175 Crestmont Drive, Oakland: 2019 vs 2021
When we first shot 175 Crestmont back in the summer of 2019, there was no telling just how much the real estate market was going to change in a couple of short years. In fact, in mid-2019 we were still blissfully unaware that a pandemic was on the horizon which would in turn cause a boom in the housing market. Little did we know that the market would become so hot that buyers would resort to buying homes 100% over asking price.
The agents who sold the home back in 2019 are longtime clients and they tend to order the same services for each listing: daytime photos, Twilight images, a website, and brochures.
When we returned to this same house two years later in May 2021 to shoot for a different agent, there were some differences – both in how our team operated and how the house looked!
On our side, we were masked up, freshly sanitized, and we scheduled the photographer and draftsperson at separate times so that there would be no interaction. We only allowed one person (agent or occupant) onsite with our team member to help reduce the possibility of spreading the virus. During our return visit, we took daytime/Twilight photos and Floor Plan Drafting. In contrast to the 2019 order, we did not create a website or brochures.
Even with fewer services, 175 Crestmont ended up selling for $1,485,000 – a 29.13% increase from just two years before:
THEN (2019)
Asking price: $895,000
Selling price: $1,150,000
NOW (2021)
Asking price: $995,000
Selling price: $1,485,000
In addition to selling nearly 30% over what it had previously sold for, the home sold for a whopping 50% over asking price. Part of this we can attribute to some cosmetic updates, which we’ll discuss below. But mostly, a robust market probably contributed to a quick and lucrative sale.
Can you spot the one major change in the living room? The owners painted the brick fireplace white and added a floating wooden mantle. It certainly gives a fresh, bright feel to the room. That being said, we can’t help but wonder how long the white paint trend will last.
The kitchen experienced minimal change. The owners updated the lighting was replaced the glass pendant lighting to to more modern-feeling lights with metal shades. We don’t know where the microwave lives these days, but it no longer resides in the strangely narrow, rectangular gap to the left of the range.
The primary bathroom underwent the most extensive updating out of all the rooms in the home. The square, beveled mirror – a little too reminiscent of the 90s – was replaced. Gone are the plain, laminate countertops and chrome faucets – replaced now with marble countertops and brass faucets and hardware. If you look closely, you can see that the shower is completely renovated as well.
Not to be outdone, the second bathroom has a new vanity (which offers much-needed storage space under the counter). The owner removed the white medicine cabinet/mirror and replaced it with a larger, rectangular mirror with rounded corners. Thankfully, the clawfoot tub is alive and well.
Want to check out other famous houses we’ve shot? View our blog posts on the incredible Ghirardelli Mansion or the Feusier Octagon House.
