Upgrade Disappointments: What Really Pays Off When You List
Manage episode 509297828 series 3638053
Most sellers think value = what they paid + upgrades + emotion.
Wrong. The market doesn’t care what you spent. It cares how your home stacks up. Today we break the myth.
Inside this episode you’ll learn:
- What buyers actually notice (and what they don’t): quartz vs. marble, 2cm vs. 3cm, custom vs. stock.
- The neighborhood trap: why over-upgrading for your area burns cash.
- Timing reality: kitchen/bath remodels often need 3–5 years to return. Two months before the list? Bad bet.
- The Rule of Three: how to bid contractors so you avoid the “screw-you” price.
- Comps first, projects second: build to the market, not your feelings.
- No-brainer refreshers: paint, carpet, flooring—why a $2,100 carpet swap saves you $15,000 on price.
- Hard stop: don’t convert the garage. You shrink your buyer pool. You don’t raise value.
Agents: use this to coach your sellers with confidence.
Sellers: bring us in before you swing a hammer. We’ll show you what actually moves the number.
Listen. Take notes. Execute. Then list with leverage.
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Chapters
1. Upgrade Disappointments: What Really Pays Off When You List (00:00:00)
2. Setting the Stage: Understanding Home Value (00:01:35)
3. The Real Value Equation (00:02:38)
4. Why Upgrades Disappoint: Over upgrading for the neighborhood (00:03:36)
5. Expensive Materials Buyers Don't Care ABout (00:05:47)
6. The Rule of Three for Contractors (00:08:01)
7. The 3-5 Year ROI Reality (00:09:11)
8. What to Do Instead: Get Agents Involved Sooner (00:11:25)
9. Cabinet Refacing Discussion (00:13:13)
10. The Vendor List & Contractor Management (00:14:34)
11. No-Brainer Upgrades: Flooring (00:15:40)
12. The $2100 vs $15,000 Lesson (00:16:39)
41 episodes