1441 Nye St., San Rafael

Site Conditions

• Very lived-in home with large child-themed murals, damaged floors, dingy grout
  
• Many DIY improvements made over the years were not cohesive in design
  
• Sellers dead set against spending to improve and stage the property

Results of Our Work

• 12 days on market, 25 offers!
  
• Listed at $999,000, sold for $1.55M, $551,000 over asking
  
• ROI 450% ($34,475 investment produced an additional $153,000 in seller profit), staging $6,900

No Need to Wait for Spring

The sellers had two adorable, very active small children. So no surprise, the home looked lived-in damaged hardwood floors, loud child-themed walls and dingy bathroom grout.
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The couple’s many DIY improvements lacked consistent style, common when homeowners work on their property over time. 
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We identified established or growing families as the likely and highest-paying target audience for the home. Our designer focused on attributes parents would want:
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• a cozy fireplace focal point
• memorable, functional outdoor space
• children’s rooms near parents’
  
• the perception of a move-in ready home with consistent, modern finishes

Our sellers thought investing money and time in the property was a waste. Craig showed them why it would likely produce a very high return, and they were delighted with the results.
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Comparing recent sales, Craig expected a price of $1.3M with minor cleaning and painting. But as the home’s improvements came together, he felt a final price of $1.4M was probable.
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It was winter and every other agent told these sellers, “Wait until springtime to sell.” But Craig believes housing demand remains relatively strong throughout the Bay Area rainy season’s limited supply. And we proved it with 25 offers!

Living Room (before) The home registered as cluttered and uninspiring with disjointed wall shelving and a not-so-lovely fireplace.

Living Room (after) Designer-chosen paint color, a defining floor stain and upgrades to the fireplace surround and dining room light fixture, attracted buyers to these elements.

Kitchen/Dining Room (before) Competing brown tones from the dining room table and wooden flooring looked dull and antiquated. A dark curtain rod and chandelier felt heavy and dreary.

Kitchen/Dining Room (after) Uplifting, open and contemporary, with new lighter colors, modern two-tone cabinetry paint and a dramatic floor stain.

Family Room (before) Connected to the kitchen at the rear of the home, the family room was always visible yet felt disconnected. 

Family Room (after) Neutral colors and smaller-scale items on shelving emphasized the many windows and views, making the yard feel more connected and accessible.

Hall Bathroom (before) Lime green anyone? But a full renovation of this original, unremodeled bathroom was out of the question from a budget standpoint.

Hall Bathroom (after) To complement the old, we upgraded select elements and went against convention with large-format floor tile. Very little money invested.

Children’s Bedroom (before) Even though we were targeting families with children, the overpowering wall mural wasn’t right for attracting move-in ready buyers.

Children’s Bedroom (after) The room came together with new designer LED lighting and a more elegant direction for paint and furniture symmetry.

The Flooring Challenge (before) The number of flooring materials in a home have an inverse impact on sales price projections. This home featured damaged floors of varying colors. 

The Flooring Challenge (after) Buyers strongly prefer a consistent flooring material throughout the home. In this case, the rich hue heightened the drama of the staging elements.

Main Ensuite Bathroom (before) Parents of small children would find this worn and tired bathroom less than appealing.

Main Ensuite Bathroom (after) On a shoestring budget, we refreshed the room, including new vanity, sink, flooring, paint, light fixture and mirror.

Backyard (before) The overgrown yard reflects on the home, creating an impression the property is untended.

Backyard (after) By restaining wood elements and freshening with new ground cover, existing plantings could shine.

Yard Vignette (before) The scattered and unkempt nature of the yard appearance presented a challenge.

Yard Vignettes (after) Buyers could envision themselves enjoying this space as their own. When they asked to see the outdoor entertaining areas they had viewed online, we knew our marketing was working.