5 Things To Fix Before You List Your House in Sacramento

September 15, 2019

Any conversation about selling a house in Sacramento has to include a list of what you will need fix and update to be competitive in today’s market. Sellers have real choices to make and throughout the process they need to evaluate their budgets, returns on investment and know the point of diminishing returns. It is a matter of knowing the bottom line and evaluating the risk.

Rehabbing or remodeling a house is expensive. I know. My name is Peter Westbrook and I am a real estate investor in Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto. After over 10 years and hundreds of families and houses I know what to do. It is a simple formula… when we start a house we begin by taking it down to the walls. Everything comes out. Toilets, vanities, doors baseboards, kitchen cabinets, light fixtures, ceiling fans countertops, the flooring and appliances. There is no second guessing our process. It is ingrained. We have the maximum impact because we can address every issue from the ground up. We inspect, we test and we replace.

Unfortunately most sellers can’t go from one end of the house to the other and just clear it out. They have grown attached to that $95 shower head and $300 vanity that was purchased just 3 years ago. For them, our radical clearing out is called … moving day.

Most sellers are a bit more more methodical in their approach and they start by creating a budget and a plan of attack. Most people mistakenly believe (including a lot of inexperienced real estate agents) that they know what needs to be fixed and what they can keep. The think that they understand what adds value when selling a house. I get it… everyone’s an expert. Someone actually said to me the other day… “It’s hard to make a mistake when prices are up in all neighborhoods, interest rates are down and all you need to do to take advantage of any appreciation gains in this market with superficial cosmetic fixes, right”? Not even close.

According to that rationale a great looking front yard is going to win over a would be buyer… A freshly painted front door in a faddish color will grab a buyers attention and they will never notice the old and tired appliances, the banged up but painted doors and baseboards or that stained but original hardwood floor…

Maybe that is all good for television and first impressions, but the truth of the matter is that the buyers perception of a nice house will unravel quickly once the fist inspector hits the scene. All of those cosmetic fixes will end up like a pin prick bursting a balloon at a 5 year olds birthday party. The pop will be loud and most of the bystanders will shudder, wondering what just happened.

Yes, those cosmetic fixes are not going to fool anyone that gets within 3 feet of a problem area. I speak from experience. I am not some arm chair rehab journalist writing to give you tips that are hyperbole. I am a real estate investor in Stockton, Sacramento and Modesto and it is what I do for a living. For the past 10 years we have developed skills in determining what to fix in any house. That experience comes with making costly mistakes. I can assure you that even though we know how to make it look simple, there are a lot of armchair experts out there offering advice on fixing houses that are just plain wrong.

The challenge for any seller is actually adding real value that buyers are looking for? How many HGTV shows do you have to see before you know what needs to be fixed? The answer really depends on whose money you are spending. The real experts are in the field everyday spending their own money and taking the risk. The truth is that cosmetic fixes are easy and can improve the look of any house. Touch up paint, refinished floors, painting old cabinets and vanities, replacing the guts of an old toilet or replacing broken tiles. Easy stuff…

But what happens when you can’t find the matching tiles, the toilet has a cracked lid, the cabinets and the hardware have already been painted 3 times, the floors have visible water and pet stains and the touch up paint on the doors and walls is slightly a different color because the color and sheen were not a perfect match.

If you are thinking about selling your Sacramento house then you will likely be faced with making some repairs and updates to your home in order to get it ready. Not all repairs are created equal and while you may not want to make expensive repairs that offer little to no return, you may not have any choice if you are determined to sell your house in any conventional manner.

In today’s market you need to remember that buyers want move in ready, banks and other lenders want houses that dont need any repairs and at some point your house has a 98% probability of being both inspected and appraised. If you dont address the problems in advance they will need to be addressed later. I know that it sounds like expensive advice, but imagine thinking that you have sold your house only to find out that the buyers got cold feet because the home inspectors had said the problems were either covered up or made incorrectly.

In this blog, we have put together our list of 5 things to fix before you list your Sacramento home! Pay Attention, it is supposed to cost money!

Think Flooring…

Even old, damaged, and tired flooring can be dealt with for a relatively low cost. Fix cracked tiles with matching tiles and if they cant be matched, consider replacing the flooring altogether. You will need to fill or repair major scratches to hardwood and clean or rip out old carpeting. Even if the floors underneath are nothing to look at, leaving old, dirty and stained carpet is not a recipe for success.

Buyers Want a Sturdy and Dependable Roof…

You will want to fix any damage to the roof. Repair leaky parts and any water damage to the ceiling. Water stains on the ceiling and walls can be huge red flags for potential buyers. They will immediately think there could be mold and much bigger problems. Fix these things before showing your house so you don’t scare off potential buyers!

Be Realistic About the Inside Space…

Just Windows, Doors, Drywall, Siding… If you can see the problems so can a buyer and so will the inspector.

The color of the walls can change the whole look and feel of the room. It doesn’t matter what the conventional wisdom says… you dont need consensus. Choose natural and neutral tones. By doing so you will add warmth to a dark and cold feeling rooms,. It is up to you to change the way people feel when they walk in. You want the colors to be warm and inviting. Find a balance between plain and boring and too bold and off-putting. You can utilize some creativity into the scheme, by using different types of materials and colors for tile, granite or backsplash, but remember you want to appeal to a wide swath of buyers, not just those who share your love for purple. Even though the magazines tell you that wallpaper is seeing a comeback, dont jump on the bandwagon. Today’s fad is tomorrow’s junk and unless you want to increase your holding cost and repair budget realize that but not everyone is interested in prints on the walls. If you decide to leave wallpaper up, let the price reflect that.

Kitchen & Bath

They say these areas ultimately sell the house. However, it is not necessary to complete major remodels or renovations to make the areas really pop. Small fixes in these spaces can add serious value to your home. Refinish or paint old cabinets to give them new life. Countertops and even tiles can be resurfaced. You can even refinish your tub and shower. You can also add new fixtures, including faucets, drawer pulls, doorknobs and cabinet handles. Doing these things can make a dated space feel modern and fresh almost instantly!

Landscaping

You can’t say enough about curb appeal. There have been studies done, saying people subconsciously decide if they will make an offer on a home within the first few seconds of seeing it. Your landscaping is your first chance to connect and appeal to potential buyers. For a relatively inexpensive investment, adding some plants and cleaning up weeds and overgrowth, can make a huge impact on how fast your home sells. While bad landscaping might be able to be looked over for the perfect house, it is better to start out on the right foot. Start out by making people want to see more of the house, just by looking at the outside!

Fix Before You List Bonus: Lighting

Adding great lighting to the area will help to sell your home. Make sure areas are well lit, and are filled with warm light… nothing too bright or hard on the eyes!

Ready to sell a house in Sacramento? We can help you sell your home fast! Send us a message now, or give us a call today! (209)481-7780

We Buy Houses Stockton, The Man Behind the Sign

I Buy Houses Stockton Introduction (209) 481-7780 We buy Houses Stockton

My name is Peter Westbrook and I am a local real estate investor and the owner of We Buy Houses Stockton and Westbrook Real Estate Investments in Stockton, California. I am NOT a Real Estate Agent or Broker and for good reason. I purchase real estate and I am NOT going to ask you to pay a commission or a fee.…I pay CASH and because I do, I can close on the day that I tell you.

For those of you that already know me or have already called me you can attest that I answer my own phone and I return all phone calls. When you call me at 209-481-7780 you are calling me on the same number that my mother and my closest friends call me at.

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What Customers Say

The City of Stockton was getting ready to tear down my old house. I was no longer able to maintain the Stockton House and after years of trying to keep up with code violations, needed repairs and vandalism, I finally called Peter

Westbrook. He came right out and told me what he could do. He contacted the city and county and even cleaned up the property before he bought it. He paid the back taxes for me and gave me an advance on the purchase of the house. Without his help I would have lost everything. I called real estate agents and other investors but no one wanted to help and no one offered to pay as much as Peter Westbrook. He completely remodeled the house and I smile every time I go by. Thank you Peter.

Leonard S

We inherited our parents house with one of our brothers living there . The property taxes had not been paid and it was in Tax default. We called Peter Westbrook and he found that the title was still in our parents name, so the Stockton House never went through probate. Peter also found that there was an old auto loan that had a lien on the

title and an old bankruptcy ruling to take care of that lien had never been filed with the courts. Peter handled everything including paying the back taxes, paying for the hiring a Probate Attorney and filing the probate and paying for and hiring a Bankruptcy Attorney to finalize the removal of the lien. He was patient, understanding and he took care of everything including evicting the tenants that were living in the house. We talked to real estate agents and other I buy house people. None of them had the answers for our situation. Without peter we would have lost everything. We got paid cash.

Steve H

We inherited my parents Stockton house with a mortgage. We decided to rent it out. The tenants destroyed the house. I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t have the money to fix it and the city had already issued code violations.. I called an “I Buy Houses Stockton Sign” on a telephone pole and Peter Westbrook answered. In 4 days he paid the bank and bought my house. We would have lost everything if it weren’t for Peter Westbrook.

Mike B

I inherited my mothers house with a mortgage. When my husband and I lost our jobs, we got behind in payments. Then the Bank posted a default with a auction date we didn’t know what to do.

We didn’t have the $15,000.00 and we only had two weeks to do something. We called Peter Westbrook and form the beginning he was confident he could stop the bank. Within 4 days he bought the house with cash, paid off the bank and stopped the Foreclosure. Without Peter we would have lost everything.

Brenda T

I saw a sign on a telephone pole and against my better judgement I called. The last thing I expected was a person answering the phone. I was surprised, Peter Westbrook answered the phone. I had a lot of questions and Peter had the right answers. My mother needed to get as much as possible out of the house and we had talked to several real estate agents and they all wanted to sell it cheap and wanted a 6% commission. They all told us unless we put thousands of dollars into it could not be sold for what we wanted. Not Peter. He made a fair cash offer and since then we have sold him another house. Peter and the title company handled everything. I couldn’t be happier and I would recommend Peter Westbrook to anyone.

Cathy W

I needed to sell my Stockton House. I called a phone number I saw on a sign and talked to Peter Westbrook. The City of Stockton said that they were going to take away my vacant Stockton house, knock it down and send me the

bill to do it. I did everything that I could to try to make them happy. A neighbor offered to buy the house and then Peter offered me twice as much. He did everything he said he would do and I just had to go to the Title Company and sign the papers. He did all of the work and now the City of Stockton is his problem. Thank you Peter.

Ann C

I inherited my Fathers Stockton house. The front porch was falling in, the walls had holes from being vacant and vandalized. The City of Stockton fined us, red tagged the property and forced us to put on a new roof so we had to get loans and we still couldn’t rent it out.

I called one of those “I Buy Houses” signs and Peter Westbrook came out and made a cash offer. The House closed escrow and we got our money for a house we though was worthless. Thanks Peter!”

Broderick R.

“Our Grandfather passed away and my brother, sister and I inherited his Stockton house. He was a junkman and hoarder. He was also 90 years old and had not made a repair to the house in years. He had garage sales almost every day. The house and the yard were full of junk. We tried to get everything out so we could just see the house. We had family and friends come over on the weekends but the cost and effort was consuming all of our time.The house was a mess.

I called Peter Westbrook and he made us a cash offer for the house and he said he would take care of all of the clean up. Thank God I called. The City had issued code violations and fines on the property and even before we closed escrow Peter and his crew had the house and yard cleaned (4 large Dumpsters later) . I recommend Peter Westbrook to anyone that has a problem house. They were fast and professional”

Connie J.

“I had tried to sell my Mothers Stockton house for two years. Realtor’s told me to tear it down. I didn’t have the money for that and my Brother and his family were living there. Peter Westbrook made me a cash offer and closed escrow with my brother still in the house. Peter Westbrook is my savior. I don’t have to worry about the house any more. If you have a Stockton house that has become a burden and you don’t have the money to fix it to sell it, call Peter Westbrook.”

Rosemary R.