246 Alta Loma, Daly City

Site Conditions

Former owner-occupied 4BR, 3BA turned rental property in bad shape
Out-of-state owners managed slow resurfacing project from afar
Targeting a growing family with children, highest price for comparable properties was $1.3M

Results of Our Work

29 offers
Listed at $999,000, sold for $1.45M
500% ROI on $45,000 resurfacing, brought competing buyers and additional $451,000

OUT-OF-STATE SELLERS TAKE THE HARDER ROUTE

This Daly City family home had been converted to a rental and went untouched for years.

The owners, living in the Midwest, accepted Craig’s offer to preview the home for them before the tenants moved out. He needed 5 keys to access the property and gated yard, which predicted chaos inside.

Yep! A patchwork of many differing and deteriorated flooring materials. Ancient and worn-out paint, countertops, fixtures and lighting.

The sellers flew in, and Craig and his design team toured the empty home with them. Two hours and 85 photos later, we were ready to create a resurfacing plan—recommended materials and finishes, vendor quotes and a completion timeline of 10 business days.

Then, the seller went dark. Apparently, they liked our ideas but chose a harder, slower, more expensive path—their contractors and flying to SF 5 times to oversee the 6-week project. While Craig respected the sellers’ decisions, it was hard to watch them struggle unnecessarily.

We were confident the updated home, competitive list price and professional marketing would deliver. But Craig was still surprised by 29 offers and a $1.45M sale price!

Exterior (before) Homes on this Daly City street are very similar. Overgrown hedges, peeling paint and rusty fixtures plagued our property.

Exterior (after) By picking contemporary colors, resurfacing the dated brick and reshaping the shrubs, we gave buyers a much more attractive impression.

Kitchen (before) No updates and years of tenant occupancy took a toll. Tiled counters, worn appliances, vinyl tile floors.

Kitchen (after) New cabinets, quartz countertops, stainless appliances and hardware brought the well laid-out kitchen to life. The eat-in bar counter added another sought-after attribute to family living.

Kitchen (before) The kitchen was significant to this home’s appeal. Visible from many common areas, the kitchen’s condition affected the impression of the dining room and beyond.

Kitchen (after) New cabinets in the kitchen carried the top line to the ceiling and new wide plank flooring brought it all together with less segmentation and choppiness.

Living Room (before) The parquet flooring was unsalvageable, years of wear and tear diminished any hope of restoration.

Living Room (after) New accent colors, new flooring and cool-hued staging brought buyers to the home and invited them to linger longer.

Dining Room (before) This before photo demonstrates what we mean by outdated silhouettes and competing finishes.

Dining Room (after) Our final product was clean, open and inspiring. Many buyers just stood in front of the windows and gazed, thinking, thinking

Hall Bathroom (before) No other room was as challenging as the hall bathroom. We had to keep the cost down while balancing the need for a fresh, cohesive appearance..

Hall Bathroom (after) The result was a compromise, with a fresh countertop, sink and vanity. We advised and the seller made some very wise decisions.

Master Bathroom (before) The master bath was past ready for a redo.

Master Bathroom (after) New colors, new finishes, a modern sink and new faucet brought the right vibe to the room.

Rear Yard (before) Years had gone by without touching the rear yard.

Rear Yard (after) With just a small investment in tree trimming and power washing, we transformed the rear yard into an appealing and sought-after family gathering and entertaining area.

SEE HOW WE PRESENTED THE HOME