1358 31st Ave., San Francisco

Site Conditions

• Trustees had battled for years over the property
• Patio needed a complete overhaul and there was an active leak
• Many design plusses, but obscured by neglect and decay

Results of Our Work

• 5 offers received
• Sold for $1.37M, $371,000 over asking
• 350% ROI on resurfacing budget ($17,463 resurfacing produced a $61,000 higher sale price)

Warring Trustees, Abandoned Home, Hoarded Contents

A drawn-out dispute between owners left the home abandoned, decayed and packed with three container-loads of papers, valuables and keepsakes.

One party hired a lawyer, the other was assigned a professional fiduciary. Any plan we recommended would be intensely scrutinized, but Craig loves a challenge.

During meetings at the lawyer’s office, both parties to the trust were heard and understood. In the end, practical solutions and profits drove the action.

Even in its ragged state, Craig sensed the home’s underlying magnificence—from its Mediterranean stucco silhouette and open-beam ceiling to oversized front windows and skylights.

The Proof team estimated $40,000 for resurfacing to achieve the maximum sale price. But the sellers allocated less than half, just $18,000 to spend on the damaged property.

The biggest challenge? The elderly seller’s health was failing and she needed lots of consultation from us. Craig’s assistant hit it off with her and helped her feel comfortable with the process.

An abandoned car, another common sticking point, sat in the middle of the garage blocking our path for removing tons of personal property and hoarded material. Luckily our proven formula for tackling it did the trick.