EEEK! Unsellable Houses Season 3 premiers TOMORROW! Tuesday, April 12th and we could not be more excited! But, before that happens we wanted to take a look back at Season 2:
Episode 1
Starting season two we have a perfect example of a Snohomish home! It had beautiful craftsmanship, charm, and a sense of history! But, all those wonderful things can also leave a home feeling outdated. This was the problem we had to fix! With the home’s natural charm we decided to go with a craftsman style.
Key Updates
- Fresh paint on the exterior
- Tile, cabinetry, and appliance upgrades in the kitchen
- Corner seat installation in the breakfast nook
- Dream staging throughout!
The Numbers
- Original list price: $550,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s investment: $90,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s list price: $650,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s final sale price: $675,000
Episode 2
Snohomish is our town, so getting to do two houses in Snohomish back to back was such a fun time for us! When we first pulled up to the home, the beautiful curb appeal drew us in immediately, but upon stepping into the home we saw that the main bathroom and kitchen were just not functional. We decided to go with a modern farmhouse design keeping with cooler colors to bring in a modern element. We also spend a lot of time fixing up the covered back porch, a wish list item for almost everyone in the PNW.
Key Updates:
- Update the main bathroom with a new shower and vanity.
- Remodel the kitchen to make it proportional to the main living space.
- Add a closet to the home office to create a third bedroom in the house.
- Dream staging throughout!
The Numbers:
- Original list price: $440,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s investment: $50,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s list price: $510,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s final sale price: $560,000
Episode 3
This home was ideal for young buyers, but with it being under 1,000 sq ft and outdated, it just wasn’t getting the attention that Marty, the owner, was looking for. We have so much fun designing homes for first-time homebuyers because there are so many different things you can do. Should we have a simple sophisticated home, or go for more of an eclectic vibe? Both are ideal for the target buyer we were going for! We landed on a South West Boho style with some modern upgrades.
Key Updates:
- Convert the attached garage into a bonus room, adding extra square footage to the house!
- Get creative with floor tiles in the bathroom to make the wall tiles feel modern.
- Reconfigure the kitchen to maximize space and efficiency.
- Boho staging throughout!
The Numbers:
- Original list price: $440,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s investment: $ 40,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s list price: $ 500,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s final sale price: $500,000
We were right on the money pricing this home! This was also the highest-selling home on the street in recent history! Yay!
Episode 4
We lovingly call this home the “treehouse”. It has all of the good vibes you could ask for with a killer view to boot! Listed for 6 months on the Market before we got our hands on it, the home boasted of mid-century modern charm that was being masked by over-the-top colors, and an unfunctional kitchen. We couldn’t help ourselves, and dove further into the mid-century modern design and the results were awe-worthy!
Key Updates:
- Full kitchen remodels, including moving the fridge and adding counter space around the stove.
- Owner’s bath renovation.
- Pruning a neighboring tree and foliage to showcase the killer waterfront views.
- Mid-mod staging throughout!
The Numbers:
- Original list price: $500,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s investment: $40,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s list price: $610,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s final sale price: $735,000
Episode 5
Ramblers have been super popular in the last few years so when we went up to Arlington to see this home we already had so many ideas of how to get top dollar for the home. When we walked in, we immediately saw the problem, the house had been sectioned off by partial walls and pillars, losing the open concept that ramblers are known for! We leaned into cool colors to create a relaxing chill space, and a coastal vibe.
Key Updates:
- Removed partial walls and columns in the main living area to create a more open flow.
- Turned the fireplace into a focal point with tile and wood panel surround.
- Remodeled the owner’s bath with a new shower and a double vanity.
- Spruced up the exterior with fresh paint and a refinished back deck.
- Coastal staging throughout!
The Numbers:
- Original list price: $400,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s investment: $34,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s list price: $480,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s final sale price: $485,000
Episode 6
We had an extra special client with this home! We were so excited when Jeff’s sister came to us to help her sell her home! We knew we had to go above and beyond for this VIP client, and put Jeff to work a little more than normal to make his sister’s dreams come true! Split levels can be hard to sell in general, so our biggest goal was to get our buyers over the split level entry! We worked with a French country theme to create a timeless, soothing vibe throughout the house. We were pretty happy with the result!
Key Updates:
- Knocked out the fireplace wall between the kitchen and living room to open up the kitchen and create a better flow between main living spaces.
- Opened up the owner’s bathroom to allow room for a large tiled shower.
- Knocked out a wall in the basement to create an open, multi-use bonus room.
- French country staging throughout!
- Painting the floor tiles. Here is a great tutorial to check out how!
The Numbers:
- Original list price: $420,00
- Lamb Real Estate’s investment: $30,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s list price: $500,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s final sale price: $540,000
Episode 7
Located in Mill Creek, one of the wealthiest suburbs in our area, was where we found our home for episode 7. Hannah, our client, was trying to help a family member sell their home, but with only two bedrooms and no recent upgrades, it wasn’t catching the attention of the buyers in the area. We set to work adding a third bedroom, getting rid of the “gross floors” and “weird smell” (Hannah’s daughter’s words). We went with a transitional style for this home. Meaning, there are elements of both traditional and modern design.
Key Updates:
- Divided one large bedroom back into two separate bedrooms.
- Removed the bulky drywall dividing up the great room’s skylights and left the trusses exposed.
- Remodeled the kitchen with new cabinets, an island, and a gorgeous subway tile backsplash.
- Cleared out the overgrown gardens and brought in some clean, welcoming landscaping.
- Transitional staging throughout!
The Numbers:
- Original list price: $655,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s investment: $60,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s list price: $825,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s final sale price: $925,000
The buyers didn’t think it smelled funny anymore!
Episode 8
Now we all have favorite episodes from the season, and Episode 8 has to be one of our favorites, mostly because we enjoyed working with Stan and his daughter so much! But this house was a lot of work! It was filled with a lot of clutter and had next to no curb appeal making it hard for buyers to see the potential in this home. So, we set to work! Upon first arriving at this home I noticed a beautiful tree that was outside the front door and I knew that this had to be my inspiration for the home, I called it earthy contemporary.
Key Updates:
- Gutted the kitchen and added more functionality with gorgeous cabinets and a mobile island.
- Remodeled bathrooms with beautifully tiled showers and contemporary vanities.
- Cleared the overgrowth in the front and backyards and installed fresh landscaping.
- Earthy, contemporary staging throughout!
The Numbers:
- Original list price: $500,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s investment: $100,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s list price: $745,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s final sale price: $855,000
We would call that a #twinwin
Episode 9
If you didn’t know, we have a thing for historic homes. I currently live in a historic home, and Leslie and I grew up with our grandparents also having a historic home! There is just something about the charm and attention to detail that just always makes us fall in love! So when we saw Annie’s home we could not help but fall in love. We jumped in and helped bring the home back to life, removing an extra bedroom and bath that had been created for downstairs caretaking and upgrading electrical and plumbing needs as well. We then invested in kitchen and bathroom remodels and styled the home with a comfy/cozy aesthetic.
Key Updates
- Removed an extra bedroom and bathroom that had been created on the first floor and opened up the space for common use.
- Split the upstairs bathroom into two bathrooms, giving the owner’s bedroom a full ensuite, which is a super unique feature in a historic house!
- Complete kitchen renovation.
- Comfy/cozy staging throughout!
The Numbers
- Original list price: $390,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s investment: $60,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s list price: $500,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s final sale price: $515,000
Fun fact about this home: Leslie and I loved it so much we bought it! We have since turned it into an Air BNB. Make sure to check it out next time you are looking to stay in the Everett/ Seattle area!
Episode 10
Rentals can be an amazing investment, but sometimes they need a little extra love when they are going onto the market. From the curb appeal to a full kitchen reno, this home needed all the love we could give. Not only that but there were multiple unexpected trouble spots (like dry rot- yuck!) We had our work cut out for us! We expected this home to go to a first-time home buyers so we wanted to keep the style simple and sophisticated.
Key Updates
- Full kitchen renovation.
- Exterior paint and landscaping vastly improve curb appeal.
- Bathroom remodels: complete with some major dry rot repair.
- Dream staging throughout!
The Numbers
- Original list price: $410,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s investment: $70,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s list price: $500,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s final sale price: $608,000
That’s 100k over our asking price! We couldn’t be any more excited!
Episode 11
Lake Stevens is our neighboring town, and it is expanding at a very rapid rate! With all of the new construction popping up all around, selling a home built in the 90s can be difficult, especially if it has not been updated and there were a few things that popped up that we were not expecting, but as always we were here to help! We added some rich wood features, to make the home feel custom and add to the rustic lux style of the home!
Key Updates:
- Replacing all the siding on the house. This was the biggest chunk of our budget, but making sure it happened was absolutely essential to listing the house at a higher price.
- Remodeling and opening up the kitchen to create a more functional flow between main living spaces.
- Closing off the unused dining room and turning it into a home office.
- Renovating the owner’s bathroom to create a luxurious, functional space to begin and end the day.
The Numbers:
- Original list price: $415,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s investment: $60,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s list price: $510,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s final sale price: $712,000
Yep! You read that right! We were able to sell the home for 200k over our list price and almost 300k over what Jeff and Kristen originally were hoping to sell the home for.
Episode 12
Sue and Mary had run this property as a business for years, but when they came to us wanting to transform it into a beautiful family home we were so excited! There were definitely things that made the transition from daycare to family home come with some work that was easy, like removing the cubbies, while others like removing the kitchen and bathrooms took a lot more effort and money. We got a lot of inspiration from a local estate sale nearby, and realized that a vintage farmhouse would be the perfect style to update this home!
Key Updates:
- Removing the cubbies and extra storage from main living spaces and exposing the fireplace.
- Rethinking the kitchen flow to allow for more connection with main living spaces.
- Renovating both bathrooms to maximize the home’s value and attractiveness to buyers.
- Creating a desk and small work area in the dead space off the kitchen.
- Vintage farmhouse staging throughout!
The Numbers:
- Original list price: $375,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s investment: $50,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s list price: $500,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s final sale price: $550,000
Not only did this home sell for 50k over, but the home actually went to one of our amazing agents and his beautiful new bride! Congratulations Brett and Taylor!
Episode 13
The last episode of Season 2! What an incredible season and episode to end on!
This condo was located in Edmonds, a beautiful beach town with great shopping, walkability, and only moments from the ferry. One of the things we knew that we wanted to capitalize on was the beautiful views of the Puget Sound! We decided to go for our own take on a Mediterranean Ocean home. Rather than the warm tone we decided to take more of a modern view with blues, and beautiful glass accents. Before we got started the condo was outdated, and selling a condo can be tough in general! But we were up for the challenge.
Key Updates
- Removed the massive mirror wall in the living room and updated the hearth with slate overlays and wood mantle.
- Integrated the kitchen and dining rooms to create a long, multi-use space for entertaining.
- Renovated both bathrooms to create contemporary Mediterranean oases in both spaces.
- Modern Mediterranean staging throughout!
The Numbers
- Original list price: $644,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s investment: $50,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s list price: $750,000
- Lamb Real Estate’s final sale price: $760,000
Want to show us your support by rocking some #TeamTwinWin merch? Check out our Lamb & Co. merch here!
Let’s get ready for an amazing season!
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XO
Lynds