If you need to sell a house in San Diego because you’re either moving out of the area, or you’ve inherited a property from a loved one, there’s a number of things you should know before you decide to sell it quickly and cheaply. Firstly, San Diego property values are among the highest in the country, second only to the Bay Area and certain parts of Manhattan. While dilapidated homes are unlikely to sell under even the best conditions, there are a number of ways that you can still turn a profit on the property that do not involve dumping it off as quickly as you can.
#1. Focus Renovations on the Kitchen
If the property needs to be renovated before it is market ready then the best place to focus those renovations is in the kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of the house and buyers are going to be particularly interested in the kitchen. The reason for this is that they aren’t going to be interested in making certain repairs like tearing out the cabinets because there’s mold or they’re structurally unsound. They may not have an issue with refacing them, but they don’t want to have to dump ten thousand dollars into all new cabinets right off the bat. They will be more interested in making renovations like installing a brand new hardwood floor, adding an extension, a pool, or a brand new deck. Those are the kinds of home improvement projects that people get excited about; not replacing moldy cabinets.
#2. Make Sure All Safety Issues are Addressed
If you want your house to sell for the market value (which is a significant sum of money in San Diego), then you want to make sure that it’s going to pass inspection with flying colors. That means making sure that electrical work and the roof is in order. No one wants to move into a home with a leaking roof, or worry about putting on the microwave while they’re opening the refrigerator door. Both of those are dangerous and lead to more extensive damage down the road. That means that any price for the property is likely too high.
#3. If You Can’t Afford Renovations Yourself, You Can Get Work Done on Consignment
While it used to be only possible to either put the money into renovations yourself, or dump of the property at a dirt cheap price to someone who do the work themselves and then flip it for a major profit, there are companies out there that are willing to evaluate the property, do the necessary renovations to get the property market ready, and won’t charge you a dime until after the property is sold.
But even in the best markets, buyers want a property that is move in ready, and affords them the opportunity to do renovations that they want to do; not those that they need to do.