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I reported the post with the listing so hopefully a mod will remove it ASAP ... incredibly rude of that poster to do that. (ETA: actually it looks like that poster removed the link himself.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Conon6
I'm selling it for about the same price everybody else is selling theirs.
I did overrenovate for sure. Not sure about the neighborhood. It's kind of a mixed bag with semi-downtown feel. We have condos for 70k and have some for 1,000,000. Most units in my building sell for close to or under 100k, just like mine.
OP, did you mean for the last sentence above to be PAST TENSE, as in, it SOLD for $100k when you bought it? That sentence contradicts the other one in which you say you are selling yours for about what everyone else is selling theirs (i.e., $200k). How long ago did you buy?
If I were going to live in a condo (which I never would), I would want one with great views, so that would be a huge plus. But honestly, I would probably walk into yours and walk right out -- I absolutely HATE modern design as it looks very, very cold to me, and I want my house to be warm and inviting. I can see "good bones" in your condo, but I hate the light fixtures, paint colors, bathroom fixtures, etc. -- normally I can see past SOME of that (e.g., I knew when I bought my current house that I would have to replace the kitchen at some point, but I will definitely be here 15+ years so that was OK) but the "whole package" would just not be appealing. Sorry.
I also suspect that part of the problem might be the incremental decreases in price, as I think they are shown in the listing (at least I have seen listings that show every price reduction made since the house went up for sale). Could you possibly take it OFF the market for awhile, then re-list? Then it wouldn't have the "baggage" of being on the market so long with so many decreases.
I wish you luck ... what a frustrating situation, especially since you thought you'd be there forever!
Some of the remodel is just over the top. Purple velvet wall paper with red carpet and a crystal chandelier over the bed? Your target buyer, Liberace, has been dead for a while.
Part of the problem is the odd blend of modern and classical. That's definitely a specific taste, and the condo would come off as needing quite a bit of work to a buyer that preferred one style or the other. Overall, it's too much an expression of personal taste. You probably don't want to sped more money putting in neutral finishes, but that might be what it takes. At least swap out the furniture for something neutral. All of the bold colors right next to one another make it very distracting and emphasize an already disjointed... er... "eclectic" style.
I reported the post with the listing so hopefully a mod will remove it ASAP ... incredibly rude of that poster to do that. (ETA: actually it looks like that poster removed the link himself.)
OP, did you mean for the last sentence above to be PAST TENSE, as in, it SOLD for $100k when you bought it? That sentence contradicts the other one in which you say you are selling yours for about what everyone else is selling theirs (i.e., $200k). How long ago did you buy?
If I were going to live in a condo (which I never would), I would want one with great views, so that would be a huge plus. But honestly, I would probably walk into yours and walk right out -- I absolutely HATE modern design as it looks very, very cold to me, and I want my house to be warm and inviting. I can see "good bones" in your condo, but I hate the light fixtures, paint colors, bathroom fixtures, etc. -- normally I can see past SOME of that (e.g., I knew when I bought my current house that I would have to replace the kitchen at some point, but I will definitely be here 15+ years so that was OK) but the "whole package" would just not be appealing. Sorry.
I also suspect that part of the problem might be the incremental decreases in price, as I think they are shown in the listing (at least I have seen listings that show every price reduction made since the house went up for sale). Could you possibly take it OFF the market for awhile, then re-list? Then it wouldn't have the "baggage" of being on the market so long with so many decreases.
I wish you luck ... what a frustrating situation, especially since you thought you'd be there forever!
Thanks. There aren't any remodeled condos in my building (although I know at least one unit has been under remodel for almost a year now), so they're all 100k or so. The condo in nearby complexes are the ones that usually go up to 200, with a few that are more expensive. Mine has by far the best views. The others actually don't have any at all.
I'm not going to change anything about the condo, simply for design purposes. It might be hard to understand for non-designers but each color/texture was carefully coordinated with each other for a certain mood in each room, living room/hallway - business/hotel like earthy/japanese. Office - calm, fresh and secluded. Bedroom - lush and sensual. M. bathroom - japanese/posh/wakeup. Beige bath - light and relaxation. Most of this won't make any sense to non-artistic people. I will delist/relist it if no interest in a few weeks (although I think some sites like zillow keeps track of all the changes regardless). My last resort will be trying to work it out so that I can come back and stay in it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mkarch
Some of the remodel is just over the top. Purple velvet wall paper with red carpet and a crystal chandelier over the bed? Your target buyer, Liberace, has been dead for a while.
Part of the problem is the odd blend of modern and classical. That's definitely a specific taste, and the condo would come off as needing quite a bit of work to a buyer that preferred one style or the other. Overall, it's too much an expression of personal taste. You probably don't want to sped more money putting in neutral finishes, but that might be what it takes. At least swap out the furniture for something neutral. All of the bold colors right next to one another make it very distracting and emphasize an already disjointed... er... "eclectic" style.
It's not eclectic, it's called neoclassical style. Eclectic results when a person has a strong desire to express themselves but blessed with absolute lack of talent/taste resulting in visual cacophony. You don't see neoclassical often in real life because 99,99% of people are not into interior design/style. You might find it in magazines, but that's about it. 99.99% of homes on the market are furnished with Home Depot fixtures, furniture from "Walker's Furniture" and decor from Target (black picture frames, words "Family. Friends. Love" etc) and have painted beige walls throughout, with maybe a coffee "accent wall" in a different color like an climax of design. Maybe not so much in larger, more progressive cities where people are more aware of and generally understand and appreciate style like NYC, LA, SF, Miami, Seattle or Portland, but you definitely have almost zero chance of finding a stylish/well designed home in a conservative city like this one, definitely not for under a million. It's actually kind of sad. I did this remodeling once, it was a nightmare, I'd never want to do it again, but the problem is, you can't buy a stylish home... because there are none. So eventually I'll have to do it again, of course in lighter colors with resale in mind.
Are you selling it fully furnished? It might help if you did, some people may like the style, but may feel a bit intimidated trying to figure out how to furnish it (not everyone has an eye for decorating). I would try that route, basically "bring your suitcase and move in".
Are you selling it fully furnished? It might help if you did, some people may like the style, but may feel a bit intimidated trying to figure out how to furnish it (not everyone has an eye for decorating). I would try that route, basically "bring your suitcase and move in".
Yes. I advertised it like that from the beginning. Furniture, decor, everything stays unless the buyer doesn't want it.
It's not eclectic, it's called neoclassical style. Eclectic results when a person has a strong desire to express themselves but blessed with absolute lack of talent/taste resulting in visual cacophony. You don't see neoclassical often in real life because 99,99% of people are not into interior design/style. You might find it in magazines, but that's about it. 99.99% of homes on the market are furnished with Home Depot fixtures, furniture from "Walker's Furniture" and decor from Target (black picture frames, words "Family. Friends. Love" etc) and have painted beige walls throughout, with maybe a coffee "accent wall" in a different color like an climax of design. Maybe not so much in larger, more progressive cities where people are more aware of and generally understand and appreciate style like NYC, LA, SF, Miami, Seattle or Portland, but you definitely have almost zero chance of finding a stylish/well designed home in a conservative city like this one, definitely not for under a million. It's actually kind of sad.
I worked as a designer for a huge interior design firm for 12 years, both traditional and contemporary design, and know what I'm talking about. Your post was condescending. Homes over $1M are no different. They actually suffer the most from being over-personalized by the seller because the majority of homes in that range are custom. The only difference is people buying in that price range can afford to rip it all out and replace it. I've been helping a friend look at houses in the $2-5M range, and it's been a real eye opener. The bottom line is you can't find something, at any price range, done exactly the way you want it.
Last edited by coastal chic; 11-08-2014 at 01:15 PM..
It's not eclectic, it's called neoclassical style. Eclectic results when a person has a strong desire to express themselves but blessed with absolute lack of talent/taste resulting in visual cacophony. You don't see neoclassical often in real life because 99,99% of people are not into interior design/style. You might find it in magazines, but that's about it.
I suppose I'm one of those "lack of talent/taste" 99.99%ers you reference, so I had to Google neoclassical decor. I've heard the term before but admittedly don't know what sort of design it encompasses. None of the pictures that I pulled up made me think of your home. I think you have taken some neoclassical inspirations, but it is eclectic... very eclectic.
I can see that you are very proud of your design choices, to the point of getting defensive and digging in your heels about not changing anything. You are free to make that choice, but I hope you understand what that means when it comes to selling your condo. You see it as stylish an well designed, but it is very personal. I'm not sure you will find another person that will see it the same way you do.
I think you are making the same mistake that so many people make, whether they've spent $100,000 or $1,000 on their remodel--you are refusing to see things from a BUYER perspective. All you see is that YOU love it, and if someone else doesn't love it, it's because they have no taste. I know it hurts to have to sacrifice your hard work (not to mention money), but if you are serious about selling, you really need to step back and reevaluate.
The home depot remodel you abhor so much would have probably been able to recoup the smaller investment. I doubt the condo will even appraise for 200k. Thinking about this logically, you renovated 2 baths and a small kitchen. All the other stuff is decor and won't matter to an appraiser.
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you reference, so I had to Google neoclassical decor. I've heard the term before but admittedly don't know what sort of design it encompasses. None of the pictures that I pulled up made me think of your home. I think you have taken some neoclassical inspirations, but it is eclectic... very eclectic. 
