When a Storm Hit Before Listing in Burlingame: Why We Didn't Take Shortcuts
When a Storm Hit Before Listing in Burlingame: Why We Didn't Take Shortcuts
Just as we were putting the finishing touches on Doug Benson's beautifully renovated Burlingame home, a once-in-a-decade storm revealed a major leak. Here's how we turned a potential crisis into a $3.7M sale.
A 21-Year Family Home and the Challenge Ahead
When Doug Benson decided to sell his Burlingame home after 21 years, he knew he wanted to do it right. His late wife and he had spent years noticing our listings during neighborhood walks, and when the time came, he trusted us to honor the legacy of the home where they'd raised their two sons.
I love helping people in my community sell their homes, but sometimes that means working through challenges that inevitably pop up. This is a story about a remote seller, a family home, and a once-in-a-decade storm that could have derailed everything but didn't.
Strategic Pre-Sale Improvements: Setting the Stage for Success
The house was already in good condition, but we knew that some strategic improvements would make all the difference in maximizing its value in Burlingame's competitive market. Working closely with Doug, who was preparing to relocate out of state, we coordinated a comprehensive pre-sale refresh.
Interior and Exterior Painting - $32,200
Complete interior refresh
Exterior painting and power washing
All trim, walls, and surfaces updated to modern neutral palette
Garage walls, interior of roll-up door, and door into kitchen
Wallpaper removal, wall repair, and missing baseboard installation
Upstairs bedroom wall repair where wood paneling was removed
Basement wall painting at stairs
Window and Stucco Repair - $16,300
Reflashing and restucco work
Final stucco painting, sheetrock repair, and crown molding in the dining room
City of Burlingame permit obtained and finalized
This work was completed after the storm revealed the leak (detailed below)
Hardwood Floor Refinishing - $10,038
Refinished all hardwood throughout
Dining room floor repairs
Upstairs hallway refinishing
New baseboard installation
New Carpeting and Cleaning - $3,213
Installed new carpet upstairs in bedroom ($3,112.60)
Professional stair runner cleaning ($100)
Electrical Updates - $4,223
Electrician converted all outlets and plates to white
New office outlet installation
Updated living room can lighting
Professional Home Staging - $8,600
Our stager chose a contemporary transitional style that completed the character of the home
Two-day staging process
Additional Improvements - $4,114
New rear fence ($1,950)
Roof rafter repair ($800)
Door knobs, light fixtures, cabinet pulls, and bulbs ($1,364)
Final Touches - $5,589
Deep clean ($500)
Window cleaning ($780)
Landscaping updates ($230)
Handyman services addressing home inspection items ($4,079)
Inspections and Certifications - $2,075
Complete home inspection ($725)
Pest inspection ($450)
Sewer lateral test (passed) ($900)
Our listing liaison Emily worked with Doug on every detail. The transformation was stunning, and we were confident the investment would pay off.
Then a HUGE Storm Hit
Then came the storm.
Just as we were putting the finishing touches on the home, a massive storm system hit the Bay Area. Unfortunately, it revealed a problem: water was getting inside the interior walls of the dining room in front of the home.
Doug was already out of state, and it was already dark out. I was concerned about the leak spreading, especially given the beautiful hardwood floors had just been refinished. So there I was in the house with buckets and towels, doing everything we could to protect the work we'd just completed.
Finding the Real Problem
It seemed obvious that it was the roof, so we got four estimates from roofers to replace the roof above this part of the house. But that didn't sit right with me. We wanted to understand the source of the leak, and we thought there was a chance it wasn't the roof. We didn't want to just put a band-aid on it and disclose the issue to buyers.
We opened up walls near the windows and discovered the real culprit: failed window flashing. So it actually wasn't a roof problem; it was a window problem.
The Solution: Doing It Right
Bay Area Window Pros came in with a comprehensive solution: reflashing and restuccoing to fix it properly.
The Investment:
Window reflashing and restucco work: $14,600
Final stucco painting, sheetrock repair, and crown molding in dining room: $1,700
City of Burlingame permit obtained
Timeline impact: One month delay
It was a tough call. Doug could have chosen just to disclose the leak and sell it as-is. But he wanted to do right by the next family who would live in this home. So we delayed the listing, got it fixed correctly, obtained a permit, and finalized it.
Our painter then returned for the final stucco painting, sheetrock repair, and crown molding work in the dining room. We made sure everything was perfect.
The Results Exceeded Expectations
When we finally listed the home, it was move-in ready. Our marketing manager Angilee's MLS description captured its essence beautifully (Doug, a writer himself, was thoroughly impressed).
The Results
Over 40 visits in just a few days
One weekend of open houses
Multiple offers received
Listed at: $3,495,000
Sold for: $3,700,000 (well above asking)
Time on market: One week from listing to accepted offer
Doug estimates he recouped well over twice what he invested in improvements compared to a neighboring sale that hadn't undergone similar updates.
It's About More Than the Sale
Here's what Doug said about the experience:
"I was blown away by the hands-on support throughout the sale. Raziel and Emily were present at the house many times before and after I moved out, including coordinating a major window leak repair after I had already relocated out of state. During a once-in-a-decade storm, Raziel was on the phone with me at night while working with a contractor to protect the newly refinished floors. His commitment was simply incredible."
Could we have taken shortcuts? Yes.
Could we have just disclosed the leak and let the next buyer deal with it? Sure.
But that's not our style. When you sell your home, you deserve a team that does the right thing. We believe our sellers deserve a professional team that will show up with buckets and towels during a storm, investigate until they find the real problem, and be willing to delay a sale to minimize future risk for both the seller and the new buyer.
Selling a home in Burlingame, or anywhere on the peninsula, where expectations are high, requires more than good marketing. It requires problem-solving, attention to detail, and sometimes getting your hands dirty (literally!)
Doug trusted us with his family home, and we made sure it was ready for its next chapter.
"The buyers received a move-in-ready home that I was proud to pass on—and the design choices have even inspired the plans for my new home in Colorado," Doug shared. "I couldn't be more grateful to Raziel and his entire team. Their care, professionalism, and results were beyond what I could have imagined."
The Complete Testimonial from Doug Benson
"Raziel and his excellent team--Emily, Anne, and Angilee--made the sale of my Burlingame home run incredibly smoothly. From start to finish, they exceeded my expectations. Raziel brought in top-notch contractors who delivered beautiful updates on time and on budget. The advice he, Emily, and their designer gave regarding improvements was spot-on. Trusting their expertise helped me achieve the final sale amount I had hoped for. In the end, I sold the home well above asking (thanks, Burlingame!) and landed precisely at the net price I had targeted based on the market conditions. Remarkably, it aligned closely with the projection I'd made back in 2003 when I bought the house and reviewed 50-year market trends.
My late wife and I had first noticed Raziel's name on many beautifully presented homes during neighborhood walks in Burlingame over the years, and we knew we had chosen the right person. Throughout the process, Raziel was kind, trustworthy, professional, and clear in all communications. The level of attention and care he gave to selling our family home of 21 years--where we raised our two sons--was truly exceptional.
I was blown away by the hands-on support throughout the sale. Raziel and Emily were present at the house many times before and after I moved out, including coordinating a major window leak repair after I had already relocated out of state. During a once-in-a-decade storm, Raziel was on the phone with me at night while working with a contractor to protect the newly refinished floors. His commitment was simply incredible.
We made significant updates to a home that was already in good condition, and the final result was absolutely stunning. I was initially nervous about the cost, but based on a neighboring sale that hadn't undergone similar improvements, I'm confident that I recouped well over twice what I invested. The buyers received a move-in-ready home that I was proud to pass on--and the design choices have even inspired the plans for my new home in Colorado.
Selling a home is always a significant undertaking, and doing so in Burlingame, where expectations are high, can be especially intense. But Raziel's team handled so much of the heavy lifting. Anne even digitized decades of documentation to provide a comprehensive history for the new owners. I've never worked so hard on a seller's disclosure--or seen one done so well--and I'm grateful that Raziel encouraged me to be thorough. Between that and the high-quality inspections, the sale went through in record time and without complications.
Angilee's MLS write-up was excellent--I'm a writer myself and was thoroughly impressed with the quality. Her words, combined with the photographer's stunning visuals, captured the home beautifully.
The results were remarkable: over 40 visits in just a few days, one weekend of open houses, multiple offers, and a sale at my net target--all within a week of listing.
I couldn't be more grateful to Raziel and his entire team. Their care, professionalism, and results were beyond what I could have imagined. Highly, highly recommended."
— Doug Benson, Burlingame Home Seller
A few things stood out from Doug's sale:
The right improvements can more than pay for themselves. Doug recouped over twice what he invested compared to similar homes that sold without updates. Not every improvement makes sense though—that's where having agents who actually know the Burlingame market matters.
Sometimes the best move is to fix the problem, not just disclose it. We could have slapped a disclosure on the leak and called it a day. But fixing it properly meant buyers had confidence, and Doug got full value for his home.
Selling remotely is complicated, but it's doable with the right support. Doug was in Colorado while we coordinated contractors, managed timelines, handled the emergency storm repair, and kept him in the loop. It takes real project management.
Good documentation makes closings smooth. Anne spent time digitizing decades of home records. Combined with thorough disclosures and inspections, the sale closed fast with zero complications.
Your agent should show up when things go wrong. Whether that means standing in your house with buckets at night or digging into walls to find the real problem, you want someone who's going to do what's right, not what's easy.
If you're considering selling your home and want a team that will handle every challenge with the same dedication shown in Doug's sale, I'd love to chat with you.
This article is copyrighted by Raziel Ungar and may not be reproduced or copied without express written permission.
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