Winter gardens are full of possibilities. All you need is time, patience, and faith.
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A personal story of one real estate agent's battles and triumphs in the competitive Bay Area real estate market, it seeks to illuminate and humanize the real-life ups and downs of homeownership.
This is the toughest time of the year for my garden. Nothing has bloomed yet except the daffodils. The trees are bare and the ground cover that died last fall has not yet returned.My impatient nature means I forget that what's under the topsoil hasn't come out yet and I run to the nursery and fill in the holes. (But it will be soon…)
In fact, leafless trees and shrubs give you the opportunity to reevaluate both the structure of the plant itself and the composition of the garden as a whole. Additionally, now is the perfect time to prune or move out-growing plants before they start new growth. When you're naked, there's very little to look away or steal your gaze. Being “stripped naked” allows you to see what needs attention and what is best left alone.
The same goes for the homes we put on the market. Almost all sellers believe they don't need much in their home, but once they pack up and move out, they find not only holes in the walls and scratches on the floor, but also a number of other worn-out items. Often discovered. It goes unnoticed, forgotten, or ignored altogether. In other words, a well-loved home is often one that remains well lived in, albeit with some visible battle scars and bruises. That's natural.
Don't worry. That's when our “can-do” crew arrives and tackles a to-do list that includes everything from painting the walls to refinishing the hardwood floors to replanting the garden. In some cases, they stripped homes down to the studs, rebuilt kitchens and bathrooms, and replaced every window and door in the area. We've built new patios, paved driveways, and planted more trees than we can count. We put up wallpaper, potted plants and left no stone unturned.(Trust me, the only glamorous thing about the real estate industry is the cars most agents drive. The rest is hard work.) A Realtor's® job is to present real estate in its best light.
When the bud blooms
But empty homes also potentially allow homes to be reinvented. Update your space, introduce more contemporary furniture, and upgrade finishes and lighting to create a new story. During a “reveal,” it is not uncommon to hear sellers say things like: “This makes the room look so much bigger,” or “We never thought of that,” or “We always wanted to ___.” (fill in the blank). But there was no getting around it.” (That's why you hire experts.) Sometimes a neutral third party can help you see things from a completely new perspective.
When you're ready, clean the house, wash the windows, tend the garden, and stage the grounds. When you layer on the elements that make your home truly special, magic begins to happen. And while the weeks it took to prepare your home for the market may seem like a little too long, first impressions only happen once, and the time and money invested in your property may seem a little too long. Keep in mind that both investments should be well harvested. It's a well-deserved dividend for you and yours. (That is the original goal.)
That said, it's easier to sell homes when the sun shines outside the window instead of heavy rain, so continued sunny skies are welcome news for now. But every tree has buds, so it's only a matter of time. . . . Can you feel the spring market waking up? (Loan applications are up nearly 10% compared to last year.) Consumer confidence is on the rise again, and the market is showing signs of being pretty solid this spring. All you need is a few days in dry conditions. . . .
Shall I help you?
(Note: If you just picked up the phone to call your agent, the likely market is May, given that painters and stagers are already booked through April.) The homes we currently have on the market were contacted last fall, so just like with a garden, putting a property on the market requires a little patience and foresight. (I spoke with a seller this week who is considering April 2025 as the sale date. That's a lot of planning!)
Click below to find out what's next — a few short weeks can be amazing (and sunshine) We can deliver!
Julie Gardner & Sarah Abel | Compass Real Estate
Real estate agents as well as consultants in all areas of home and housing are here to educate, research, research and refer. . . That means you can expect us to look after your home as if it were our own. Anyone who knows us knows that we take great care of our homes.
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