415.935.1014

Before You List

The work you do before the sign goes up decides the number on the contract.

Most homes go to market roughly as they stand, because deciding what is worth doing is harder than doing nothing. That decision is usually worth more than any other part of the sale.

What preparation is really about

It is not a renovation. It is a short list of the specific things that change how a buyer reads a house in the first ninety seconds, chosen because they return more than they cost, and stopped at the point where they no longer do.

Knowing where that line sits is the whole skill. Spend past it and you are funding someone else’s taste. Stop short of it and you leave the house to compete on price alone.

A recent one

384 Hibiscus Way, San Rafael

4 Beds  |  2 Baths  |  Sold 16% over asking

A trust sale that could have gone to market exactly as it stood. Instead: a focused cosmetic renovation, a price set to attract buyers rather than test them, and marketing aimed at the people most likely to want this particular house. Multiple offers, and under contract in two weeks.

What I will do for you

  • Walk the house with you and tell you plainly what is worth doing and what is not.
  • Give you a written preparation plan with rough costs and the return I would expect on each item.
  • Show you what comparable homes on your street have done, and what it earned them.

No cost, and no expectation that you list with me or list at all. Plenty of people do this a year or two ahead of time, which is honestly the better way to do it.

Request a walk-through

Put your property address in the comments box, along with a rough sense of your timing. That is all I need to start.

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Jason Hoffman

Realtor®, Compass  ·  DRE# 01865372

415.935.1014  ·  jason.hoffman@compass.com

1699 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco CA 94109

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate. If your property is currently listed for sale this is not a solicitation.

All property information, including, but not limited to square footage, room count, number of bedrooms and the school district property listings are deemed reliable, but should be verified by your own attorney, architect or zoning expert.

Equal Housing Opportunity.