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Bernal Heights Agency of Vivre Real Estate
There are plenty of homes for sale “as-is” in the San Francisco market and elsewhere, but what does this mean exactly?
In real estate, “as is” is a term used to describe a home that’s listed for sale in its current condition. In other words, the seller won’t make any repairs to the home from the second it’s put on the market to the moment it closes.
For instance, let’s say you have a Bernal Heights home for sale and you’ve decided to list it “as is.” In this case, the buyer agrees to purchase the home understanding that what they see is what they get.
There are a few key benefits of selling a house “as is,” and even the top Encinitas realtor may recommend that you list your home on the market without making any repairs to it.
Now that you’ve decided to list your Bernal Heights home for sale (or perhaps elsewhere in the San Francisco real estate market), and put it on the market “as is,” you’re still wondering what are the key benefits of selling a home without making any repairs to it?
To help put this into perspective, we’ve put together a list of key benefits of selling a house “as is” that you can read below.
But before we get started, it’s good to remember that a home for sale “as is” comes with an important caveat: the seller must disclose any problems or issues that would impact the value of the home and affect the buyer’s ability to quietly enjoy the property once the sale has closed.
Some disclosure examples are plumbing issues, structural flaws, environmental hazards and noise nuisances caused by airborne or impact sounds. Even the top Encinitas realtor will advise any seller to disclose these types of issues.
What’s more, sellers’ disclosures are part of California’s real estate disclosure laws. This means that they’re legally required in the San Francisco real estate market. And almost all states across the U.S. have disclosure requirements of their own.
One benefit of selling a house “as is” is the potential for a quick close.
To compete against renovated properties, an “as is” home needs to be reasonably priced, especially if the home comes with a long list of problems that you’ll need to disclose to the buyer. If this is the case, you should expect that buyers would pay less for your home than they would for a renovated one in the vicinity.
You may think that selling your home at a lower price is unfair just because it’s not as spiffy as the one down the block. But there’s a silver lining here.
An attractive price tag could draw in prospective buyers quicker than an aggressively priced, turn-key home down the street. In turn, this could lead to a quicker sale, rather than your home collecting real estate dust by sitting on the market for too long. Also, buyers who are looking to put their stamp on a new home might prefer a fixer-upper or an “as-is” property anyway.
If you’re curious to know your home’s worth before speaking with a real estate agent — where it’s in the San Francisco real estate market or elsewhere — check out our Sellers page.
You’ve heard about the ubiquitous real estate deal — a property with an asking price that’s “too good to be true” that no homebuyer, real estate developer, or investor would dare pass on it. More often than not, these “property gems” are “as-is” homes with perfectly good bones. They were built on solid foundations albeit with the wear-and-tear of an aging property that hasn’t seen an update in years.
But no matter: if you’re looking to attract a cash offer on your home, it may come as no surprise to you that an “as is” property for sale will spark the interest of a real estate developer or investor who’s looking to close quickly and is prepared to make an all-cash offer on your home.
These buyers are in the “fixer-upper market.” Typically, they don’t mind purchasing a home that’s in a state of disrepair. On the contrary, these buyers prefer a home that they could either demolish and rebuild from the ground up, or demo the existing structure to renovate it to their liking.
You may not have the wherewithal to renovate your home, period. Let’s face it: your time is better spent elsewhere, especially if you’re considering making the repairs yourself instead of hiring a handyman or contractor to do it for you.
That said, you can certainly give your home a quick spruce by making a few inexpensive cosmetic changes. These changes will increase your chances of attracting different buyer personas — not just the ones looking to flip the property after a quick close.
Also, sprucing up your home can help it make a good first impression on prospective buyers. For instance, slapping on a new coat of paint to the walls in the living room and replacing a rusty showerhead can go a long way in an open house. But the best part is that these quick and effortless updates won’t make a huge dent in your bank account, so you can save your money for other expenses like the home inspection, escrow and recording fees at closing.
Here’s the ugly truth about home improvements and renovation costs: their returns on investment aren’t as robust as you may think. In other words, that $50,000 inground pool won’t add $50K to the overall value of your home. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the average ROI of a home’s renovation costs is approximately 68%. This means that your $30,000 kitchen makeover is actually worth $20K, so you’ll only end up recouping about two-thirds of what you put in.
Sure, real estate appreciation can make up for the difference over time, but do you have the time to wait? Remember, you need to sell your home yesterday. And investing in repairs hoping that you’ll recoup the entire renovation cost is nothing more than a chimera: a thing that is wished for but is impossible to achieve.
Finally, you might have ambitious plans for a new home in the San Francisco real estate market or elsewhere. Therefore, strategically saving your money in this sense can help make those plans come to fruition. And if those plans happen to lead you to the Bernal Heights, San Francisco, or other bay area markets, we’d love to hear from you.
Pantone, the company known worldwide for color expertise, released an annual color of the year (or colors of the year in 2021). In addition to helping companies like designers and manufacturers to define and control color, Pantone’s color guides and documentation help regular homeowners to pick a style that fits with their own sense of decor. This year, Pantone released “joint colors” for just the second time, in their colors of the year for 2021. (The last time colors of the year come in pairs was in 2016 with Rose Quartz and Serenity.)
So let’s get right down to it. What are 2021’s Pantone colors of the year?
Discover: Ultimate Gray and Illuminating.
According to Pantone, the message of these shades is of strength and positivity. In this pair of hues, Pantone aimed to encapsulate hopefulness, energy, and clarity, a fresh look after a tough and uncertain year in 2020. Sounds nice, no?
Well, if you’re interested in adding a dash of positivity to your home’s decor, Ultimate Gray and Illuminating are a great option. For some interesting and effective ways to use these colors throughout your house, read on!
Yellow and gray are a popular color pair, and it’s easy to see why. Yellow’s vibrancy adds life and joy to the subtle, calming nature of gray, and each works well in small doses too.
Even without any paint, you can bring yellow into your home. Real or artificial sunflowers, tulips and daffodils can add a happy touch to a living space. Even a decorative bowl of lemons on the table does the trick. Taking some inspiration from the Pantone colors of the year, try putting them in a gray vase or bowl for an eye-pleasing contrast.
Look, bathrooms aren’t the most exciting part of the house. Most folks have a lot more fun in the kitchen, family room… you name it, really. So how ‘bout some color to bring your bathroom to life? Especially in a small space, a pop of color can make a big difference and create the illusion of size and scale.
If you’re still unsure about the colors you want, whether that’s Pantone’s gray and yellow combo or something else, start small. Don’t go painting a full wall right away, just get a little decoration and see what you think!
For instance, you can display a combination of yellow and gray hand towels, a yellow shower curtain, gray bath mats. It adds that wow factor while being temporary — ie. low or no commitment. When you're tired of the combination, change them out. This strategy is perfect when changing decor for each season or just on a whim, and it works particularly well with neutral wall paint as a backdrop.
A bedroom should be comforting and calm, whether it’s a huge primary suite with a balcony and fireplace, or just a smaller spot to sleep. For an added touch of happy energy when you wake up in the morning, try incorporating yellow throughout the bedroom. A subtle, less-flashy yellow can even be nice as sheets or wall colors.
For a dose of calm, Ultimate Gray is the ticket. More modern looks are also available in darker shades of gray, like sleek charcoal and steel.
Go big or go home, right? Bright yellow chairs love to stand out and offer a super cute and vintage vibe. On the flip side, a charcoal gray lamp adds a bit of modern bite to your design.
If you're daring, how about a yellow sofa? A statement piece like this can serve as a focal point in the living room or a nice addition to a large bedroom. Find a contrasting gray designer wallpaper as an accent wall, or gray curtains to balance the brightness.
Perhaps the easiest, tried-and-true method of adding color to your home is art. Posters, paintings, photos, sculpture and more can all add interest without being overwhelming (and being easily interchangeable).
If you are a budding artist yourself, try creating a gallery wall of alternating yellow and gray DIY artwork. It's a fun learning activity for kids and adults.
There are two ways you can include Ultimate Gray and Illuminating for the front door. The simplest way is with a wreath, adding a dash of color on your home’s facade.
The other way is with paint. Be bold and paint your door yellow! And to mimic the Pantone-approved color pair for ultimate curb appeal, you can add some gray by switching out hardware like the handle and deadbolt lock.
To transform your outdoor living space, try a gray outdoor furniture set offset by yellow cushions and pillows. It’s a sure way to brighten a dreary deck or drab backyard.
Or, instead of investing in new outdoor furniture, you can decorate with colorful accessories like stools, lanterns and end tables. Candles are also an easy way to add yellow or gray without going overboard or breaking the bank!
We spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so making it a “happy place” is a top priority. If you’re up for taking a big leap, try painting your kitchen cabinets a cheery yellow! If that seems like too much, there are very colorful and easily applied peel-and-stick backsplash tiles that might be just right for your design.
If that all seems like too much work, you can add some colorful appliances, vases and kitchenware. Gray tea kettle? Meet yellow mixer. And don’t forget about towels! Textiles like dish towels and aprons are amazing opportunities to add color that is interchangeable any time.
Blue and pink may be standard fare for a nursery, but in recent years new parents have expanded their vocabulary of baby-room color. As an added bonus, you can paint the room ahead of time when you’re not trying to match color with your new baby’s gender.
Pantone’s yellow/gray combo is an easy, soothing palette for both baby and parents to love. The gray is calming while yellow warms it up.
And, as your little one grows, you don't have to worry about repainting or redecorating. It's a color combination for all ages.
Whether it's in the bedroom, living room, bathroom or kitchen, you can spruce up any area with a good rug or two. Expert designers even overlay area rugs for a bohemian, contrasting look.
Since we’re talking about contrast, did we mention Pantone’s yellow and gray? There’s an idea to instantly liven up a space.
When you think of design, you probably think of walls first: art, paint, wallpaper, paneling, moldings and more. There’s a huge variety of options for wall decor, allowing you to get extra creative with it to make a smaller feature wall or cover whole swaths of your home’s interior.
For an accent wall in a larger space, try fresh paint or wallpaper to add some visual contrast. Patterns and texture really heighten the appeal, whether that’s designer wallpaper, painted wood paneling, or a molded plastic art form that you buy and install. Tiles are also a way to add interest at a relatively low cost.
Lighting truly makes the home, from natural light to your installed light fixtures. While it’s not so easy to knock out a wall to add a new window, installing new light fixtures can be a cheap and very effective way to bring light and contemporary design into a room all at once.
If you’re going with the gray and yellow look, you can try gray sconces flanking a headboard in the bedroom, and subtle, cheerful yellow sheets. In a dining room or kitchen, a pendant light on the wall can make a big difference too.
Now, books are primarily for reading, but displaying them on a shelf means they’re part of the scenery too. Got some empty bookshelf space? Head to a local used bookstore or thrift shop to find colorfully bound books that will enhance your shelves and the whole room.
Even if you’re not a big reader, books and candles are a classic adornment for shelves. Who knows… maybe you’ll even get around to reading the decorations.
Gray and yellow are a proven color pair, but it can still be easy to get carried away and end up with a weird-looking living room. The best way to go is to start small, and use bright, eye-catching color sparingly so the room is not overwhelmed.
Luckily, starting small is also the easiest thing to do! Just begin by adding in little colorful details like trinkets, pillows and throw blankets. See how you like the colors first, and reevaluate before you make bigger decisions.
We hope this guide on decorating with Pantone Ultimate Gray and Illuminating has been a little bit of helpful fun. The truth is, when you decorate a home you own, the world is your oyster! It’s one of the many benefits of home ownership.
If you’re getting ready to sell your home, then you want to appeal to the broadest swath of potential, qualified and likely homebuyers. We’ve helped hundreds of Bernal Heights and other San Francisco home sellers to make the right staging and improvements that stay within budget and avoid leaving money on the table.
For more information on how we can help to get your home in top selling shape, please reach out any time to start the no-pressure conversation and discuss your options. We look forward to hearing from you!
Selling your home doesn′t just mean hiring a realtor to stick a sign out front. There are a lot of preparations you should make to ensure you get the best offer possible in the shortest time.
Repair. Just because you’ve gotten used to the cracks in the walls and the rattles in the radiators doesn’t mean a buyer will too. If you have hardwood floors that need refinishing, be sure to get it done—hardwood is a huge selling point. Buyers like to snoop around, so be sure to fix any sticky doors or drawers as well. Finally, don’t forget to address any issues with the exterior—fences, shingles, sidewalks, etc. After all, without curb appeal, some buyers may never get to see the inside.
Neutralize. You want buyers to see themselves in your home. If your living room has lime green shag, wood-paneled walls, and all your collectibles and personal photographs, this will be much harder for them to do. Try replacing any bold color choices in your floors and walls with something more neutral—beiges, tans, and whites. Repainting and reflooring will make everything look fresh and new, and help prospective buyers imagine all the possibilities.
Stage. Once your house is clean and updated, it’s time to play dress up. Home stagers can add small details and décor touches that will bring out the possibilities in the various spaces in your home: lamps, mirrors, throw rugs and pillows, flowers, decorative soaps and towels, patio furniture. Home staging can be particularly useful if your home is especially old or if the exterior looks dated. Think of it as a little mascara and rouge—if it’s done right, you notice the beauty, not the makeup.