Selling a Home? Don't Do These Things!

[@KatiSpaniak]

*Need an Agent Anywhere in the Country?* ⭐️ I will help find you the perfect agent to sell your home, For Free! Fill out this form and I’ll get researching! ⭐️ bit.ly/FindAnAgentCM

[@ClarkeGriffiny7]

The housing market is inflated and oversaturated with homes being on the market with astronomical price tags just stagnant for months. It is very clear that our generation will be likely one of the most devastating bubble pops in modern history. Seeking best possible ways to grow 250k into $1m+ and get a good house for retirement, I'm 54.

[@JohnSmith060]

Safest approach i feel to go about it is to diversify investments. By spreading investments across different asset classes, like gold, silver, real estate, and international stocks, they can reduce the impact of a market meltdown. its important to seek the guidance of an expert

[@KarenLavia]

I’m closing in on retirement, and I have benefitted much from using a financial advisor. I didn’t really start early, so I knew the compound interest of index fund investing would not work for me. Funny how I pulled in over 80% profit than some of my peers who have been investing for many years. Maybe you should consider this too

[@BellamyGriffin19]

I've been considering getting one, but haven't been proactive about it. Can you recommend your advisor? I could really use some assistance.

[@KarenLavia]

I've shuffled through investment coaches and yes, they can be positively impactful to an individual's portfolio, but do your due diligence to find a coach with grit, one that withstood the 08' crash. For me, Sophia Maurine Lanting turned out to be better and smarter than all the advisors I ever worked with till date, I’ve never met anyone with as much conviction.

[@ChristianKelv]

Thank you for this tip. It was easy to find your coach. Did my due diligence on her before scheduling a phone call with her. She seems proficient considering her résumé.

[@Propfaqs]

It will make you laugh but the previous owner bragged about the 30 year old whole house carpeting was ‘the same carpeting they used in the Johnson Library!’. The only good thing, it protected the beautiful oak floors beneath which I had refinished after spending a month on my hands and knees scraping off the underlay foam which had hardened into a wafer… stuck on.

[@adriaba790]

😂😂😂

[@thekirksiffs5285]

All I see on that black accent wall in the stairwell is a thousand little dust catching ledges. No garage would be a deal-breaker for me. Yes, we park both our cars in the garage. When we were having our home built 35 years ago, we found ways to add extra closets and I have not regretted that.

[@JamieM470]

That was my immediate thought! A giant wall of tiny dust-collecting shelves. Ugh.

[@PaintingandExercise]

For me, I want a garage because I actually use it for my vehicle. But nearly all of my neighbors stuff their garages full of storage bins and park in the driveway.

[@MermaidmomUP]

And black so all of it will show! 😲​@@JamieM470

[@Ocyla]

Oh man we had to pay this amazing tile guy to even text us back, but once we got him and he was done, we tipped him A LOT. Amazing, amazing work I'd never want to do. They worked SO hard too.

[@winnemucca-sk5392]

it would have to be amazing for what it costs to pay someone. Tile is actually very simple to do. just need to make sure your floor is level. hardwood flooring is another story. we paid someone that was recommended. he made several mistakes. we don't trust ourselves to fix that stuff.

[@happydays1336]

We bought an 11 year old house in 2020. It was very dirty and rundown when we purchased it. Not too long before putting it on the market in 2023 (we didn't know we were going to be moving so soon) we spent $60K on improvements. A good chunk of that was for replacing the furnace, air conditioner and heat pump that quit a few months after we moved in. (The inspection report missed this which was very upsetting.) We hired a professional to paint the entire house inside and out. I had the interior painted a very pale blue with bright white woodwork throughout the house so it was unified. We also had all of the cabinets in the house painted white with new black hardware and lever handles on the doors. I put in new countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms (a normally very expensive Taj Mahal quartzite that I got for a steal) plus new sinks and faucets. I was worried the small aqua subway tile backsplash in the kitchen and the large Craftsman green subway tile fireplace surround in the family room was too buyer specific, but people really liked them. We replaced the flush mount bedroom light fixtures with white ceiling fans because we like it cool at night. We replaced the cheap dining room "chandelier" with a black contemporary one. Before we moved in we replaced the disgusting carpet upstairs with nice LVP plank flooring plus new carpet on the stairway. We had to put in new baseboards upstairs because the old ones had to be removed before installing the flooring. My husband rebuilt the sloppily done retaining wall in the front yard. We received 5 or 6 full price offers on our house after putting it on the market. We made back what we spent on improvements plus another $60K profit--not too bad considering we only owned the house for 3 years! (No capital gains to be paid, fortunately.)

[@judybee6698]

One thing that is really popular now is eliminating the bath tub in favor of large showers. I am all for that AS LONG AS IT'S NOT THE ONLY BATHROOM. In my community there are a lot of 2 or 3 bed, one bath houses. I automatically eliminate any house that does not have a bath tub. That,to me, is as bad as turning the attached garage jnto a den. 😢

[@KatiSpaniak]

It's definitely a common trend nowadays, but I understand your preference for having a bathtub in a house.

[@happydays1336]

When we built our last house we weren't going to put in a tub. The builder--very wisely--told me that it was a bad idea because a family needs a tub to bathe young kids in.

[@bobzelley5100]

Of the six bathrooms the first floor is a powder room . How needs a full bathroom next to the library

[@lanialost1320]

Excellent advice, as usual, Kati! Thank you. Sadly, there are so-called professional contractors whose work is hack and very amateurish-DIY in quality. Seen too many open houses where the "freshly-painted" is actually very sloppy -- bad roller work, poor quality paint in general, paint splatter on the woodwork, lumpy paintbrush finish on trim, etc. I personally would have preferred painting to be left alone so that I can ensure a quality finish, and not having to undo another layer of a rubbish finish on top of the original.

[@KatiSpaniak]

Thank you!!

[@JamieM470]

Agreed. Had a professional painter doing some work in my house many years ago, and it was so sloppy I had to make him stop. He sucked at cutting in, got paint on the baseboards, the ceiling, awful. I've been doing the painting myself ever since. I know how to paint a straight line, and I don't charge myself any labor lol. Also, the professionals who built our house did such a bad job with caulk, I had to remove most of it and re-do it myself. Clean caulk lines are easy if you have fingers. "Professionals" aren't always best.

[@karenmartin9008]

My husband will try to DIY most anything. His philosophy is "why pay somebody to stuff up what I'm perfectly capable of stuffing up myself" (only he uses a diffetent word instead of "stuff"). Except he doesn't (OK rarely, and he fixes his mistakes). He may lack experience in some areas, but nobody is going to put in the love and care he does. He's had professionals compliment him on his tiling, cabinetry, and the plasterers who came to sheet the interior of our home said it was the straightest frame they had ever worked on - before they knew that we'd erected it ourselves, with no prior experience in the building industry.

[@l.5832]

If you own a condo, the strata may not approve hardwood. It can be noisy for floors below. When I renovated, the strata recommended plank vinyl laminate and I love it. You can wash it, it is warm, it is quiet. I've had hardwood before but I actually prefer this.

[@ellenfoster9764]

I just added a greenhouse room with an endless pool. No way I will ever get that $$ out when I sale. I might even have trouble finding a buyer. It is for me alone

[@KatiSpaniak]

Perfect!

[@kathygann7632]

But you are going to enjoy the heck out of it!

[@kathygann7632]

I watched a bunch of your videos, took your advice, and sold within 10 days. Thank you.

[@Ninjanimegamer]

Sounds beautiful. I'd enjoy that too.

[@adriaba790]

Ofcourse, that's the idea 👏🏻👏🏻

[@xavierminchello8431]

LIVE IN YOUR HOME AND MAKE IT WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY!

[@Julia-xf5ps]

I completely agree. I’ve only lived in 4 houses in my entire lifetime of 65 years! Her message is very funky…….her advice is meant to attract attention. I say make your house neat, clean, declutterred and show pride of ownership. That’s what a buy wants…..🎉

[@joykemp1378]

Anything personalized make easy & not too hard damaging to remove (put onto wall panel or board then screw onto wall etc not glue.) Some things you may want to take with you to the next place so remove those before the selling pictures etc.

[@adriaba790]

Ofcourse...but WHEN you WANT or NEED to sell, making some tweeks and staging is a good thing. NO ONE is telling you how to live your life for goodness' sake!!! Just ADVICE for SELLERS...don't watch these videos if you don't need it!!

[@kathleenredick275]

She's talking about thinking you are doing something to increase the value. Absolutely do what you love in order to live there.

[@lisabaltzer4190]

Having dead things (taxidermy) all over my house makes me happy. I live in a log cabin, so they fit in. My favorite piece is a dark color Fox that I got from Ukraine. If I sold this house, I would not remove them beforehand, because I live in North Idaho and many buyers would probably like them, especially in a log home. If I still lived in Los Angeles, I would remove all taxidermy before I put up a for sale sign.

[@lennywinbox1734]

Whatever you do, don't pay for it up front! 1/3 at start, 1/3 at midpoint milestone, and 1/3 upon satisfactory completion. write a tight contract!!

[@Clairbear1222]

Contractors are some of the most unreliable thieves out there and they get away with it as well. They don't show up after they take your $$, they cut corners so that you need to get another one to fix what they did wrong; the list is endless. I held one contractor's title to his brand new Infiniti to make sure he completed the job. If he didn't finsish the job, I got the car. It was that simple.

[@lennywinbox1734]

@@Clairbear1222 well done! better to hold the Infinity than his/their balls.

[@Clairbear1222]

@@lennywinbox1734 He had a history of not showing up so I was not playing games anymore. If you or I stole a candy bar we'd be hualed off to jail before we could get down the street yet these contractors get away with all kinds of stuff and they really do have a reputation for being alcoholics and drug addicts. Not all but alot seem to have vices that make them unreliable.

[@kristinanoall]

I love carpet, although I get that it’s way harder to keep clean. One big drawback to hard floors is that sound carries a lot farther. My in-laws had all tile except for the bedrooms and front sitting room (all one floor), and when the TV was on in the living room, it felt like it was right in your ears in the back bedroom, with the door closed. 😣

[@katekenn156]

I’d say the garage conversion into living space is definitely region-specific. In our old neighborhood of post-war bungalows in the San Francisco Bay Area, everyone who didn’t do a full tear down remodel turned their garage into a family room, and those rooms absolutely added value and helped to sell houses. In a mild climate where you don’t need to park in the garage, but you really need to add living space to a 1700sf house, the garage remodel is a must.

[@PaintingandExercise]

Yes. In Southern California that is a very common conversion to do since the climate is mild. Many old homes are small and that is an affordable way to add square functional square footage. I have learned that most people in the SW USA stuff their garages full of storage bins and park in the driveway anyway.

[@seaneendelong8065]

Except.... They probably will have to declare it as a non-permitted work and not officially more square footage. Because a true real renovation into a fully permitted and legal to code interior room space is far more expensive to do than a finished off garage. And almost no one around here with older homes are willing to pay for that. I know. I have looked at DOZENS of homes with this done in the early 80s, early 90s, and late 00s across multiple SFBA Counties- perhaps 10% were even to code, and none of them were permitted work. None of them. So your listing cannot reflect the "usable square footage" in the base listing, the appraisal cannot include it either and may have to ding for it, and it has to be declared to any potential buyers up front as unpermitted conversion that they have to sign as accepting as done.

[@Ninjanimegamer]

Here in CT, people in our area have all remodeled their garages. Some became bedrooms, others became family rooms. Our house already had a garage turned bedroom, but we turned it into a home theatre.

[@Ninjanimegamer]

​@@seaneendelong8065 maybe it depends on the state, or how the permits needed to be dealt with. Our house had two garages turned into bedrooms before us. They both are included in the sq/ft of the home, because they became fully liveable, all weathered, properly insulated, functional spaces. We bought a five bedroom, and no garage home. The house had three bedrooms before that and we turned it back to a three bedroom home.

[@Ninjanimegamer]

I've seen this done in other tight areas of CA, like Manhattan beach in LA. The bungalows are too small to begin with. They all need a little extra space. A garage is not as important.

[@sleeplesscrafter]

It’s amazing how many homes I’ve looked at, including my own, that has no closets. No linen, no coat, no bathroom, etc. My parents, grandparents, and aunts had lots of closets. I’d be happy with just one!

[@lisaaustin4561]

. . . no bathroom? 🚽 interesting? Turn of the century I’m guessing

[@sleeplesscrafter]

@@lisaaustin4561no bathroom closet. These are all new houses I’m seeing with no closet. They’re designed that way. All the old houses I’ve seen have plenty of closets, even in the bathrooms.

[@lisaaustin4561]

@@sleeplesscrafter no closets? Hmmm must be a Gen Z thing. No possessions. This trend won’t last

[@sleeplesscrafter]

@@lisaaustin4561I hope it won’t last, but my home is over 20 years old and all the houses built since then that I’ve seen have no closets. Seems like the only way to get closets is to build them ourselves or buy old houses.

[@Clairbear1222]

How about super nice houses that have no tubs, just nice shower stalls? Idc how nice the shower stall is, I want a tub w/shower.

[@Ninjanimegamer]

We found a house that was way under our budget, because it needed a new roof. We paid for the house in cash, and the roof was the first to be redone. The house already had many additions, and two previously converted garages. Not everyone has a garage in our area. The houses in our neighborhood are all 1950's ranches, built strong and small. We have one of the more spacious homes, which is located on a corner lot. There were five bedrooms, and we didn't need all five bedrooms. Two of these bedrooms were once garages. We turned one of the garage-to then a bedroom, into a home theatre. We cut a doorway from the kitchen to a small bedroom, which is now a pantry/laundry room/mudroom. We replaced the window, and put in a door to the backyard. We kept the original bedroom door to the hall so we don't have to carry laundry through the kitchen. We turned the awkward dining room into a home library, with an electric fireplace. Our living room is a game room, with a pool table and arcade game consoles. We remodeled the kitchen. It already had a large countertop for eating, but we widened it allowing for a seating of 10. We installed a door from the kitchen to the pantry. When laundry is going it doesn't pick up food smells from cooking. There was a dilapidated backyard double wide shed, and we knocked it down, and built a small house for guests. Our house works for us. It's a work in progress and will change again. All that matters to us is we enjoy our house now. Btw, garages attached to the main house may be a convenience, but many garage doors need constant repairs, and allow vermin into the home. We perfered to have a tightly sealed house.

[@KimmieB1993]

I don't think I could unsee that shrine. Too spooky to me.

[@_papad8434]

You could also have turned the shed into garages (less worry about vermin there) and the one 'garage bedroom' into a guest area.

[@happydays1336]

I've never had a problem with vermin in any of our homes because of garages with automatic doors. The only one that had to be repaired was in a 9 year old house that we bought. It only cost a few hundred dollars to have it fixed. I live in a snowy climate and it's a real negative to not have a garage. 3 car garages are preferred.

[@VolcanoGroupie]

I toured a home that was for sale in my neighborhood. The house was adorable - looked like an English cottage on the outside. The inside was cute too … until I reached the back bedroom. The entire room was a shrine to Elvis Presley. Tons of Elvis and Graceland framed photos. A velvet Elvis painting hanging over the fireplace mantle. Lit votive candles throughout the room. I’m sure the listing agent was not happy 😂

[@amg9163]

@VolcanoGroupie 😆

[@christines2787]

We sold our house when our daughter was 4. The entire house was tasteful except for her bedroom. Purple walls. Green area rug. A Disney Princess lamp. Mermaid vanity. Plastic bead curtains on the windows. Ghastly. Bad, bad taste. There was also a note on the door letting people know that we would be painting it the same color as the rest of the house as soon as she had finished designing her bedroom in our new house. The offer letter came with a request for pictures of her new room because they were curious to see what she came up with. That one looked like a demented circus. She's 22 now. With normal tastes, thank God.

[@michaelplunkett8059]

Paintings and votive candles don't stay. It is the paint and finishes that matter. Elvis will leave the building.

[@kitefan1]

​@@michaelplunkett8059​ Assuming it was not an estate sale, Elvis should leave upon sale. If it was an estate sale, swept clean or at least complete redo of that room can be a condition of sale, or taken off the offer price.

[@Ninjanimegamer]

Decor is easily changed. The room and house can be staged. If it's not stages, at least emptied. Those Elvis things can be put into boxes and away from view.

[@danacaro-herman3530]

I agree with the wallpaper. It really can be a hindrance to selling a place

[@brenda121143]

When I remodel my last home I could not settle on a wallpaper I liked. Finally I confronted the contractor and told him I did not like wallpaper and why should I have to have it. After some pretty strong arguments I reminded him that as a homeowner it was my decision and told them to resurface everything and paint the whole house no wallpaper

[@KatiSpaniak]

Yeah, wallpaper can either be a selling point or a deal-breaker!

[@bettysmith4527]

Yes on the carpet, I hate it, as do most people in my area!! If the listing says "new carpeting" it's such a turn off, if you are spending money on flooring do hardwood or LVP! Just looked at a new construction condo and they are putting down carpeting and sheet vinyl, along with formica counter tops, I could not believe it!! I just shook my head at the price they wanted. They wanted another 15K to do hardwood or LVP and another 6K to put granite in the kitchen!! NOPE!

[@KatiSpaniak]

Yep! Totally agree!

[@brendamarie7627]

I hate the look of LPV, it looks like plastic. No granite for me either LOL each their own. Love my carpet 😂

[@wephotogal]

I live in the northeast and a garage is an absolute MUST. I get so aggravated seeing these houses with a driveway that leads up to a window. Drives me bonkers! And it is more often that you might think! I keep scrolling.

[@ac1646]

I think country and regional variations are fascinating. I live in the UK and although modern homes are built with garages, not many use them. They end up being gloried storage areas, but then our garages are so much smaller than in the US and I've hated using them (felt like 2 inches to spare either side). Definitively not like yours in the US 😂😂

[@Adogslife54]

Me, too! I don’t need two living rooms and no garage. I need one living room and one garage. Plus, it always looks like it was supposed to be a garage there. Even if they got rid of the driveway. Nope! Not for me.

[@kitefan1]

I have a house were the garage is basement level and two bedrooms are over it. I need to repair the garage door. I have not been rushing because the newer highly electronic cars got on fire more than the older ones. One of my friends lost hers, fortunately in a parking log. A fire like that will take out the whole house. Parked in the drive it will only melt the siding.

[@SuperDrLisa]

I live in RI with no garage. The house was built in 1906 only super rich people had garages, and they wouldn't fit our cars today. I've remodeled the inside but the cost of a garage is daunting.

[@Ninjanimegamer]

I live in CT, and only a handful of people in our town have a garage. Most of the area is 1950's ranches without a lot of space. Many of the garages have turned into bedrooms, home offices, pantries/storage, play rooms. We had two bedrooms that were originally garages, and we turned one into a home theatre, and made the other into a bigger master bedroom with an en suite master bath and walk in closet. No garage, but beautiful liveable space. It's not for everyone, but it works for us.

[@eleanoreagly4844]

In 2003 purchased a new built house, had the new carpet removed and 3/4 inch oak flooring installed, plus added pennisular upper cabinets so that dishes from the dishwasher located in the pennsula could be put away above the dishwasher. Also, had a desk installed in a blank space in the kitchen . Had this work done before moving in. It cost me $10K and has lead to convenience and enjoyment. The master suit closet is walk-in 7'x 9' was a selling point for me. Recently had all the boob style fixtures replaced with flat mount LEDs that were inexpensive, had security cameras installed, put in an updated kitchen faucet. Am on a plan to update over the next two years.

[@KatiSpaniak]

Thank you for sharing your home improvement journey, it's inspiring!

[@58kathleen]

Commenting from a small town in Texas. In the last year or so I am seeing nice classic mid century ranch homes with beautiful brick from that era get painted BLACK!!!! So awful looking but I guess the young new owner loves it… personally I feel it will be a regret when they want to sell and it no longer has curb appeal.

[@bethannsmith4969]

Sounds like it would increase cooling cost a lot!

[@Ninjanimegamer]

That is a shame. 😢

[@MeadowDay]

Looks so Halloween

[@happydays1336]

I think Tarak El Mousa (sp? who was on the HGTV "Flip or Flop" with his divorced wife, Christina) and his new wife, Heather, painted a brick house black. She has zero taste and design sense but doesn't realize it.

[@pinkfreud62]

I have Pergo & it's not sticky, etc. It's beautiful.

[@gingersnap9105]

Mine too

[@ArtamStudio]

We still have 1st-gen Pergo that's over 20 years old on our 2nd floor, I have no beef with it.

[@deemaysie6568]

Pergo is a swedish company that makes excellent flooring, both laminate and vinyl. I have had my Pergo laminate floors for close to 20 years and they are just as beautiful as the day they were installed. Pergo have life-time warranties on their flooring and my situation can attest that they deliver on their promise. I think that you are referring to the cheaper brands of laminate flooring.

[@lapetitefeuille8684]

Les critères en France sont très différents. Évidemment, on ne récupère pas à la revente des dépenses faites en personnalisations coûteuses comme par exemple une salle de bain en marbre. Par contre, les acheteurs s’attendent à faire des travaux, ils ne font pas une crise cardiaque parce qu’il y a du papier peint, ni parce qu’une chambre est devenu un bureau. Les pièces qui ont une surface suffisante légalement pour être une chambre sont comptées comme chambres et indiquées comme telles dans l’annonce même si l’actuel propriétaire l’utilise autrement. De même on est content d’avoir ses panneaux solaires car l’électricité coûte chère. Un garage aménagé en pièces de vie n’est pas forcément vu comme un défaut s’il y a de vrais fenêtres et qu’on peut avoir un locataire. Merci pour cette vidéo très bien faite, on voit beaucoup de différences culturelles.

[@KatiSpaniak]

I tried with my limited high school French! I was almost right!! Thanks so much for your comments! Interesting to hear the differences.

[@bawillard2578]

Don't remove Marbel but If u must ... use peel and stick wall covering over ...

[@tach9663]

I had Pergo 20 years ago and I totally agree with you!

[@pxn748]

Well, the purple lights you could just not turn them on? The floorings pretty, but it is turned 45 degrees from the correct orientation.

[@charlesburkhart800]

There should be a highschool class in wall paper removal. Then no one would make that mistake!

[@MarineKhachoyan]

Who moves into a house and says yuk there is gorgeous marble, I need to rip this out 😂

[@kaystinebrink1220]

I think adding your specific taste in a home is fine except if you are only staying for a few years. I'm 74 and buying a new home. I plan on staying neutral since I will probably live here for about 10 years.

[@gailwood2734]

I love your channel! We’ve been relocated a number of times over the 42 years, and have tried to keep these no nonsense guideposts in mind when selling. I can’t wait to see more!

[@KatiSpaniak]

Oh thank you!!!

[@LeaMcCaw]

We've had glued down engineed hardword for 15 years. Has been good, but now having a problem finding someone to refinish them.

[@vivavita3769]

I believe they can't be refinished. The wood is too thin.

[@Clairbear1222]

i think they can be refinished once or twice. You can actually do it yourself by renting a sanding machine and then just applying the stain. It's not hard.

[@kt6332]

I thought this would be my forever home and upgraded utilities and remodel fully. If it sells for my price great! If it doesn’t, I have a really nice house with a low mortgage rate. Either way it’s a win/win for me!

[@hokeypokeypots]

Whete I live on the Hamptons, buyers usially remodel the whole house to the point where you wouldn't recognize it if you passed it by in a year...so there's no point in remodeling anything. If I ever had to sell, I'd just give the inside a good cleaning and a fresh coat of paint, since the size of the property, the upscale location and the overall good build of the house are enough selling points to get me my price.

[@danielcarter491]

I'm completely with you on that tile that you had removed from your house. That kind of tile was ugly and it was used everywhere too. The people who like that garbage are the same people who like everything that they see in those home makeover shows. Tacky and tasteless, these are the same people who like to put up signs in their house that say "Live, Love, Laugh".

[@Donnaconrad1]

I love love love your necklace! I cant stop looking at it!

[@KatiSpaniak]

Oh thank you!!! 🙏

[@carinbarbanel9356]

In NYC marble with a wood floor is completely standard. True in Chicago (one of my kids went to Chicago, we looked at a lot of places), Atlanta, L. A... I think she's a bit off on that one. Carpet? No one likes carpet. I agree that the hard tile floor is not great.

[@gingergilbert6660]

I would like your opinion. We live in a traditional one floor brick ranch. It had 4 bedrooms; two on one side of the hall separated by a jack-and-Jill bathroom; and on the other side of the hall was the master bedroom, a dressing area attached to the bathroom, and then the smallest bedroom. We took the bathroom, took out the closet to the little room and a small closet in the master, removed the interior wall/doorway and created a nice bathroom. In addition, we closed the little bedroom off from the hall and moved the doorway to the bathroom; and that became our master closet. I say all of this to say, we took a basic 4 bedroom house and turned it into a 3 bedroom with an en-suite. Was that a good decision?

[@KatiSpaniak]

Yes. That can work. I wouldn’t worry about that if you’ve increased the master suite

[@lindawilson4625]

1 & 2 are HUGE mistakes that you see on HGTV shows all the time. Thanks for the video :-)

[@PaintingandExercise]

We took our 4 bedroom house and removed the wall between two of the bedrooms to make one large room. We did this because the laundry was just a hallway from the garage. The closet from the one bedroom became part of the laundry so there was storage and it made the space look large. In my city, a bedroom does not have to have a closet to be considered a bedroom. So when we go to sell we will restore the wall between the two bedrooms and give them separate entrances. My husband is a contractor so it will all be done professionally. It works for us but we also know the value of having that 4th bedroom.

[@KatiSpaniak]

That's a smart way to optimize space in your house! It's great that your husband is a contractor and can handle the changes professionally.

[@nogames8982]

I like that aquarium, but I have had ones in the past. They can take a lot of work, especially salt water.

[@sunshinedaisy9879]

Yes, and aquariums can have an odor even when well kept.

[@KatiSpaniak]

Right

[@dcole9589]

Enuf of Chicago and pushing hardwood.

[@nogames8982]

I love the marble in that one house. I can do without the purple lights. The black walls, a little intense, I might painted a different color. But the marvels good. to me, it would not be worth spending the money to take it out. If the next homeowners wanna do it feel free.

[@KatiSpaniak]

It's always interesting to see different design choices in homes!

[@edennis8578]

I like the marble, too. I would be thrilled to bits.

[@nogames8982]

@@edennis8578 me too. And a couple barstools at the counter will tone it down a little bit too.

[@kbaz6658]

The clash of the brown and gray...common mistake imo that apparently many don't 'see'.

[@nogames8982]

@@kbaz6658 yeah, I get it. The gray doesn’t necessarily go with that light colored brown floor. But some barstools along the bar works and painting that black/gray whatever colored wall a different color would definitely help. Definitely not a lost cause. It would not keep me from buying that house. The purple lights, though, they got to go.

[@RiverWoods111]

For the non-tech people, the purple lights running around the room, don't need to be fixed. You just need to log into the smart home app and change the color to white, yellow, or pink, or, or, or. They are RGB lighting. I believe the agent was young enough to understand that, and turned it on to purple to show that it has LED RGB lighting that can change colors. Now, I am 60 and I understand that so I kind of question anyone other than boomers and the occasional silent generation not understanding these. Possibly some Gen Xers, but I believe that is the generation that invented them. I use these types of lights to change the color of my horrible white walls which I could paint but then tomorrow I couldn't change the color from pink to light blue. This type of lighting is especially at night or if you are like me and don't open your window shades during the day an easy way to create a soft comfortable ambiance without all the glare of lamps. Obviously, I do also keep my lamps. I am actually building new ones that will be a Tower where I can have RGB lights on the bottom, then a 25-45 watt bulb in the middle, and then a bright light that will allow me to read and stuff. The black wall is too much. Not only that but to paint over it will cost a fortune or if you do it yourself be a pain in the arse, with the layers that will take to cover black and the time to paint over all that small 1/2 x 1/2 inch design work. I think it would have to be sprayed, but had they used a lighter color as in a pastel then one layer to cover it.

[@SamBaker-z9h]

ugh anything modern puts me off, that chandelier, those lights. that black wall, the railing, no just no.

[@KatiSpaniak]

Right??

[@dgs8011]

I LOVED that house, Purple lights might be a little overkill, but the wall and cool chandelier. Love it. But I realize I'm not typical. The more varied and eclectic the decor, the better for me. I'm an agent's nightmare. LOL.

[@kaohsiung99]

At 12:23, I've seen this in small town Tennessee. Houses selling for $800,000 look extremely outdated

[@Kathy-yz5li]

Oh you are so helpful! This info is invaluable !!! Thank you!!

[@KatiSpaniak]

You are very welcome!

[@angelaberni8873]

We live in Costa del Sol,Andalucia, Spain. Solar panels are the best thing that we ever did !!!!

[@rabczanska]

Agree, but how many houses here on the Costa del Sol have each room with different tile and many many staircase

[@KAT00035]

I have a question. My bedroom has a sitting area which I’ve contemplated turning into a closet, because the actual master bedroom closet is small. What are your thoughts?

[@breeanders15]

I saw a house with an aquarium similar to this aquarium when I was home shopping and I walked right out. It sat for a year bf it sold.

[@misterogers9423]

8) For over personalization, I saw a guy with 4 different types of solid wood floors, 20+ storage build ins, fish tank arches, strong south American vibes in Texas, and 5+ built in murals with an artistic nude. What is the most challenging thing you had to sell in terms of weirdness that actually had a good financial result? Any with the reverse situation?

[@joysoul4089]

She didn’t address this, but please please please do not paint stained cabinets. bought our house someone had painted over lightwood cabinets and did a bad job of it. We had to replace the doors. I hate painted cabinets. They’re very difficult to maintain.

[@lauralaforge558]

Yes, that is my only regret in our new kitchen. Painted cabinets. I wanted just stained but my husband said with the hardwood floors and my wood table, it would look like too much wood. Wish I had persisted. At least we got a color I like (blue-my fave) instead of white. (We didn’t paint over cabinets to clarify)

[@debbiemoseley3570]

We had lived in a 6 bedroom house. It was 100 years old. It was mostly bedrooms. It had 3 floors. We were going to combine 2 bedrooms for a master bedroom suite. I think it would have worked because we had 6. But we were relocated before that happened.

[@SuperDrLisa]

I did my 5 bedroom into 4 changing a .ain floor bedroom into a laundry room. Works for me.😊

[@aliya303]

Wonderful content to consider while remodeling. Also whats ur take on taking a loft area n converting it into another livable space. Our prev owners had done that . Hung big retractable screens added a wall n door n now its a semi private room! So we took it as a 4th room to keep as a kids play room or study..does this add value in future sale..?

[@dennyc9159]

I have a question for you. What about converting a bathtub into a really big shower? Is that a yes or a no in terms of a resale mistake?

[@Geronimo2Fly]

I think the palcement of those purple lights was great, if they were white instead of purple, and could be turned on separately from the other lights. I wonder if they are perhaps color-changing?

[@KatiSpaniak]

No idea. But they definitely shouldn’t have made them purple!

[@kbaz6658]

Hue brand light colors can be changed via the app to any color you want. Same with my under counter light strips...colors can be changed via the little remote. The purple was probably just a bad choice of the color to put in the listing pictures. Really doubt with the recent tech that they were permanently purple .

[@Ninjanimegamer]

The lights weren't bad if it had been for a game room or playroom, but not in the main part of the house. I would uninstall them too, but it wouldn't be a deal breaker, because no house is perfect. Every house needs something, and I'd prefer to make the house I buy, my own.

[@ReineObermier]

Athank you

[@lisabaltzer4190]

Your house flooring looks exactly like mine and it is the same type of product.

[@suzboeh633]

Question: my ceiling fans are rather dated. It does not bother me, but a more current design would likely look better. However, styles change so quickly. If I wait to change the fans, how long should I expect the designs to remain current. Meaning, how long before I sell my house could I put in updated fans and ceiling light fixtures that will still look current when I go to sell.

[@KatiSpaniak]

Honestly these aren’t super expensive and should maintain neutrality for a couple of years.

[@suzboeh633]

@@KatiSpaniak Thanks!

[@SuperDrLisa]

My house is old (124 years) I have ceiling fans in every bedroom and in the kitchen. Works for me..let the buyers change them out.

[@JS-jh4cy]

Don't remodel, the next person will rip it all out to put something else in just as stupid

[@twobees1860]

Never remodel. Sell “as is.” Buyers always remodel anyway. Sellers are wasting money listening to realtors telling them to remodel. Realtors are NOT interior designers!

[@winnemucca-sk5392]

@@twobees1860 that was certainly the case during covid and with low interest rates. With the market slowing down you can sell as is, but your not getting top dollar unless your neighborhood is highly desired. I see tons of homes with nasty carpet, old lighting, disaster backyards, old windows and so on. A competent buyer is getting you down and will walk down every cost.

[@SuperDrLisa]

I have a 5 bedroom New Englander. I turned one tiny bedroom into a laundry room. I put it on the first floor because going into the cellar carrying laundry is a hazard. The house has been remodeled twice with an addition added seamlessly to the rest of the house. The stairs to the cellsr were in the original house built in 1906. Pretty sure a 5 bedroom to 4 is not going to be a deal breaker , having laundry room on the first floor is a plus.

[@Ninjanimegamer]

I thought I was reading my comment. Lol we did the same. Bought a five bedroom turned one into a pantry/laundry room/mudroom and made a door from the pantry to the kitchen, and replaced the window with a door to the backyard. We kept the original bedroom door so we're not bringing laundry through the kitchen. Our house, a 1950's ranch, originally had three bedrooms. Over the years, the previous owner converted the original garage into a bedroom. Then another family added a new garage, and they turned into a bedroom. We bought the five bedroom, but have since turned it back into a three bedroom. It now has the same number of bedrooms as everyone else in the area. There is plenty of room to add on if the next owner needs more space.

[@kathrynp7595]

There is a house in our very hot neighborhood that has been on the market for 2 years. It has black carpet even in the bathrooms , black paint in all the bedrooms and pineapple wallpaper on the entire first floor. Even the cheap kitchen cupboards have pineapple stencils all over them. The yard is full of weeds and dead trees. They are asking way over market value and have had no price reductions. The house is not staged, the owners have moved out. I don’t know what kind of people were living there , must have had mental problems 🤣

[@jessicamartinez-ov6cu]

🤢🤮 eeeww

[@didomilan1725]

The teens and adult kids would love that bar. Imagine a college grad party there!

[@erzabetf9544]

I’m in the process of redoing my entire house,- a little stone cottage from 1930. I started in 2020 - a week before lockdown - and I’ll finish up with the kitchen and dining room in a couple of years. And I have a consistent color scheme - pink - and I just chose a very particular art deco wallpaper for my office; it’s a custom pink (obviously) with very tasteful monkeys. And I know, in my heart, that a lot of people will prefer the black and pineapple scheme in your neighborhood. And I’m totally okay with that. 😂 I just hope I don’t have to abandon my pink cottage any time soon. I would cry.

[@nogames8982]

I’m sure the real estate agent is not happy, or they don’t even have one. And whoever thought it was a good idea to put carpet in a bathroom should be in jail, the rest of their lives. That is the most disgusting thing ever.

[@chartman194]

K😅k😮

[@vikkirountoit497]

#7 Will be rewatching that one and a couple more of your videos as we have old brownish carpeting from the 80s that now has 2 large rips.

[@KatiSpaniak]

Thanks for your comment!! Keep in touch!

[@lyric8529]

Some thoughts that came up for me while listening: 1. in our area finding competent, reliable help seems next to impossible. (Do you have a list of those around the country?) 2. We ended up putting in the vinyl plank flooring that everyone seems to like so much - I absolutely HATE it. I don't know if it's the color is too light or they are not good quality or the installation was not great or what. Fortunately, all I have to do is try my darnest to keep it looking clean until some sweet buyer falls in-love. 🤞 Like seriously, Google "help I hate my vinyl plank flooring". I'm not alone. I will say it is better than carpet but still...

[@susanmcconnell6041]

When I bought my 1970s farm, the home had sandy texture baby blue paint, and brown paint, EVERYwhere! The two colors I hate the most. I knew I could easily change the colors, tho the sand texture, not so much. Every single room has a different color and texture of carpet. Again, expense, but can be changed. The kitchen carpet was a disgusting brown. I wasnt sure if it was supposed to be that color, or if it just got that dirty. There was a huge leaky skylight over the master bed. Full moons and lightning storms were not what I wanted, while trying to sleep. Needed a new roof, anyway, so skylight GONE!! The hall guest bath has no windows, and was dark. They made it even worse, by painting the room dark brown. There are 8 beams in the cathedral-ceilinged great room, and each was stained a different color, like they couldnt make up their mind, and just left them. There were dark brown Mediterranean tiles in the front entry, with bright/dark orange walls. Pretty easy fix, with neutral paint, and a heavy hammer. Light paint, and light gray waterproof planking!! I have learned, kind of like what is one person's junk is another's treasure, that light neutrals work best, no matter who or what, as they can be changed pretty easily. The sellers actually lied about several things on the Seller's Disclosure, that I discovered later. I am pretty handy tho, so am doing things one project and area at a time. I am very picky about quality work, so I always do my own, rather than sloppy get-it-done-quick contractors. I appreciate your tips, tricks, etc. Thank you!!

[@lawyer1165]

I love hardwood floors and like tile floors. I hate carpet. To me, LVP says “cheap flip.”

[@kbaz6658]

We changed out several areas of carpet and our stairs to good quality LVP. Looks great, easy to care for. We love it. It isn't a multi-million $ home though and appropriate for the neighborhood values.

[@lawyer1165]

@@kbaz6658 I’m glad that LVP worked out for you. Of course, being able to select a good-quality version is better than being stuck with a poor-quality version installed by a flipper trying to cut corners. In any event, LVP probably is better than carpet.

[@singerjo5791]

@@kbaz6658Same with us. It is not thin and looks like wood. Love it!

[@shanalynncarey8374]

My home in Florida had only tile and LVP. LVP is care free and if the seas and mud rolled in after a hurricane at least our flooring didn't have to be replaced. Where I live now I have vintage hardwoods throughout. Totally depends on situation. I'm in a neighborhood of 1930-1960s homes and when I see LVP in my neighborhood I just think cheap flip

[@blackgirloffgrid1054]

I cannot stand LVP , it screams HGTV gone wrong

[@alicebarnett473]

Great tips!

[@lhartwig2354]

No one needs a coat closet or mud room in California. All bedrooms need closets and needs to be a hall closet for vacuums and cleaning with an outlet for charging. And linen closet in hall or bathroom.

[@seaneendelong8065]

The best room a California home really needs is a laundry/utility room inside, preferably with an exterior door, but def with a utility closet. If it is at all possible to renovate one in via converting part of a hall zone, taking a small awkward bit of a bedroom, snagging a partial space off the rear or side garage area and making it interior footage- any combination of these- do it!

[@Ninjanimegamer]

​@@seaneendelong8065 I was going to say the same thing. My sister lives in So.Cal, and has a really spacious laundry room. It is absolutely needed.

[@jeanemery1]

I agree. A coat closet is not important in the West.

[@lhartwig2354]

@@seaneendelong8065 you are correct have a large laundry room.

[@DarlaGolding]

What was the name of that vinyl flooring you were extolling?

[@reneeaho1128]

Do you have links to the flooring you were talking about that you had in your office, I think you said?

[@bthomson]

Well done and informative. Easy to listen to for a short attention span type ( me! )

[@KatiSpaniak]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm glad you found the video informative and engaging.

[@flhbradley]

This room is upstairs and it’s 32x32 used as a play room and tv room with French doors. The hall is carpet and would be hard to match. So now would you put maybe a type of wood or what?

[@seaneendelong8065]

How well is the floor insulated for sound? This is important. If minimal consider dense cork flooring and area rugs for each space matching the use. If good consider a durable laminate in a neutral wood tone with a padded layer under.

[@nyneeveanya8861]

Also you don’t know if the person looking at the home may have mobility issues an use a walker or wheelchair. I would not but a home with carpeting.

[@nadiacoffey2609]

I think people who own homes are going to be staying in them longer and they’re very likely to remodel it to what they want. I think the smart thing to do is to make changes that can be easily changed without too much effort and cost if the buyer doesn’t like it or it can be minimized before selling. Paint colors? Go crazy! Stone in the kitchen? Don’t go crazy. Flooring? Go with neutral tones. Art on the wall? Go crazy!

[@l.5832]

Agreed. When I renovated my condo I picked neutral flooring, cupboards, vanity, light fixtures, etc. But the decor and furniture was my 1940s vintage taste. I am single and have no use for a dishwasher but I know it would never resell without one. So I maintained the space for one, the plumbing is there but capped off (there used to be a dishwasher) and the electrical wiring is there (and capped off, breaker off). I have a 1940s print fabric and made a curtain across on a tension rod and I use it for storage. I really brings the vintage look I am after, but is reversible in a flash and if I go to sell, I just have a new dishwasher installed in the ready space.

[@classicride9210]

If it's timeless quality, then it can never be dated. I wouldn't want anyone who thinks the custom cabinetry dated - with its handmade frame and panel hand cut mortise and tenon and dovetail joinery, non factory sizes and accoutrements, beautiful finish - to be the people who now will be the new stewards of my home which I remodeled with years of work, tears, and effort.

[@lauralaforge558]

I would love to have that! There would probably be people tearing it out and putting up ikea cabinets

[@flhbradley]

Childrens paint was spilled on carpet and won’t come off. Should we put wood floors in that room or just show buyers the spill?

[@KatiSpaniak]

Hard to answer in a vacuum. Will wood work in the house and make it worth more? Is the carpet old? I might just replace the carpet inexpensively. Wood could be very expensive

[@sheilarae354]

It is called engineered hardwood

[@natashag2454]

Great video, do you think having an EV charger, Solar, and Powerwalls to store energy is something buyers are looking for in the Colorado area? Or is it too early for those to have any value.

[@williambender6711]

everytime I look at homes listed and they have pot lights or threw up pot lights, I back off even looking at.... hate pot lights.. have had and never again

[@SuperDrLisa]

My niece just did a 60-75,000 reno on her kitchen. Everything is white lots of pot lights . It looked like an operating room. I had to say it looked wonderful 😂

[@DolsieMercado]

If the cabinets are 100% wood keep it. You can alway paint it professionally or get it resurfaced.

[@stevecarson4162]

I live in an area where there are a lot of highrise condominium buildings, so I see the same floorplans over and over. When I see a new listing, my heart sinks when I see their "renovations" have ruined something I liked about the other floorplans in the same building. I don't want to have to reconstruct features they have destroyed.

[@lisanetgark415]

Grey is a cold tone. Most people like to decorate with a warm tone. Understand what tones mean and stick with that. Have you ever looked at a design and wanted to fix it but did not know why? It’s because the tone is off.

[@rosieposie9564]

There are warm grays.

[@vivavita3769]

Gray is still the preferred neutral to sell a house.

[@classicride9210]

Would putting in a pergola in the backyard and a poured concrete slab for a patio, be too specific (the pergola, I mean) and/or be overspending on landscaping? We will be selling in under a year, and I think a patio-less backyard might not attract many buyers. The backyard gets a lot of sun, and the pergola might be like adding an extra living area to the house. I'm also thinking of building a pizza oven too, to attract the millenials.

[@lauralaforge558]

Look at the comps in your neighborhood and what is selling.

[@Donna-vh5ym]

Great video. Thank you.

[@KatiSpaniak]

Glad you liked it!

[@rickdejean4649]

Great video.

[@KatiSpaniak]

Thanks!

[@misterogers9423]

That sports bar with the tin ceilings is super expensive and old school.

[@wisconsin_realtor]

*Awesome video! I'm a Broker in Northern Wisconsin and would love to assist any buyers or sellers you have in this area!*

[@KatiSpaniak]

Thanks so much! Will keep it in mind!

[@wisconsin_realtor]

@@KatiSpaniak Thank you! So you are out of the Chicago area?

[@KatiSpaniak]

@@wisconsin_realtoryep. We are and in Florida

[@wisconsin_realtor]

@@KatiSpaniak Good to know, for our snow birds up here. Im subscribed now 👍

[@jeannineterese1037]

Another great video Katie! Those purple lights were awful indeed.😂

[@KatiSpaniak]

Thank you!!

[@nogames8982]

There’s such a huge difference between two bedroom and three bedroom. That would be crazy to take out a bedroom and leave yourself with only two. If I had four bedrooms, I would keep the walls up. You can always use those rooms for whatever you want but when you go to resell it having four bedrooms is going to be so nice. I can’t believe people would actually take out two bedrooms. That would destroy the value of your house. Even I know that.

[@Ninjanimegamer]

Not always. Depending on the location, other homes in the area, how many bedrooms the house had originally, and what kind of space people are looking for. We have a house that went from three to five, and back to three bedrooms. Two garages were added over the years, and converted to bedrooms, and we converted an original bedroom and one of the garage/bedrooms. My grandparents house had four bedrooms. One was tiny and was opened up as a walk in closet. Another bedroom became a walk in closet and master bath. That house now has two bedrooms with spacious closets. It sold overnight for over a mil. (They did do a lot of other work to it too). I've seen other three bedroom homes become two, and one of the two had a large office space added. These conversions are what people wanted at the time. It also helped interest rates were low, people were getting money from the government, and houses were selling overnight for thousands more than they were listed for. It was a hot time for sellers.

[@nogames8982]

@@Ninjanimegamer in a tougher market, it might’ve taken longer to sell those houses. And yeah, I admit that it does depend on where you are and what the market wants. But I think overall a three-bedroom house is going to sell faster than a two bedroom house. but not too long ago. People were buying anything with a roof. I think they are regretting it now. Thank God I bought my house when I did, 2001. Because I sure could not buy it now.

[@lizhoward9754]

I can’t imagine why anyone would give up a closet in a renovation!! Most people add a closet or enlarge a closet in a renovation. That is like giving up a kitchen because you like to eat out all the time. I guess I feel so strongly about this because I have been closet challenged most of my life

[@pattibennett8774]

I gave up a closet for a renovation. But let me explain. I bought my house from my family after my grandmother passed. It was a super tiny little cottage (if only I had know about the tiny house movement but my crystal ball wasn't working in the early 80s 😂) of about 740 square feet. After some time I literally added a 700 sq foot addition of living room, large bedroom, second bathroom, and laundry room. The back wall of the house was demolished and had been the side wall of the little bedroom closet. We had planned to build a wall and restore the closet but found that it was very convenient to go from that bedroom straight into the laundry room and it opened the house in sort of a circle that made maneuvering around the house much more easy. We did add a hall closet, a big bedroom closet, and a small linen closet in the renovation so it was a trade off. Fast forward several years and I did a kitchen renovation. In that reno we moved the door to the basement from the kitchen to what used to be the little closet. It's a quirky layout but it works for me and since I have no intention of selling the house or moving until I am absolutely forced to by age or infirmities I'm not worried about resale. In the end, I lost one small closet, gained three, and reclaimed a ton of usable space in the kitchen. Granted it was a very unusual and odd set of circumstances that led to me giving up a closet. But it worked for me. 🙂

[@juliajohnson5492]

I think you have great advice, but I wish you showed more examples of what you are talking about. Examples of the good, the bad, and the ugly would help those of us who are more visual to get a clearer picture of what you mean.

[@KatiSpaniak]

Love this idea for another video!! The good. The bad. The ugly!!

[@copiawebster5502]

Can you help people find a ‘s agent? Or only a Sellers agent?

[@KatiSpaniak]

We can help you find any agent. A buying or a selling agent

[@rhondasimms554]

People in my area add more garages!

[@Ocyla]

Preach! We want a 3 car garage next time since a lot of areas won't let you have a shed and it's a challenge to get a big car in there with another car, plus a lawnmower, etc.

[@cindycrewsbeach72]

Honestly, those dramatic painted wood walls with the uniquely designed slats are selling homes in my area. The last 4 homes in my zip code that have this feature were listed less than a week. And they were all painted a dramatic accent color. My home was built in the 80’s with floor to ceiling mirrors and I think covering those up with a feature wall would make it more desirable. Or at least suggest that to a buyer who’s really into the latest trend. We covered ours up with theater drapes. My realtor said to take them down, but I’m just pulling them back to disclose that they are there. If I take them down, there will be a ton of hardware marks high on the wall. And I’m not pulling them down and putting them up for every showing. Just no.

[@mitchellhawkes22]

She must be real. She says, I've sold ALMOST half a billion dollars in real estate." That sounds like honesty to me. Almost anybody else would fudge and say "I've (totally) sold half a billion."

[@sunshinedaisy9879]

Great info!!

[@KatiSpaniak]

Thanks for watching!

[@lindat7525]

I find it very odd that you didn't know about engineered hardwood and think that laminate flooring is at the pergo 2 stage. Engineered hardwood has been around since the 60's and laminates have improved well and way beyond pergo.

[@mindbodyhome102]

Hate wallpaper ad I spent way too many weekends removing it in my last place!

[@KatiSpaniak]

It is a tough one! Thanks for watching!

[@petraalejo7883]

The purple lights are most probably LED's and the color can be changed easily.

[@KatiSpaniak]

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