With its famed beaches and status as an icon of SoCal culture, it’s not surprising that Malibu real estate is perennially in high demand.
If you’re thinking of putting your Malibu home on the market, you can still do plenty to ensure the process goes smoothly and you close with the best possible deal. Follow these expert tips to avoid common pitfalls—and help your property stand out from all the other Malibu homes for sale.
Before you list your home, make sure it’s ready to make a great first impression. Start with critical repairs, small fixes, cleaning, and decluttering. Then, help buyers imagine your home as the stage for their new Malibu lifestyle.
Have your house inspected, especially if it’s on the beach
Start by scheduling a pre-listing home inspection. According to HGTV.com, 85% of homebuyers request an inspection when applying for a mortgage. Yet, many sellers wait for the buyer to request one, preferring the buyer to pay the inspection fee.
But doing a pre-listing inspection saves time and money in the long run because it allows you to address any major issues before listing your home. Skip this step, and you risk the buyer’s inspection turning up a surprise that could complicate or even derail the sale of your home, as Angi.com points out.
Doing a pre-listing inspection is especially critical if you have a Malibu beach house.
Being on the beach adds value to your house. A 2018 study by Collateral Analytics found that oceanfront property commands about a 45% premium over similar properties located away from the water.
But the downside to the beachfront property is the wear and tear that saltwater and humidity can inflict on your home. And yet, many Malibu beachfront homeowners don’t do the extra maintenance needed on their home’s exterior; an oversight that, according to the U.S. News and World Report, can come back to haunt them when it’s time to sell.
Another issue specific to beachfront Malibu real estate is California Coastal Commission rules. Ensure your property has all the required permits and otherwise complies with CCC regulations. It’s also a good idea to let potential buyers know about these requirements.
But doing a pre-listing inspection saves time and money in the long run because it allows you to address any major issues before listing your home. Skip this step, and you risk the buyer’s inspection turning up a surprise that could complicate or even derail the sale of your home, as Angi.com points out.
Doing a pre-listing inspection is especially critical if you have a Malibu beach house.
Being on the beach adds value to your house. A 2018 study by Collateral Analytics found that oceanfront property commands about a 45% premium over similar properties located away from the water.
But the downside to the beachfront property is the wear and tear that saltwater and humidity can inflict on your home. And yet, many Malibu beachfront homeowners don’t do the extra maintenance needed on their home’s exterior; an oversight that, according to the U.S. News and World Report, can come back to haunt them when it’s time to sell.
Another issue specific to beachfront Malibu real estate is California Coastal Commission rules. Ensure your property has all the required permits and otherwise complies with CCC regulations. It’s also a good idea to let potential buyers know about these requirements.
Fix that leaky faucet, but skip the kitchen remodel
Leaky faucets, peeling paint, carpet stains, and squeaky doors probably won’t be flagged by a home inspector, but potential buyers might see them as a sign that you haven’t properly maintained your home. So, cast a critical eye over your property for these minor issues and get them fixed. You might even want to bring in a friend who can point out problem areas that have become invisible to you because you’ve lived with them so long.
Don’t get carried away, though. Major renovations and remodeling projects rarely pay for themselves at closing. If you must remodel, Remodeling suggests focusing on projects that improve your home’s curb appeal—things like replacing the garage door or installing stone veneer.
Light it up and let it shine
Real estate professionals have long noted that an abundance of natural light sells homes, but a recent survey of more than 1,000 homeowners and home professionals underscores that point. According to Dwell Magazine, more than nine in ten respondents said that access to outdoor views is essential to making a home feel happy. And more than 80% of trade professionals said that natural light is a top contributor to the happiness of a home.
Therefore, at a minimum, don’t cover up windows or obscure panoramic views of the outdoors. Instead, make sure the windows shine, and highlight window views in your home’s listing photos and virtual tour.
If your home doesn’t have a lot of natural light—or if you’re showing your property during Malibu’s infamous “June gloom”—supplement natural light by providing plenty of white light from other sources, upgrading bulbs, and bringing in more lamps if necessary.
After you clean the windows, perform a deep clean of the rest of your home. Hire a professional to do the first pass, then freshen up the house before each showing.
Finally, invest in a professional photographer to handle your listing photos—preferably, one with experience shooting Malibu real estate. A professional has the equipment and know-how to show off your home to its best advantage online, where most potential buyers will see it first.
Tell a story highlighting the Malibu lifestyle
Whether your home is right on the ocean or tucked away in a canyon, its Malibu address is one of its prime assets. Highlight this asset by “staging” your home to tell potential buyers a story about the lifestyle buying your house will make possible for them.
At its simplest, staging involves strategically decluttering your home—removing furniture, decorations, and belongings that make living spaces feel crowded and personal to you. You might even rearrange your furniture to enhance the layout of a room.
At the other end of the cost spectrum, you might hire a staging company whose experts will rent furniture and decorative pieces that “dress up” your home to maximum effect.
Is the investment worth it? An agent with experience in the Malibu real estate market can advise you on what level of staging makes sense for your home. In general, though, the practice pays off. According to HomeAdvisor, staged homes sell faster than non-staged homes, and at a higher price point.
Whichever approach you take, the primary point is to present potential buyers with a “blank slate” on which they can imagine painting a new life.
At its simplest, staging involves strategically decluttering your home—removing furniture, decorations, and belongings that make living spaces feel crowded and personal to you. You might even rearrange your furniture to enhance the layout of a room.
At the other end of the cost spectrum, you might hire a staging company whose experts will rent furniture and decorative pieces that “dress up” your home to maximum effect.
Is the investment worth it? An agent with experience in the Malibu real estate market can advise you on what level of staging makes sense for your home. In general, though, the practice pays off. According to HomeAdvisor, staged homes sell faster than non-staged homes, and at a higher price point.
Whichever approach you take, the primary point is to present potential buyers with a “blank slate” on which they can imagine painting a new life.
Find an agent who knows Malibu real estate
Besides of its unique market characteristics, the Malibu area is known for bidding wars, tough negotiations, and complicated regulations, so you want an agent who is a veteran of many closings.
Finding the best agent for your Malibu home
You can find a qualified agent by looking at Malibu homes that have sold in the past year or so and making a list of the agents that have handled those sales.
Los Angeles Times suggests checking out agents’ social media platforms to narrow down that list. With more than 200,000 real estate agents working in California, many have turned to social media as a way to stand out. Social media may help your agent sell your Malibu home, but it’s also useful for previewing the agent’s personality and sale strategy.
Avoid the temptation to choose a friend or relative as your real estate agent, especially if they don’t have extensive experience with the Malibu real estate market.
Los Angeles Times suggests checking out agents’ social media platforms to narrow down that list. With more than 200,000 real estate agents working in California, many have turned to social media as a way to stand out. Social media may help your agent sell your Malibu home, but it’s also useful for previewing the agent’s personality and sale strategy.
Avoid the temptation to choose a friend or relative as your real estate agent, especially if they don’t have extensive experience with the Malibu real estate market.
Questions to ask an agent
Before settling on an agent, interview several. The Balance notes that not all agents will be open to an interview, and top agents won’t want to fill out a lengthy survey. So, focus on the questions that matter most to you. Besides making sure that the agent has experience selling Malibu real estate similar to yours, Ramsey Solutions suggests asking some of the following questions:
- How will you sell my property in a competitive market with so many other Malibu homes for sale?
- What sets you apart from other agents? Do you have any special qualifications or certificates?
- How do you communicate with clients, and will I be talking to you or an assistant?
- Can you provide references?
You can also ask about the agent’s sales commission, which will typically be 6%. But RamseySolutions advises choosing the best possible real estate agent, not the one with the lowest fees. You want to net the most money, not pay the lowest fees, and a qualified agent will help you.
When you’re ready to move forward with selling your Malibu home, reach out to trusted local agent Kristin Jaman for further guidance.