Real Advice from Justin Schembri, Victoria REALTOR®
We are fortunate to have a phenomenal network of professionals here in Victoria to help us provide excellent advice and support to the homeowners in our community. We recently chatted with Justin Schembri, a talented real estate advisor with Engel & Völkers Vancouver Island. Justin shared his thoughts about a home renovation from a trusted professional — like MAC Reno Design Build — and how it affects your home, whether you’re looking at listing it soon or planning to keep it for as long as you want.
MAC: Should you renovate before you list?
Justin: “It depends on where the consumer is in their life and who they envision buying their home. Do they want to take four or five months to complete a renovation and then sell the house? Or do they need to sell their house now? Buying and selling a family home is an emotional process. They should discuss it with a real estate professional and determine who they want to buy their home. Are they looking for just anybody who comes through to buy it? If that’s the case, then yes, skip the reno and put the house on the market as-is. But if you’re looking for a specific person to continue to love your family home, then invest in your space and spice it up with a renovation.”
One quick way to add value to your home is to build energy-saving solutions into your next renovation – chat with MAC about an energy assessment to upgrade your home for comfort and value.
MAC: What should you do to get your home ready to sell?
Justin: “Cleaning up or updating the kitchens, bathrooms, floors, paint, and landscaping all go a long way to helping the home sell to the person you want to buy it. There’s a lot of psychology involved with home buying, construction, and renovations, and landscaping helps make that positive first impression. When your house is for sale, people will drive by whether they’re with a real estate agent or not, so that immediate curb appeal will play on those emotions. If your yard looks terrible, but the inside of your house is gorgeous, the first thing people will remember is the big pile of junk, not your amazing interior.”
MAC: Where should you start?
Justin: “Start with beautification and decluttering. I’ve sold places that had a bit of a hoarder situation, and they still sold because a good real estate agent can help you see beyond the clutter and appreciate what’s underneath, but that consumer who can see the hidden beauty of a home buried beneath the chaos is rare. Some people can view a character or heritage home — a place built in 1902 that’s full of someone else’s passions and projects — and picture the home minus the clutter. They can see all that old, rough-cut timber and the woodworking details of a home built in that era. But that’s a hard person to find: they’re one in a thousand.”
MAC: Which renovations add the most value to a home?
Justin: “Kitchens and bathrooms are pretty much the best investment in your home: a modernized kitchen and simplified, minimalistic bathrooms can help you enjoy the space while you’re still living there and provide value to the next family when you’re ready to make a change.”
“The first thing a person considering a renovation should ask themselves is, ‘Will my renovation appeal to the people coming in after us, or am I over-customizing to meet my needs?’”
MAC: Are there any renovations that might decrease the value of a home?
Justin: “I had the pleasure of working at MAC when I was younger, and I saw a lot of projects that had been completed by the homeowners or other builders. These were projects tailored to individual tastes but didn’t necessarily add value to the home, especially for future buyers. For people considering a renovation, the first thing they should ask themselves is, ‘Will my renovation appeal to the people coming in after us, or am I over-customizing to meet my needs?’
“One example of over-customizing was a renovation where the client wanted a bunk bed built into his wall. We created a space that was cave-like: a little den that you had to crawl into. This was something that appeals only to that specific homeowner. Decisions like that don’t typically add value, because when you move out, the next person will need to spend money to fix it and put it back to normal.”
MAC: What’s the best order to renovate your home to get the best results?
Justin: “Upgrading the little things around the home, such as light fixtures, doorknobs, cabinetry and drawer pulls, and pieces like that can make a big difference with a little effort. Paint is the next way to significantly change a space. Then you could upgrade the flooring throughout the home, the bathrooms, and then the kitchen. If it needs it, adding new shingles to the roof can enhance the look of the home to attract the right buyer.”
MAC: What about outside spaces, like pools and hot tubs?
Justin: “Hot tubs, saunas, and outdoor showers are great, but pools are iffy because they can add or decrease value depending on the condition of the pool. Pools require a lot of upkeep, and some people just don’t want to have a pool, so now you’re limiting your options by trying to find that specific buyer who wants a house with a pool and is willing to pay for it.”
MAC: What else should homeowners consider when they’re looking at a renovation in Victoria?
Justin: “For the best results, whether you’re staying in the home or looking at upgrades to help when you’re ready to list, choosing a reputable renovation company is vital. There are a lot of handypeople that claim to be renovation professionals, so you need to do your research and vet the crews you’re considering. Sometimes people don’t realize what a reno is all about, especially given the wide age range of the homes here in Greater Victoria. It’s not unusual to start taking a wall apart, only to uncover more and more issues. An individual — without a solid planning process — can get themselves in over their head, whereas a company like MAC Reno Design Build has the resources, the staff, and the experience to take care of problems as they arise. Some things are buried deep behind the drywall, but a team like MAC knows what to look for and has the ability to identify issues before they become problems.”
MAC’s Pre-Purchase Consultation
If you’re looking at buying a home in Victoria and would like to see what MAC could do to upgrade the space into the home you deserve, ask us about our pre-purchase consultation. It doesn’t replace a home inspection, but it does give you an unbiased, honest opinion about the home you’re considering and what potential might be hidden within its walls.
MAC Reno Design Build is a full-service renovation company in Victoria, BC. Serving all of the communities that make up Greater Victoria, we have built a reputation for excellence by helping our homeowners achieve the changes they want within their homes. If you want to age in place for as long as you want or make your home more attractive so a new family can call it their dream home, contact us, and one of our trusted professionals will reach out to you to help you make the best decision for your situation.