Success Story · Represented the Sellers

5281 Rio Lobo Drive

San Jose, California 95136

The Result

Sold for $1,830,000

Listed at $1,598,888

14.5%

Over the List Price

Multiple

Offers Received

$231,112

Above the Asking Price

View the Sold Listing

The Story

Renovate, Stage, Launch

Rio Lobo is a two-story home in South San Jose, and when the sellers and I first walked it together it had good bones and dated finishes: cedar shingles and green trim outside, a red kitchen with a coil cooktop, dark stair rails and beige walls inside. Rather than list it as-is, we decided together to take on a significant renovation, inside and out, before the home ever hit the market.

I worked alongside the sellers through the whole project: scoping the work, lining up the trades, keeping the schedule honest and making sure every dollar went where buyers would notice it. The exterior got a fresh color scheme, front door and garage door included, plus new landscaping and a clean path to the entry. Inside, the kitchen was rebuilt with white shaker cabinets, new counters, a tile backsplash and stainless appliances, the main living areas got new plank flooring, the stair rails were painted white and the whole house was repainted and lit with recessed lighting.

Then we did what we do for every listing: professional staging, a full photo shoot once the home was ready, and print flyers that matched the quality of the finish. The home launched with momentum, drew multiple offers and closed at $1,830,000, which is 14.5% over the list price. The sellers were thrilled with the outcome, and the result made the case for doing the work first.

Exterior

A new color scheme took the house from cedar shingle and green trim to soft gray with white trim and a blue front door, with refreshed landscaping and a clean path to the entry.

Kitchen

White shaker cabinets, new counters, a hexagon tile backsplash, a stainless range and microwave, recessed lighting and new plank flooring, opening cleanly into the dining room.

Living Spaces

New light plank flooring, stair rails painted white, fresh paint on every wall and recessed lighting under the vaulted ceiling made the two-story entry feel bright and current.

Staging & Photography

Once the work was done the home was professionally staged, photographed and printed on flyers, so the first impression online and in hand matched the finish.

Before: two-story home with cedar shingle siding, green trim, a wood front door and a white garage door

After: the same home repainted soft gray with white trim, a blue front door, a taupe garage door and new landscaping

Tap to flip

Exterior Paint • Front Door • Landscaping

The Front Elevation

Cedar shingle and green trim became gray, white and a blue front door.

Before: red painted cabinets, an electric coil cooktop, tile counters and a fruit-motif tile backsplash

After: white shaker cabinets, new counters, a hexagon tile backsplash, a stainless range and light plank flooring

Tap to flip

Cabinets • Counters • Backsplash • Flooring

The Kitchen

Red cabinets and a coil cooktop gave way to white shaker cabinets and a new range.

Before: empty living room with dark wood floors, beige walls, dark stair rails and pendant lights under a vaulted ceiling

After: staged living room with light plank flooring, white stair rails, soft gray walls and recessed lighting

Tap to flip

Flooring • Paint • Lighting • Stair Rails

The Living Room & Entry

Dark floors and rails, beige walls and pendants became light plank, white rails and recessed lighting.

Printed photos of the staged Rio Lobo primary bedroom, bathroom and living room laid out on a wood table

Staged, Photographed and in Print

Presentation

A renovation only pays off if buyers see it at its best. Rio Lobo was staged room by room, photographed by a professional once the light was right, and printed on heavy-stock flyers for every showing and open house. The same photos ran across the MLS, the major portals, social and email, so the home looked the same everywhere a buyer met it.

See how we market every listing

Learn about the Home Prep Concierge