom line?
You'll find the answers to both questions within our list of five home remodel tips to prepare a home for sale — each addressing or improving a small detail within your property to transform your deal into a huge success.
1. Start with a clean slate
Regardless if you're a do-it-yourself picker-upper or the type to hire a local service to give your home a top-down shine, a clean, decluttered home is arguably the simplest way to make a positive impression with buyers.
Homes that are neat, orderly, easy to tour, and even easier for a buyer to envision as their future residence most often sell considerably faster than those listed "as is."
Maintaining a spotless home is considerably cheaper than carrying out actual remodeling projects. So if you find yourself within a short sales window, a full-scale clean will at least earn your home plenty of looks and a handful of offers.
Should you want to take the clean slate approach up a notch, and do so without a significant financial outlay, don't just spruce up your home, paint it.
2. Reconsider your color palette
One of the most attractive aspects of living in the Alamo and Danville area is the timeless quality of many of the region's homes. From gorgeous hilltop estates, to historic Victorians, to exquisitely crafted Mediterraneans, there's no denying the unique architectural qualities found throughout the region's real estate. Interiors, however, are another matter.
Multimillion-dollar trendsetting homes can seem dated, heavily lived-in, or even neglected over time. As the fashion adage goes, an "in" color scheme one day could just as easily be "out" the next. It's not only trends from the 90s or 2000s that require a modern makeover, but those from a few years ago where the allure has already come and gone.
The simplest way to avoid your home hitting the market as a fashion faux pas is with paint.
Modern aesthetics, regardless of any current prevailing trends, demand a home that is bright, big, welcoming, and full of light. An updated, cohesive paint scheme rich in natural hues and varying shades of white and gray transforms a home into a fresh new space. The right combination provides rooms with the impression of higher ceilings. It helps improve the reflectivity of natural light entering the house, adding value to your listing.
These neutral tones often work best since they pair seamlessly with almost any furniture and accessories. Painting also has the added benefit of addressing any visible dings or damage your walls may possess.
A buyer may eventually chase trends of the day as they settle into their purchase, but inviting neutral tones helped them envision the house as their own.
3. Bring the outside in
Keeping with the natural light theme, your next focal point for potential pre-listing improvements should focus on windows. Where paint improves a home's appearance, windows dictate how the home feels. To better visualize the concept, think about your home's interior aesthetics on sunny days versus when it's cloudy. Does the house take on a cave-like appearance on a crystal-clear afternoon? More often than not, windows are to blame.
First, inspect and clean your home's windows, inside and out. Untouched, widows in older homes often have years of built-up dirt. Even new homes constructed within the last few years develop a thin layer of film that dims incoming natural light. While cleaning your windows, inspect for torn screens, damaged frames and sashes, eroded weather stripping, and worn locks and hardware.
Next, take stock of your window treatments. While drapes and blinds certainly have a place within your home — bedrooms benefit most from added elegance and privacy — common areas such as the kitchen, dining and living rooms suffer under the weight of too much coverage.
Before listing, swap weighty treatments for lighter fabrics that allow light through even if drawn. Even better, remove the treatments in the common spaces altogether. You'll maximize the light flooding into the property's most vital rooms at all hours of the day — especially important for weekend showings or open houses.
Finally, weigh the potential value of replacing windows with an energy-efficient version should the condition warrant. It can prove pricey — depending on the number of replacements, costs can run north of $20,000 — but you'll earn nearly 70% on your return, with buyers appreciating the natural light, energy savings and fresh aesthetics.
4. Identify your home's blemishes before your buyers do
How can you know if conditions warrant window replacements? Or if any other improvements are necessary before placing your home on the market? By ordering a pre-listing inspection.
Typically employed by buyers during their post-offer due diligence, sellers are taking a proactive approach to improving a property’s condition and value with their own home inspections. It's a wise move that addresses multiple needs.
The primary purpose of the inspection is to help identify any immediate concerns with the property's structure, mechanical systems, and general wear and tear. A seller can use the findings to develop a list of repairs to resolve in-house, bid out to contractors, or table until the offer and negotiation phase of the transaction.
More importantly, an inspection illuminates the home's overall health, and does so before a buyer makes their own assessment. Armed with such data, you navigate the sale from a position of knowledge. You can develop a game plan anticipating what a buyer might question during negotiations.
As a bonus, the cost of acquiring this information is relatively inexpensive. The average cost for an inspection ranges between $350 and $500. Reports for larger homes can push the $1,000 threshold. With what you get in return, a pre-listing assessment is an excellent investment toward securing a more lucrative sale.
5. Focus on what's important to buyers
What’s important to someone looking to buy a home in the Alamo or Danville area? Getting ahead of buyer concerns is central to a successful offer and negotiation process. So too, is anticipating their needs before they familiarize themselves with your listing.
Unlike remodeling projects meant to improve a home's livability for you and your family, pre-sale updates should address universal needs that add value and boost the property's overall appeal.
For example, major kitchen or bathroom renovations are great if you plan to occupy the home long after completing those projects. The ROI ultimately stems from your long-term enjoyment of the improvements. You get your money's worth simply by using the new spaces. Place the home on the market less than a year after those renovations, you'll recoup only a fraction of those costs — on average, from 25% to 35% of your total investment. And that's if the market is favorable and a buyer appreciates your design tastes. Instead, thoughtful, calculated upgrades engage buyers and capture a healthy ROI.
Remember, when preparing your home for sale, focus on moderate improvements with broad appeal achievable at reasonable costs. You'll draw in a larger pool of buyers setting the stage for a lucrative sale.
Need more seller tips before listing a luxury home in the Alamo or Danville area? Contact Jill Fusari today and allow her experience and expertise help you navigate the real estate market and identify what buyers are looking for.
*Header photo courtesy of Jill Fusari
