Real estate blog entries tagged with upgrades by Lane Bailey, Realtor & Car Guy (Century 21 Results Realty)

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upgrades: 146.8%... Show them the DOOR... - 12/25/09 03:43 PM

The NAR Magazine (called REALTOR) recently published a story about what improvements enhanced a home's value the most. It was also broken down regionally...
For the Southeast (they called it South Atlantic, DC, DE, FL,GA, MD, NC, SC, VA and WV), the absolute winner was a "midrange" 20 gauge steel entry door. Nationally, that change added 128.9% of the cost as value to the home. Here in the Southeast, it added 146.8%... with an expected cost of $1065 and a return on investment (RoI) of $1562.
Rounding out the top five here in the Southeast:
Attic Bedroom - 90.0% - Cost … (9 comments)

upgrades: Repair or Retreat Bond... Which one is better? - 09/14/09 01:43 PM

I'm not a "Bug Guy" and I don't play one on TV. But, as a real estate agent, I get asked about bugs a lot. More specifically, I get asked about termites... ok, actually about termite damage and termite bonds.
We joke (ok, actually the Bug Guys joke) that here in the south there are homes that have been infested and homes that will be infested. There are NO homes that won't get a termite visit. And I can say from experience that they might be right...
And of course, as soon as my buyer finds a house and we start … (3 comments)

upgrades: Over-Updated, Under-Updated... - 09/05/09 03:55 PM

I visited a home recently that had an interesting mix of over and under updated features.
Overall, the home was quite beautiful. The finishes were well done and attractive. Honestly, it showed better than the photos... and that is a good thing, the photos weren't bad.
The yard was amazing. The only issue I could find is that it would require too much care for MY lifestyle, but it was wonderful to walk around the paths and see the ponds, gardens and various areas.
But then there was the kitchen... 1990 called and they want their kitchen back... It didn't live … (4 comments)

upgrades: Incrementalism - 06/14/08 02:40 AM

Incrementalism is a concept that a lot of people in the automotive hobby are familiar with... in theory, if not the word itself. So, let me give a definition... Incrementalism refers to the practice of just changing things a little bit... over time... piece by piece.
This would be opposed to going "All In" or whole hog. In my past, when I built my Wrangler, I changed and tweaked and tuned and the re-did all of it. Several times. I probably spent the money and time that I achieved with the final incarnation 3 or 4 times over. I went through … (2 comments)

upgrades: Looking for a 4+ car garage home in Gwinnett County, GA? - 02/09/08 08:04 AM

Well, there are 154 of them on the market today. They range in price from $139,900 up to $8,500,000. The median price is about $700,000. The meat of the market seems to be around $375,000 and $2.5m. The properties range from incredible estates to modest homes, and from 2 car attached/2 car detached up to 20 car stables. There are some real nice properties at all sorts of prices.
And, you won't find this anywhere else... I am talking with a builder about developing a subdivision that has lots suitable for second garages/workshops, as well as HOA rules that favor auto … (6 comments)

upgrades: Rock Crawling and realty... - 12/07/07 04:37 PM

I am about to perform a feat of magic... I am going to combine two such different things, that you won't believe I was able to actually pull it off...
In the first corner, we have a real estate transaction. Just about every time a home changes hands, there are obstacles and challenges. Sometimes the challenges are small, perhaps even inconsequential. Other times, they may seem insurmountable. Sometimes, they really are. But, often, those seemingly insurmountable obstacles are just that... seemingly.

In the second corner we have Rock Crawling. In this sport, a team made up of a driver and … (5 comments)

upgrades: It's about the Garage! - 10/02/07 06:20 AM

I just had the opportunity to wander through the October issue of REALTOR(R) magazine. Cars and Cable caught my eye (pg. 14). As I had previously mentioned in a blog post in July, oversized garages made a pretty good showing. Second place.
Now, before you go gloating about second place, keep in mind that first place was central air conditioning... which is pretty tough to beat, and almost everything on the market is already equipped. Also notable is that garages moved up from 5th place in the last survey (2004). And it is a HUGE jump. A full 56% of … (13 comments)

upgrades: G is for Garage - 08/31/07 04:00 AM

Could it really be about anything else? I am a garage specialist, so of course not.
First, let's get this out of the way. Single car garages are made to store lawn tools and maybe a motorcycle. Two car garages are the minimum an auto enthusiast would consider. Three car garages are starting to get there. When you have indoor parking suitable for six or more, you are in the zone.
Let's talk about attached vs. detached garages.
I recommend both (why can't I put a smiley here?). But, seriously, having both is great. In fact, I'd call it … (3 comments)

upgrades: Real Estate Investing 203 - 08/22/07 10:24 AM

Back in Real Estate Investing 101, Part II, I briefly mentioned "Shifting Classes" after the Buy & Hold strategy. There are a few different ways to shift classes and uses that can build value for investors.
Residential to Commercial
One of the most common ways to increase value while shifting classes or use is to have a property re-zoned from residential to commercial usage. A property that is located on a busy street would be a prime example. The busy street lowers the value for a residential property because of the noise and associated traffic. It is even more true of … (2 comments)

upgrades: Want to sell your house to an investor? - 08/21/07 04:31 AM

I get the occasional call from people that have a house they wish to sell quickly. Often, the home is in less than optimal condition (sometimes heinous is a word that creeps into my mind). They range from estate sales to pre-foreclosures to rentals that the owner doesn't wish to handle any more. Usually, these people are wanting to market to my investor database. Sometimes, I don't think people understand what this entails.
Investors are looking for houses that they can use to make money. In order to make money the house needs to offer one or more possibilities.
It needs … (3 comments)

upgrades: Real Estate Investing 301, Part II - 08/17/07 02:25 AM

Real Estate Investing 301Part II
Link to Part I
Advanced strategies

Strategies for selling hundreds of properties

For most buyers, holding the properties isn’t the option that they are looking for. Turning the properties is the goal. Generally, there are a few different strategies that sellers use to dispose of the properties. These depend on both the properties and the type of buyers.

Wholesale sellers sell to other investors at a discount from BPO. This allows them to minimize further expenditure, while maximizing return for less than optimal properties. The properties can often be moved fairly quickly. One … (0 comments)

upgrades: Real Estate Investing 301, Part I - 08/17/07 02:16 AM

Real Estate Investing 301
Advanced strategies

In Real Estate Investing 101, Part I we covered buying a house to resell for a short term profit, while minimizing risk and making it happen fast. We delved further into flipping in Real Estate Investing 201. In Real Estate Investing 101, Part II we covered buying and holding property for long term appreciation and wealth building. We also touched on class shifting to increase value. Real Estate Investing 202 continued on the Buy and Hold theme and offered deeper insight into making it profitable. In Real Estate Investing 203, we looked at shifting … (0 comments)

upgrades: Real Estate Investing 202 - 08/15/07 11:33 AM

Real Estate Investing 202
Digging a little deeper in Buy and Hold strategies

In Real Estate Investing 101, Part II, we covered buying and holding property for long term appreciation and wealth building. This is by no means a get rich quick scheme, but is one of the most proven ways to build wealth over time.

Finding an appropriate property

Just like with flipping, property is a required ingredient. In fact, the same sources will work for buy and hold strategies as for flipping. The primary difference is that buy and hold strategies are generally a little less … (2 comments)

upgrades: Luxuries for Entry Level Buyers? - 08/06/07 12:08 PM

I was out today with a client looking at entry level homes. One of the homes we looked at turned out to be a seemingly under-priced townhome. This wasn't of interest to my client, but it did have some interest for me. But, it got me thinking... (regular readers will recognize the danger here)
This was a most entry of entry level properties. Listed at only $113k in an area where the other similar properties seemed to be listed around $140k-$150k. But, it had needs. It needed carpet or other flooring, paint EVERYWHERE, and all of the appliances.
The problem … (4 comments)

upgrades: Cool Garage Toys - 08/04/07 05:36 AM

Since I am an admitted garage guy, I obviously like the toys that go into a cool garage.
OK, the ultimate garage toy is a really cool ride. Street rods, sports cars, racers, Jeeps, 4x4s, even boats and other things are the ultimate garage accessories. But, what goes into make a cool garage aside from the rides?
If you are a builder, the lots of electrical outlets are the first order of business. Fabricators will often have several things going at the same time, and have various tools in various work stations around the garage. This would also include 220V outlets … (1 comments)

upgrades: I'm Telling You... The Garage is the NEW Media Room - 07/26/07 08:58 AM

Take a look...
The Chicago Tribune posted a story today about garages. Here are a couple of excerpts:
Home builders, remodelers and specialized garage-organization companies see that problem as an opportunity to sell you a solution. They have plenty, including more square footage and garage-themed cabinetry. You can even find a fridge specially built for the garage, so you can always have a cold drink at hand when you're working on your wheels.
Around some homes these days, the amount of space devoted to the garage is big, indeed. Three-car garages were included in 20 percent of new homes built … (8 comments)

upgrades: Customer dis-service Pt. II - 07/18/07 10:05 AM

Here is the other one...
There is some infill near where I live. There are some VERY nice houses being built in the $500k-$600k range. A couple of these were finished late last year. Now, the builder is building a small subdivision (I think it will be about 10-12 houses) next door. The first two houses haven't sold yet, and the new ones are coming along nicely.
All good so far... Now the not so good.
The two completed houses have grass. Weedy, uncut grass. No other landscaping. No pinestraw. No mulch. Nothing. Just weedy, uncut grass and a few … (0 comments)

upgrades: Repairs, Improvements, Upgrades and Resale - 07/17/07 03:29 PM

After posting up about What buyers are looking for yesterday, I got to thinking about an article I wrote on my website a couple of months ago. I thought it might go well here also. It is a little more specific about what I am looking for when I am looking at a home from a buyer's perspective.
Many people make improvements or modifications to their homes. Some are made to increase the livability of the house, other are made to increase its value. Still others are made to put the house back into working order.
First, I think that improvement … (0 comments)

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