10261 SW LANCASTER RD Portland, OR 97219

3 bed | 2 bath | 1,913 sq. ft

Days on Market: 4
List Price: 725K
Sold Price: 775K

Every home presents unique challenges that have to be carefully evaluated. You want to emphasize the positives of a home and figure out how best to overcome potential objections. It’s incredibly important to find an objective, HONEST Realtor that will be kind but also tell you what you need to hear so that you can sell your home quickly, for the most money, and with the least stress possible.

So, it was a challenge when selling my own home to take a step back and look at it with a critical eye. Fortunately, figuring out the potential objections can be pretty easy when you’re fully ready to move on to your next house. 

I knew that our recent extensive exterior rehab did not at all match the interior of the home (we just hadn’t gotten around to that!). I was my own client and I was advising myself that spending some hard cash on a light remodel would yield a return. So, it was time for my to put my money where my mouth is!

As soon as we had moved out, I got to work on the kitchen and bathrooms to spruce them up. I did a LOT of painting, cleaning, and… well, organization and supervising of my contractors. 

Your Realtor should provide you with a punch list of items to get the home ready for sale, and this was no different. When that punch list includes some remodel work, it’s important to do a really good job with the work for it to be worth it… but also not to overspend (which is easy to do). It was tough not picking out the kind of tile and colors that I would have wanted for myself… but in the end I chose the light fixtures, decor, tile, vanities, colors, etc. that made the most sense for the house and offered the greatest potential return on investment. 

I follow design trends and write a blog every year about the Street of Dreams (it’s fun to pick apart “dream homes''). This knowledge helps me guide my sellers (and myself!) when listing prep includes flooring, tile, color, and other changes. In the end, it all worked out well. We received multiple offers and ended up selling WELL above what any 1900 square foot home in the area has ever sold for. (Even though it was the end of winter and it hurt my heart for the yard not to be at its peak!)

I do miss that house sometimes. Okay, really what I miss is my yard. But, that’s okay, just like my clients, I’m on to better things!