While many homeowners and real estate investors are hunkering down in freezing weather and simultaneously putting their home improvement plans for the season on hold, those in better climates like Southern California are warming up to renovate their outdoor areas.
Upgrading outdoor areas can be one of the best home improvement projects for those flipping houses in San Diego, CA. Improving outdoor spaces can add masses of curb appeal and perceived value with a great ROI, and don’t have to disrupt life indoors during the holidays.
So for San Diego, California homeowners, Realtors and investors that have been considering sprucing up the outdoors or staging homes and want to ensure their efforts are maximized, what are some of the most important tips for success?
1. Trending Spaces
While many luxury home flippers and owners have been investing in sports facilities and home offices, one of the hottest trends is in ‘spiritual spaces.’ These can be easy to set up outdoor Zen gardens or yoga pavilions. Each can dramatically improve perceived value and trigger emotional offers, while delivering a great ROI.
2. Easy Maintenance
There are many lavish ideas for making-over outdoor areas and landscaping. However, bigger and more extravagant isn’t always better when it comes to selling a house. One of the issues with installing exotic trees and fauna is maintenance. This can be incredibly time consuming and financially demanding. For most, the dramatically more expensive doesn’t look much different than less expensive options.
3. Go Easy on the Decorations
Some homes may be sold on the back of their over-the-top holiday decorations. Yet, this is likely to be very few, while more can be put off with wild décor and thousands of feet of holiday lights. As with marketing or staging, it is better to limit personalization and leave as clean a slate as possible for prospects to use their own imaginations. So do decorate, just go easy.
4. Do the Math on Swimming Pools Carefully
Swimming pools can be a huge hit, especially in Southern California. There is nothing quite as cool for those from out of the area to be able to spend the holidays by the pool. Pools have long been considered one of the best investments when upgrading properties too. However, they are not cheap or fast to put in. Do the math carefully. Could a fire pit or built in BBQ accomplish the same objective?
5. Timing
Building on the above, watch the timing. This can be a hectic and frustrating time of year to get anything done. Some may find it easier and faster, as contractors are eager for work and may have less of it. However, make sure they have a reputation for delivering on time and delays won’t derail your sales efforts.
6. Budget
Always anticipate having to go over budget, or at least know where you can cut.
7. Show it Off
Don’t keep your magnificent outdoor makeovers a secret. Take plenty of high quality pictures and get them online and use them to update listings.
