Love's Real Stories

Blinking through the smoke and talking through his mask, my old friend Steve said something to me, which I did not understand. He maintained at least a six-foot distance from me per Covid protocol and his face-mask muffled his words. The ambient noise of cars and shopping carts in the Raley’s parking lot added to the suppression of his voice. My lack of acute hearing didn’t help. Still, I couldn’t help but notice his eyebrows frowning above his mask and his finger jabbing toward the sky alternating with his two fists punching toward the ground. 

“What?” I said. It sounded like he had said, “I’m all about beer, I’m going to Sierra Nevada,” but that couldn’t be right. The gestures didn’t match the sentiment.

Steve grew frustrated with my lack of comprehension. He pulled down his mask for clarification. He shouted, “I’m so out of here! I’m moving to Nevada!” He repeated his hand gestures while adding various comments about California fires, politics, and general degradation.

He shouted, “Is the Real Estate market really on fire?” I’m pretty sure I heard that correctly, though I wouldn’t have expected his choice of the word “fire.”

I told him the Real Estate market is extremely low on inventory, with high Buyer demand, and houses are selling quickly. Multiple offers on new Listings is a commonplace occurrence. If you price it right, and prepare it for sale, your house might get a price premium above asking price through competing Buyers.

He asked about preparing his house to sell, and I told him I would send along some advice.

Steve thanked me and stomped across the parking lot, shaking his head and blinking up at the thick orange blanket of smoke covering our section of California.

Here’s the piece I sent to Steve:

 “Clean it and paint it” is the tried and true advice. “Re-carpet it” is good advice, too. Leave your personal taste for color out of the equation unless you favor neutral. 

1. Paint it Red: A new front door is a simple improvement that delivers impact, and “Red says ‘welcome’ in all cultures,” say the experts. Feng Shui proponents say to choose your color according to the direction your front door faces. You can look it up.
2. Convert it: Converting an attic or storage room or basement into a bedroom is a quick way to add value. Kids move back in with parents and parents move in with kids. The “spare bedroom” is seen as a bonus for people who sometimes like their family and visitors.
3. Line your Den: Whether you call it the office or the computer room or the den, the “extra room” it is a big draw. Everyone can use some more space, even after adding the new bedroom.
4. Go Outside: Building a deck is one of the least-expensive ways to extend your living space. Building a deck can bring a return on investment of up to 80 percent at the time of sale, according to the experts. 
5. Go Back Outside: Check your curb appeal. Funky siding goes right to the top of a buyer’s worry list and makes them wonder what serious problems, structural or otherwise, might lurk behind. Fix it and paint it, and don’t cover it with vinyl if you can help it.
6. Help the Cook: The kitchen can be the make-it-or-break-it for a home sale. Kitchens are expensive, but you don’t have to go full-tilt. Replacing countertops, faucets, and cabinet hardware can be the missing ingredient.
7. Get Good Glass: Curb appeal again, with the added feature of energy efficiency. People are thinking green these days and are interested in spending less green on their power bills.

Fix it, shine it, and make it better, but don’t turn it into the Taj Mahal, unless it’s just for you.