Case Study

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

• 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 service providers, or Karen can connect you with experienced local contractors. Interested? Please get in touch.

• 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.

This luxurious downtown Kirkland condo at The Boulevard was the second listing in this building Karen sold for her out-of-state investor clients.

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.