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Transforming a Neglected Rental into a Market-Ready Home

From Neglect to Opportunity: How Waymakers Transformed a Rental into a Market-Ready Home

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The Challenge

In 2016, the original owners of a home moved out of state, choosing to rent the property instead of selling it. By 2024, after several years of rental use and minimal upkeep, the home had fallen into significant disrepair. The once-upgraded house had suffered from severe neglect, especially in key areas like the bathrooms, kitchen, and overall maintenance. When the family, potential buyers, asked the Waymakers (the Crakes) to assess the home for sale, the condition was shocking.

Key issues identified:

  • Bathrooms: Outdated and damaged fixtures, leaky faucets, and cracked tiles.
  • Kitchen: Old appliances, outdated cabinets, dirty countertops, and worn paint.
  • Exterior: Overgrown landscaping and neglected pool.
  • General condition: Scratched floors, and damaged walls.

The owners were presented with two options:

  1. Sell the home in its current condition, targeting buyers looking for a fixer-upper at a reduced price.
  2. Renovate the property to increase its value and attract a broader pool of buyers.

The owners opted to sell the property as-is to an investor, leaving the task of rehabilitation to the new owners.

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Waymaker Realty Advisors Solution

The investors, with the guidance of Waymaker Realty Advisors, took on the challenge of transforming the neglected property. Together, they devised a comprehensive renovation plan that addressed every major issue in the home.

1. Bathroom Upgrades
Modern vanity sinks, bathroom faucets, and upgraded lighting fixtures were installed, giving the bathrooms a refreshed, contemporary look.

2. Kitchen Transformation
The kitchen was enhanced with new countertops, a shiplap island, updated hardware, and the installation of a farm sink, creating a stylish and functional space.

3. Electrical and Lighting Improvements
Upgrades included rewiring and the installation of recessed (can) lighting, ensuring the home was both safe and well-lit.

4. Interior Refresh
The interior was fully repainted, and drywall repairs were made to restore and brighten the living spaces.

5. Exterior Enhancements
Roof repairs, exterior painting, and selective stucco updates significantly boosted the home’s curb appeal.

6. Energy Efficiency Updates
New energy-efficient windows were installed, improving the home’s insulation and aligning with buyer expectations.

7. Professional Staging
A professional staging company styled the home to maximize its appeal and highlight its best features.

Outcome

Thanks to Waymaker Realty Advisors' expertise, the investor successfully transformed the neglected property into a market-ready home. The renovations significantly boosted the property’s value, making it attractive to buyers seeking a modern, turnkey home.

6

Days On Market

150+

Open House Guests

2,267

Views on Zillow

  1. 1
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The Waymaker Team

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WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

"Barrie and AnneMarie Crake at Waymaker Realty are the BEST! We've been in our sweet home/La Cost Oaks since it was built in 2006. They are definitely seasoned Realtors with knowledge of today's challenging market. Top class when it came to managing our home to show and sell. I was pleased with AnnMarie's attention to details from inside to out! Barrie was super with contracts and negotiating on our beha...

— Molly Pak

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I just want to say how amazing my experience was with Barrie and AnneMarie Crake of Waymaker Realty Advisors in the sale of my Oceanside home. Their skills and expertise with the North County Real Estate Market and especially Oceanside helped me get the most for my house. I worked with them for the first time 10 years ago, on the sale of my home in San Marcos, and I knew immediately when I decided to sel...

— Jon Aldridge

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

My wife and I recently worked with Ann Marie and Barrie on the purchase of a house. For us it was coming home as we have been in the Pacific Northwest for the last 15 years but had raised our family in San Diego. It will be great to be near our grandchildren. Reentering the real estate market in San Diego was daunting. Working with Ann Marie and Barrie was very rewarding. They were, by far, the most prof...

— Jefferson Parker

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Bought my first home with AnneMarie and Barrie's help! They were thorough and caring just as before and we were able to negotiate a great price and closed pretty quickly. I also learned a so much about home buying from them. They always had thoughtful answers and great suggestions. I highly recommend them for anyone who wants to work with realtors that care for the buyer. Original review: AnneMarie and B...

— Jeremy Holcomb

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I originally met AnneMarie and Barrie Crake when they told my neighbor's house in November 2020, and then my other neighbor's house in February 2021 in Discovery Hills in San Marcos. They are very kind and caring people and take the relationships with their clients personally as well as professionally. I lost my husband 4 years ago so I was selling my house and going through this transaction alone, which...

— Jean C.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Barrie and AnneMarie Crake are the ultimate professionals in the Real Estate industry. Easy to work with, knowledgeable about the San Marcos housing market and expert negotiators. Our home was listed, pending and sold in a matter of days. It was a pleasure working with them. Highly recommend this dynamic duo. They will definitely go the extra mile to make sure your sale or purchase is everything you drea...

— Lynda Harden

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

We just closed escrow and sold our home in San Diego (La Mesa) for $155,000 over asking price!! Barrie and AnneMarie Crake are the most amazing team! AnneMarie worked so diligently with me to prepare our home for listing by going through each room with a keen eye for staging and she personally helped me to make our already beautiful home even more spectacular. Barrie was so incredibly calming and profess...

— Melody Haak

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Both AnneMarie and Barrie represented us in the sale of our house located in San Marcos, in the community of Twin Oaks Valley Ranch. We have nothing but high praises for them and would highly recommend their services, fully trustable. With their excellent customer service and knowledge in industry, our house was the highest priced sale in the history of the community for comparable home. We will continue...

— Armen Dertsakyan

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Working with AnneMarie & Barrie was an absolute pleasure! As first-time homebuyers during a very challenging buyers market, their expertise, patience, and professionalism helped us find a home we love. They were very responsive since the start, making the whole process simple and painless. Highly recommend!

— Claudia Stewart

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

“Barrie and AnneMarie Crake sold our home in the community of Twin Oaks Valley Ranch in San Marcos. From our first meeting, I knew I was working with local experts in my neighborhood. Having served in the Military, I really appreciated their work ethic, attention to detail, responsiveness and follow through. They did not over promise but they did over deliver with an outstanding sales price. We had some ...

— Dr.Russ Maze

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Barrie and AnneMarie Crake helped my family and I find our dream home and they have helped several of our family members, friends, and coworkers do the same. I have know them for many, many years and they are not only extremely professional and knowledgeable, they truly care about people, relationships and community. Finding and selling a home can be very stressful, but knowing they were with me every st...

— Cherryl Baker

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I wish I could give ten stars!!! We met Barrie and AnneMarie Crake when they were selling a home in San Marcos that was similar to what we were wanting to purchase. AnneMarie Crake answered her phone on a Sunday night and this impressed us so much that we knew, right away, we wanted to work with her. The real estate market at this point had low inventory, high prices and even higher demands. Since we are...

— Kim F

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I was searching for a home in California (oceanside, Carlsbad, San Marcos) area in the beginning of the year. Annemarie and Barrie Crake are so unbelievable kind and helpful. The very first home I saw was a brand new construction in oceanside. Annemarie took me around just to get a feel for the area.. I knew it was to good to be true because it was basically winning the lottery. And this home had multipl...

— Jacque Batchelder

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Barrie and AnneMarie are amazing!! They have helped me for several transactions, both as a seller as well as a buyer for over 10 years and always work hard for my best interests. You can’t go wrong with them on your side!

— " Tanya Joyce"

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

The Crakes are the best real estate agents I have ever worked with. They have sold two of my homes and each transaction was handled with professionalism, compassion, and direct communication. These are the best agents in North County San Diego and they will sell your home for top dollar or help you to find your perfect next home. I highly recommend them!

— Alan Crosthwaite

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

We've bought and sold 8 homes over the years and the Crake Team was by far the best selling agent we've had! Their knowledge of the San Marcos market is unmatched and we're certain we wouldn't have gotten nearly as much for our home had we listed with someone else. They are beyond professional, on top of things and strive for the highest quality experience. They are great negotiators and had our home sol...

— Lyn Lambert

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

AnneMarie and Barrie helped us buy our home in 2020. They are such an experienced and helpful team! They always answered our calls, emails, text messages. They went above and beyond what I expect from any realtor team. Such a pleasure to work with. I’m so happy we placed our trust in them. We absolutely love our home and have been here for 1.5 years. I would give more than 5 stars if I could. HIGHLY reco...

— Tabita Parnow

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

The Crake Team, Barrie and Annemarie, proved to be just what we needed. With our mom's death, a reverse mortgage, a home - while desirable- needed some loving attention and the fact we lived 450 miles away- the Crake's were incredible. Supportive, knowledgeable and up front with what we needed to do- they walked us through the entire process with transparency, professionalism and sincere kindness. Due to...

— Tom Bender

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

My widowed sister, her best friend and I interviewed few agents and had felt AnneMarie and Barrie Crake's sincereness and listening skill that we all agreed and made us easy to choose them over other agents. Their communication skills that I believe essential in business especially while I traveled in between the transactions, thoughtfulness toward my non English speaking sister were beyond our expectati...

— Hiko Hagen

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Are you buying or selling a house and want professional help? Look no further and select AnneMarie and Barrie Crake! They are a kind, dynamic and an extremely professional team. They helped us buy a house using a 1031 exchange in this challenging sellers market. They also sold our house in one weekend! We had multiple offers and Barrie helped us select the perfect buyer. We closed in 15 days! Seriously, ...

— Scott C

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

We had nothing but a totally positive experience with Barrie and AnneMarie. For two first time home sellers, we felt so reassured due to their thorough communication regarding every aspect of the sale. They were so patient about answering all of our questions, and they were always available whenever we called. Being the trustee for selling my parent’s house, they were able to assist with our many specifi...

— Seller

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Get in Touch
Contact Details

Waymaker Realty Advisors

(619) 992-5182

[email protected]



100 E San Marcos Blvd., #400
San Marcos, CA 92069