Design is like a time capsule; it captures the aspirations of the moment and depicts change over time.

As a buyer, if you know what you’re looking for, you can see the history of San Francisco in its homes. Proper staging can make the history in these homes more relevant and enticing. As a property seller within the San Francisco area, staging your home will highlight the best features with decor and presentation.

Staging a home is designed to showcase a home’s best assets, impress buyers, and make the sale quickly for the highest possible price. But how exactly does an effectively-staged home entice buyers?

Staging allows buyers to imagine themselves and their families in the home. It helps to show off the home’s good features and conceals its flaws by turning negative space into usable space, by creating a mood, or by making the home look significantly appealing in photos for listings.

As in advertising, presentation is everything in real estate.

Staging your Home to Sell in the San Francisco Real Estate Market

Suppose you have a home located in San Francisco where staging is common practice. With this in mind, you should stage it in a manner that places it at a significant competitive advantage over other homes that offer unique designs.

Homes that look their best generate more excitement and more competition among the buyers in the market.

According to experts, the following are some of the aspects to consider:

Sight

When staging your home in San Francisco, you should take steps that let in as much natural light as possible. Avoid blocking the windows with furniture and remove thick, heavy blinds and curtains. Make use of lamps with high wattage to effectively illuminate the spaces that do not receive much outdoor light.

Another effective trick to appeal to the buyer’s sight is to show them more of the room. For example, removing excess clutter and furniture can make your spaces feel larger.

When it comes to paint and decor, stick with the designs and colors that are neutral and punctuate the rooms with pops of color. This will leave more to the imagination, allowing the visitors to imagine their own vision of the space, instead of limiting them to your own creative vision.

Touch

Any physical discomfort can adversely affect a potential buyer’s perspective and mood. Therefore, you should ensure that your home provides a clean, cozy, and physically inviting environment. In addition, adjusting the thermostat to ensure a comfortable temperature throughout the house before the buyers arrive is highly recommended.

The surfaces within your home should be spotless; it is off-putting for your clients to discover dust and dirt on the table surfaces. When choosing fabrics and furniture, you should consider the texture and color coordination to create an enticing ambiance.

Sound

Depending on your location within the San Francisco area, ambient noise from the outside of your home can be either a liability or a blessing. For example, if you reside in the livelier neighborhoods in San Francisco, you will need to minimize street noise by ensuring that the windows are closed. Conversely, if your yard is alive with hummingbirds, you may want to consider leaving the windows open.

You can use soft music and ambient noise to create a mood and atmosphere for your home. Playing slow and soft classical music can provide the buyers with a comfortable atmosphere to contemplate your space. The most important thing is to keep it quiet, consistent, and simple, so that it doesn’t become a distraction to your buyers.

Smell

Few aspects will put off home buyers more quickly than a pungent smell. If you own rugs or carpets, you should have them steam-cleaned thoroughly before you start showcasing your home. Opening the windows to let in the fresh air will also help make the spaces appealing to your buyers.

You may even decide to bake cookies or light some scented candles to make the space more inviting for your buyers. While pleasant odors can be enticing, it is essential to keep your efforts simple and subtle. An overpowering smell, no matter how sweet, can derail the buyer’s focus and undermine the staging efforts.

Why is Home Staging important?

According to Mike Plotkowski, home staging is important because buyers want to see their future home as it will be when they have relocated, not when there is work that needs to be done. The actual cost of any real problem they encounter will result in a deduction in their offering. If they encounter a variety of such problems, they may avoid purchasing your home altogether.

When dealing with a significant transaction like selling your home, you may need to decide between a lower price or a longer marketing period. Relative to the amount of money and time involved, staging should be one of the main undertakings.

Potential buyers are not just looking for property; they are also looking for a way of fulfilling their dreams and improving their lifestyle. Staging helps them imagine these dreams and lifestyle. In addition, there is a strong correlation between time on the market and price reduction; the longer a home stays on the market, the more likely its price will be reduced.

According to a significant number of buyers’ agents, staging of the home positively affects a home’s value if the home is decorated to meet the buyer’s taste. This means a well decorated and staged house needs to be architecturally sound and designed to appeal to the largest number of potential buyers.

Sell Your Home Quick Today!

In conclusion, staging streamlines your home to create the impression of more space. It creates a buzz that brings in more and higher offers. To achieve the desired results, you will require design skills, energy, and time. Hiring a professional stager or working with an agent who knows how to stage a property will help you sell your home with ease.

Because the home will sell as fast as possible when professionally staged, it can save you months of holding expenses.

Looking to get the best value for your home and have a professional guide you through all the jumps and hoops? Mike Plotkowski is ready to offer you the guidance you need to stage and sell your home at a great price. Contact him today to find out more!

The city of San Francisco itself is luxury real estate. The beautiful weather year-round, gorgeous beaches and an active outdoors population, the dining, the wine, entertainment, historical attractions – the city has it all!

As a result of San Francisco’s appeal and livability, the real estate market is highly competitive for buyers and sellers alike. Still, there are certain luxury upgrades you can make to your San Francisco home to stand out to buyers willing to pay top dollar.

Why Upgrade Your Home?

Even if you’re not looking to sell your San Francisco residence today, a more luxurious home makes for an even more luxurious SF experience. So why not have it all while living in the city that already has it all?

It will make your home that much more marketable when it is time to sell and optimize your San Francisco real estate investment. Continue reading on to see the top ten luxury upgrades that will make your San Francisco home even more valuable.

Rooftop Balcony

With mild San Francisco weather twelve months out of the year, it only makes sense that you should have a gorgeous outdoor space to enjoy it. Install a rooftop balcony so you can entertain or spend a quiet evening alone while overlooking your beautiful city.

Your price range will vary depending on the size of your rooftop, whether your home was already equipped to hold the additional rooftop floor, and what kinds of upgrades you choose to install. Regardless, you will certainly see a return on your investment by adding this luxury space to your San Francisco home.

Price range: $20,000 – $100,000

Smart Home Appliances

In today’s tech-savvy society, a smart home is a must-have in any luxury space. The technological upgrade options are endless: smart home thermostats, security, sound systems, entertainment, kitchen appliances – and so much more!

The good news is, these technology upgrades don’t have to break the bank, but they will be a significant sales feature when it comes time to sell your home. A Ring Doorbell, for example, starts at just $59.99. You can add as much or as little technology to your home as your budget allows while still adding value.

Price Range: $100 – $15,000

Outdoor Kitchen and Dining Room

Again, optimize that outdoor living! Utilize San Francisco’s climate and build a space where you can gather, entertain, and prepare food while enjoying the great outdoors. For a luxury property, just one kitchen isn’t enough; create a functional outdoor kitchen and bar with a cozy dining area to hang out with family and friends.

Don’t forget to include some comfortable seating and an outdoor dining table to create homey comforts in the outdoors. For extra luxury, build a fire pit or fireplace for both warmth and a cozy aesthetic.

Price Range: $12,000 – $50,000

Pool & Jacuzzi

Adding a water feature like a pool or jacuzzi will definitely add luxury to your property and will make your home stand out to potential buyers. Not only are pools and hot tubs relaxing to use; they are relaxing to the eye. They can add value for buyers with families of all ages or buyers with no children at all. This is also a feature that you yourself can enjoy before selling your home, and will not depreciate its value. But be careful, a large pool on a small SF lot can also decrease the value of the home for buyers who are less interested in the feature.

The cost of adding a pool or a jacuzzi varies greatly depending on its size, materials used, types of upgrades, and many other design options. You’ll also need to be conscious of the ongoing costs of adding a pool or a jacuzzi: filters, chemicals, and upkeep. In addition, depending on your property and the type of water feature you’re installing, you may need to budget for water heater upgrades, filtration systems, pool covers, and possibly even special electrical work. Salt water pools and spas are a great option in eco-friendly SF.

Price Range: $2,000 – $250,000+

Elevator

An in-home elevator exudes luxury. If you can boast a personal elevator in your home’s listing, you are sure to get the attention of luxury home buyers. In San Francisco, where living space is often built vertically, elevators are not only opulent, but also practical. Imagine being able to haul all of your groceries from the garage to the kitchen in just one trip without schlepping them up the stairs!

At one time, elevators were reserved for dream homes and “Barbie mansions” only, but with today’s advanced technology it doesn’t have to cost as much as you might think. Your budget will vary depending on your home’s layout and resultant ease of installation, materials used, and luxury upgrades, as well as how many floors you want to be serviced.

Price Range: $40,000 – $250,000

Steam Showers

To market your San Francisco home to luxury home buyers, you’ll want to make sure the master suite is decked out. When upgrading your home for a real estate listing, you should not ignore your master bath, as many top-dollar buyers want a luxurious master suite.

According to The American Institute of Architects, jacuzzi tubs are outdated design features, and walk-in steam showers are in. They provide the luxury of spa relaxation right in your own home!

You don’t need to break the bank to install a steam shower, as the install kits can start at about $1,500 from Home Depot, but you could also go all out and put in a custom walk-in shower with other master bath upgrades to increase your property value even more.

Price Range: $1,500 – $25,000+

Heated Floors

Heated flooring is a luxury that is also extremely efficient and will not only add value to your home sale, but will save you money while you enjoy it! Who doesn’t want to get out of the shower and step onto toasty warm tiles?

Depending on the size of the space you want to heat and the materials you choose, your heated flooring budget will vary, but it will certainly get a return on your investment when it comes time to sell.

Price Range: $1,000 – $28,000

Wine Cellar

California and wine just make a perfect pair. Add a wine cellar to your San Francisco home for a luxurious feature that will only increase your home’s value. A wine cellar is a big undertaking and a significant investment once you install your custom cabinets, climate control, and stock your room.

The size of your room, your cabinet and shelving upgrades, and of course, your vintage collection will all contribute to budgeting your cellar. The average cost of a fully stocked wine room is about $40,000, but there are certainly options that will help tighten that budget or, if you are ambitious in scope, far exceed it.

Price Range: $10,000 – $75,000

Movie Theatre

Even more popular than wine in California are movies. What better to add to your home than a customized theatre room? This feature gives the owner a feeling of true comfort in their own home and a sense that they never have to leave if they don’t want to – all the entertainment is at their fingertips!

To elevate the luxurious feel and amp up your home’s value, try to imitate that personal movie theatre setting. Splurge on theatre seating, projector and viewing screen, a professional sound system, and you could even add a popcorn machine for fun! The best part of adding this luxury feature is that you and your family get to enjoy it all while knowing it will make you money in the long run.

Price Range: $10,000 – $50,000

Bowling Alley

Your beautiful San Francisco home will have no choice but to stand out when you can include a custom bowling alley in your listing. This feature is unique, fun, and exudes luxury. You can customize your bowling alley to suit your own style and needs: add an arcade, a bar, sound systems – the options are endless.

Because there are so many variables in this particular feature, the price range is wide. The equipment, materials, labor, and extras all factor into your end budget. The investment of adding a bowling alley to your home is significant, but the price tag of your eventual listing will be equally substantial.

Price Range: $45,000 – $350,000+

Do Your Homework

Before dropping serious money on any luxury upgrades, you’ll need to consider the value of your additions and the realistic returns on investment. For example, if you go over budget but plan to live in your home and enjoy your luxury upgrades for several years, it may be worth it for you to splurge. On the other hand, if you plan to upgrade and then sell immediately, you really should talk with a professional and consider how much is the right amount to spend.

For the best experience and advice, contact realtor Mike Plotkowski. He will walk you through all of your luxury upgrade questions and options and make sure you get the biggest return on your real estate investment.

About 90% of home buyers are searching online in their house hunt. Therefore, when you’re selling your house, it is important to increase the home value on Zillow. This price is officially known as the Zestimate.

Hundreds to thousands of potential buyers will be making decisions based on information they find online, and your home’s Zillow value is a big factor in their search.

How Does Zillow Come Up With The Zestimate?

Zillow uses an algorithm to get to your home’s Zestimate figure.

They estimate the value of your house based on recent comparable sales in your area including square footage, number of rooms, and amenities.

This means that if there are many other similar houses around yours selling at lower prices, then you need to communicate to Zillow that your home is different, and explain why (more on how to do this later).

Of course, the Zestimate is never going to be a perfect barometer for the true value of your home. It’s best understood as an estimate which can sometimes fluctuate as much as 5-15% lower or higher than what you will end up selling for. A good rule of thumb in real estate is that a home is only as valuable as what a home buyer is willing to pay for it.

Regardless, the Zestimate does create a first impression for potential buyers, whether it’s accurate or not. If the Zestimate says your home is worth $2 million and you think it can sell for $3.2 million, you need to address this gap.

For this reason, it’s important you do everything in your power to increase your Zestimate to win that first impression.

Increasing Your Zestimate (Zillow Estimated Price) in Two Easy Steps

Before you can do the steps below, you need to make a Zillow account if you don’t have one already. Don’t worry, it’s free and easy to set up.

Once you’re signed in, it’s time to take action.

1. Claim ownership of your home

Sign into Zillow and then search your property address in the search bar. Once you find it, click and claim your home.

You’ll next be asked to enter in specific information about yourself for identification purposes.

2. Update all the key facts on Zillow

The Zillow algorithm is using inputs from claimed homes to spit out a Zestimate, so put in all the time necessary to go through every input and enter in the new information.

If you’ve made renovations that aren’t reflected in the inputs, it is crucial to give Zillow the new specifications so they reflect in your new Zestimate. 

Curious as to what has the biggest impact on price? The big three are: increasing the number of bedrooms; increasing the number of bathrooms; and increasing the square footage of your home.

Though updating the flooring from carpet to hardwood won’t help as much as 800 extra square footage of home space, it does all add up. Pretty much every upgrade boosts your Zestimate value to some degree.

After doing this work, you can rest assured that you did what you could to increase the Zestimate value. It may take one or two months for Zillow to update the Zestimate, but it could be sooner if you’re lucky.

You can also add a well-written description that calls out all the exciting features of your home so buyers and their realtors are primed in advance of a visit.

Adding quality pictures to improve the perceived value of your home can also help build up the buzz, especially if the pictures on Zillow are years old. Take new photos yourself or – even better – hire a photographer, and upload them to your Zillow property.

More Ways To Increase Your Home Value

Want more ways to increase your home value, which will in turn increase the Zillow value?

Curb Appeal – Curb appeal is what potential buyers see first before entering your place. Your house will increase in value if it looks inviting from the curb: a manicured lawn, trimmed trees, fresh flowers, and a sense of neatness leading up to the door.

Kitchen Renovations – The kitchen is the most important part of the house. Simply upgrading your kitchen flooring and lighting, painting the walls, and adding a new sink, dishwasher, refrigerator, and oven stove will go a long way to create a warm and high-end feel. Your goal is to get buyers to envision themselves cooking and eating in this beautiful space.

Bathroom Renovations – Besides the kitchen, the areas most people focus their attention on are the bathrooms. It’s often worth it to invest money in minor, or major, bathroom renovations. This could mean anything from replacing the shower, tub and sink, to adding new mirrors and light fixtures. No one wants to buy a house with outdated bathrooms or showers.

Adding Rooms/Bathrooms – This is the biggest way to increase the value of your home. While  it can get expensive if you’re having to add walls or do major demolition, if there’s an affordable way to add to your home’s number of rooms or bathrooms, do it! (And be sure to update this information on your Zillow for a higher Zestimate!)

Home Maintenance –  Maintaining your property well and making sure you resolve any maintenance issues will increase the perceived value on Zillow and make your home more attractive to potential buyers. This way, your buyers can enjoy the home they just purchased rather than spending the first six months fixing it up!

Conclusion

By doing a little bit of strategic work on Zillow, and possibly putting in some sweat equity or investing in renovations, your Zestimate (and true home value) will increase.

If you’re looking to truly get the most out of your home sale price, luxury real estate agent Mike Plotkowski can help you get top dollar by working with you to make your home as attractive as it can possibly be to sellers.

Mike’s passion for real estate began as a child vacuuming apartment building hallways. He has nurtured this passion into diligent advocacy for his buyers and sellers alike. Mike doesn’t just like to sell homes, he enjoys sharing his love for serial renovations with clients who may not yet see a home’s unique potential. He wants his client’s dream home to become their future reality. Mike’s concierge-level service allows his clients to achieve the smoothest transaction possible on the terms most favorable to the client. Mike also understands his clients’ lifestyles.

Mike makes sure his clients are backed by top performers in the industry, to ensure that he can always provide ultra-luxury concierge service. As a member of Corcoran Global Living, he is part of one of the most productive agencies in SF. Additionally, his own personal team of consummate industry professionals will be hard at work for you, using best practices to keep your transaction on track and running smoothly, and ensuring that you are advised of every step of the process.

Mike understands the niche market of luxury San Francisco homes, and leverages the power of technology to connect buyers with the lifestyles they desire, and sellers with the right buyers.

For his sellers, Mike has secured a generous digital marketing budget that allows him to create marketing plans to wow even the savviest of potential buyers. His massive-impact plan is meticulously planned for each step of the process, including the critical pre-launch content creation stage. For his seller clients, Mike is so committed to marketing that he engaged an advertising agency expressly for his team, to be put to work for you!

Mike and his team guide their sellers every step of the way, from pre-market home preparation to the close of escrow. He implements proven processes to reduce the tasks a client must complete to finish the selling process. He frees the client from many of the inconveniences commonly associated with a house sale, allowing them to focus on the positive outcome rather than worrying about the purchase and sale process. His sales team undertakes a comprehensive 15-step pre-launch plan to confirm your home is market-ready. This includes curb appeal and decluttering assessments, pricing strategy, and even confirmation that all necessary sales disclosures are prepared. Mike and his team will coordinate home staging and professional photography to provide buyers with the best first impression. His particular interest in renovation and improvements are an added value for sellers, as he can advise you on potential high ROI upgrades and staging. Once your home is market-ready, Mike will create his signature comprehensive marketing plan.

The plan he will create for your home sale will include both digital and non-digital components. When listing your house, your individualized plan will include a digital marketing campaign, sometimes placement in print advertisements, and six key planned events. The marketing campaign includes multiple spheres of influence to reach the broadest audience, including personal contacts as well as local and national advertising platforms like the New York times real estate channel. On a local level, your home will be announced to and available for preview by more than 250 company agents, as well as over 3,000 people in Mike’s personal sphere of influence which extends to local, national, and international potential buyers. The broader campaign will broadcast to over 40,000 national agents.

Using an online behavior-modeling campaign, Mike and his team can direct your home’s digital traffic to the right buyers. The digital marketing component includes promotion boosting on multiple social media sites and SEO usage, as well as exposure to targeted, optimum buyers. Additionally, your personal property listing website is broadcast to any Android-based phone which is located within 100 yards of the property, and your “for sale” sign will have an easily-scannable QR code. Once launched, he will continually monitor and optimize your digital listing presence.

By implementing this approach, Mike’s sellers obtain on average 18% above asking price more than the average realtor.

Mike builds on his understanding of buyers to benefit both his buyer and seller clients. Buyers want to envision themselves living in the space they are buying. They think of where their artwork will go; they want to fall in love with where their children’s “book nook” will go; they visualize where they will entertain friends for al fresco dining. In addition to in-person viewings, Mike and his team ensure that buyers wanting to access your home virtually will be able to see a lifestyle video, 3-D tour, and floor plans – so they want to pack their boxes and move right in!

For his buyers, Mike seeks to build true relationships. He is committed to finding them the perfect home for their intended lifestyle. He believes in active listening to confirm what is important to the buyer in a home, and uses this information to sift through all available listings. He can then present the buyer with options for a home that fits their wish list. He is committed to representing the buyer at every step of the transaction, and will coordinate showings and assist with contract negotiations. His keen insights and the breadth and depth of his industry knowledge provide him with the ability to guide and advise even the most discerning client.

Buyers and sellers working with Mike will reap the benefits of his experience, professionalism, and collaborative efforts. His dogged determination and commitment to providing superior customer service make him a perfect fit for clients seeking concierge real estate service.

Are you considering selling your house and buying your dream home? The 2021 real-estate market is on fire, and you do not want to miss out on the potential profits your current home could make.

Making simple renovations to spaces like your main bathroom during this time could significantly increase the value of your home.

Renovating your space may sound like a hassle, but you can do most renovations on any budget. Both extensive overhauls and minor tweaks can help make the most out of your space.

Here are some ideas and the average costs of a bathroom remodel project to make your home sell faster.

The Top Trends Of 2021

There are many reasons why you may want to renovate your bathroom. Maybe your current layout is outdated, or you want more space, or perhaps you are looking to get the highest resale value out of your home.

No matter what, there are plenty of options you can choose from to make the most out of your space. Depending on your budget, you can go all in and make all of these changes, or simply pick a few and make subtle and chic renovations.

One of the main goals in renovating the main bathroom is to make it look as large and inviting as possible. You want to put yourself inside the mind of a home buyer, especially if your primary goal of renovating is to sell your house.

It is easiest to accomplish this goal by repainting your bathroom walls and cabinets. You can achieve a similar effect by retiling your bathroom shower and floors. White, light beige, or light grey are great base colors for your walls.

Look for complementary shower tiles and floor tiles to accompany your wall color. These colors will brighten up the space and make your bathroom look larger. If you want to incorporate more color in the bathroom, try painting the vanity a different color, or liven up the room with wallpaper. Whatever choices you make, be sure to keep the next homeowner in mind when making your selection.

Replacing your bathroom hardware could make the main bathroom look more luxurious. From cabinet pulls to showerheads to towel holders – select items of the same color and material to make the bathroom look seamless and elegant.

Silver hardware is a safe bet in the bathroom. However, gold or black hardware are becoming more popular in the home renovation industry. Also, consider heated towel holders to really wow a potential buyer.

Think Bigger

Storage is also crucial to a potential home buyer. Sure, having a bright, open main bathroom feels welcoming, but it also needs to be practical. There are a few ways you can improve the storage space. First, you can consider installing new cabinetry. It can be either custom or stock cabinetry.

Consider replacing the current vanity with a larger one or inserting tall cabinets on either side of the existing vanity. Also, do not forget about the dead space located above the toilet. Cabinets can be placed here or in any shelving unit that will give the bathroom more storage space.

Lastly, you can make subtle and chic changes along with these other renovation ideas to set your master bathroom apart from others.

For example, placing battery-operated LED lights below your cabinets would give your bathroom a fancy and useful feature. Battery-operated strip LED lights are relatively inexpensive, and easy to find and install.

A heated toilet seat is a nice feature to add. These heated features offer the kind of luxury your home buyer did not even know they needed!

Finally, simple décor and a great air freshener will be the icing on the cake. It will play to most of the senses of your potential homebuyer: now they can see, feel, and smell the characteristics of their future master bathroom.

Pricing Out

The cost of renovating depends on priorities that vary from person to person. Therefore, it is ideal to have a budget in mind before mapping out your renovation plans. Setting a budget will help you decide on what is a must-have and what you can live without. Also, it will give you a sense of whether you want to do the renovations yourself or hire a contractor.

Deciding to do the renovation yourself rather than hiring a contractor will play a dramatic role in building your budget. Not everyone has the time, skills and desire to remodel their main bathroom, so hiring a professional may be your only option.

Renovating a main bathroom can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $100,000. But, again, it all depends on the desired outcome for the project. In the following estimates, consider that the bathroom is renovated by a professional.

Low to mid-range cost: $5,000 – $20,000. In this price range, you could repaint the bathroom walls and cabinets, replace the bathroom hardware, and potentially add some of those small luxury items.

Mid-high range: $20,000 – $50,000. In this price range, you can do a “down to the studs” remodel for a small bathroom

High-end luxury cost: $50,000 – $100,000. In this price range, you could do it all. Repaint bathroom walls, retile the shower and the floors. Replace the bathroom hardware, add cabinetry, and all the luxury items. You might even be able to take down a wall to give the area more space or add heated bathroom floors. The sky (and your creativity) is the limit here.

Sell Your Home Faster With Mike Plotkowski

The result is simple. All of these changes will open, brighten, and refresh your main bathroom. In addition, these bathroom makeovers will be vital in getting your home on the market and sold quickly so that you can earn enough on the sale to purchase your dream home.

When you are ready to sell your current home or buy your perfect home, trusted and experienced luxury real estate agent Mike Plotkowski is here to help you. He can not only lead you to the Bay Area home of your dreams, but can assist you in selling your current home as well. Contact his office today to begin your journey!