Relevant Details
• Built in 1948
• 2 acres
• 980 sq ft
• 2 beds, 1 bath
• Asking $74,900
• Has been on market 5 months and dropped from $124,900
• Nearest comps are $135k with 1,300 sq ft
• This house needs some serious
curb appeal!
• This is the front but looks like
the side – needs new/updated
railing and steps, stain, and
siding with some color at the
very least
• Lawn needs to be re-seeded and
perhaps a few small shrubs
added in front of the new railing
• Clean roof, repair as needed
• Relocate house numbers to front
of house near door
• Remove overgrown shrub
• Check foundation for damage
from tree roots
• Check condition of flat portion
of roof, repair as needed (and
check records to make sure
addition was permitted)
• Repair chimney as needed and
whitewash to blend previous
repair work
• Re-gravel or pave driveway as
budget allows
• Reside whole garage to match
house
• Paint or replace garage doors
• Pressure-wash and repaint as
needed
• Remove window treatments to
brighten room
• Upgrade front door to steel
• Replace carpet throughout
• Paint walls throughout
• Replace light fixture with more
modern option
• Replace cabinets, countertops,
range and sink
• Determine feasibility of
removing right wall and
installing kitchen island for
open-concept kitchen
• Remove wallpaper and carpet
• Tile floor
• Remove beveled edge around
doorway
• Replace toilet, tub and vanity
• Determine source of damage
near window sill – water or
pest? – and remedy
• Tile around tub and floor
• Remove mirror from door
• Relocate/replace toilet paper
holder and towel rack
• Inspect attic to determine if
seams in ceiling are a sign of
water damage; remedy as
needed
• Patch and repair drywall
• Same as previous bedroom
• Remove or drywall over paneling
• Update light fixture
• Install closet space to turn this
room into a proper bedroom
• Install built-in shelving to left of
window to minimize the fact
that the window isn’t centered
(looks like this is the addition
that produced the flat-looking
portion of the roof, does not
look to code)
• Inspect all systems and make
repairs as needed
• If budget allows, sand/scrape
and re-seal basement walls, or
just apply a fresh coat of paint
• Check for asbestos-wrapped
pipes based on age of house
before work commences
• Spray paint ceiling joists and
support beams white to make
basement feel larger/fresher

Case Study: Sideways Cape Cod

  • 2.
    Relevant Details • Builtin 1948 • 2 acres • 980 sq ft • 2 beds, 1 bath • Asking $74,900 • Has been on market 5 months and dropped from $124,900 • Nearest comps are $135k with 1,300 sq ft
  • 3.
    • This houseneeds some serious curb appeal! • This is the front but looks like the side – needs new/updated railing and steps, stain, and siding with some color at the very least • Lawn needs to be re-seeded and perhaps a few small shrubs added in front of the new railing
  • 4.
    • Clean roof,repair as needed
  • 5.
    • Relocate housenumbers to front of house near door • Remove overgrown shrub • Check foundation for damage from tree roots
  • 6.
    • Check conditionof flat portion of roof, repair as needed (and check records to make sure addition was permitted) • Repair chimney as needed and whitewash to blend previous repair work • Re-gravel or pave driveway as budget allows
  • 7.
    • Reside wholegarage to match house • Paint or replace garage doors
  • 8.
    • Pressure-wash andrepaint as needed
  • 9.
    • Remove windowtreatments to brighten room • Upgrade front door to steel • Replace carpet throughout • Paint walls throughout
  • 10.
    • Replace lightfixture with more modern option • Replace cabinets, countertops, range and sink • Determine feasibility of removing right wall and installing kitchen island for open-concept kitchen • Remove wallpaper and carpet • Tile floor • Remove beveled edge around doorway
  • 11.
    • Replace toilet,tub and vanity • Determine source of damage near window sill – water or pest? – and remedy • Tile around tub and floor • Remove mirror from door • Relocate/replace toilet paper holder and towel rack
  • 12.
    • Inspect atticto determine if seams in ceiling are a sign of water damage; remedy as needed • Patch and repair drywall
  • 13.
    • Same asprevious bedroom
  • 14.
    • Remove ordrywall over paneling • Update light fixture • Install closet space to turn this room into a proper bedroom • Install built-in shelving to left of window to minimize the fact that the window isn’t centered (looks like this is the addition that produced the flat-looking portion of the roof, does not look to code)
  • 15.
    • Inspect allsystems and make repairs as needed • If budget allows, sand/scrape and re-seal basement walls, or just apply a fresh coat of paint
  • 16.
    • Check forasbestos-wrapped pipes based on age of house before work commences • Spray paint ceiling joists and support beams white to make basement feel larger/fresher