Blog - Page 4 of 6 - The Bobbetts

Redux Realtors: Can we revive a charming 3BR that dates to 1926?

Written by jbobbett2 on November 8, 2018.

We make a home ‘move-in’ ready for new buyers. Over time, the new owners can make the big improvements, such as remodeling the kitchen and bathrooms. We advise on strategic improvements to increase a home’s listing price and the net gains of the home owner. Our latest Realtor Redux project is a charming Spanish inspired-style home that was built in 1926. Located on a hillside parcel in Fullerton, it has a tree house feel from inside the home and sits elevated...

Customer testimonial: ‘Terrific Team to Work With’

Written by jbobbett2 on June 4, 2018.

My wife and I had our home sold by James and Martina Bobbett. We selected James and Martina because of the full service they provide. They helped us to understand what we needed to do to the home to make it look attractive to buyers....

Redux Realtors: Speedy sale thanks to key improvements, despite tricky location

Written by jbobbett2 on May 22, 2018.

As a follow up to our last blog post about our latest “Redux” project, we wanted to share the outcome and results. Once vacant, we assisted our seller in completing approximately $15,000 of renovations and repairs to the home to improve how it would show. When the owner’s son handed us the keys, the home had dark green, dated carpeting, lots of custom drapes and popcorn ceilings. The carpet was entirely removed from the home, along with the dated drapes (of...

What’s the story behind all the red chairs?

Written by jbobbett2 on May 8, 2018.

I had an idea last summer I said to James: “Going forward, let’s put two red chairs in the front yard of all our listings.” I had no deep and meaningful reason for doing this other than I thought they looked lovely against the trees and grass. As many of you will know, red is my all-time favorite color. To me, there is red, and then there are all those other colors. Nothing makes such a statement as a red front door, or a red car, or, wait for it, Jimmy Choo shoes with...

Homeownership Rate Rises for First Time Since 2004: Wall Street Journal

Written by jbobbett2 on March 14, 2018.

The homeownership rate in the United States last year rose for the first time since 2004, according to a report we read in the Wall Street Journal. This is such exciting news, and we hope the trend continues. We’ve previously mentioned how real estate is a fabulous tool for building wealth. But the Recession, which didn’t officially start until the end of 2007, ground the market to a standstill and made it incredibly difficult for Americans to harness this tool. The markets...

Redux Realtors: Don’t spend money needlessly; sometimes less is more

Written by jbobbett2 on February 26, 2018.

We look for ways to enhance our clients’ homes before putting them on the market. We make very strategic improvements that will bring the best results (aka, best price) for the least amount of investment on the part of our clients. Our motto is: We make a home ‘move-in’ ready for new buyers. Over time, the new owners can make the big improvements, such as remodeling the kitchen and bathrooms. Our latest home project belongs to a 93-year-old woman moving...

How we prepare when listing your home for sale

Written by jbobbett2 on January 30, 2018.

Watch our video to learn how we prepare a listing before it goes to market. First we assemble our team of contractors: the carpet people, the painters, the plumbers, hardwood flooring refinishers, electricians, etc. We then get...

Pay off mortgage loan to build wealth; be cautious of HELOCs

Written by jbobbett2 on December 17, 2017.

Nearly a decade since the Great Recession decimated wealth in American real estate, we’re seeing the return of a major contributing factor that had all but disappeared from the industry. The home equity line of credit is back. A HELOC is a line of credit backed by a homeowner’s real estate equity. Once approved, consumers can essentially charge their expenses to the HELOC like a credit card and then pay back the balance each month – usually with a much lower interest rate...

Redux Realtors: Don’t underestimate the power of presentation of a home

Written by jbobbett2 on November 28, 2017.

For our latest project, we were asked to look at the home of a past clients’ parents in La Mirada. The parents are elderly and no longer able to live alone. While the home had been loved, it had not been updated in many, many years. The parents were not too keen on the idea of spending money on a home makeover given that there was no firm guarantee as to what the home would actually sell for. We got the bids and showed the homeowners that by spending a relatively...

Martina’s Corner: If you love what you do for a living, it’s not really work.

Written by jbobbett2 on November 13, 2017.

If you love what you do for a living, it’s not really work. How many times have you heard this saying? Real Estate has always been a work of love to me rather than a job. Close to 25 years of helping people attain their dreams brings me great joy. This year I feel has been the busiest year ever, with so many homes needing a make-over before we put them on the market. Having an owner place his or her complete trust in me to make the right decisions on repairs, improvements,...