Avoid a Flipper Fiasco in Los Angeles

Becoming emotionally involved with a home you are designing is a natural phenomenom you MUST resist with every fiber of your being IF you are building/remodeling to sell. I was recently at a property that was a poster child for how to design and build a home as a magnificent statement of your personal taste and style vs designing a home for the widest possible audience and the fastest possible sale. I can just hear you asking yourself, "what could she mean by personal taste being a no-no?" How about purchasing and installing over a dozen white glossy statues of cherubs and godesses (ranging in height from 4-7ft tall) PRIOR to hiring a stager... The list actually went on and on for EXPENSIVE taste-specific finishes and designs--fireplace surrounds, light fixtures, intricately patterned colorful carpets. Are there people out there who will go ga-ga for the goddesses and the other gee-gaws? Of course there are. Unfortunately, that pool of passionate people is VERY SMALL compared to the people who may otherwise be attracted to the property. Why do people do this? It's the so-not-even-close-to-being-true "If I love it everyone will" doctrine. Rule #1: Every design decision you make should be to ignite the BUYERS imagination, not yours. Look at magazines, TV shows, staged homes in the area in person or on the internet to know what buyers want now. Rule #2: Design and build your investment property in the most up-to-date way for the neighborhood, price point and style of property. Don't install the $800 kitchen faucet you love in a blue-collar neighborhood. Don't install an all shiny black bathroom in a 2-bedroom starter home. Don't install Home Depot light fixtures in a $3million view property. Rule #3: For the best advice on how to maximize your return on investment--bring in a stager and have him or her help you choose the right colors, styles and finishes BEFORE you spend the money. For the few hundred dollars the consultation will cost, you'll save many hundreds more by doing everything right the first time. I tried my best to be honest with the potential client in the nicest possible way, but ultimately, I turned down the job because I knew I did not have the right accessories to go with cherub chic.