In this episode of How to Sell Your Atlanta Home with Sage & Grace, host Judy Jernigan welcomes two renowned design and renovation professionals: Chris McKinley of BSPK Home and Jeffrey Bruce Baker of Jeffrey Bruce Baker Designs. They discuss what upgrades truly add value when preparing your home for sale, how to avoid costly mistakes, and why working with experienced professionals can maximize your return on investment.
Focus on High‑ROI Improvements – Not all renovations recoup their costs. According to industry research, upgrades to HVAC systems, new siding and electrical work often deliver some of the highest returns. Kitchen and bathroom remodels provide strong visual impact and can significantly enhance enjoyment while still offering a good balance of aesthetics and ROI.
Don’t Over‑Invest in Luxury Projects – Building a new deck recoups around half of its installation cost, whereas an upscale bathroom remodel has an average ROI of only 26 %. Prioritize projects buyers care about most-mechanical systems and curb appeal-before splurging on high‑end finishes.
Small Updates Make a Big Difference – Cost‑effective improvements like a fresh coat of paint, deep cleaning, modern light fixtures and contemporary flooring significantly improve your home’s overall aesthetic. Address obvious maintenance issues (squeaky doors, cracked tiles) to avoid buyer red flags. Professional staging is highly recommended; well‑staged homes often sell faster and for higher prices.
Curb Appeal Matters – Exterior upgrades like new siding, a new roof, updated exterior doors or garage doors and landscaped entryways provide safety, peace of mind and a polished look that resonates with buyers. Chris notes that quality craftsmanship on the exterior sets buyer expectations for what they’ll see inside.
Balanced, Market‑Friendly Design – Jeffrey emphasizes choosing timeless, market‑friendly finishes rather than overly personalized designs. Buyers appreciate tasteful neutral palettes and thoughtful layouts. Personal touches are welcome, but avoid trends that may date the home quickly.
Avoid Common Renovation Mistakes – The experts caution against starting major projects without consulting professionals. Over‑personalizing spaces, ignoring structural issues and hiring unlicensed contractors can erode value and create headaches. Plan upgrades holistically to ensure your efforts yield a strong return.
Chris McKinley (BSPK Home) – Chris owns BSPK Home, an Atlanta home‑building and renovation firm known for meticulous craftsmanship. He helps homeowners select materials and layouts that balance style with resale value.
Jeffrey Bruce Baker (Jeffrey Bruce Baker Designs) – Jeffrey is an architect and interior designer celebrated for timeless, impactful spaces. His design philosophy emphasizes functionality and enduring aesthetics that appeal to a broad range of buyers.
Strategic renovation choices can dramatically affect how quickly and profitably your home sells. High‑ROI projects like mechanical upgrades and curb‑appeal improvements increase buyer confidence, while well‑designed kitchens and bathrooms create emotional appeal. Conversely, overspending on trendy finishes or neglecting basic maintenance can reduce returns. Leveraging expert advice ensures you invest wisely to attract maximum buyer interest and top offers.
Seller’s Guide: 1 Year Without a Buyer… Judy Got It Sold in 1 Day – Read how Judy used strategic updates, staging and marketing to turn around a languishing listing, achieving a full‑price offer within one day.
Luxury Home Features & Marketing – Discover why smart marketing, professional staging and negotiation skills are crucial when selling high‑end homes.
If you’re preparing to sell and want tailored renovation guidance, connect with Judy:
Schedule a consultation: Use her online calendar to book a listing consultation or quick chat.
Website: Explore seller resources and market updates at Sage & Grace Realty Group.
Home valuation: Get a free report at sageandgracere.com/home‑valuation.
LinkedIn: Follow Judy for professional insights at JudyStoneJernigan.
“Judy is amazing and truly cares about her clients. She kept us updated on offers and closings, worked tirelessly to get us the best deal, and helped us close quickly”.
Another client praised Judy’s proactive and communicative approach, making the closing process smooth and stress‑free.
Ready to maximize your home’s value? Schedule a consultation with Judy and leverage expert design strategies to ensure your renovation dollars deliver the highest return.
[Speaker 1] Welcome back to how to sell your Atlanta home with Sage and Grace, smart homeowner strategies, successful real estate sales. I'm Judy Darnigan. And today I have an exciting guest joining us, Chris McKinley, the owner of BSPK, a premier custom home building and renovation company. Chris and his team are known for transforming homes with their masterful craftsmanship, creative design, and deep attention to detail. Whether you're planning a renovation or simply curious about how thoughtful design can elevate your home's value, this episode is packed with insights for homeowners looking to make their property stand out in the market. We'll be diving into what makes great home design, why it matters for resale, and how you can ensure your renovation or custom build is a worthwhile investment. Selling a home isn't just about putting up a for sale sign. It's about strategy, marketing and negotiation. But how do you know if you're making the right moves? I'm Judy Darnigan, recognized among the top 5% by the realtors and your host of How to Sell Your Atlanta Home with Sage and Grace, smart homeowner strategies, successful real estate sales. With a background in broadcasting, negotiation and education, I bring a unique perspective to home sales, helping homeowners sell faster for top dollar and with less hassle while understanding not just the financial side, but also the logistical and emotional considerations of a move. This show helps you plan ahead, navigate the market and work more effectively with a realtor like me. You'll get expert insights from my guests plus real actionable strategies to sell with confidence. Now here's the show moving you forward with sage advice and grace. So when homeowners are thinking about selling the home do have suggestions on what type of renovations or remodels they might want to consider to maximize the value? [Speaker 2] Yes. I mean, I think that it's, it's, you know, curb appeal is big. So making sure that the, you know, yards nice and tiny and not over cluttered. Same thing inside. I find that, you know, older homes can be, you know, spruced up by simple, like sanding things down, like trim work down to make it look clean and the lines cleaner and then repainted. I think those things go a long ways versus, you know, gooped up paint over years and years. And so those are pretty easy fixes. I know some people get overwhelmed with that but it's really not a big deal to find, you know, people that are skilled in doing that type of work. [Speaker 1] Get someone to help you with it if you don't have to do it yourself. Weekend Warriors. Are there any build trends that you're seeing in the Atlanta area right now that you think are just really high demand, really popular that are going to, if your home has this, it's going to help itself? [Speaker 2] I mean, kitchens is huge. Pretty much every kitchen we've done has been a fairly high-end kitchen, regardless of whether the homeowner cooks or not. So that's been a pretty big deal. And I've noticed that there's a lot of outdoor grills, outdoor kitchens, but not the, you know, the ones you saw in the, like, 90s, where it was, like, literally a kitchen with countertops, like, granite countertops outside. But, you know, just the function of having outdoor grills with maybe, you know, a simple hood or something to that nature. [Speaker 1] How does quality craftsmanship and design play into the long-term value of a home? Like, can you share a story of how a well-designed or a well-built home helped when it came time to sell? [Speaker 2] Well, I think that what's important, what I've, the feedback I've gotten, is that the detail and the quality is very important. When you think about prospective homebuyers going into multiple homes, sometimes one right after another, comparison shopping, they're comparing. And so if the quality of trim work or, you know, clean lines or a minimalist, that can really make someone fall in love with a property. Size isn't necessarily something that I hear often when somebody says, you know, unless it's, you know, just not going to work for their family, sometimes a smaller, really well-done home wins. Definitely. [Speaker 1] Yeah. I'm thinking of, like, the Peachtree Hills area. There's a lot of homes that are just impeccably maintained and just beautiful. So for a homeowner looking to make maybe some small changes before selling, do you have any impactful but more cost-effective updates you might recommend? [Speaker 2] I would say any, well, so there's been, say, you know, 10 years ago, there might have been a water leak and stained the wood floors. That might scare somebody off. And so even though it's not a problem today, take care of it, sand it out and get it refinished. Because you don't want to scare people away with problems that really aren't problems. That's probably the biggest thing I've seen. [Speaker 1] What are some common mistakes you've seen homeowners make when renovating their homes that might hurt resale value? I imagine you might have some stories where people did some DIY projects and had you come in and fix it. [Speaker 2] Right. Well, that's even happened on my own personal home. So yeah, well, you know, wouldn't it be great to have a television with cable in, you know, the upstairs bedroom and take the cable all the way around the house and over the roof and staple it to the roof. Things like that can really impact the sale of a house because now you're thinking, well, do I need a new roof now? And then it looks, it looks, you know, you need a good quality job. Now, granted, there's a lot of talented people that can do this type of work, but some of it's just, you know, shortcuts. Another example is, you know, somebody might want a bathroom in the basement and they raise the basement, you know, maybe a foot. So you have to step up into the bathroom. That's not necessarily something, you know, somebody buying a home wants a long term. So think about where you're investing the money and where you're putting in your shortcuts, because some of that could be negative if you're not planning to live there long. [Speaker 1] Yeah. So on to that, to that end, from your perspective, how important is it for a homeowner to work with a professional like yourself, whether they're building a custom home or renovating for future sale? [Speaker 2] I think it's really important, you know, understanding what's a structural wall, what's holding up, maybe loads of the house up above is very important. You know, if you do this, is there going to be a domino effect is very important. You know, it seems simple when you watch, you know, the TV shows and, you know, typically pricing's a little bit unrealistic on HDTV and so forth. So I think just educating yourself, obviously interview people like the people you want to work with, call their references most definitely, and, you know, look at their previous work. So yes, I would absolutely consult with a professional. [Speaker 1] Can you talk about the custom aspects of BSPK and how your designs are tailored to Individual 5? [Speaker 2] Sure. So, you know, so we try to get involved right at the onset of meeting with the client to really understand things that they talk about typically, like in previous homes they've owned, what they really liked, what they are really looking for, and just, you know, keeping those notes, even though it might not apply, it could come into the fold later on, and just really understanding what they want. And like, you can get sort of that emotional feeling of what they want. And that can sometimes guide the design as much as, you know, literally drawing it on, you know, paper. At BSPK, we do a lot of listening. And, you know, we are very open-minded. We don't take the approach of, you know, if we change something necessarily that it's a bad thing, it could be a quite good thing. So everybody is part of the creation process, but again, under a controlled environment so that the project doesn't go too off course. [Speaker 1] So what final thoughts do you have for a homeowner who is thinking about selling their home? Any tips you'd give them to get their home ready just now? [Speaker 2] Again, just make sure everything's really nice, crisp, and clean. You know, new construction tends to be very appealing to a lot of people, but that doesn't necessarily mean that older homes can't have that same appeal. And actually, it can have more appeal and more character. So I think just bringing out that character is probably paramount. And just, you know, again, making sure things are clean, nice, clean corners. Yep. And just, you know, looking fresh. [Speaker 1] Tell us your name and business and where we can find you. [Speaker 2] Chris McKinley and it's bspkhome.com. And we're located in Piedmont Heights in Atlanta, Georgia. Fantastic. Thank you. Thank you. [Speaker 1] We are in for a special conversation with Jeffrey Bruce Baker, the founder of Jeffrey Bruce Baker Designs. Jeffrey is a multi-talented architect, interior designer, and custom furniture creator known for his modern yet timeless approach to design. His work spans luxury residential homes, high-end commercial spaces, and custom interiors that not only look beautiful, but also function seamlessly. Today, we'll be discussing the vital role of architecture and interior design in boosting a home's resale value and how homeowners can make their property stand out in the competitive Atlanta market. If you're considering a remodel or simply want to understand what design elements make a home irresistible to home buyers, this is the episode for you. So from a design standpoint, someone thinking about selling their home, what should they have? What should they keep in mind? [Speaker 3] I think that one's hard because I spend my life trying to figure out what's unique to you. So I think that if you're doing it for the objective of selling, don't feel like you need to make everything neutral because standing out is always good. So leave a little bit of your personality in there. Don't be afraid of color. I do think most people like more minimal today. It's easier to visualize yourself in a space that doesn't have tons of clutter. So pull back on accessories, but don't maybe throw some really vibrant throw pillows in there. If you're doing updates architecturally because you need to do so, you know, a kitchen's a great place to start, but put a beautiful slab of marble in there, something that has color, something that's different and separates you. I think that's a good way to approach it and do things that you're going to like while you're selling it. [Speaker 1] Oh, definitely. When my clients ask me what renovations they should do, and they've just bought a home, I'm like, do what you're going to like and what you're going to love. You plan to be in this home for many years. That's really important. Though some people do really want to know about the ROI, the return on investment when they're making changes. What suggestions do you have? [Speaker 3] Well, you know, the kitchen, having updated kitchen is a definitely return on investment. That is good. The other thing is, you know, people are liking defined spaces more where you do have like a defined dining room, not just one huge open space. Open living's great, but you still want to have an intimate space. So if you have the room, maybe you let there also be a small den that's more cozy, where everyone piles in for TV, just the close family. You know, it is, it's hard to say, not being a real estate agent, but I think vibrancy and cleanliness and being minimal are all things that really impact, at least what we like in modernism. [Speaker 1] Being clean is, yeah, really key. So what are some of the myths that people think, and you've touched on this a little bit already, myths that people think that they must do when they're thinking about selling their home that you don't think are true? [Speaker 3] Oh, okay. So I don't think having all neutrals is true just because some of our homes that we do are custom, but when they come back to the market, people have ended up buying them as is and asking to buy the furniture and we help them resell the furniture, the owners do that. And I think it's because you, good design sells no matter if it's traditional or modern. So I think that you don't have to just paint everything neutral. That's the biggest myth that I think isn't real. [Speaker 1] So what can people do when it comes to lighting to help sell their homes? Okay. [Speaker 3] So I think lighting is important, but I'm a big believer in not just putting tons of overhead lighting. We usually have lighting installed overhead for cleaning and when you need it really bright, but I love lighting that comes out of the floor. In this house, we're actually grazing each side of the fireplace with floor lit lighting. We're adding lamps, even though this is contemporary. Low lighting and different levels of lighting, having some light that angles an artwork and not also having a can, but just letting the overcast of that add lighting to the room, I think there's a lot for the space. So we, when we're designing a new space, start with architectural lighting, like the fireplace, or we have pieces of art that they're collecting. We then have art lighting, like I talked about there, but also for paintings. We then plan all our lamps and lower lighting. And then the last thing we do is figure out where we need cans after that. They're the least important. [Speaker 1] Do you help clients at all with exterior landscaping curb appeal? [Speaker 3] I don't, but we have a wonderful landscape architect that we work with. That way, our vision of how the building sets seamlessly blends into the land and the outdoor entertainment spaces. So our whole team does. [Speaker 1] Speaking of outdoor spaces, is that something you're seeing a lot of people interested in? Yeah. [Speaker 3] I mean, indoor outdoor living, I think, is another thing that was here to stay, especially in an area that has a lovely climate like Atlanta. [Speaker 1] So how important is consistency in design throughout a home? Do you think that mismatched design elements can really impact or hurt a home's perceived value? [Speaker 3] Oh, I don't think so at all. I think most people are eclectic. So many people travel today extensively and you're inspired all over the place. So I think it's better to create a composition that flows together through scale and sometimes opposites, like yin yang. But no. And when it comes to actual critic interiors, I love it, especially in modern, picking something that's a little vintage with something that's very new and artsy, things that are from classic movements. Then it makes it really hard to know when was the building interior done? It looks like it's been collected and developed over time. And I think that really enriches a project. Most people like that better. And it lets them put their personality into it. [Speaker 1] I love that perspective. Yeah. And definitely bringing in people's personality is always something that you can feel when people have really put thought into their home. And I don't know, I believe in realistic karma. And I believe that there's energy in homes. And I love when I walk into a space and I'm like, yeah, this home has had some fun people, some happy people. And you can just sort of feel the happiness and the good vibes. That might sound silly. [Speaker 3] Oh, I agree. I think it's awesome. [Speaker 1] So what final advice do you have for homeowners who want to make sure that their home is show ready when they're putting it on the market from a design and architectural standpoint? So what final advice do you have for homeowners who want to make sure that their home is show ready and market ready from a design and architectural standpoint? [Speaker 3] I would say just clear out the clutter and put fresh paint up. [Speaker 1] Fresh paint goes such a long way. This was so fun. Thank you. [Speaker 3] Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. [Speaker 1] Thanks for joining us on How to Sell Your Atlanta Home with Sage and Grace. I'm Judy Jernigan, and I love helping homeowners sell smarter with less stress and better results. Who do you know with real estate questions? Please connect us so we can make confident, well-informed decisions and get the best possible outcomes together. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe and leave a five star review. It helps more homeowners get the smart strategies they need for a successful sale. Head to sageandgracere.com to learn more about working with me and the Sage and Grace real estate team. Explore all our show episodes. And when you're ready, book a chat directly with me, Judy Jernigan, moving you forward with Sage advice and grace.