Hang Up the Hard Hat: How Curbio Simplifies Pre-Listing Home Improvement for Real Estate Agents
Top 7 Pre-Listing Updates for the Greater Los Angeles Area
Known for its Hollywood entertainment, beautiful weather, cultural diversity, and robust economy, Los Angeles is becoming an increasingly popular location to purchase a home. However, the homes of LA and surrounding areas face unique challenges in getting market-ready.
Although they have separate responsibilities, agents and homebuyers have one common goal: to sell as quickly – for as much money – as possible. For homeowners to walk away with the most money in their pocket, there are certain updates that LA buyers want to see. And when agents win listings, their number one goal is to make them move.
Curating your home improvements to appeal to modern buyers will help your listings sell faster and for more. Get started with your free, no-obligation estimate today.
After extensive work in the SoCal area, Curbio has identified the 7 updates guaranteed to increase profit and decrease time on market:
Exterior Updates
The climate conditions of LA, including high temperatures and smog, can damage the exterior of homes, eating away at building materials or causing cracking. It is essential to do a once over for any necessary curb appeal and exterior updates before listing a home in LA. Some exterior improvements that make for great first impressions with buyers are landscaping, fresh paint, power-washing siding or walkways, and checking roofs and gutters for damage.
Bathroom Refresh
With people spending exceedingly more time at home, the demands for spa-like bathrooms are on the rise. You don’t have to break the bank to make your bathroom feel luxurious, though. Simple updates like new flooring, a contemporary vanity, modern lighting, and fresh paint can transform any room. These updates, paired with luxury pieces like a freestanding tub or a modern, walk-in shower, will elevate your bathroom to be an oasis buyers won’t soon forget.
Outdoor Living Spaces
The magnificent weather that LA experiences year-round is a huge incentive to establish roots in LA. Capitalize on outdoor areas by transforming them into inviting living spaces through updates and staging. Staging a dining or entertainment area on the patio, porch, or by the pool is an easy way to make your listing stand out.
This may seem daunting if you aren’t savvy to home design trends, but with Curbio to guide you, you can be sure to create a space that buyers will remember. Chat with a Curbio Home Improvement Consultant today about sprucing up the outdoor living spaces on your next listing.
Flooring
The desire for carpet flooring is decreasing rapidly in the LA area, and most agents recommend cleaning or even replacing carpet before selling. Buyers want move-in-ready homes with clean finishes and modern flooring. With so many options out there, deciding which flooring is best for your listing can be a challenge. If the home already has hardwood floors, it’s often best to refinish the wood rather than replace it. Another solution for durable, modern floors is luxury vinyl tile (LVT), which comes in various tones and patterns, often mimicking the appearance of hardwood.
Finish flex spaces
Apartments are rising in popularity in LA, competing with traditional single-family homes. Whether your listing is an apartment or a house, there are always ways to capitalize on space. Finishing a basement or attic will increase your listing’s square footage and market price, making it more appealing to today’s buyers, who value versatility. However, if your listing doesn’t have multiple levels, there are other options to make the home appear more spacious. Try staging a bedroom or flex area as an office or home gym to create a space that buyers can envision working for their lifestyle. Your agent will be helpful in making staging choices because they’ll know how to cater to the right target demographic.
Interior painting
Wear and tear on walls, in the form of scrapes and holes, is common in any home. Patching drywall and applying a fresh coat of neutral paint before going to market is a quick way to brighten up every listing. It’s also become common for Realtors® to suggest painting kitchen cabinets rather than replacing them. This saves time and money, helping you get to closing faster while also achieving higher returns.
Upgrade hardware and lighting
One of the least complicated yet cost-effective pre-listing updates you can make is freshening up the details. Quality hardware is like jewelry for the home! Focus on finding modern hardware and light fixtures that elevate the home’s style. Brushed metal finishes are trending now in LA. Consider trying out muted brass, chrome, or brushed gold options. Matte black is another modern hardware finish that’s growing in popularity.
Curbio tackles pre-listing home improvement projects of all sizes, with no minimums or maximums and not a penny owed upfront. With our pay-at-closing model, you and your sellers can have peace of mind, knowing that your project will be completed with zero interest, fees, or premiums. Our service is entirely turnkey, meaning we manage the project from start to finish, so you can focus on more important things (like building your business or moving). Get started with a free, no-obligation estimate today.