In this before/after case study, we’re sharing a home seller’s success story working with the best San Francisco Realtors at Danielle Lazier / Vivre Real Estate.
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Imagine you've nurtured a beautiful house in San Francisco, filling its walls with memories and laughter. As time goes by, your circumstances change. Suddenly you find yourself with a once-perfect home that no longer serves your needs.
The decision to sell your San Francisco home is not a simple one. There is a lot on the line, emotionally and financially, and it can take some work to prepare your property for the best return on investment. Like most sellers, you are probably already busy with your life—career, family, pets, whatever! That’s why we highly recommend you hire an experienced Realtor whose guidance you trust to help prepare, market and sell your home.
+ There are more than 5,000 licensed real estate agents in San Francisco alone. Is it crazy to think we’re not all the same? Read more on our blog, Are San Francisco Realtor Fees Worth It?
So, when the time comes, what kind of agent will you hire? You'd want a top local agent with the expertise to handle our complicated SF Bay Area real estate market, and the creativity to position your home to generate the most interest among the right buyers. That's where we come in. 🙂 Meet Vivre Real Estate’s founder and lead listing strategist, Danielle Lazier.
As a top 1% SF Realtor since 2002, helping sellers and buyers navigate over $1 billion of SF Bay Area home sales, Danielle is known as one of San Francisco's best Realtors, marketers, and negotiators. Like many stories in the world of SF Bay Area real estate, this one had its speedbumps. But utilizing her knowledge, network, and top-notch professional support teams at Vivre Real Estate, Danielle helped her clients transform a complicated situation into a great success story.
Prior to selling, our clients’ home in Glen Park served as both a part-time personal residence and a medium-term rental catering to those in need of a home for a few months. Over time, though, the homeowners had less and less need to be in San Francisco. Eventually, they decided it was time to sell their home in San Francisco and reallocate their resources to new opportunities.
Unfortunately, just as our sellers were ready to take the plunge to list their property, the market took a downturn in the second half of 2022. Higher interest rates, tech-industry layoffs, and a lingering post-pandemic malaise hung over the SF Bay Area real estate landscape. The sellers were understandably nervous. Selling a home is always a significant step, but doing so in an unstable market? That feels like a whole other ballgame.
But the best San Francisco real estate agents don't back down from a challenge. 😎 Enter Danielle and her team at Vivre Real Estate. Let's explore the strategic approach that they took in collaboration with the sellers.
When Danielle and her team first visited the property, it was already in good shape. As a furnished medium-term rental, it was functional and displayed the owner's unique, attractive tastes. However, that style was not quite in sync with what San Francisco home buyers were seeking at the time. Additionally, a few areas needed a revamp where a relatively small investment could give a significant return.
+ Top Agent Tip: By listing your home with a team who regularly represents buyers AND sellers, you get the most accurate, to-the-minute information about competing listings and valuable buyer feedback. At Vivre, our boutique small-team approach relies on specialists in every aspect of the industry—buying, selling, marketing, transaction coordination, etc. Learn more about why our clients choose Vivre.
To achieve the best possible results in this home sale, the main obstacles to overcome were the layout of the bedrooms and a lack of parking. The house featured a vertical floor plan with bedrooms scattered around, not ideal for families with young kids. And there was no garage—only street parking. These were real challenges that could affect the sellers’ bottom line, so Danielle knew they had to maximize the property's appeal to outshine its minor setbacks.
First we started the process to enhance the home, inside and out. We removed a large bush from the backyard that was blocking the view and got rid of built-in benches in the front foyer that made the space feel tight. We gave the worn-out paint and floors a facelift and adapted the color palette and furniture to match local homebuyer tastes.
With an eye for design and over 800 successful transactions under her belt, Danielle is known for helping sellers to make smart “bang for your buck” renovations and repairs before listing your property.
+ Top Agent Tip: Not all home improvement projects are created equal! Read more on our blog, Before/After Presale Home Improvements Equal Big ROI in San Francisco
The best part: Danielle and her concierge team coordinated every vendor and project from start to finish, allowing the sellers to focus on their busy lives. When it came to the issues of layout and parking, however, Danielle had to get creative and strategic with how she marketed the home.
Instead of fretting over the spread-out bedrooms, we showcased how this unique layout could provide privacy and personal space (a luxury in any city!). We staged each room to depict how each one could function as a tranquil retreat, emphasizing flexibility for different living arrangements. Imagine: an office with a view, a quiet reading room, or even a zen-inspired yoga space. Who wouldn’t love to strike a Downward Dog pose with a backdrop of San Francisco's stunning skyline?
As for the lack of parking, we decided to lean into the green, eco-friendly vibes of our local SF culture. We highlighted the property's proximity to public transportation and local amenities, making it the perfect abode for those keen to reduce their carbon footprint (or just avoiding the perils of parallel parking).
As you can tell, this was not just a simple home makeover. It was a thoughtful and strategic approach to refine the home and make it irresistible to the market. The result? A home that felt lighter, brighter, and more spacious. One that highlighted the property's best features.
So, did this strategy and investment pay off?
San Francisco real estate is not always forgiving, especially when it comes to properties that don’t check every box for buyers. However, Danielle and her team managed to turn the tables on our sellers’ situation, demonstrating once again why they're consistently ranked among the top Realtors in the nation — not to mention the top SF Realtors!
Using professional staging, strategically chosen improvements and beautiful, luxurious marketing, the team was able to highlight the best aspects of the property and downplay its few shortcomings. These high-impact updates were crucial in generating buyer interest and making the property more desirable.
Before the transformation, the house was functional and well-maintained, but it lacked the style that SF homebuyers were after. The foyer felt cramped due to built-in benches, and foliage in the backyard limited the view.
After Danielle and team worked their magic, the house felt lighter, more spacious, and more aligned with what local San Francisco home buyers were looking for. The revamped foyer offered a more welcoming entrance, and the backyard view became a selling point.
In a tough market, homes that are not quite perfect are even tougher to sell. However, using strategic staging and improvements plus the correct pricing strategy, we were able to find home buyers who absolutely fell in love with the home. We love happy endings!
Choosing the right San Francisco real estate agent is more than just a financial decision. It's a choice that can meaningfully shape your future and bring peace of mind. When the sellers decided to work with Danielle Lazier, they didn't just get an agent; they gained a partner, an advocate, and one of the top Realtors in San Francisco to carefully guide them at every step.
Amid a cooling market, with a property that had unique hurdles, it was imperative for our sellers to have a team that could steer the course with confidence. Rather than let the circumstances dictate the results, Danielle crafted a proactive strategy to ensure the property appealed to home buyers actively in the market today.
From understanding local tastes and preferences to executing high-impact improvements, the team displayed a deep understanding of the SF real estate market and a remarkable eye for detail. They breathed new life into the property while addressing the aspects that could have hindered its sale.
Finally, when it came to closing the deal, Danielle’s negotiation skills shone. They ensured that both the sellers and the buyers walked away content and excited about their respective new chapters.
+ Top Agent Tip: The story doesn’t end here. There is moving to be done and closing costs to pay and—actually, before you worry, just start by reading our blog about Real Estate Closing Costs in San Francisco. 👍
We even upgraded the views! 🤩 Just kidding, they used to be great. (Still are, but they used to be too.)
The journey of this SF home-turned-rental property stands as a testament to the power of a smart, strategic approach to real estate, and the value of working with top-notch professionals. In a market not for the faint-hearted, Danielle Lazier and the Vivre Real Estate team showcased why they are considered the best San Francisco real estate agents.
If this story strikes a chord, please don't hesitate to reach out. Maybe you're unsure about your prospects selling or buying (or both) in this market, or maybe you have a unique property that could benefit from a professional touch? Either way, we’re here to help.
Don't navigate the complex real estate market alone. Let us put our 20+ years of experience as top Realtors in San Francisco to work for you. We're more than happy to answer any questions, address your personal situation and concerns, and discuss how we can turn your real estate challenges into a success story.
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