Kim’s Design Guide: Updates to Make Before Selling a House In Seattle

Are you curious what my advice is to my sellers on the updates they need to make before selling a house? There is a reason why the homes I list sell faster and for more money than the competition. The secret sauce is my design aesthetic. In fact, I had a stager tell me “I know now why they call you the Diva” after I asked her to change out a dining room table that didn’t go with the aesthetic of the home.

My Design Philosophy To Sell Homes in Seattle

Every home needs to be aspirational!

My goal isn’t to chase trends or make every home ubiquitously grey and white. Blah! No I want buyers to walk into one of my listings aka Diva Dwellings and ask themselves “How do I make this house mine?” And no I am not asking my clients to fully renovate their homes. Instead I am using color, light fixtures, paint, and minor updates to create a whole vibe. You could call it the Diva Vibe!

Hi, I’m Kim V. Colaprete, Managing Broker and founder of Team Diva Real Estate here in Seattle. For over 25 years I have been specializing in helping sellers who have unique luxury homes and mid-century properties sell their home for top dollar. The way I do this is by by bringing a very clear vision to each home I list to make sure it stands out above all of the other homes.

I am going to take you behind the scenes and give you the inside secrets of the updates I have my sellers make to their mid-century modern homes or unique luxury properties. I have been doing this for over 25 years in the Seattle real estate market and I have to say I know what makes people want to clamour to a house.

My Design Guide: Updates to Make Before Selling a House

The five things I always look at when our team starts to make updates to a home before we put it on the market are as follows:

Paint – Interior and Exterior
Changing Out The Light Fixtures
Updating The Flooring
Minor Cosmetic Updates
Improving On The Landscaping

These core five items are always circling in my head when I do an initial walkthrough with a seller. I’m constantly asking myself “What is going to make this home aspirational?” Once I have a vision the team gets to work making this vision become a reality.

With every single one of my home listings, my goal is always to make the home feel aspirational. We want buyers to feel drawn to the space and to be grabbed emotionally by the home, both online AND in person. To snag the biggest pool of buyers, it’s also critical that your home be move-in ready. That said, this does not mean completely remodeled. In fact, a well-maintained, move-in ready home that has room for cosmetic updates and improvements is a plus for many buyers.

Kim’s Process For Preparing a Design-Forward Home for Today’s Most Discerning Buyers

Here are my go-to tips for making your home look aspirational without breaking the bank on a remodel.

Number 1: Fresh Paint Both Inside and Outside

When deciding which updates to make when selling your homes, fresh paint is a must for most homes. And while some tone of white is an easy choice, adding pops of color here and there increase the drama of your home. This might include a brightly painted front door, a moody bedroom, or cool cabinet colors. The time of characterless white, gray, and beige homes are gone. Color is in, so use it to grab a buyers’ attention both online and in person. Some of my favorite color options include: Fireball Orange by Benjamin Moore, Cinnamon Slate by Benjamin Moore, Black Martini by Tonester, and Liquorice by Farrow and Ball.

Number 2: Update that Dated Lighting (AKA No BOOB Lights!)

Lighting is a critical part of presenting a home. Dated, broken, generic light fixtures are far from aspirational. They make a home feel tired, ignored, and generally just blah. However, updating light fixtures does not mean blowing a wad of cash on every light. Go for simple, modern, and modest fixtures in most places and then pick one or two standouts for places like a dining room or a primary bath. And remember the Diva Motto: Just Say NO to BOOB Lights!

A Few Guides To Help Better Understand Kim’s Design Philosophy

Kim’s Pet Peeve: Bad Lighting!

Number 3: Update the Flooring

In my world, updating the flooring primarily means getting rid of any old carpeting and either adding new carpeting or new engineered hardwood flooring. Old carpets in a house mean dirt and lingering smells, which never help sell a home! Fresh carpeting means any new buyer doesn’t have to feel compelled to spend thousands of dollars on new flooring before they move in. Which is a plus for you! This also means replacing any ripped or worn vinyl flooring, and replacing any cracked or damaged tile flooring whenever possible.

Number 4: Minor Cosmetic Updates

There are some minor cosmetic updates that consistently move the needle without overdoing it. Beyond paint, flooring, and lights, there are other minor home updates that could take your home from blah to boom without a massive remodel. Some simple examples are updating old, dated, or worn pulls on kitchen and bath cabinetry, replacing old grubby door knobs, replacing old front door hardware, and updating that 1990s bath faucet. And of course, updating worn or non-matching kitchen appliances is a huge plus.

A Few Blogs To Help You On Your Journey

Number 5: Improving the Landscaping

Curb appeal is everything, and landscaping is a huge part of curb appeal. Even in a condo building or townhouse complex! While landscaping can easily break the bank, there are ways to fluff your yard without doing a massive overhaul. Basic mowing, trimming, pruning, and mulching are easy and inexpensive. Beautifully designed planters are also a great addition since they add color and drama, AND you can move them to your new home once the house is sold.

Why This Approach to Updates to Make Before Selling a House Works for Seattle Sellers

The Diva Difference is Team Diva’s signature 3-step process for listing homes. This includes:

Fix what’s broken
Make it pretty.
Market the heck out of it!

This is the formula for ensuring your Seattle home sells for top dollar. We’ve had huge success with this process for our clients, which we first crafted back during the Great Recession when homes weren’t settling. We tested our process during initial Pandemix lockdowns. And with every market shift since, our the updates we make before selling a house contribute to Diva Dwellings outperforming the competition.

More Information To Help You Understand Kim’s Unique Approach To Selling Stunning Homes

What Is The Diva Difference?

Thanks For Checking Out My Design Guide To Updates to Make Before Selling a House

Our blog is absolutely brimming with resources for selling your home. Here are just a few of our guides for listing your home in Seattle:

Kim’s Pet Peeves – Bad Lighting
How Long Does It Take To Prepare A Home For Sale
What Does It Take To Prepare A Unique Home To Sell in Seattle
Download our Guide “How to Sell a Home in Seattle”
Read the very detailed blog “Guide to Selling a Home in Seattle”
Make Your Home Pretty With our Home Sale Prep List
What Type of Renovations Will Help Me Sell My Home?
Fix What’s Broken – The Team Diva Method
Check out our guide “Staging Your Home Will Help You Make More Money”
Read our guide “How Much Does it Cost To Prepare My Home For Sale”
Watch Kim’s Video About Each Step You Need to Know About Selling a Home in Seattle
Have Our Sellers Guide Sent to Your Inbox Tap here to download our home seller’s Guide >

Are you looking for a Diva’s perspective to help you sell your unique Seattle home? Call me directly at 206-850-3102 or send me an email at kim@teamdivarealestate.com to chat!