Farmhouse chic does not get much better than this charming 1964 ranch-style home. It could have easily been featured as an “after” on HGTV’s Fixer Upper and follows the Chip and Joanna Gaines principle of preserving the character of the home to perfection.
Mayo Redpath of Virginia Cook Realtors listed 13225 Copenhill Road only a few days ago. It’s no surprise that at only $529,000 there’s already an active option contract on the 2,663-square-foot home. We’ve mentioned that anything camera-ready and priced right is blowing off the market in this price range, but despite the contract, there is so much to be learned from this house we’re delighted to feature all the “Glamour Do’s” anyone marketing a home should understand.
So, what’s so right about it?Remember, we look at hundreds of homes daily, trying to find special houses that will interest our readers. The criteria is not mind boggling. Homes must be photographed well, staged or decorated nicely — no animal heads please — and remodeled with intelligence.
While that doesn’t sound like such a tall order, it has become increasingly hard to find houses that fit the equation. Why? Often sellers or Realtors think in a hot market no one has to try that hard. That’s so wrong. The fact this sweet house went to contract so fast is not an indication of our present market, but of the fact a smart Realtor and a smart seller knew what would appeal to an equally smart buyer, and did all of the right things.
Well, that, and the sellers have fantastic taste.
What’s right? To begin with, the curb appeal. This house screams out “home.” From the beautiful barn-style shutters in an eye-catching teal to the welcoming front door and the clean white painted brick on the body of the house — It’s exactly what a film location scout would be looking for when asked to find a perfect all-American home. The landscaping is lovely and simple and doesn’t obscure selling features.
We know buyers make decisions approximately 15 seconds after they enter a house. They have to fall in love almost instantly. So what do they see here? An adorable entry and the expected layout of the living area on the left side. Instead of a formal living area, however, the sellers have used a tried-and-true staging solution and turned this into the formal dining room. Why? Unless you have a very large home, formal living rooms are not useful for the lifestyle of most buyers today. However a large dining area is great for family holiday gatherings and entertaining, so this is a smart way to use space and one that makes sense to buyers.
Color is vital in selling a home and gray is rapidly being replaced with good old white. Nothing looks better than dark hardwood floors offset by white walls and woodwork. It’s just impossible to beat this combination. The family room in the four-bedroom, three-bathroom house is exactly what buyers want today. Adding wood to the ceiling and raising it to create a vaulted look gives an instant update and increases the feeling of spaciousness. Beams help to create that on-trend farmhouse style. Note that painting the fireplace the same white color is another winning element and also increases the feel of space.
The kitchen is yet another “Glamour Do.” Opened up to the main living area, it allows for ease-of-interaction and entertaining. The white theme is continued, and with the most popular products on the market today — subway tile and marble. The open shelving and farmhouse sink would make Chip and Joanna proud. We love the targeted use of chalkboard paint as well.
Ceilings were raised and beamed in the master bedroom, showing off more intelligent remodeling. The master bathroom has continued the marble and subway tile combination. Two things buyers look for are frameless glass showers and a freestanding soaking tub. Check and check.
The game room is a real deal-sealer with stained concrete floors and built-in tables for activities. Adding the laundry area into this room along with a sink is inspired.
The house sits on a creekside lot and the outdoor area is exactly what you’d expect. A pergola patio overlooks an organic vegetable garden and you bet there is a chicken coop.
Light, bright, and open, this home is one of the best examples of doing everything just “right” we’ve seen in ages. Our hats are off to the sellers and Mayo Redpath on this one. Well done.
