East Bay Market Update - July 2025

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Berkeley?

At Calia Homes, we specialize in helping East Bay clients navigate the Berkeley real estate market with confidence. Whether you're a first-time buyer searching for the perfect home near the Gourmet Ghetto or a longtime homeowner preparing to sell in the Elmwood or Northbrae neighborhoods, our experienced Berkeley Realtors offer trusted guidance, local expertise, and a people-first approach. With decades of experience and a reputation built on referrals, we’re here to help you make smart, successful real estate decisions in Piedmont and the surrounding East Bay communities.

What It Really Takes to Get Market-Ready

-and How to Pay for It

At Calia Homes, we approach every sale with personalized care, because getting a home ready for market isn't just about repairs, it is about presentation, positioning, and unlocking potential. In this month's newsletter, we're sharing what presale preparations typically cost, how much value they can add, and how to fund them without paying upfront. In the East Bay, home sale preparation is a smart investment. In our opinion, the improvements that make the highest return on your investment are painting, staging, updated fixtures and light landscaping. For smaller to medium-sized homes, these costs are typically $30,000-$50,000. For larger homes, the costs typically range from $45,000-70,000.

Importance of Staging:

According to the National Association of Realtors, over 80% of buyer agents say staging helps clients visualize a property as their future home. Further, 53% of sellers' agents say that staging a home decreases the amount of time a home spends on the market.

For a $1,000,000 home, staging typically costs around $10,000

—or 1% of the sale price-and often delivers a strong return.

According to the Real Estate Staging Association, 75% of sellers gain 5% to 15% over asking, or $50,000 to $150,000 gain in this scenario. The International Association of Home Staging Professionals also found that staged homes sell 3 to 30 times faster than those left unstaged.

Prep Now, Pay Later:

We understand that not all sellers have tens of thousands of dollars set aside for pre-sale home preparations. Fortunately, there are now a number of short-term financing options available for pre-sale preparations. Calia Homes has relationships with several organizations that provide streamlined financing for presale preparations. Notable is one such company that offers up to $50,000 in unsecured credit with no equity required. There's no cost unless until funds are drawn, and repayment is deferred until the home sells-or within 12 months. HouseAmp, is another option for sellers with available equity. They provide financing with a 60-day no-interest period, digital project tracking, and deferred repayment at closing Sellers can use their own vendors or select from a vetted network, depending on their preferences.