Remodel doesn't cost seller a dime

SEATTLE - The last time Ken Boyce's home sold was 1966. That's when he moved in.

He just sold his home, after an extensive remodeling job. But it was a remodeling job that was a bit different.

"I guess the biggest thing is I didn't have to put up any front money," said Ken.

Jay Ashberg and Rachel Hartman did use their money, because they have a simple business belief.

"We believe that your house will sell for more if it's nicely updated," said Rachel.

"What we do is we use our money to remodel other people's homes and then when the property sells, we share in the upside," said Jay.

Their company, Value Builders, has been operating successfully in Denver. They've just recently moved into the Seattle market.

In the case of Ken's house, they did the remodel and the house sold in three days after being listed. Ken's real estate agent says the home would have languished on the market for some time if the remodel hadn't been done.

Not every house is right for the Value Builders. For example, if a neighborhood is popular because of big back yards, and a seller with a small back yard tries to sell, Value Builders usually can't do anything about the size of the property. On the other hand, if someone, like Ken, has been in their home for many years and the home is outdated, Value Builders may be able to help.