Brian Vogt: Welcome back everyone to Ready, Set, Sold. I am your host Bryan Vogt. Just so you know what we’re talking about today, is updating the right things makes you thousands and updating the wrong things costs you thousands. Well, now we’re going to be talking about the kitchens and bathrooms. Again, what improvements that you need to do, and what you maybe don’t need to do. One of the things that comes to mind quite often is it could be simple as doing these neutral colors, neutral colors. That’s fine.
But it’s never a bad idea to bring professionals in. People that you can know and can trust that are going to do a good job. They’re going to steer you the right way. It actually makes the whole process much, much easier, being in real estate. Being able to bring in somebody that has that type of not only skill but understanding of what you’re trying to do when you’re trying to sell your house. Could be extremely important and valuable.
On the line right now on the phone, I’ve got Jeremy Thompson of Integrity Renovation and Construction. He has been doing this forever. He’s got 20 years plus of carpentry. I mean, there’s not too many things that Jeremy can’t do. He has his companies in Columbia. Also on the phone I have Marla Vogt. She is no relation. Or, she is no early relation, meaning we’re not cousins or whatever. We might be 17 removed or whatever, but Marla Vogt also has a company. That is … Marla, why don’t you just tell me what it is instead of me trying to read it badly?
Marla Vogt: It’s Above and Beyond Design by Marla.
Brian Vogt: Right. Columbia, IL. They’re located in Columbia, IL. Marla again, I mean, she basically, I got to talk to her yesterday actually. We were talking about, she’s born into this. I mean, her dad was in construction. She’s been doing this probably for close to two decades of some level or another as far as design, helping people getting what they need to do. Not only in the sale of their home, and both these people work also, but look, if you want to just enjoy your home right now, and design your home right now. That’s a great thing too.
They have dual purposes. They can help you when you’re looking to move and get your house on the market, but they can also help you “Hey you’re going to be staying here for awhile.” There’s nothing wrong with that. They’re great people to know, great people to contact. With that being said, Marla, you had a great story and we talked about it off the air yesterday. But I hear it kind of sums up how important kitchens are. Even we talked about counter tops. If you could maybe relay that story that you told me.
Marla Vogt: Sure. We really are, and I know with the virtual tours that you put on the computer now, and everybody looks at that first, probably before even going to look at a house to see if I’m even interested in this. A lot of times just by the looks and colors have a lot to do with it. If they see “Oh look at that blue countertop. I don’t even want to go look at that house.” That was what was happening in a home here in Columbia. It was a beautiful home. Very … In a very nice subdivision. At the time blue counter tops were great, fine. Maybe the choice then. But it was causing people to not even consider the home.
I went in, and suggested a low priced granite. Venetian gold. It’s a very nice, neutral. They didn’t want to spend a lot, obviously because they were sort of frustrated about putting money into the home and not living there. Having to do this just to sell the home. They weren’t sure it was the right decision. They went ahead and did it, and after one day, one day after the counter tops were in and they showed the home it was sold. They were ecstatic then. Even though he was disappointed in the beginning thinking “Oh I don’t want to spend this.” It was say $5,000 to replace the counter tops. He was pretty happy at the end for sure.
Brian Vogt: I love that story because it hits on so many elements that we’re talking about today. That is that look, updates, you have to make the right updates. Again, look, maybe your house isn’t needing that type of upgrade as far as those type of counter tops, but it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have some need for an update. An upgrade. We don’t want to over do it. We don’t have to have granite counter tops in a $150,000 home, but when it needs it, it needs it.
It can have that dramatic of an effect. Yes, you have $5000, but there’s also the cost of having your house on the market. That could be $2,000. Higher end homes it could be $3,000 a month. The true cost of interest payments, of taxes, of utilities, of insurance. All those things add up.
I love that story and I love the fact is that you talked about the neutral. You still have that understanding of making things neutral, but you can still make things work. I love that because that’s the kind of professionals that you want to work with. When you call someone in, they have to have a grasp of what is going on. Understanding the situation, just as with a realtor should, but you as a seller.
I love that motto, the story that you told there because it shows not only the expertise that you have, not only the skills that you have, but the understanding of how it can work. Doesn’t mean that you put new counter tops in that you’re going to have that for the day. We’re not guaranteeing that. But you’d be surprised how many times that does happen, so I love that. One other story too while I have you here is about coloring. You talked, one, about people picking out colors. Especially in kitchens.
Marla Vogt: Yeah. I do paint consulting a lot, and one of the tips that I tell people if they’re looking to repaint or do something and they say “Oh I like yellows.” I use that for an example. I don’t think people use yellow as much as they were because grays are so hot right now, but I would say that what I was explaining is yellow, if yellow is something you want to consider, it needs to be on the sample. It needs to look almost just like the color of butter.
So lightly. So pale yellow, because when yellow gets on the wall, just a touch of yellow is so vibrant. It does. It ends up if you think “Oh, this is a really pretty yellow paint here.” It’s going to end up looking like the school bus on your wall. That is a big no no. You’re going to walk in there, or your buyer is going to go “Oh my gosh. I maybe can’t even see past these bright yellow awful walls.”
As far as the grays, my tip on that is to look for a gray that really is more in the [greige 07:31], I say greige family. Beige gray. Because grays also pull purple and they pull blue, so something that you think is a nice gray on that sample can really be pretty shocking. You can feel like “Oh no, I’ve messed up. Now I’ve painted this entire room that looks very blue instead of gray.”
Brian Vogt: Sure. I love that story too. I tell you this segment, we’re running out of time here. We’re going to be talking to Jeremy in the next segment also. He’s got some great tips. We’re talking about bathrooms and some other things you can do, but I love that story again that you told because again, those colors can change. We have seen that, where someone thinks that they have a gray and now they have an entire blue house and that’s not necessarily the direction that you want to take. Especially if it’s a little bit darker gray, as you say, can make it look purple.
Now all of a sudden, you got to redo everything. That gives another reason why bring in a professional like you is so important to resist having to pay that additional money that you didn’t have to pay. Getting it done right the first time.
Marla Vogt: Absolutely.
Brian Vogt: Yeah. Thanks much. With that, I’m going to say we’ll be back after short messages. You’re listening to Ready,
Ready Set Sold with Bryan Vogt #04-02: Marla Vogt & Jeremy Thompson: What is a Must in Updating
June 17, 2017