Tallahassee, Florida Home Renovation Project

This is a documentary of a local single family home renovation in Tallahassee, FL.  The project will unfold, step by step, and the finished project will be a transformation that will show you how to handle a property that has problems that seem overwhelming and how to logically approach a project of this nature utilizing the resources of a professional Realtor and a licensed contractor.
Debbie Kirkland, Realtor and Charles Temples of Florida Contractors in Tallahassee have documented this project every step of the way!

So how did this renovation project begin? In November, 2009 I received a call from sellers who were in distress. They had moved from Tallahassee to Texas, and the home that they bought as their first home. When the sellers moved, they had been renting the home. Unfortunately, their problems began long before their purchase.

As with many young home-buyers, these sellers, when buying their home were not properly represented. Without proper guidance and due diligence, they bought this home in 2004, without a proper home inspection. With little to no money for repairs and or maintenance, they lived here until they graduated from college, and little was done to improve the home, with the exception of some unique flooring, and a few other do-it-yourself projects which you will see in the video!

The Renters Have to Vacate,… Renters were occupying the home, but began to get sick. The renters were moved out, and the sellers obtained a home inspection.  This home inspection was performed by Southern Home Consultants of Tallahassee, FL. The inspection revealed many issues, and we will show those in the timeline to follow. The home inspection also led to the need for a Mold Inspection performed by Indoor Environmental Management. Inexperienced sellers don’t always understand the gravity of such reports, not the legal requirements or liability of disclosure laws. As licensed Florida Realtors we are held to higher standards, including a duty for disclosure. In Florida, Representation Agreements include Disclosure as a duty for all Realtor representation agreements. (Disclosing all known facts that materially affect the value of residential real property and are not readily observable to the buyer).

The home was deemed unmarketable by several Realtors,.. The owners had contacted many Realtors who, after learning of the extent of damages, were not willing to take on this listing, or to advise them of what to do to remedy the problems with the property. This is where I became involved. As a new construction specialist, I reviewed the inspection reports, and began putting a plan together.

First Step,..Seller Consultation,… The first step in taking a listing like this, when repairs are needed to market effectively was a comprehensive consultation with the sellers. This consultation is needed to answer the following:

• Seller’s understanding of the problem
• Seller’s financial position, Seller’s ability to improve the property
• Evaluation of end product – Is there profit?
• Seller’s willingness to improve the property
• Seller’s level of cooperation and role in a project this large and involved.
• Seller’s expectations of a Realtor

Selling a property doesn’t always mean that a property needs to be in pristine condition, but for me, it does require that I can communicate with a seller, understand their expectations, and at the same time, they understand my expectations of them.  During this appointment we addressed the above items and concluded that this would be a worthwhile project.

And so it begins,….