Dawna Davies and her assistant Jodi Blanchard did an exceptional job in helping us sell our home in San Luis Obispo. Dawna’s intelligence and knowledge of the business made the whole complex process easy for us to understand and navigate. What seemed like counter-intuitive advice at the start—that we should be extremely thorough in discovering any possible problems with the forty year old house and present them in advance—turned out to streamline the final transaction by building trust in potential buyers and removing the possibility of unpleasant surprises and uncertainty for us. Her contacts with a wide range of local business people who carried out many preparatory operations quickly and economically offered another unique benefit. Her tact and amiability made our numerous interactions pleasant rather than wary. And Jodi’s work in converting the box full of documents from our files into a coherent house-maintenance-history binder meticulous and creative. From start to finish our involvement with Davies Company was personally as well as financially rewarding.
- Research city preservation rules: Are there historical districts or organizations that govern and impact the improvements, modifications, and maintenance (i.e. paint colors, landscape style, etc.) of the property? These may include a cultural heritage committee and historic preservation districts.
- Research financial incentives: Are there grants and/or municipal programs that may give financial incentives for the upkeep and restoration of historic properties? These may include the California Mills Act and the Historic Preservation Fund in San Luis Obispo.
- Examine the historical significance, architectural style, and specific history of the property, even prior to construction of the property. There may be old insurance maps, such as Sandborn maps, that may show a record of the presence of the building if the date of construction is not known. This will be helpful as you plan for maintenance and/or improvements to keep the style consistent with the era of the building construction. Be aware that historical significance may include association with significant important persons or even significant events.
- Anticipate maintenance costs: Add 50% to repair estimates for custom or hand-made quality period-like craftsmanship.
- Determine safety issues: If a property was built in 1979 or earlier, assume that there is lead in the interior/exterior paint, asbestos, or other toxic materials. Planning for this can either save you money by considering repair alternatives that disturb less surface areas or help you anticipate the increased cost to you of demolition work, repairs or home additions.