Prepping Your Home for Sale in San Francisco: Key Steps for Success

PREPPING YOUR HOME FOR SALE

Preparing a home for sale in San Francisco is crucial for ensuring that it stands out in our competitive real estate market. In a city where real estate prices are high, buyers also have high expectations. The good news is that this also means buyers are willing to pay a premium for a well-maintained and updated home. If you are getting ready to sell your San Francisco home here are some key steps to consider to attract potential buyers and get the best possible price for your property. The Legacy Real Estate team has helped hundreds of sellers prepare and market their homes - we would love to share our expertise with you as well.

Before & After

What we can do for your property

We can make your house feel new

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Renovated home exterior at dusk with garage and covered entry in San Francisco

White two-story house with green-trimmed garage door, recessed entrance, and landscaped front garden.

Before & After

Browse through the beautiful transformations we’ve made to properties. Hover over image to view Before photos.

Staged living room with a brick fireplace, white paneling, French doors, and glass coffee tables.

Empty living room with a tiled fireplace, built-in cabinets, and a sanded wood floor.

Staged bedroom and sitting area beneath a white loft railing, with gray carpet and lounge chairs.

Carpeted room with a loft railing, sliding glass doors, and a deck outside.

Staged dining room with a round wood table, woven chairs, and a fireplace.

Empty paneled room with a three-light fixture, window, and worn wood floor.

Bright bathroom with white hexagonal tile and frosted window opening onto a hardwood-floored hallway.

Empty hallway with worn wood floors, striped wallpaper, and open doors to a bright room.

Modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances, lime-green walls, and two butcher-block islands.

Kitchen with light wood cabinets, hanging pots, and a butcher-block island used as a workstation.

Staged bedroom with a white upholstered bed, blue wall art, and glass-paneled doors to a sitting area.

Bedroom with belongings piled on a teal-covered bed and a bright adjoining room with bay windows.

Bright white kitchen with glass-front cabinets, a double-basin sink, and warm hardwood floors.

Worn kitchen with cream cabinets, patterned glass doors, damaged counters, and unfinished flooring.

Staged bedroom with a white bed, abstract artwork, hardwood floors, and windows overlooking trees.

Empty room with polished hardwood floors and two windows with brown blinds.

Staged living room with a white brick fireplace, built-in shelves, and tall windows.

Empty living room with a brick fireplace, hardwood floors, and sheer-curtained windows.

Concierge Loan Program

Maximize renovation ROI, sell for the highest price, and maximize profits.

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Together we dive into the details of your project and determine if the Concierge Loan Program is right for your home.

0% Interest Rate

Payable at the close of Escrow

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Prep and sell your home with no out-of-pocket costs along the way

CONTACT US TO LEARN MORE

Joyce M.
Bernal Home Seller

"Selling or buying a house is a big deal, one that generally involves a lot of money, anxiety and just plain work, so which professionals you choose to help you through the process is important. My husband and I are so grateful that we chose Carren Shagley and Jennifer Burden of Legacy Real Estate (legacySFhomes.com). Our real..."

"Selling or buying a house is a big deal, one that generally involves a lot of money, anxiety and just plain work, so which professionals you choose to help you through the process is important. My husband and I are so grateful that we chose Carren Shagley and Jennifer Burden of Legacy Real Estate (legacySFhomes.com). Our real estate experience was “one and done” – we bought one house in Bernal Heights, lived in it for 32 years and sold it after moving into a rented apartment. We needed a lot of hand-holding! Jennifer and Carren demystified the whole process – clearly described the steps, made recommendations about how best to prepare and market our house, and never exerted pressure. They’re also a lot of fun, a mother-daughter act in the best sense of the term. We sold our house this month for almost 20% over asking! I can’t recommend Jennifer and Carren enough. "

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Pier Charter
Bernal Heights Real Estate Agent & Home Seller

"I’ve been a Realtor in SF for 34 years, and when it was time to sell my Bernal Heights house I knew that Jennifer and Carren of Legacy Real Estate were the only ones to list it with. I didn’t want to list it myself. I’ve known them both for many years and had complete confidence in their professional skills and ability to mar..."

"I’ve been a Realtor in SF for 34 years, and when it was time to sell my Bernal Heights house I knew that Jennifer and Carren of Legacy Real Estate were the only ones to list it with. I didn’t want to list it myself. I’ve known them both for many years and had complete confidence in their professional skills and ability to market the property and get the best price. They are actually the only Realtors I felt I could trust and rely on, being a Realtor myself. Their strengths are clarity and consistency of communication, high integrity, many years experience, marketing and preparing the property, thoroughness, negotiation. As expected we got a great price and the transaction went smoothly from start to finish."

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Tamara C.

"Honestly, I can’t say enough good things about Carren and Jennifer. I was very nervous about selling my Ocean Beach condo last October 2022. Both of them worked hard to prep the condo and make it as beautiful (and irresistible) as it was when I bought it. They are professional and easy to work with. Realtors extraordinaire!"
John S.

"Jennifer and Carren were our Realtors® from the beginning of the process in preparing our house for staging, showing it, and walking us through the offer process all the way through helping us make bids to get our new home. We could not be more thrilled and happy with the experience that we had with them. They are amazing, th..."

"Jennifer and Carren were our Realtors® from the beginning of the process in preparing our house for staging, showing it, and walking us through the offer process all the way through helping us make bids to get our new home. We could not be more thrilled and happy with the experience that we had with them. They are amazing, thoughtful, caring, and understanding. I highly recommend this team; whether you’re buying, selling, or both, as we were, you will be in great hands. I can’t imagine going through this process without wonderful Realtors® like Carren and Jennifer."

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Brian

"Jennifer and Carren are indeed a phenomenal dynamic duo! They took the time to get to know us and what we wanted as clients aiming to sell our home. They were extremely knowledgeable of the market and advised us on a highly successful strategy to get much more than we expected for our home. They knew how best to make improvem..."

"Jennifer and Carren are indeed a phenomenal dynamic duo! They took the time to get to know us and what we wanted as clients aiming to sell our home. They were extremely knowledgeable of the market and advised us on a highly successful strategy to get much more than we expected for our home. They knew how best to make improvements and prepare our house, they managed the process thoroughly, and were deft in negotiating the sale of the home with potential buyers. We highly recommend them to anyone looking for a full-service and gratifying experience."

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5 Steps to Consider Prior To Selling

1. DECLUTTER

One of the most important things to do when preparing a home for sale in San Francisco is to declutter and depersonalize the space. This means removing personal items, such as family photos and other personal mementos, as well as excess furniture, clutter, and items in storage. Doing so will make the space feel larger and allow potential buyers to envision themselves living in the home. Additionally, it is essential to deep clean the home and make any necessary repairs, such as fixing leaky faucets or replacing broken tiles, to make the home more attractive to potential buyers. We have a Rolodex of vetted vendors and can oversee this process from start to finish.
2. STAGING

Another critical aspect of prepping a home for sale in San Francisco is staging. Staging involves arranging furniture and decor in a way that showcases the home's best features and makes it feel inviting and welcoming. A well-staged home can help buyers visualize themselves living in the space and can make the home more memorable and desirable. Professional staging services can be a worthwhile investment as they can significantly improve a home's appeal and help it sell more quickly. We select and work with the very best San Francisco staging teams to present your home in its best light. We are actively involved in the process with the goal of showcasing the maximum potential of your home to motivated buyers.

By decluttering, deep cleaning, making necessary repairs, and staging the home, sellers can make their home stand out in a competitive real estate market and increase their chances of a successful sale.
3. UPGRADES

Deciding whether or not to upgrade your home prior to sale is an important decision. The starting point focuses on Return On Investment (ROI). We work with our clients with an understanding of which improvements have the highest satisfaction for buyers and returns to your pocket. Upgrading a home's flooring, landscaping, and painting can have the most significant return as these upgrades improve the property's immediate aesthetic appeal and make it more attractive, ultimately leading to a higher sale price.
4. PRICING

Our team specializes in pricing your home right. This starts with knowing the local market and examining recent sales to understand what the current market will support. Setting the right price for a home is essential to attract potential buyers, generate interest, and ensure a successful sale.

Overpricing a home can be detrimental to the sales process, as it can lead to a lack of interest from buyers and result in the property sitting on the market for an extended period. In San Francisco, where home prices are already high, an overpriced property may deter potential buyers who are looking for value for their money. The key to setting the right price for a home is to work with an experienced real estate agent who can provide insight into current market trends, comparable sales in the area, and other relevant factors that can affect the property's value. A real estate agent can help sellers evaluate their home's condition, location, and features to determine a fair market price that will attract potential buyers and generate interest.

Overpricing or underpricing a property can lead to missed opportunities and frustration for both sellers and buyers.
5. MARKETING

Every aspect of our data-driven marketing approach reflects our passionate attention to detail and maximizes exposure of your home to the right audience. From beautiful postcards designed with buyers’ interests in mind to an expansive digital footprint including, single-property websites with lead generation, email campaigns, online advertising, and social media - we love putting all of our resources towards making the right splash.

MAXIMIZE ROI FOR YOUR HOME SALE

FLOORING

One of the most impactful upgrades sellers can make is to replace outdated or worn flooring with new hardwood or tile. Buyers are willing to pay a premium for a home with modern and stylish finishes. Upgrading the flooring can also improve the home's functionality, making it more appealing to families or those who prioritize a functional living space.
PAINTING

A fresh coat of paint can give a property an instant facelift both inside and out. Neutral colors are popular in San Francisco's real estate market as they create a blank canvas for buyers to envision their own personal style.
LANDSCAPING

Landscaping is another area where sellers can make a big impact. San Francisco's mild climate makes outdoor living spaces particularly desirable, and a well-maintained yard or garden can significantly increase the value of a property. This can include adding new plants or flowers, trimming overgrown trees, and creating defined outdoor areas for entertaining or relaxation.

PREPPING YOUR HOME FOR SALE