Prepping House in Chevy Chase DC to Sell

[Anonymous]

I think depends just how desirable your particular location within ccdc is. If it’s on a sought-after block, I would put more of an effort in, because you want to create the credible impression that your house will command top dollar. So I would empty the house, paint/refinish, hire a stager, and spiff up the attic and basement so they present as legitimate living spaces. This won’t cost that much, and you’re going to have to move out anyway, but a buyer with a lot of money who loves your house won’t get the sense that a low offer has any chance of success. Plus it will photograph great. We did this, and only got one offer, but it was over ask and over our going-in expectations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would just do the basic clean up and that's it.

This - people are going to change it to suit themselves anyway. Why waste the time, effort, money and materials. There is enough waste already, don’t add to it

I just sold my mother's house in a highly desirable area and this was the advice of our real estate agent. My mother had lived there for 48 years. The house was well-maintained (i.e., hardwood floors added, new roof, new AC, updated kitchen appliances and vanities) but had never undergone any meaningful renovation. We removed all furniture, tidied up the lawn, hired a cleaning service, and put it on the market. The house sold for $40,000 over asking on the first weekend with no open house. You have no idea if your updates are to the taste of potential buyers. Not worth the risk.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks to everyone for advice and experiences. Very helpful.

[Anonymous]

Affordable houses (e.g. priced around a million) fly off the market in CCDC. Err on the side of pricing low rather than high - you’ll get a bidding war.

[Anonymous]

OP, I wouldn’t do anything. Just clean it.

Keep your fantasy of selling to a family a fantasy in your head. For one thing, it’s illegal for you to discriminate on the basis of familial status.

More importantly, while it’s possible that some family desperate to live in the neighborhood but without the budget will buy your house and live in it without renovating, it’s more likely that the house will be renovated or rebuilt by or for its next occupants. Which will be…a family. Why is the family that doesn’t renovate or the family that buys and then renovates more worthy in your eyes than the one that buys it from a developer? That doesn’t really make sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP

The consensus seems to be to clean and declutter versus any renovations. Would your advice to OP differ if the house was in another area, potentially not as strong of a market as the DC area, or is your advice the same regardless?

Yes, because in lower cost markets people who have just bought a house often don’t have the cash for renovations or the ability to finance them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is more than likely that a developer will want to raze and rebuild or else a family will want to do a substantial renovation (ie over $500k) so I wouldn't do much to it at all.

It's not really a "raze and rebuild" neighborhood, but I agree it's likely that whoever buys it (family or developer) will likely to a major reno and expansion. I'd just clean, declutter, tidy up the landscaping.

[Anonymous]

I would paint every room white and have the windows professionally cleaned. This will make it easier for buyers to “project” and visualize the finished product.

Dirty windows literally make it less bright and in my opinion make houses feel older/ more like a project. And is a cheap fix.

Beyond that, agree not to attempt to renovate. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is more than likely that a developer will want to raze and rebuild or else a family will want to do a substantial renovation (ie over $500k) so I wouldn't do much to it at all.

It's not really a "raze and rebuild" neighborhood, but I agree it's likely that whoever buys it (family or developer) will likely to a major reno and expansion. I'd just clean, declutter, tidy up the landscaping.

Why don’t people raze and rebuild in CCDC? Bethesda it’s all over

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is more than likely that a developer will want to raze and rebuild or else a family will want to do a substantial renovation (ie over $500k) so I wouldn't do much to it at all.

It's not really a "raze and rebuild" neighborhood, but I agree it's likely that whoever buys it (family or developer) will likely to a major reno and expansion. I'd just clean, declutter, tidy up the landscaping.

Why don’t people raze and rebuild in CCDC? Bethesda it’s all over

The housing stock is better and the houses were already built close to the max size for the lot. But mainly it’s always been a luxury neighborhood so the houses are nice. The neighborhoods in Bethesda with a lot of tear downs tend to be ones where the houses were smaller and cheaper on bigger lots. Not saying that’s a hard rule, but of course there are tear downs and new builds in CCDC too. Just in general.

[Anonymous]

It sound like you have a lovely house OP. I wish I could buy it! Silly question, but is the 3rd floor not including basement? So it’s main/1st floor, second floor, AND THEN third floor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would just do the basic clean up and that's it.

This - people are going to change it to suit themselves anyway. Why waste the time, effort, money and materials. There is enough waste already, don’t add to it

I just sold my mother's house in a highly desirable area and this was the advice of our real estate agent. My mother had lived there for 48 years. The house was well-maintained (i.e., hardwood floors added, new roof, new AC, updated kitchen appliances and vanities) but had never undergone any meaningful renovation. We removed all furniture, tidied up the lawn, hired a cleaning service, and put it on the market. The house sold for $40,000 over asking on the first weekend with no open house. You have no idea if your updates are to the taste of potential buyers. Not worth the risk.

We are going through that same scenario and the house has been sitting for a while and we had to lower the price. Also a very desirable area. I think the market has turned a bit in the last month or two. In retrospect she probably should have done some cosmetic upgrades so it didn't look like quite as much work needed to be done.