512 Brussels, San Francisco

Site Conditions

• Owners overwhelmed at facing sale prep and moving across the US
• Needed to reduce stress to keep the process moving forward
• Property updates required to generate highest price

Results of Our Work

• 11 offers, 8 days on market
• Listed at $1.099M, sold for $1.385M
• ​​​​​​​400% ROI on $30,750 resurfacing investment produced additional $120,000 or more

Compassionate Process for Reducing Pre-Sale Stress​​​​​​​

After 10 years of ownership, it was hard to leave! But post-Covid the couple could still work from home, so they decided to head for the East Coast, closer to family. 

They were emotional and overwhelmed, thinking about resurfacing the home, moving, etc. When Craig spoke with one of the partners alone, he learned how much it was stressing the couple.

Together, they created a stress-reducing strategy that would get the sale back on track. Craig introduced his packer-hauler-mover who created an amazing setup for the sellers to organize their personal property, donations and relocation-ready items.

As the women saw progress, they became more hopeful and productive.  

The couple feared a neighbor would oppose them painting one of his very visible, flaking exterior walls. To their relief, Craig secured his approval and in three days it was done. Craig loves rolling up his sleeves and negotiating to remove sale obstructions, especially to help the sellers gain more money, more freedom.

Initially, the women nixed the level of upgrades Craig recommended to get the highest price. But they became more confident, and we resurfaced the kitchen and rest of the house.

Exterior (before) The exterior of the home was bland and nondescript, blending into the rest of the homes on the street.

Exterior (after) With fresh paint and contrasting trim, we produced a more memorable, distinct and pleasant appearance.

Kitchen (before) The ladies were very proud of their kitchen, so Craig hesitated before giving his full resurfacing recommendation.

Kitchen (after) New floor tile, paint, quartz counters and appliances. Updates were the sellers’ idea once they saw before and after photos from our archive.

Bathroom (before) A dated bathroom that would look like an expensive project to buyers.

Bathroom (after) Brighter, more modern. And for consistency, we carried through a lot of elements from the kitchen resurfacing, elevating the room.

Living Room (before) Many homeowners believe that outdated yellow wall color and orange-ish flooring is the only way to complement an outdated travertine fireplace. Not in my experience.

Living Room (after) Selected painting, including the wooden mantel, made the travertine around the fireplace and the orange-hued flooring more acceptable and uplifting.

Master Bedroom (before) The downstairs master suite was a bit tired, dreary and old fashioned, not to mention the popcorn ceilings. But we need to focus on higher-end returns.

Master Bedroom (after) New paint, carpet and light fixtures created a sleek, inviting bedroom. Our stager revised the layout by adding a small home office workspace.

Bedroom (before) It’s difficult for the average person to appreciate the beautiful crown molding, newer windows and overall appeal when the colors aren't right.

Bedroom (after) We skipped the light-obstructing plantation shutters, updated lighting to LED and painted to attract our targeted buyer demographic.

Rear Yard (before) The rear yard structure provided a number of options, but in the current condition it was a big distraction and not adding value.

Rear Yard (after) We revitalized the yard with landscaping and ground cover, revealing an existing pathway, then painted and staged. The vignette promised calm and relaxation.