Where Else Can You Invest $25k & Gain Nearly $200,000 in Just Three Months?
Posted on August 11, 2026
The Media Miracle: How Alexis McBride Created a Bidding War
One of the reasons we created our Elite Agent Partnership Program is because we’ve learned something after painting thousands of homes over the past 35 years.
The best Realtors don’t simply list homes. They prepare them to win. They understand that buyers don’t just purchase square footage, kitchens, or bathrooms.
They buy a feeling.
When buyers walk into a home and immediately picture themselves living there, something changes. Instead of asking, “What will I have to fix?” they begin asking, “What do I need to do to make sure this home is mine?”
That’s when bidding wars begin.
Recently, we had the privilege of partnering with Alexis McBride on a home in Media, Pennsylvania. The house was beautiful. It had great bones, a fantastic location, and wonderful character. But it also needed some attention.
Nothing major.
Just enough that buyers would have walked through the front door mentally adding up projects, costs, and inconvenience.
Alexis saw something different.
She saw potential.
Instead of recommending an expensive renovation, she worked with the homeowners to develop a thoughtful plan. We refreshed the home with professional painting and a handful of carefully chosen cosmetic improvements that would have the biggest impact on buyers.
The total investment was approximately $25,000.
The result surprised almost everyone.
A home that many believed would have sold for well under $1 million sold for $1.18 million after attracting multiple buyers.
Even Zillow’s Zestimate reflected the transformation. Earlier this year, it valued the home at approximately $1.03 million. Just three months later, after the improvements were completed and the home was ready for the market, the Zestimate had climbed to more than $1.2 million.
Nearly a $200,000 increase in perceived value.
That isn’t just impressive.
It’s a reminder that presentation matters.
Alexis summed it up perfectly:
“It doesn’t take a massive renovation budget to achieve an incredible return when selling your home. The key isn’t spending more. It’s spending smarter. The most successful sellers bring me in early so we can create a plan, prioritize the improvements that buyers value most, and focus on updates that will have the biggest impact on both buyer appeal and the final sale price. With the right strategy, preparation, and trusted partners, even modest improvements can make a significant difference in your outcome.”
I couldn’t agree more.
One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is believing buyers will look past worn paint, outdated colors, or deferred maintenance.
The reality is buyers make emotional decisions long before they make financial ones.
Fresh paint removes doubt.
It makes a home feel clean.
It makes rooms feel brighter.
It helps buyers picture their own furniture, their own family, and their own future.
According to the National Association of REALTORS®, fresh paint is one of the highest-return improvements a homeowner can make before selling, with the potential to increase a home’s perceived value by up to 10%.
That word is important.
Perceived.
Because perceived value is what creates excitement.
Excitement creates competition. Competition creates bidding wars.
People may look at this sale and call it a miracle.
I don’t.
I call it what happens when talented professionals work together before the “For Sale” sign ever goes in the yard.
A knowledgeable Realtor.
Homeowners willing to trust the process.
Professional painters who understand what buyers notice.
A shared goal of creating a home buyers can’t stop thinking about.
That’s exactly why we created our Elite Agent Partnership Program.
Our mission isn’t simply to paint homes.
It’s to help Realtors and homeowners maximize one of the biggest investments of their lives by making sure every home tells its best possible story.
If you’re thinking about selling your home, don’t ask yourself, “How little can I spend?”
Ask a better question.
“What improvements will make buyers fall in love?”
Sometimes, the answer is worth nearly $200,000.
To learn more about how we partner with Realtors to help homeowners maximize their home’s value before it hits the market, visit:
https://certapro.com/bryn-
