Walk into enough Clairemont listings and you start seeing the same house. A 1950s single-story ranch with gray vinyl plank floors, white shaker cabinets, a matte black faucet and fresh light gray paint on every wall. That's a flip. Once you can spot one, you're reading the seller instead of the brochure.
How a seller got the house ready tells you a lot about how they'll negotiate. Most first-time buyers skip right past that.
Start with the flip. An investor bought it, put money into it and is paying on a loan every month it sits. They priced it off a spreadsheet, so they're predictable. From what I've seen in Clairemont this year, a flip that's been on the market for about a month with no offers will start to talk. What a flipper won't do is go back in and fix things after your inspection. They already did the work they wanted to pay for. So ask for a credit instead of repairs. Ask for permits on anything behind the walls, too. I've walked through brand-new kitchens sitting on top of original galvanized pipe.
Then there's the long-time owner who did nothing but clean. The kitchen is from the '90s, and there's carpet that might be hiding hardwood. Buyers walk right past these, and I think that's a mistake. These sellers usually price off emotion and what the neighbor got, so the first number can be high. They also care about things a flipper doesn't, like a close date that works for their move or a few weeks to stay after closing. A clean offer with some flexibility can beat a bigger number. I've watched it happen.
The one that gets people is the house in between. It's professionally staged, the photos look great and there's a new front door, but the roof is 25 years old and nobody mentions it. That seller spent money on your first impression and nothing else. Get the age of the roof, the water heater and the HVAC in writing before you fall for the throw pillows.
This is where I'll push back a little on what most buyers want. I'd rather show a first-time buyer the dated house than the flip. Flips aren't bad. But the dated house usually has more room in the price, and its problems are out where you can see them instead of behind new drywall.
The list price is the seller's opening line. The prep is where you find out who you're actually negotiating with.
So at your next open house, look past the paint and ask yourself who put it there, and why.