Before & After: Rockridge Boulevard, Oakland – The Kitchen!

While the buyer for this home may decide to renovate the kitchen at a later date to suit their taste and needs, I knew providing a buyer with clean space to cook and congregate now would be important. New solid oak hardwood floors were installed, the existing cabinets were painted, new cabinetry was added to flank the stove, new countertops, sink, faucet and backsplash were added, the exposed plumbing for the laundry was moved into the wall, and the old appliances were upgraded. These budget friendly improvements made a major impact!

Before & After: Rockridge Boulevard, Oakland – Part 2

The details matter! Fresh paint and floors, landscape clean up, fresh mulch, modern classic lights, clean windows and staging, transformed this property from stale to fresh. Even if a property needs updating or repairs, buyers are craving homes that they can move right into.

Before & After: Rockridge Boulevard, Oakland – Part 1

This property was in overall good condition regarding systems such as roof, foundation, and heating, however there had been no real updating of the interior in approximately 50 years. After inspections, various projects that I felt would yield the best return on investment were performed. The house was painted inside and out, the old carpets were removed and the floors that could be refinished were, and new oak floors were added to the kitchen. The vintage dining room light was re-purposed and put in the primary bedroom, new solid brass tasteful and modern light fixtures were added, and the kitchen and bathrooms were updated with quality materials, done on a budget.

Before & After: Gregory Street, Oakland

Sometimes kitchen cabinets can be in great condition, but the color or style dates them. For this project the existing cabinets were painted to modernize the kitchen. The countertops were in good shape but were black granite – a material that was popular in the 1990's and early 2000's – but also tends to date a home. After analyzing the market, there was no data that illustrated that replacing the countertops would be a good return on an investment, so they were preserved and a modern tile backsplash to update the look was added. New pendant lights further updated the space.

Before & After: Oakwood Drive, Oakland

The best way to improve this c.1990’s property with many modernist influences was to lighten up the space. The dark kitchen cabinets were painted with a happy and relevant shade of blue, the countertops were replaced, and a modern yet textured tile backsplash was added. The hardwood floors had a reddish stain, so the existing floors were refinished and kept natural. The fireplaces’ stone was glossy and dated, so they were elevated with a modern herringbone pattern, and one of the fireplaces was further  enhanced with a natural wood mantle. Painting and staging pulled the overall look of this 3-level home together.

Before & After: Victor Avenue, Oakland – Paint, Floors and Staging

Buyers are attracted to updated properties in what they feel is “move-in ready” condition. 

Sometimes having multiple paint colors in each room can make a property seem smaller, disjointed and the wrong color can turn a buyer off so we stuck to a minimalist color palette, keeping it mainly crisp white. The stacked flagstone fireplace with soot stains was painted. Classic globe lights replaced the warehouse store's "boob" lights throughout the house. Fresh paint, refinished floors, and great staging elevated this 1930's view home.

Before & After: Ocean View Drive, Oakland – Part 1

This Rockridge Triplex was a rental property for the sellers. While they made improvements to the structure, the finishes were dated and worn. I knew the best way to get the highest possible price was to attract a buyer who wanted to owner-occupy one of the units. To do this, curb appeal was added by painting the exterior trim, some of the exterior, as well as front yard clean-up and a few plant additions. The old stained carpet was removed and the existing hardwood and softwood stairs were refinished to make the entry more welcoming. 

Inside the largest unit the walls were painted, solid oak floors were added to the carpeted bedroom and kitchen, the existing kitchen cabinets were painted, new cabinet knobs added, and new affordable countertops and Italian tile backsplash were added. New light fixtures and professional staging completed the job. The result: buyers who intended to owner-occupy the property purchased this triplex.

Before & After: Fair Avenue, Oakland

This home was built in the 1990's which can be a challenging era to sell in our niche market simply because it has no vintage charm and it is not modern. The house was in good shape and the seller had made some nice improvements, however some of the light fixtures, paint colors and cabinet colors dated the property. After analyzing the market and the property condition, the best ways to enhance the house without over-improving it for the neighborhood was fresh interior paint, kitchen cabinet paint, and new light fixtures.

Before & After: Randolph Avenue, Oakland

This beautiful Craftsman had been updated so only small changes were made to enhance the home: the original built-in was preserved, the rooms were brightened with crisp white walls, and a high-quality modern chandelier that provided more light.

The half bathroom was in a late 1970's/early 80's time warp and I wanted to make it memorable and fun! New wallpaper, Japanese penny round porcelain floor tiles, new Kohler wall mount sink, Grohe faucet, and a new mirror and vanity light transformed this space within a budget.

Before & After: Drake Lane, Oakland

In this mid-century home with splashes of 1970's updates, the brick and brown vinyl flooring was replaced with new solid oak hardwood floor in the kitchen. The existing cabinets were painted and new affordable quartz counters were installed with a minimalist and clean, white penny round tile backsplash. The dishwasher and wall oven were replaced and new cabinet knobs and light fixtures were installed. A fun touch I recommended was removing the kitchen cabinet doors that faced the dining room, and painting the back orange. In the living room, the soot-stained brick fireplace was painted. Downstairs in the family room the fireplace bricks and 1970's paneling was painted, and the magenta colored carpet was replaced. New light fixtures were added to compliment the modernist era of the home.

Before & After: Victor Avenue, Oakland – Kitchen details

When selling, you want to tackle the items that will make the biggest impact. This kitchen had older cabinets and granite counters that were in very good condition, and replacing these items would not bring a good return on investment and would have been wasteful. The base cabinets were painted a dark color to blend with the counters while the upper cabinets were painted white to keep things light. Affordable aquamarine colored Italian tile was selected to complement the dark stone counters and replace the backsplash that had 2 different colors and types of tiles. Having the same tile backsplash throughout made the kitchen feel more cohesive. New brass hardware and a new solid brass pendant light were added, and the fridge, on its last leg, was replaced with a cabinet-depth stainless steel model. The hardwood floors were refinished and the walls were painted.

Before & After: Ocean View Drive, Oakland – Part 2

Paint, new lights and professional staging is powerful! Paint can neutralize and update rooms, new lights can make a property more curated, and professional staging can tie all of the rooms together, make rooms look larger and give a property warmth and heart. Most buyers start their search online, so give them something to entice and draw buyers in.