Archive for the ‘Real Estate’ Category

First 6 Steps To Buying A Home

Friday, February 5, 2021
Debbi DiMaggio

What are the first steps to buying a home?

cover-art-of-real-estate

That may sound like a basic question, but when you don’t buy and sell homes everyday, it is a very good question, and not basic at all. When buying or selling real estate, no question is insignificant, and all questions are good. Most importantly, it is never too early to begin the conversation. Whether buying or selling today or in three years, education is key to achieving your real estate goals.

6 steps towards buying your new home

  1. Locate an agent through referrals or research.
  2. Allow the Realtor you chosen to work with put you in touch with a reputable and experienced lender.
  3. Discuss your wish list with your agent but know more often than not you will not get everything on your wish list, but providing parameters such as neighborhood, price and bed/bath count is a good start. Depending on the market – for instance in the East Bay in Northern California inventory is very limited at any given time. The more restrictions or items on your wish list, the fewer homes you will be exposed to. It’s important to see a variety yet keeping in your budget, so you will come to understand the market.
  4. Your agent will set you up on an auto listing feed so you can see a variety of homes and keep a log. Oftentimes home buyers will change their parameters after becoming more educated and seeing various homes even neighborhoods.
  5. Keep your options open.
  6. Writing an offer and prevailing (in our market) is another subject of its own.

Order one of our books, The Art of Real EstateReal Estate Rules! 52 ways to achieve success in real estate.

No alt text provided for this image

Historical Beauty, Piedmont California

Thursday, October 29, 2020
Debbi DiMaggio

Elegant and Graceful Piedmont Beauty

Represented by the DiMaggio & Betta Group

Coming Soon – Click To Preview

Offered at $5,488,888

14 (2)

Pasta Cooking YouTube Thumbnail (3)

Upper Rockridge Elegant Mediterranean

Sunday, October 18, 2020
Debbi DiMaggio

_J4A1549-HDR

To preview click the image below.

To schedule an appointment to see this home or others please reach out. 510.414.6777 | 510.414.1250

YouTube Preview Image

From Drab to Fab, Re-Designed to Stay

Monday, February 3, 2020
Debbi DiMaggio

debbi-pink-logo-300699

Selling homes is what I do, love to do, and have done for over 30 years, and what has transpired by default, if you will, is become pretty good at design.  Each year we bring about 20 homes to market, and in doing so I provide a complimentary service to each of our clients, I call them mini makeovers, some, not so mini, they can be fairly significant.

Renovating a home is one of the many aspects of the home selling process I love most.  I am now offering my clients and you, my newest service, Designed To Stay, rather than Designed To Sell.  Here is what my team and I can do for future clients interested in maximizing the enjoyment of their home.

Below this home had carpet, black painted wood hand railings, carpet, a granite fireplace and green walls. The BEFORE photo shows Phase 1. carpet, white railings and neutral walls, and the granite removed. AFTER: In order to create a more open loft like environment the railings were removed to open up the room, the room painted bright white and bleached white hardwood floors installed. What you can’t see is that the walls were not flat, they had that ugly sprayed on texture representative of a bad apartment. It took two crews, the first crew did not do a great job of removing the texture, so crew two had to come in and continue the sanding until the walls were truly flat. I must say it makes a huge difference.

Debbi DiMaggio - 02

 

What I do:

Planning I begin with a walk through, assessing the property and home with a keen eye. What I scrutinize: curb appeal, gardens, walkways, light fixtures, paint, floors, carpet, appliances, hardware, rooms and bathrooms, fireplace, electrical, furnace, the basement and, finally, the foundation. I inquire about systems you cannot easily see like the roof and the sewer. I take it all in, commit to memory, and visualize a plan. Window washing, a detailed cleaning and staging are the finishing touches after we complete the mini, or not so mini, makeover.

Paint, I can’t say enough about paint.

Debbi DiMaggio - Piedmont CA Homes - 04Estates Editorial Spreads - 16Estates Editorial Spreads - 08From drab to fab!

Debbi DiMaggio - Piedmont CA Homes - 03

Removing window coverings is usually one of the first things we do. And paint, wow, paint goes a long way to beautifying an indoor space as it does the exterior.

Debbi DiMaggio Piedmont Realtors - 06

Choosing fabulous light fixtures is another inexpensive touch. Of course it can me expensive, depending on your pocket book.

Debbi DiMaggio - Piedmont CA Homes - 07

84257210_10158476815499271_2495106399583862784_o
Preparation Whether we are working on the transformation together, or should you decide to do it on your own, obtaining bids is the next step. I have a team of amazing service providers who will meet with me at a moment’s notice, so I am able to line up everyone over a one or two-day period in order to obtain our estimates. Upon receiving the bids, I then sit down with my client and review … We discuss budget and how much, if all, of the recommendations we implement. Then we prioritize, together.

DiMaggio-2010-08-12 15-38-16-Image-0028 (1)

Transformation A commitment from the homeowner and attention to detail is critical as there is much work involved. The client must be available to approve or disapprove of choices. I will project manage and offer choices. Ideally I do that up front so we can make the transition quick and seamless since most often our re design clients will be living in their homes. ( A timely vacation is always an ideal option during this time. ) I have many wonderful service provider partners who will work with me to create an environment you will want to say, “instead of going out for drinks, come over to my house.”
Debbi DiMaggio _ 3
I love the process and even more so the results. From “Lived In” to “Staged to Stay”, the transformation is exciting each and every time.

So, from LIVED IN to Staged To Stay, or Lived In to Staged to Sell, give me a call. I look forward to creating an environment so wonderful you’ll fall in love with your home all over again.

Screen Shot 2020-02-03 at 7.30.11 PM

XOXO Debbi

PS. So where will you vacation?

Screen Shot 2020-02-03 at 6.10.01 PM

designed to sell

Saturday, June 22, 2019
Debbi DiMaggio

Seaview308-HDR--07

When you have been doing something for over 30 years that thing you do becomes second nature. For me designing homes is one of those things. Each time we take a new listing there is work to be done. Of course it varies from home to home. And once in awhile a client chooses to sell cleaned and vacant. Usually that only occurs when a home is too far gone and the investment out ways the return.

Let’s break in down.

Obtaining inspections is the first step. It’s not unlike what happens when we get a check up at the doctors office with the addition of further testing and bloodwork. We do the same for a house. Adam and I will book appointments for the following inspections: Termite, Comprehensive Home (checking all systems), Sewer Lateral, Foundation (if recommenced by the home inspector), Roof including Furnace and Electrical if those systems are outdated and require a bid to fix, update or replace. In the Piedmont East Bay these reports will be passed on to the Buyer and paid for up front by the Seller. Area standards vary from area to area, city to city. In Los Angeles where we also work, Buyers pay for any and all inspections the deem necessary, but do not preform such inspections until after they are in contract.

Debbi DiMaggio Piedmont Realtors - 01

The second step is the design aspect. This is my favorite part. I enjoy the creativity and the process from bringing a home from lived in to staged to sell. I manage each aspect. First we obtain bids: Staging, Painting and note any repairs, as well as Garden Clean Up, Window Washing, Floor Refinishing or Carpet Replacement and Lighting Updates. Sometimes we update kitchen and bath countertops. Once we have produced all the bids we pass them on to the seller to decide how much or how little they would like to invest. Most of the times our Sellers see the benefit and agree to making the investment. After all they will reap the rewards of a higher sale.

09

Having just returned from a listing consultation in the very neighborhood I grew up, and the same neighborhood we raised our children, I realized that we had sold quite a few within a few blocks of one another. As we chatted with the Sellers we reminisced about all the old neighbors. In Piedmont homes are referred to by name, the name of the original homeowner. Even though a home could have had 3 different homeowners since the original homeowner or the one that just stuck in our minds during our childhood.

Here are just a few homes we sold in the neighborhood and brought from Lived In to Staged To Sell.

Debbi DiMaggio - Piedmont CA Homes - 02

80 Cambrian ( Remodeled the home and Leased it. ) Sue Tornlof, PHS

308 Sea View Avenue

7 St James Piedmont

148 Sandringham Road

180 Sandringham Road

199 St James Drive

148 Estates Drive

Estates Editorial Spreads - 06

 

Estates Editorial Spreads - 08

If you are interested in a complimentary analysis and design consultation please do not hesitate to call. Adam and I are happy to stop by.

 

cover-art-of-real-estate

 

 

Top
©2024 Debbi DiMaggio – A Grateful Life! | All Rights Reserved | 342 Highland Ave, Piedmont, CA 94611 | +1 510.414.6777 | debbi@debbidimaggio.com | Privacy Policy
Site by WPF Creatives
Please wait...

Subscribe Me!

Want to be notified when our article is published? Enter your email address and name below to be the first to know.