Readying for Relocation

Rob and Angela Gomes want to sell their California split-level home so they can move back east where they grew up. Angela bought the two-bedroom, two-bath home nearly four years ago. In that time, the couple has renovated nearly every square foot of the home, but there are just a few areas, inside and out that still need work.

Real estate expert Donna Freeman pays a visit to determine where the work needs to be done. She loves the bright-red front door and thinks the home’s front exterior is wonderful. At first, her tour of the house turns up nothing wrong, that is until she sees both bathrooms. She says the lower-level bathroom is awful –– it looks like it belongs in a cheap restaurant in a strip mall. The home’s upper-level bathroom has a dated color scheme and worn fixtures. It needs to be updated to match the rest of the home’s modern style. Finally, Freeman takes a look at the back patio. Seeing the dead plants, dirty furniture and unpainted concrete make her feel like she has crawled into a landfill.

Designer Lisa LaPorta takes Freeman’s critique into consideration and devises a $2,000 plan to make this home completely buyer-ready.

Step 1: Make the downstairs bathroom look like a cozy retreat, not a public restroom.

Step 2: In the upstairs bathroom, reglaze the tub, repaint the walls and replace the vanity.

Step 3: Clear away the weeds and brush in the backyard then add some greenery and new patio furniture.

Carpenters Deus Scott and Steve Hanneman are the skilled duo who will get the job done.