What California AB723 means for Sacramento home buyers and sellers...

If you’ve ever clicked through a Sacramento home listing and thought, “Wow… this looks amazing,” only to tour the house and quietly wonder where the sofa, that amazing sunset, and vibrant green grass in the front yard went, then you’re not alone. Real estate photos have gotten very good. Sometimes too good. 

On all of my listings I hire an awesome professional photographer who does an stellar job at capturing the perfect angle, balancing light, and softening the rough edges of homes...but some agents and photographers take things a few steps too far and use AI or other tools to virtually add features a home just does not have, or photoshop out those fugly power lines running through the backyard, or virtually remodel a home. 

I have walked into homes with clients before and been like "Huh, I thought this kitchen was remodeled?"

Enter California AB723, a new law going into effect next week that is designed to bring and fewer surprises to real estate marketing photos. Starting January 1, 2026, real estate listings in California will be required to clearly disclose when images have been digitally altered in ways that materially change the features of the property. In plain English: if a photo has been edited to add furniture, change landscaping, remove unsightly neighboring properties, repaint walls, or otherwise make the property look meaningfully different than it is in real life, the listing must say so. And the listing must make this original image available. 

Now, don’t worry: this doesn’t mean listings have to look boring or unpolished. Basic touch-ups like adjusting lighting, color balance, optimizing the way a room looks with a wide angle lens, or cropping a photo are still perfectly fine. AB723 focuses on changes that could impact how a buyer perceives or understands the actual condition or features of the home. 

So as an example from one of my own listings -- last year I wanted to illustrate that the backyard of an Arden-Arcade home I listed was potentially big enough to build an Accessory Dwelling Unit. So I hired someone to add a rendering of an ADU to one of the aerial drone images my professional photographer took. And they also happened to edit the grass to be more green (which I did not ask them to do but it sure made the photo look better!). I did add a disclaimer to the photo and include the original in the listing, however now in the future I would also want to add a disclosure to the image specifically noting it was digital altered. For what it is worth, I also added some virtual staging furniture to two rooms, and did disclose the images were altered and provided the originals, as you can see in the archived listing online. Was I required to by law at that time? No. But I have always felt transparency is better. And now everyone in California will have to disclose digital alterations.

For home buyers, this is a win. You’ll have clearer expectations before you ever step foot inside a home. If a listing photo has been digitally altered, you’ll know it, and you’ll also have access to the original, unaltered images. Fewer surprises means better decision-making, less frustration, and hopefully fewer “Wait… where did that go?” moments during showings. 

For home sellers, this law encourages transparency without taking away great marketing. Virtual staging and enhanced photos can still be used -- they just need to be clearly labeled. Trust me seller, you want to avoid buyer disappointment when they walk in the door. That can leave a bad taste in a buyer's mouth...you want a buyer to connect with your home, not be frustrated by a big letdown or upset expectations. 

Real estate is already emotional enough for buyers without feeling catfished by a listing photo. This new law will help keep expectations realistic.

Ready to Downsize or Relocate? What Sellers in Carmichael, Fair Oaks, and Arden-Arcade Should Know...

If you’re a longtime homeowner in Carmichael, Fair Oaks, or Arden-Arcade, you’re not alone in thinking it might be time for a change. It seems that lately I have been chatting with several homeowners in these areas who are exploring the idea of downsizing or relocating -- whether it’s to be closer to adult kids (and let's be real -- it's the grandkids), to reduce maintenance (who wants to maintain that huge yard in retirement when you could travel instead?), cash-in on equity (many own free-and-clear), or simply live in a space that better fits their current lifestyle (who needs 4 bedrooms when it's just you?). 

I feel like these are repeating themes in conversations I am having...

These long-established neighborhoods are filled with charming ranch-style homes, known for their single-level layouts, large yards, and generous square footage. But as life evolves, a home that once felt “just right” can become a lot to manage. Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking about making a move. 

• Your Home May Be Worth More Than You Think. These areas are in high demand with buyers looking for spacious lots, mature trees, mid-century character, and San Juan Unified Schools. I personally love ranch-style homes (I live in one myself), and they are abundant in these neighborhoods...many buyers want a home they can personalize. Even if your home hasn’t been updated recently, its location and layout may be incredibly appealing to today’s buyers — especially with the right preparation and pricing strategy. 

• Proposition 19 Could Save You Thousands in Property Taxes. One of the biggest concerns I hear from long-time homeowners is property tax -- spoiler alert: It's low if you have owned your home for a while. But thanks to California Proposition 19, if you're 55 or older, you can transfer your current low property tax base to a new home anywhere in California, even if the new home is more expensive. This is a game-changer if you’re considering a move but worried about your tax bill skyrocketing. 
• Highlights of Prop 19 for Sellers: 
• Available to homeowners 55+, those with severe disabilities, or victims of natural disasters. 
• You can transfer your tax base more than once. 
• Applies when buying any type of property in California (not just within your current county). 
• Must move within 2 years of the sale of your original home. 
• I'd strongly recommend chatting with your CPA or tax advisor...I can refer you to tax experts who specialize in Prop 19 scenarios. 

• Smart Updates Can Help Your Ranch-Style Home Shine. Ranch homes are timeless, but small touches can go a long way in helping them appeal to today’s buyers. Here’s where to focus if you want to maximize your sale price without doing a full renovation (and I have a full slate of resources to deploy to help you do this): 
• Pre-listing inspections are key, BEFORE doing any renovation. Sometimes just inspecting, disclosing, and selling "as-is"  makes way more sense than making repairs...every situation is different, so let's strategize which is best for you. 
• Enhance curb appeal: Trim landscaping, add fresh mulch, and paint the front door in a modern tone. 
• Open up sightlines: If feasible, thinning out some decor or furniture is best to help the home flow and feel more open. 
• Update lighting: Swapping out outdated fixtures for sleek, modern styles gives the entire home a lift. 
• Paint smart: Stick with neutral tones — think soft greiges, warm whites, or sage green — that complement mid-century ranch design. 
• Flooring counts: If you have old carpet, consider replacing it with vinyl plank or hardwood to highlight the open layout. I am often asked about having old carpets professionally cleaned -- this is often a HUGE mistake (if you do not want to replace flooring, usually it is best to leave it alone).
• These touches help buyers visualize the potential without overwhelming them with a big renovation project. 

• You're Not Just Selling a Home — You're Starting a New Chapter. Whether you’re thinking of a low-maintenance condo, a home closer to grandkids, the RV life, or retiring to a resort town, this transition should feel exciting — not stressful. I work with homeowners every day, and I try to make the process as simple as possible. Any my clients are all asking the same questions: “Should I sell as-is or do some updates first?” “Where do I even start with downsizing?” “How do I coordinate selling and buying at the same time?” I’m here to guide you every step of the way — from preparing your home for market to connecting you with downsizing resources, moving help, and trusted tax professionals. I also know other realtors all over the United States and can help connect you with one in the area where you would like to move.

Let’s Talk About Your Next Move. If you're considering selling your Carmichael, Fair Oaks, or Arden-Arcade home, let’s schedule a chat or in-person consultation. I’ll provide a market analysis, help you review your options under Proposition 19, and help you explore what downsizing or relocating might look like for you. 📞 Call/Text me at 916-342-1372 📧 Email: erin@erinstumpf.com 

Your next chapter might be closer than you think — and it starts with a conversation.

Is 2025 the year you make a move? Here is a brief primer on how I help my clients list and sell their homes...

Selling a home is a major life decision that comes with many moving parts, especially in the dynamic Sacramento real estate market. Whether you’re a seasoned seller, or listing a home in a trust or probate estate, or putting your property on the market for the first time, navigating the selling process with clarity and confidence is crucial. Here’s a brief primer of the steps I walk through with my clients when counseling a seller to list a home for sale...

TL;DR -- I always strive to help my clients stay on top of market trends, assess what is in their best interest to optimize their sales price and net proceeds, and assist my clients to evaluate and think through their options as they move through the transaction. I welcome your call at 916-342-1372 to see if we are a good fit to work together.

Step 1: Estimate Your Home’s Value and Develop a Pricing Strategy -- One of the most critical factors in selling your home is pricing it correctly. As your real estate listing agent, I will prepare an estimate of your home’s current market value. This involves analyzing recent sales of comparable homes in your neighborhood, looking at competing listings, current market trends in Sacramento, unique features of your property. My goal is to strike the perfect balance on price, leveraging local expertise and data-driven insights to set a price that attracts qualified buyers and maximizing your profit and net proceeds. 

Step 2: Schedule Pre-Listing Inspections -- conducting inspections before listing can prevent surprises later. I am a huge advocate of this and have written about this extensively. Pre-listing inspections demonstrate transparency and provide buyers with peace of mind -- AND often will take certain repairs off the negotiating table up-front. I often say "disclosure is far better than discovery". If it makes sense to repair issues that arise up front, doing so in advance affords enough time to get multiple bids to ensure you do not overpay. 

Step 3: Complete Required Disclosures Up Front  -- California law requires sellers to provide detailed disclosures about their property, including any known defects or issues, and items previously repaired or remodeled. Common forms include: Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS) and Seller Property Questionnaire (SPQ). I like to have these in hand when a property hits the market. Having these up front allows me to field questions from agents, and provide them to buyers. Often, providing these up-front will compel buyers to shorten their inspection or investigation timelines as well.

Step 4: Make Pre-Listing Repairs and Improvements -- Buyers are often looking for homes that are move-in ready. I counsel my clients to focus on repairs and upgrades that provide the highest return on investment, such as touching up paint, replacing old light fixtures, repairing exterior dryrot, refreshing front landscaping, etc. With each client, I provide tailored recommendations to ensure every dollar spent adds value and helps your home stand out in the market. 

Step 5: Stage Your Home to Impress  -- Staging helps potential buyers envision themselves living in your home. This might involve decluttering and deep cleaning, rearranging or renting furniture to highlight your home’s best features, adding finishing touches like fresh flowers or cozy throw blankets. While not every property needs to be staged, generally the homes that are presented well will sell faster and at a higher price.

Step 6: Craft a Winning Marketing Plan Effective marketing is essential to attract buyers. My comprehensive strategy includes professional photography including aerial drone shots, 3D virtual tours, print ads, social media and web optimized campaigns targeting buyers in Sacramento and beyond, hosting open houses and tours to maximize exposure. My goal is to put your property front and center for the right audience, ensuring maximum visibility. 

Step 7: Navigate Offers and Negotiate Like a Hell -- When offers come in, my role is to evaluate them thoroughly and advocate for your best interests. I create a spreadsheet to help my sellers compare the price and terms of multiple offers. Terms like timelines and contingencies are often extremely important in addition to price. Countering offers to achieve the best possible deal. Guiding you through buyer requests and appraisal negotiations. My goal is to ensure you achieve a transaction that aligns with your goals. 

Looking ahead to 2025, Sacramento’s real estate market remains robust, but it’s also evolving. I always strive to help my clients stay on top of market trends, and assist my clients to evaluate and think through their options as they move through the transaction. I welcome your call at 916-342-1372 to see if we are a good fit to work together.

Some strategies to sell your Sacramento home during the Autumn season...

Autumn in Sacramento brings a unique charm with its more crisp, temperate weather and red and golden-hued leaves (the leaves in the City of Trees can be off the hook!) -- and it offers an excellent backdrop for selling your home. Additionally, there tend to be fewer homes on the market in the fall, which can create an opportune time for sellers to sell with less competition from other homes. However, preparing your property for sale during this season requires a slightly different approach to highlight its best features and appeal to potential buyers. Here are a few ideas to optimize your home for a sale during the fall season.

1. Embrace the Season with Curb Appeal. Autumn in Sacramento can be stunning, with the changing foliage creating a lovely picturesque setting. Enhance your home’s curb appeal by keeping your yard clean and manicured. Power wash the exterior of your home and walkways for a crisp appearance. Clear your roof and gutters of debris, and consider trimming trees or other foliage that may be in contact with your home. Rake leaves regularly to avoid the appearance of clutter, and consider planting seasonal flowers or adding potted mums to brighten up the entrance. A welcoming front porch with cozy fall decor like pumpkins or a tasteful wreath can make a strong first impression. 
2. Optimize Indoor Comfort. As temperatures start to drop from our crazy hot summer days, ensuring your home feels inviting inside is crucial. Make sure your heating system is in good working order and consider scheduling a HVAC maintenance tune-up (and keep the documentation for disclosure!). Adding plush throw blankets and pillows can create a cozy atmosphere that buyers will find appealing. Clean or replace air filters to ensure good air quality and a comfortable indoor climate. 
3. Highlight Energy Efficiency. Autumn is a great time to showcase your home’s energy efficiency. Highlight features like double-pane windows, modern or extra insulation, or a programmable thermostat. Additionally, many homebuyers these days are often impressed by things like heat-pump HVAC systems that run on electricity instead of natural gas. If your home is exceptionally energy efficient, you might also considering gathering a year of utility bills to disclose to your buyer as well to highlight your low SMUD or PG&E expenses. These upgrades can attract buyers looking to reduce energy costs, especially as colder weather approaches. 
4. Focus on Natural Light. Sacramento’s autumn days are shorter, so it’s essential to maximize natural light indoors. Clean your windows to let in as much sunlight as possible and consider using light-colored, sheer window treatments to brighten up rooms instead of heavy curtains. Consider repainting dark walls and ceilings in light colors, such as whites or creams to help reflect natural light and make rooms feel brighter and more spacious. Choose decor items that reflect light, such as mirrors, metallic finishes, or glass vases. These can help bounce natural light around the room and enhance the overall brightness. Proper lighting can make spaces appear larger and more inviting. 
5. Address Seasonal Maintenance. Autumn is the perfect time to tackle seasonal maintenance tasks that might catch a buyer’s eye. Clean gutters to prevent potential water damage, check the roof for missing shingles, and ensure that exterior drains are clear. Addressing these issues proactively can prevent last-minute repairs and boost buyer confidence. And again, keep any documentation from maintenance to disclose to your next buyer.

By focusing on these autumn-specific strategies, you can make your Sacramento home stand out in the market. Embrace the season’s charm to create a welcoming environment that potential home buyers will be eager to call home.

Top 10 Budget-Friendly Home Repairs and Improvements to Boost Value and Prepare Your Sacramento Home for Sale

Whether vacant or occupied, most homes will benefit from cost-effective minor repairs or improvements that will enhance your home's appeal to potential home buyers. Preparing your Sacramento home for sale doesn't have to break the bank. In my experience helping Sacramento sellers prepare their homes for sale, here are the top 10 budget-friendly upgrades that can help you maximize your home's value and make it more enticing to prospective buyers. 

As a note -- as you work through the to-do list to prepare your home for sale, maintain a running record of what you have done to add to your property disclosures. Also, it is worth mentioning that while these cosmetic improvements go a long way to help your home visually appeal to buyers, I strongly recommend performing some pre-listing inspections as well for the sake of disclosure -- I wrote a separate post about that. I welcome your call (916-342-1372) if you have any questions and to see if we are a fit to work together. I also have a full slate of professionals who can assist in tackling a lot of pre-listing to-do's.

(1) Deep Cleaning: Let's start with the basics. A sparkling clean home is just flat out more appealing to home buyers. At the most basic level, roll up your sleeves and thoroughly clean the house. Consider hiring a professional cleaning service to tackle those hard-to-reach spots and ensure your home is spotless for showings. 

(2) Declutter and Depersonalize: A seller client I recently met with said she was going to try to make her home look like an "AirBnb" unit - stylishly minimalist. This is the perfect way to think about it. Decluttering is really key and costs little to nothing just to pack and put things away (something you will need to do anyway eventually) -- or you might even make a few bucks if you have a garage sale. Less is more. Remove excess furniture and personal items, or rearrange furniture if necessary -- creating a clean, open space that allows buyers to envision their own belongings in the home. 

(3) Refresh Interior Paint: A fresh coat of paint can work wonders in transforming the look and feel of your home. It is usually not necessary to paint the entire interior of a home. Typically I would suggest focusing on high-traffic areas and possibly neutralizing loud colors -- painting rooms entirely white is actually the trend at the moment and will create a crisp, clean look. If you think just a simple touch-up may work well, test a small area first and let it dry before you invest a lot of time with touch-up. Oftentimes touch-up will be more work than just repainting an entire wall and may look muddled or worse than before. 

(4) Enhance Curb Appeal: First impressions matter. Spend some effort to improve your home's curb appeal. A fresh coat of paint on the exterior of the front door or on the front window trim goes a long way to brighten things up. Planting colorful flowers, trimming overgrown bushes, and adding a fresh layer of mulch to your garden beds can significantly enhance your home's exterior. 

(5) Touch-Up Exterior Landscape: In addition to curb appeal, invest in small landscaping projects like trimming trees, mowing the lawn, and filling in any bare spots with grass seed. A well-maintained yard adds value. 

(6) Update Plugs and Switches: Replace your dingy almond colored light switches and plugs with new white ones. The before and after appearance will really shock you (pun intended). 

(7) Replace Fixtures: Replacing outdated light fixtures, faucets, or doorknobs and hinges can give your home a more modern and cohesive look. You'd be surprised how much of a difference this can make. 

(8) Minor Kitchen Updates: While a kitchen remodel can be costly, there are budget-friendly ways to refresh this crucial selling point. Consider painting or restaining cabinets, updating cabinet door and drawer hardware, or adding a backsplash for a more contemporary look. 

(9) Repair Leaks and Drips: Fix any leaky faucets or running toilets. Do not forget to look at your exterior hose bibs and sprinkler heads as well. These minor plumbing issues may seem insignificant but can signal to buyers that there are larger maintenance problems lurking. Plumbing leaks can also be the cause of future damage, so best to knock those out as soon as you can anyway.

(10) Enhance Lighting: Nice ambient lighting can make your home feel more spacious and inviting. Replace burnt out bulbs with new ones. Replace old bulbs with brighter, energy-efficient ones, and consider adding inexpensive floor or table lamps in darker areas. Note -- ensure all of the bulbs in each room emit the same color temperature. "Soft White" tends to be warm and yellowish. However "Daylight" tends to has a more bluish tone. If you combine different colors in the same room, the lighting will be distracting to look at.

Preparing your Sacramento home for sale on a budget is entirely possible, and these 10 cost-effective strategic improvements are a great place to start. With a little time and effort, you can significantly increase your home's appeal to potential buyers and potentially raise its value. Ideally, sellers should strive to present a well-maintained, clean and inviting space. 

Featured in NPR's Marketplace for a story relating to what pandemic real estate trends will endure after the pandemic...

One of my clients and I were interviewed by NPR Marketplace reporter Matt Levin for a story that aired nationally yesterday. How has the COVID19 pandemic changed the housing market? There are numerous ways, however this segment mostly centered on use of technology to fuel buyer attention to listings. You can check out the broadcast here.

Of course, in the early days of the pandemic, we often found ourselves isolating at home, avoiding contact with others. Surfing home listings online was not a new thing, but in light of in-person home showings being more difficult and potentially unsafe to do, and open houses were literally illegal to conduct, more agents incorporated virtual tours into their marketing repertoire. This is something I have done to market my listings for years, but in the pandemic I noticed that virtual tours became more widely adopted. 

Some virtual tours are more sophisticated than others. The professional photographer I work with uses a really cool tool called a "Matterport" camera that captures 3D video of a home so you can virtually walk through it. It's super awesome. Others just do hand-held iphone walk-through videos posted to Youtube. But you get the idea. I do think home buyers and sellers alike will come to expect this sort of thing.

I have also noticed more "virtual staging" in listing photos. This is essentially photoshopped furniture into images of vacant rooms. You've probably seen this if you have looked through a lot of listings and not realized you were looking at virtual staging rather than real furniture. 

The way appraisals are performed has changed as well. That shift toward a "hybrid appraisal" had already started before the pandemic, however the "Stay-at-Home" orders fueled a rapid adoption of hybrid appraisals. In a hybrid appraisal, someone documents the condition of the property, and sends information and photos to an appraiser who then completes the analysis of value. The appraiser him/herself does not visit the property. In the pandemic, sometimes the homeowners themselves would supply information (this practice of the homeowner providing the info was mostly contained to the early months of the pandemic and has not continued)! Agents are also sometimes asked to supply that information. Most often now, it seems that a 3rd party is sent to the home to quickly take photographs and collect other details. Then an appraiser in an office somewhere else does the analysis. The result is the appraisals that are conducted in this manner are delivered faster. 

As a result, contractual timelines can be shortened. I do foresee these shortened timelines becoming more customary moving forward just because of the added convenience for everyone involved.

Anyway, listen to the broadcast and enjoy.

Pro Tip: use inexpensive lights and light timers to keep a vacant property secure

Occasionally I will list a vacant property, and my sellers will be jittery about the home's security during the time it is on the market. One quick and easy way to make a vacant home seem occupied is to install lights and on timers so that lights go on and off all night long. This gives the appearance that there is activity inside the house, and can be a strong deterrent for would-be troublemakers. These lights in the photos were about $7 and the timer devices were about $5 at a hardware store. A good investment!

2018 - review of my real estate transaction statistics and how I compare to Sacramento market averages...

I ended last year with a bang, and had a busy start to 2018. I can't believe the year is over already! And what a year it was...it was one of my busiest years ever in my 13+ years in Sacramento real estate and did so while finishing my master's degree.

I like to track the statistics of my transactions, and toward the year end I always reflect on what I have done, how I compare to the rest of the agents in the market, and how I can improve. So as a follow up to my similar post last year, I thought I would publish some statistics and my thoughts on the coming year. Keep in mind, I am not a part of a "team" and this is all my own production. This year, all of my transactions are in Metrolist MLS, so this information is easily verifiable (although one sale was erroneously attributed to me that is not included in here)...in 2018:

-I closed 36 transactions and closed $14,473,000 in volume. My lowest transaction was $190,000, and my highest transaction was $749,900. The average was $402,028 and the median was $376,050.
-41.67% of my transactions were past/repeat clients (which is amazing to me!) 58.33% were new clients.
-94.4% of my transactions were residential properties (condos, single family homes), 5.6% were multi-family properties (duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes), and 0 were other (commercial, land).
-58.3% of my transactions I represented the seller, while 41.61% of my transactions I represented the buyer.
-My typical residential listing sold for an average of 100.56% of its original listing price (meaning, 0.56% over the original listing price) in just 17 cumulative days on the market. The distinction of original and cumulative is important...original means even after a price reduction from the initial listing price, and cumulative means even if a property is re-listed or comes back on the market.
-My typical multi-family listing sold for an average of 108.7% of its original listing price (8.7% over the listing price) in just 2 cumulative days on the market.
-My typical listing had an average of 4.14 buyer offers on it! (For further disclosure though, one listing really skewed this statistic and had 23 offers on it alone...removing that one, then it becomes an average of 3.2 buyer offers)

Comparing my production statistics to the overall Sacramento real estate market averages, my clients and I had another stellar year.

For one, to qualify for the Sacramento Association of Realtors Masters Club, a realtor must close $5M in transaction volume and a minimum of 8 closed transactions. Clearly I blew those numbers out of the water. I would guess that with 36 closed transactions and nearly $14.5M in volume I am likely in the top 1-2% of all agents in greater Sacramento.

My clients are all over the spectrum from first-time buyers, move-up buyers (those who sell their home and then purchase another home), investors, sellers of property they inherited via a trust or probate, sellers retiring and moving out of the area, sellers divorcing, etc. My average and median transactions at $402,028 and $376,050 are basically in line with the average and median home prices in the Sacramento region according to Trendgraphix data. My high and low range indicates I work with a broad economic client spectrum as well, from those working with downpayment assistance to those among top-income earners in the region. I closed just one short sale listing in 2018, and I also did list one foreclosure/bank repo. Distressed properties are a very small part of the marketplace right now though 5 or so years ago they were the bulk of my transactions.

My listing statistics are also excellent...according to Trendgraphix for Sacramento County, the lowest average days on market for a single family listing in the last 14 months was 23 days on market (with a high of 41 days on market), versus my listings at 17 cumulative days on market. My original listing price versus final selling price ratio is also outstanding as my listings sell for 100.56% above original listing price on average, versus the highest month of the last 14 months at 100% (lowest at 96%). I think these numbers are indicative of my strategic approach to listing property -- complete with pre-listing inspections, staging, repairs, professional photography, 3D virtual tours, TV ads, and multi-faceted marketing.

Comparing 2017 to 2018, the market went from crazy nuts to a little more balanced between buyer and seller. This, as far as I am concerned, is a welcome change and brings a slightly more equitable transaction between buyer and seller. Sellers need to price according to the market, and buyers won't have to offer their first born to actually have their offers accepted.

 It is a good thing for buyers not to be faced with such intense competition from other buyers -- though don't get me wrong: properly marketed, appropriately priced, good homes still sell with plenty of competition and offers.

Of course I hope to improve these numbers this year in 2019...so we shall see how that shapes up! If you think we would be a good fit to work together toward your next property sale or purchase, I welcome your contact via phone or email.

Tips for storing items in your home while preparing to sell...

When I meet with potential home sellers, frequently sellers ask me how best to prepare the home for photography and showings. Often, sellers are inclined to remove belongings from the home and just cram every closet full of stuff. Or they throw everything into the garage or the basement. While this is an adequate solution to thinning out what is inside the home, homeowners must be strategic and intentional about how items are stored. While readying the house for photography and showings is super important, filling every spare nook and cranny in your home can really hamper a buyer's ability to do inspections or appraisal. So here I offer a few tips when it comes to storing items.

Tip #1: If filling your garage or basement with items, arrange things neatly in the center of the space. If you stack things up against the walls, you create "inaccessible areas" for termite and home inspectors. Most astute buyer's agents will request you make these areas accessible visually and physically, so if you pile boxes and furniture up against the walls, you will end up creating more work for yourself and just have to move items again later. If you arrange things neatly in the center with an accessible walkway around the perimeter (like in the photo), this is the best way to leave the garage or basement accessible for inspection.

Tip #2: If filling closets, be sure not to stack items on top of a crawl-space access door. Often in homes with raised foundations, the access to the crawl-space is in the floor of a closet. Termite and home inspectors must be able to have access to the sub-area of the home. Depending on the buyer's loan type, appraisers need crawl-space access too. So please do not send everyone on a hunt for access to the underside of the home by covering it. Inspectors and agents will not move items from a closet to create accessibility.

Tip #3: Again, if filling closets, be sure not to block attic access doors. Often, attic access doors are also in closet ceilings and sellers tend to stack items so high that the attic door is blocked. If there is an upper shelf installed blocking access to the attic door, you should remove it to provide unobstructed access. Again, inspectors and some appraisers will need access to the attic.

Tip #4: Have a garage sale and get rid of items! Selling and moving can be a great time to purge unused or unwanted items. Rather than stash things in the garage or closet, if you have time on your side have a garage sale so you don't end up storing or moving stuff you won't use.

Tip #5: Get a storage unit. You will need to pack things up to move them into your next home anyway. I know, I know...you aren't excited to move things twice. But you probably have a friend with a truck who can help you remove things from the house completely. I have a truck and occasionally have helped my clients relocate items as well. Just sayin'.

Most people do not roll out of bed one day and decide to sell their homes, so with a little planning and strategy you can make things easier on yourself...

New flooring and fresh paint can be a huge improvement and help maximize your selling price when preparing a home for sale...

Often, I list property for clients where the home has been occupied for many years and then is vacated before the listing goes on the market. Perhaps the seller purchased another home first, moved out, and then listed the home. Or in other scenarios, the property was occupied by tenants who did not leave the home in stellar condition. Whatever the case, sometimes after a long term occupant, a vacant home will not look or smell its best.

Case in point: in an upcoming investment property listing, the tenants vacated the property after living there 8 years. I viewed the property while the tenants were still living there and thought to myself that once they moved out the unit would probably just need a deep cleaning and would ready for market. It became clear after they moved out though, that the unit needed more than a deep cleaning. Their possessions masked the rips and stains in the carpet, and there was a distinct pet odor that remained. Also, after 8 years the white walls were really dingy. 

My sellers live out of the area, so I met my go-to contractor at the home and he bid replacing the flooring and repainting the interior, among a few other repairs. The before and after differences are amazing! The unit is now ready for occupancy, whether by a new owner occupant or new tenant. 

It does not always make sense to make improvements to a home before listing it though...depending on numerous variables, such as the target buyer for the property, overall condition of the home, the location of the property, and overall market conditions, a seller might be better off selling the property in its current condition. I of course help advise my clients accordingly. It is my goal to maximize the return on any pre-sale repairs or improvements, and sometimes that means it does not make sense to do much, if anything. Or, as in this case, spending some money up-front should yield a three-fold return on the investment with a much higher selling price. 

Why I hire a professional photographer for my listings...

Recently I was with a professional photographer at one of my listings as we were readying it to hit the market, and just for fun I decided to take a couple photos of the house myself just to compare to the professional pics side-by-side. There's no comparison: my photographs are lame. The lighting is inconsistent, there is this bleary quality around the windows, the composition is not ideal, and the rooms totally look small.

The professional photographers I hire to shoot my listings are amazing. It is SO critically important in marketing a home to have amazing photos -- we want a buyer to emotionally connect with a home before they ever set foot inside. Good photos generate excitement, and excitement generates lots of showings, and lots of showings generates offers.

How not to stage a vacant home...

Here is a solid example of how NOT to stage a vacant home. Because no matter how much you dress up a crappy card table and folding chairs, it will still look like a crapping card table and folding chairs, randomly slapped down in the middle of a room.

Staging should help buyers visualize use of space. Not give them fodder to belittle the house.

Heirs: please do not throw out home maintenance records if you find them...

I listed a Sacramento home recently where the owner passed away earlier this year. The person selling the home is the "successor trustee" of the owner's Living Trust -- the niece of the owner. She came out from Texas to go through the house, clean it out and get it ready for sale.

I visited the house the other day as they were packing items up to move and getting ready for a huge garage sale, and the niece handed me a box. Looking inside, I discovered the owner retained records for EVERYTHING. And by everything, I mean everything. Every appliance she purchased, service records for maintenance, extended warranty information and more dating back nearly 40 years.

We were able to purge a little of it -- for example the central heat and air system she installed in the 1980s was replaced just a few years ago. And the coffee maker she bought in 1996 was being sold in a garage sale and not coming with the house.

Homes that are sold by the successor trustees of a living trust where the owner has passed away or become incapacitated are exempt from many of the typical disclosures given to buyers during a home sale. Often, successor trustees have never occupied the home and don't know pertinent information about the home. If you are ever in the position to have to sell the home of a deceased person via a probate estate or a living trust PLEASE do not throw out these records if you find them while sorting out the affairs of the estate. This sort of cache of information is absolutely invaluable to the new owner.

Quoted in an article in Sactown Magazine about listing strategies in the current Sacramento real estate market...

In this month's Sactown Magazine I was quoted extensively about the Sacramento real estate market. In many areas and price ranges, the market conditions favor sellers. As such, it is imperative when listing a property to employ strategies that will maximize exposure to buyers, maximize disclosure to potential buyers, and maximize net proceeds...and minimize surprises.

Surprises are expensive, and they may cost a seller big-time when conditions are discovered mid-transaction. I wrote a blog post about disclosure versus discovery a couple years ago. You might think -- "oh but this is a seller's market so why would I need to do anything like that?"

The very best advice I can give a home seller to maximize selling price and net proceeds is to obtain pre-listing inspections for the property, and disclose the reports to potential buyers in advance, BEFORE responding to any offers. With our current Sacramento real estate market favoring sellers, it is most advantageous for sellers to disclose as much as possible in advance -- when the home goes on the market -- so that buyers may make informed purchasing decisions while they are still in competition with other buyers. Often times, with the heat of the market, while competing with other buyers, many buyers will offer to buy the property as-is with full knowledge of the findings of the reports.

That is the key...while buyers are still competing with other buyers...because often once the seller accepts an offer and the house is marked pending, most buyers move on and get excited about other property. Alternatively, if sellers do not disclose inspection reports up front, and then buyers complete their own inspections a few weeks into the transaction and discover issues not previously disclosed, this provides the opportunity for a secondary negotiation which often leads to price concessions or seller-paid repairs.

Sellers -- to maximize your net proceeds: disclose, disclose, disclose. I provide my sellers with a few key pre-listing inspection reports as a part of my listing services at no added expense (in addition to many other things). I can not tell you how many times these reports have earned or saved my clients tens of thousands of dollars.

Sacramento Ranked 6th Hottest Housing Market in United States

Realtor Magazine today ranked Sacramento the 6th Hottest Housing Market in the country, which is up one notch from 7th last month. In fact, six of the top ten markets are in California. This is not at all surprising, since the market is hitting its spring fever time of the year. There are A LOT of buyers in the market, and not nearly enough homes to satisfy the demand. My listings are getting multiple offers and selling above their listing prices. I attribute that not only to the heat of the market, but also to my stellar property marketing that involves staging, professional photography, virtual tours, and all kinds of other cool stuff. And I am advising my buyers on how to strategically craft their offers to stand out from the other ones, without going too crazy on price. Anyway, if you are interested to know how much your Sacramento home might sell for, click here and I am happy to provide you with an analysis. And if you are looking to buy a home, click here and I am happy to set up a custom portal for you that will notify you of new listings that match your search criteria. Happy spring!

Don't be "That Cross House" -- remove potentially distracting decor when preparing your home for sale...

I have long advocated for staging homes for sale so they show well and buyers can see the home in its most favorable condition...and while you may love your wall of all the crosses you have collected for years, often times this sort of décor is a little distracting to buyers. It may turn some people off if they are not religious, make the room look unnecessarily darker or smaller than it is, or buyers might label your house "that cross house" when referring to it later and forget all of the great things about it. I bring my go-to stager into my upcoming listings before they go onto the market so that she can make recommendations. In this room, she advised the seller to remove the crosses and thin out the furnishings, and pack them up for her future move. She did, and it made a huge difference in the feel of the room. She made similar changes in the rest of the house. And ultimately, this home got 4 offers on it in just a few days on the market, and sold for $10,000 over the listing price. A little strategic preparation can pay off big time.

Is your house a 1970's throwback? A small investment in neutralizing the decor may payoff for home sellers...

Often times I list property for folks who have lived in their homes for decades, or for a family who inherited property from long-term owners. Homes that have been well loved and well lived-in are often in good shape structurally, however cosmetically they tend to be a little dated. Sometimes it makes sense for the sellers to invest a little money in neutralizing some of these things before selling a home.

It doesn't always make sense to make improvements to a home before putting it on the market though. Depending on numerous variables, such as the target market buyer for a property, the overall condition of the home, the location, and just how pervasive the cosmetic dating is will play into what, if anything, it makes sense to improve.

These are options that I review with the sellers so that they get the most bang for the buck -- flooring and paint tend to get a really good return on the investment, and generally spending a few thousand dollars yields a much higher return in property value and a higher selling price. The home will photograph better, and have a more wide appeal to the target market with neutral colors, and will ultimately be more turn-key for the new owner.

After strategizing different ideas with the sellers of this particular property shown in the photos, they decided it was worth the investment to scrape the wallpaper, paint the walls, replace the shag carpet, and replace the vinyl flooring.

Not every seller has the resources to do improvements to a home before selling it, and not all improvements will have a positive return, but generally neutralizing a property with very distinct outdated décor will payoff.

I have a full slate of contractors and suppliers who can assist as well. Often times folks who are selling homes under these circumstances live or have relocated outside of the Sacramento area, and I have lots of experience helping to get bids and facilitate this work from afar.

Ditch that old Toilet for one that conserves water...

Did you know that the State of California offers a rebate program for replacing old toilets with water conserving units? They do! The California Department of Water Resources will rebate up to $100 per household for the purchase and installation of one qualified "high-efficiency" toilet (aka, one that flushes 1.28 gallons or less). To qualify for the rebate, a homeowner must replace a low-efficiency toilet (aka, one that flushes more than 1.6 gallons). There are hundreds of different toilets that qualify as high-efficiency in many different styles.

There is limited funding for this rebate program, however it still has a couple million dollars available! To get started, visit the "Save Our Water Rebates" website. There is a brief online application and FAQ section...this is a nice way to modernize your bathroom and to help save water! Or at least get rid of that man-eating toilet.