Selling a Probate Property:

What Improvements Should I Make Before Selling

a Probate or Trust Property?

Part 7 of 10

Of course, most San Diego homebuyers appreciate updated amenities in a house that they consider being their next home. And it isn’t any secret that “updated” kitchens and baths are appealing. That said, updated can mean fresh paint on the cabinets, new hardware, lighting, a great paint color on the walls and staging to bring it all together.

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.

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

Granite Countertops

A whopping 55% of San Diego homebuyers are will to pay on average $1,620 more for a house with granite countertops.

The National Association of Realtors survey found that among homeowners between the ages of 35 and 54, 24% viewed granite countertops as “very important,” compared to 18% of people under 35 and 18% of people over 55. Although just one in every five prospective home buyers said granite countertops were very important, 55% of those who bought a home without such a countertop said they would pay extra for it.

A kitchen with granite countertops is more of a style issue than anything else. San Diego homebuyers like a beautiful kitchen these days, and granite countertops can be part of that.

I’ve been helping San Diego homeowners to prepare their San Diego real estate for several decades and there have been times when updating the countertops has improved the net proceeds from the sale for the seller.

You will be happy to read that experience shows cost-effective repairs and updates do not include spending thousands of dollars on beautiful granite countertops.

I’m working on a project with a client that I’ve helped multiple times to prepare San Diego houses for sale. The kitchen has knotty pine cabinets and original 1950’s yellow and peach countertops. To be honest, in my opinion and what I know about San Diego homebuyer’s opinions, the kitchen is not very attractive.

My purpose is to come up with cost-effective solutions to help the San Diego house sell for the absolute highest price. In this particular case, I am recommending the following:

• Clean, repair and prepare the kitchen cabinets for a coat of paint
• Paint the cabinets and the existing hinges (I know…paint the hinges?)
• Replace the knobs and handles with updated hardware
• Replace the dirty caulk at the sink with fresh white caulk
• Replace the dated lighting with a less than $50 light fixture
• Paint the ceiling white and walls a coordinating color
• Professionally clean the kitchen including appliances
• My team will then stage the kitchen to sell!

This plan will cost less than $1,000. I anticipate a return on investment of 5-10 times the original expense.

This “plan of action” has worked over and over again.

Giving the San Diego homebuyer what they want by preparing the San Diego house prior to offering it on the open market is my best advice and how my team and I help.

I’ve been told by personal representatives, “having an experience real estate consultant, like me, to give the facts, ideas and guidance towards the best decisions when preparing and selling San Diego real estate made the entire process easier.”