home transformations
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Successfully bringing a house to market takes, knowledge, experience, teamwork, timing, orchestration, creativity and vision
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391 MORAGA AVENUE, PIEDMONT, CA
This trusting Seller handed me the keys, loaded up the moving truck and headed to Dallas. Three weeks later, she came back to a completely different home and guest cottage. . . Our work included taming an overgrown garden, applying fresh paint, updating nearly every light fixture, replacing old carpet, attending to overdue repairs, and arranging for inspections, power/window washing and house cleaning. Once transformed, we coordinated the staging, the photography and the marketing to optimize this property’s exposure both in print and on the internet, including social media!
That’s a big list, but not at all unusual.
That’s a big list, but not at all unusual.
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2 LITTLEWOOD DRIVE, PIEDMONT, CA
2 Littlewood required a sensitivity specific to its unique mid-century architecture and protective Sellers who took great pride in their home. Is it tough to convince a client to let go? You bet it is, especially when their home is a reflection of their personal tastes. Preparing a home for sale requires objectivity and that isn’t always easily achieved. The goal is to tell a story that allows the Buyer to see themselves living in the home. New lighting, fresh painting, modern staging and lots of planting elevated this mid-century and resulted in a tremendous result, amounting to 50% above list price.
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50 SOTELO AVE, PIEDMONT, CA
Even stately homes come with their challenges; the larger the square footage, the more projects there are to tackle. This much-loved Georgian Colonial greatly benefitted from an exterior paint job, modern lighting and extensive landscaping involving pruning, weeding and planting. Many years of raising kids (and pets – including a roaming turtle!) required fresh paint throughout, along with some new carpet and flooring in the heavily-used areas on the lower floor. Fortunately, our Sellers understood the benefits of investing in the sale of their home, even when it required painting over some elaborate stenciling in the entry hall and thoughtful quotes in the kitchen, and allowed us to roll up our sleeves on their behalf and bring in our team of painters, electricians, handymen, gardeners and stagers and to simultaneously restore and update. The grateful Buyers purchased “their forever house” and will spend the next 20 years raising their own children (and pets), hosting family functions and making memories that truly encapsulate the “American Dream.”
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4444 STEELE STREET, OAKLAND, CA
Having purchased this home more than 30 years ago as a first-time Buyer and eventually turning it into a rental, this 2bdrm/1ba needed some serious TLC and updating. When confronted with the option of selling it as a "fixer" or putting the time and money into transforming the property, my savvy client chose to bring this sweet house to the market reinvented: new kitchen, bathroom, lighting, paint, and yard! Was he attached? Yes, he was! Was he tested? Most definitely. What started out as a simple remodel quickly snowballed into "more than he bargained for," as is often the case once walls are opened and electrical and plumbing are addressed. Fortunately, every road block was met with patience, willingness, support and grace. Did this little house prove to be a big undertaking? Did I put my own project manager, contractor and gardener to the test? Were we all thrilled with the ultimate outcome? Decidedly so!
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garden transformations
45 LANE COURT, OAKLAND, CA
This Stunning Contemporary checked all the right boxes: Downtown SF views ✔, indoor/outdoor living ✔, updated kitchen and baths ✔, and a fully-functional attached 2-bedroom in-law with private entrance ✔✔✔. So, what was missing? While this meticulous Homeowner attended to all things inside this lovely home, the backyard had been sadly neglected for more than a decade and the sloping driveway was an eyesore. Do we think first impressions are important? Is curb appeal worth the investment? Most definitely! While not everyone is a born gardener, or possibly even considers the yard a high priority on their wish list, more often than not, beautiful outdoor spaces and welcoming curb appeal pull at the Buyers' heartstrings and result in numerous offers at higher numbers. Fortunately, landscaping is a chore we relish; creating a plan of attack, working with our gardening crew, hand-selecting plants from our favorite wholesale nursery, planting pots, watering, raking, sweeping and caring for the yard throughout the marketing period. In a nutshell, have I planted a lot of trees? Happily, yes!
778 KINGSTON AVENUE, PIEDMONT, CA
A level lot with ample space comes at a premium in Piedmont. Who doesn't wish for indoor/outdoor living in California? While a large yard is often desired, the ability to care for it can be overwhelming, so it isn't unusual to find ourselves addressing the yard with the same commitment and thought process we give to the interior of the home. The first priority was to take down the inhospitable and deteriorating front fence, create a beautiful and inviting front garden, and tackle the overgrown and long-neglected backyard. Was this a formidable project? Did the City of Piedmont require a permit? Was it ultimately worth the time, expense, blisters and hard-earned sweat? Yes, yes, yes!
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