Selling in the Suburbs

Homeowners Steve and Wendee Goles realized how much they miss the city after leaving it to make a life in the suburbs. Now, they want to pack up the kids and move back to the hustle and bustle of Chicago. They love their two-bedroom, one-bath cottage home; they wish they could just pick up the house and move it into the city. But, that’s not possible, so the Designed to Sell team is here to help them get it sold.

Real estate expert Brandie Malay is the first to arrive to assess the home’s selling potential. She thinks the Victorian-cottage-style exterior is adorable. However, upon entering the home she finds herself at a loss for words when she sees all the clutter. In the living room, Malay thinks buyers will have a hard time seeing the home’s charm underneath all the mess. What was once a spare bedroom is now a passageway to the upstairs. It is filled bedroom furniture and even more clutter. Malay strongly advises giving the room clearly-defined purpose. She is impressed by the large square footage in the attic bedroom, but feels the slanted walls and low ceiling are preventing it from being anything other than a kid’s room.

Designer Monica Pedersen agrees with Malay’s negative findings and has a $2,000 plan that will turn them positive selling features.

Step 1: Edit the furniture in the living room and clear out the clutter.

Step 2: Add value to the home by giving the messy passageway a distinct function.

Step 3: Turn the attic bedroom into a master suite instead of a kid’s suite.

Robert North and Chad Lopez are the Designed to Sell team members with the all the right carpentry skills and power tools to get the job done.