Most sellers know that buyers are attracted to homes that are spotlessly clean, well-maintained and tastefully decorated. Sometimes the seller can't make the extra effort to prepare the home for showing. Some real estate listings are being sold to settle estates or by someone who has been transferred unexpectedly and didn't have time to complete the necessary cosmetic repairs. Homes that need work are often exceptional values.

When a real estate agent shows you a house that needs help, try to imagine how it would look with new carpet, a fresh coat of paint and your furniture settled inside. Because the condition and overall appeal of a house have such an impact on the selling price, "fixer-uppers" are often priced lower than comparable homes. If the home is structurally sound and has updated systems, a small investment of "elbow grease" and paint could make it look fabulous.

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Christina Danley
Sotheby's International Realty
200 Clocktower Suite 100D
Carmel, CA 93923
Cell: 831-601-5355
Fax: 831-855-0210
christina.danley@sothebyshomes.com

Christina Danley ranked in the top 5% for all Monterey Peninsula Sotheby's Real Estate Agents in 2009, and top 20% for 2008. Christina has been a broker associate since 1987. Christina earned the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designation, which distinguishes a higher level of education in real estate and a professional affiliation affording up-to-the-minute industry information and local market knowledge. She is the proud receiver of the John Leo Award, in recognition of top sales volume within the Monterey County Association of Realtors, for 1998. She holds a lifetime limited service credential for California Community Colleges and was honored with the Papa Vince award for excellence in hospitality.