CASE STUDY #1
You are in the best hands. Let's make it happen.
Unlike most real estate agents, I'm not in it for the commission. I'll always go the extra mile so that you can confidently start the next chapter of your life.
From Dusty to Dazzling
The astonishingly successful refurbishment of a Bellevue Mid-Century home leaves clients ecstatic and thoroughly impressed. Sold in 5 days 31% above full price.
List Price: $1,225,000 | Sold Price: $1,610,000
Karen meticulously strategized with the sellers for their home sale well in advance. The goal was to undertake essential updates to transform their 1960s home into a magnet for buyers seeking a turn-key property boasting refined finishes and a mid-century aesthetic. Her clients said, “You know best, let’s do it!” These are the steps Karen took:
Identified essential updates to amplify the impact while keeping costs in check.
Created a pe-listing calendar with deadlines to get everything done, in order, with plenty of wiggle room.
Recommended contractors for bid gathering, chose paint colors, selected a new chandelier and exterior light fixtures, chose colorful plants for the front yard, and opted for a contemporary stain for the oak flooring.
Oversaw these updates: fresh interior paint in selected rooms, installing new carpet in three rooms, refinishing oak hardwoods, adding a new industrial-chic chandelier, painting wood paneled walls white to seamlessly blend in, installing new, classic light fixtures on the exterior, rejuvenating the landscaping in the front yard, power washing the patios, professional deep cleaning, refreshing planters with new flowers, relocating the sellers' furniture to the garage, emptying and repairing the storage shed, and professionally staging the house with a modern aesthetic.
The property had a marketing plan and photography of an ultra-luxury home, adding to its allure. When the bidding war arrived, the sellers were poised to make smart and well-balanced decisions. Karen guided them through her spreadsheet comparing the offers and their terms. The sale was efficient and a huge success.
Extra benefits for sellers: The Windermere Ready program provides a loan to cover your home improvement costs with concierge services to make your home more competitive on the market. From decluttering and deep cleaning to major repairs or replacements, together we’ll set your home up for selling success. A small upfront investment can yield a big payoff when selling your home. You’ll receive the funds quickly and pay nothing until your home sells. Karen will work with you to determine which improvements will have the biggest impact on the market. You can choose your own service providers, or Karen can connect you with experienced local contractors. Interested? Please get in touch.
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Marketing and selling homes to buyers abroad
Karen’s listing strategy facilitates home sales harnessing local networks with global impact. In her listing of this sophisticated Bellevue condo, Karen swiftly secured buyers in China with a full price offer within 4 days, amidst the soft market conditions for condos in 2020.
This gorgeous home was as turn-key as the photos suggest it is. Karen ensured that the preliminary title report and all other necessary documents were prepared and easily accessible for Buyer’s brokers for frictionless offer submittal.
She worked as a team with the Sellers to offer a digital home inspection report for prospective buyers to speed up the pace of a sale by allowing full transparency to buyers of the home’s condition.
All of the needed repairs were handled in advance.
The home was professionally staged to impress.
The high-quality photography included a floorplan and a 3-D Matterport virtual walk-through. It offered a virtual open house 24/7. The buyers were able to enjoy a tour of the home with ease in their time zone.
The Buyer’s broker had all of the documents they needed, including the resale certificate at their fingertips to share and discuss with their clients.
Karen has multilingual escrow teams and brokers to assist, as needed.
Karen skillfully handled a smooth closing. The Sellers were delighted with the outcome and smooth and efficient sale.
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Listing and selling property for out-of-state clients: A story of teamwork, trust, and success.
This luxurious downtown Kirkland condo at The Boulevard was the second listing in this building Karen sold for her out-of-state investor clients.
The Sellers mailed her the keys, she drew up a plan together. Karen managed the tenant move-out, professional cleaning, home inspection, repairs, painting, staging, marketing, resale certificate ordering, and selling at full price.
Karen’s key to success is:
Teamwork, with an emphasis on speedy and consistent communication.
Providing a pre-listing, listing, pending to sold calendar of all scheduled work and contractual benchmarks. Building in buffer time to reduce stress, unexpected delays, and maximize efficiency.
Selecting paint colors, fab and economical lighting fixtures, coordinating vetted service providers, verifying that all jobs are done well, emailing all receipts.
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Sold for $500,000 above the market value within two weeks
Servicing seniors in a Clyde Hill, off market, as-is home sale
Real estate brokers and appraisers continue to call Karen about the details of this Clyde Hill home sale. "What was her secret?" they inquire.
Every marketing plan is tailored for success and supports the personal circumstances and best interest of each client.
In this case, months of preparation to make this home sparkle for private tours and open houses was not in the cards for these seniors. A seamless and efficient sale at the top market value was the goal. This was achieved off-market without the cost or coordination of a multitude of expensive repairs as well as landscaping.
Because this unique home was unlisted, promotional material is not permitted. Without the support of sparkling listing collateral including stunning brochures, photography, 3-D tours, floorplans, and detailed lists of the features of this home, Karen sold this home via private tours she led with the Seller’s contacts and her network of seasoned Clyde Hill real estate brokers. The Seller’s were very satisfied with the outcome and especially glad to have their home sold quickly and smoothly.