Remodeling to Increase Home Value

If you’re considering selling a home in the next twelve months, we’d love to come out and tour your home. I find it has been a regular part of my real estate practice to advise homeowners on what to improve (or not to improve) prior to going on the real estate market. We can help advise on what remodeling choices would result in the highest return on investment.

If you’re thinking of selling your home in the next twelve months, Stephen would love to tour your home. Call today to set an appointment.

Stephen FitzMaurice, Realtor
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Licensed Since 2003
503-714-1111

Top 10 Home Upgrades to Sell Home for More

May 27, 2019

Selling a home in the Portland real estate market this summer? Patience is the key word. In the first four months of 2019, homes were taking an average of 66 days to sell — 11 days longer than they were on the Portland market this time last year. If waiting isn’t your strong suit, we’ve got some ideas. Why not take advantage of good weather and slower buyer activity to make a few home improvements? According to recent research by Zillow, nearly a quarter of sellers who make improvements end up selling above list price, compared with 16 percent of sellers who don’t. Most home sellers are busy, but there are plenty of worthwhile projects that can be tackled in...

Interior Paint Colors to Boost Portland Home Value

October 5, 2018

Portland home sellers: If you didn’t already know, a new coat of paint is a great home improvement project to impress buyers. Fresh paint, applied skillfully and with attention to detail, can make a home look brand-new and up-to-date without breaking the bank. In my experience as a top 1% Portland real estate agent, nothing produces a better return on your money than cleaning, re-arranging furniture, and painting. If you’re on the fence about repainting the interior of your home before listing it on the Portland market, some numbers from Zillow’s 2018 Paint Color Analysis may help. The website giant examined more than 135,000 photos from residential properties that have sold between 2010 and May 2018. Controlling for square footage,...

Paint a Portland Home Exterior this Color – Sell for More

September 7, 2018

Those repainting the exterior of their home before putting it on the Portland real estate market would do well selecting something close to “greige”. At least, that’s what a new report by Zillow suggests. Zillow’s mighty research arm reached into its archives to pull out 135,000 photos of homes that sold in the past year, according to the Methodology statement on the 2018 Paint Color Analysis. These photos revealed the ins and outs of home and wall colors for 32,000 houses across the country. Comparing sales price data for these homes revealed some interesting trends. First, the report showed that exterior color can positively impact the final sales price of a home. Holding all other variables (neighborhood, age of home,...

Portland Home Sellers’ Guide: To Fix or Not to Fix?

July 16, 2018

If you’re planning on putting your home on the Portland market before the Portland real estate summer market is over, you may be looking around wondering, “What do I need to upgrade, repair or fix?” For most sellers, home repairs fall into three main categories: Getting the home into a condition that the home appraiser will approve of, making capital improvements that might increase its market value, and doing additional repairs requested by the buyer after an offer is accepted. How to Prepare for a Portland Home Appraisal According to the 2017 National Association of Realtors’ Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 88% of buyers use some kind of institutional financing for their home purchase. That means there will be...

Portland Attic Remodeling Ideas: All Budgets

April 6, 2018

As the demand in the Portland real estate market continues to grow more intense, homeowners are looking for more creative ways to use space and maybe even generate a little extra rental income. Got an attic? You may be wondering what you can do with it. Many of our real estate clients have successfully capitalized on attic space, turning them into beautiful retreats from the rest of the house. Though attics have a lot of potential, knowing the rules before you get started can save you a lot of hassle. Before you get lost in beautiful photos of attics gone live-able, check out our guide to making the most of your upstairs real estate. Small or Unfinished Attic? Here are...

Portland Spring Lawn and Garden Care

March 26, 2018

Winters in Portland can be calamitous — winds blow in leaves, pine needles and debris while shaking down loose tree limbs. Heavy rains create sinkholes and unexpectedly cold temperatures may damage some plants. If you’re listing your home on the Portland real estate market this spring (but even if you’re not) your home could probably use a little lawn, garden and patio help. Thankfully, spring in the City of Roses is redemptive. Blooming flowers, warm breezes, and YouTube-worthy rainbows all beckon us outdoors. Here are my real estate agent tips for getting your outdoor spaces cleaned up and ready for summer — as well as potential buyers. Portland Spring Lawn Tips More and more Portland homeowners are choosing to replace lawns...

Top 5 Modern Home Design Trends of 2018 – and where in Portland to find them

January 26, 2018

The new year is all about designing homes that are stately, functional, and as unique as their owners. Portland is a city that embraces modern life, but homeowners here tend to prefer tried-and-true styles over the season’s latest trend. What new home design trends will arise in 2018? Read on to find out more from Portland’s top real estate agent. Home Design Trend: Confident Colors For too long, minimalistic white was in. This year, Portland is rejecting that scheme. Gray, it seems, is the new white — but a warm gray, the kind that combines with rich earth tones for a soothing color palette. According to houzz.com: camel, rust tobacco, deep red and burnt yellow are the other “it” colors...

Grow your Portland Home Value with Trees

December 18, 2017

Portland may be the City of Roses, but its taller, leafier residents number in the millions and give Portland its characteristic green glow. Everyone loves trees because they offer shade as well as beauty, but did you know that trees can also improve your home value? Here’s your Portland Real Estate Guide to Trees, tree care and how to get money back for planting a tree! Trees and Home Value: A Growth Relationship It makes logical sense that a tree-lined street will have better curb appeal than one that has no trees, but the finding is actually scientifically backed! In 2010, a study published in the journal of Landscape and Urban Planning found that, on average, Portland’s on-street trees add...

Six Steps to a Successful Home Remodel

October 23, 2017

Did you know that 80% of Portland homes were built before 1980? It’s true, and for most home buyers, it’s a plus. Many of our 70’s and 80’s ranch homes, midcentury marvels, and well-built turn of the century bungalows and foursquare homes have good bones — they just need an imaginative eye to renovate them. If you’re looking for a Portland remodel project, you’re not alone. Several of Portland’s most famous and well loved landmarks are old homes that got saved from the wrecking ball and turned into something beautiful. When you need a break from touring Portland homes for sale, be sure to go for a tour of Pittock Mansion in West Portland, cruise by the nearby Watzek house,...

Kitchen Fixes to Boost Your Portland Home Value

March 21, 2017

The kitchen is your home’s heart and soul. Even for families that only eat take-out, there’s something special about the space where everyone gathers to set down their load from the day and get replenished. Is that the reason that home buyers love a well appointed kitchen? If your home has a nice front door and new carpeting, old appliances and drab cabinetry in the kitchen will seem all the more out of place. General tip on remodeling: cleaning, weeding, and painting gets the best return. Always clean, weed, and paint! You can potentially get 1000% return on your time and money as opposed to putting up a dirty, weedy, roughed-up home for sale. If you are going to put...

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Stephen FitzMaurice

Team at eXp Realty