Selling a Probate Property:

What Improvements Should I Make Before Selling

a Probate or Trust Property?

Part 6 of 10

I recently visited a couple that my team helped to successfully purchase their first home. The house was built in the 1960’s and had been remodeled three years earlier. It had newer carpet, but the seller wasn’t much of a housekeeper and the carpet was very dirty. They are in the process of replacing all of it with a very nice medium colored laminate. What a difference! It makes the home look updated and clean. Plus, their sweat equity has added thousands of dollars of equity.

As a San Diego Probate and Trust Real Estate Specialist, I understand that the goal is to get the most money for your probate or trust property. Often times, spending a little translates into big returns. I’ve written this series to discuss the Top 10 Home Improvements with the Largest Return.

#5 of 10 Most Popular Renovations Buyers Will Pay More For:

Hardwood Floors

According to the National Association of Realtors, 54% percent of homebuyers willing to pay more for a San Diego house. These homebuyers are willing to pay an extra $2,080 for a home with hardwood floors.

After

Some 25% of buyers under the age of 35, and 28% of those between 35 and 54, considered hardwood floors “very important” when looking for a home. While only 17% of people ages 55 and up felt the same way.

I’ve noticed that many San Diego homebuyers are partial to solid surface floors such as hardwood or the new engineered laminate flooring. Although wood floors are a hot item today, preference over the years have changed. Carpeting was the desired flooring in the 1960’s.  Some homes still sport ’60’s green shag carpeting.  It’s relatively quick, easy and inexpensive to install carpeting.

Before replacing carpet

More “seasoned” homebuyers believe that homes with carpets were considered better in order to conserve energy. Even today, older people are more likely to feel more comfortable with carpeting because the insulation makes the home a little bit warmer. But, many of today’s homebuyers are under the age of 35.

The younger generation looking to have many guests at the house and for people with children, hardwood floors are desirable because they are easier to clean than carpets.

So what does this mean to you? Consider the following:

It’s simple to check to see if under the carpet there exists the desirable commodity of hardwood floors.

• Simply pool back a corner of the carpet and padding
• When hardwood is discovered, determine if the floors are in relatively good condition. Are they stained? Pet urine and potted plants can leave unsightly black spots.
• When in good condition, remove and discard all the carpet and padding
• The carpet will have been secured at the floors edges by tack strip
• Carefully remove the tack strip with a crow bar, flat head shovel or similar tool
• Clean the floors with the many available floor cleaners

Pat yourself on the back, you have just made your San Diego estate house more desirable and more desirable means more net proceeds for the beneficiary’s.

I’ve helped many personal representatives discover hardwood floors and typically, once the hardwood is discovered, they hire a handyman and cleaning company to complete the remaining tasks. So, don’t let the work deter you from this cost-effective improvement towards a successful sale of the San Diego estate property.