Staged! Shot! Sold! by Jojo Soriano The Listing Agent
Every room has spectacular Views of the Bay or the Valley & the hills. The 1,000 sf. custom-built addition - Meditation Hall/Sun Room w/ Panoramic Views & automated Sun Shade puts you in the present moment. Directly below, a huge Rumpus room for children’s play or a future second Master Suite & Balcony w/ panoramic Views. Your cares melt away as you walk out of the patio deck with retaining wall, sit w/ equanimity at the outdoor meditation platform, lay on the hammock, unwind, listen to the birds, chime and water fountains at sunrise or stunning sunsets. Fully upgraded spacious Kitchen w/ new Granite Counter & full tumbled marble backsplash, high-end Appliances, new stainless steel Double Ovens, Dishwasher, upgraded Baths; meticulously laid Spanish tiles on split-level home, high-end Windows & sliding Door. It’s time to fall in love w/ this home!
Multiple Bids! Sold Above the Asking Price!
Photography by Jojo Soriano
Staged by Jojo Soriano
Jojo’s Statement
What a joy to work with Romy & Rose, home sellers of this beautiful house at Alhambra Way, Pinole. When Romy called, he said he saw my work online. I was the first realtor they interviewed, and they had planned to talk to two others. During my marketing and listing presentation, they mentioned a few of their close friends who lived nearby. As it turned out, one of my best friends is a very close friend of theirs. Small world. We had to keep the sale of their house a secret as they had not told anyone about their plans. I made a few recommendations on how to prepare the property to sell, and the next day, Romy and Rose decided to work with me. We put our heads together, and this is the result!
My Recommendations
- Sellers approved my interior paint color palette that is consistent with the Spanish look and feel of the interiors. They laid the beautiful Spanish tiles in the hallway and kitchen (love it!) - that was the inspiration.
- We installed my new series of painting reproductions by Diego Rivera. Stunning!
- I selected the beautiful solid stone Ubba Tubba Kitchen Granite countertops and island paired with Travertine tile backsplash and selected the streamlined stainless steel faucet.
- Sellers replaced the double oven with brand new ones.
- We installed two water fountains in the backyard and a hammock, and a meditation station under a tree.
- We moved some furniture under the canopy in the patio backyard, so inviting and relaxing.
- We did a few photoshoots to capture the best lighting in and outside the property: early as the sun rises, mid morning and at dusk.
Staging the Sun Room
The Sun Room has a breath-taking panoramic view of the mountain ridges. I thought it would be great to sit here and meditate, a practice I have implemented in my personal life the past several years. As it turned out, Romy, the seller, also meditates. He shared that of all the things that he had tried to alleviate a physical pain he had suffered from, nothing helped except meditation. So we cleared the space and brought in a zaffu and a few cushions and meditation bowl. I added a couple of massage tables, tea jars and cups on the Tea Bar and created a terrarium from succulent cuttings in the backyard.
Video: Automated Sun Shades
The Buyers’ Team
We received 6 offers, a multiple bid scenario. The winning bidders and their agent turned out - serious practitioners of Vipassana meditation. It’s the same practice I have been implementing in my life the past several years. The buyer teaches meditation at a meditation center in Marin. It’s the same place I went to for a 5-day silent meditation retreat that helped resolved a personal issue I struggled with many years ago that thankfully got me to pick up this practice. I came away like a being with a newly rebooted fresh mind - and my body responded quite blissfully. (And their in-house chef prepared vegetarian meals throughout. Yumm!) Their selling agent, Noah, also got trained at the same center. Too much of a co-incidence, but one thing for sure: the practice of meditation is one of the things we share in common, and it has helped us serve others equanimously and helped us to be kinder to ourselves.
Sellers’ Testimonial
We were very fortunate we had Jojo Soriano at our side to guide us through the entire process of successfully selling our home of 20 years. Right from our first meeting we knew Jojo was a perfect fit. He had the eye for seeing possibilities of how to present our home so buyers will easily love it. Jojo was a total professional and made it easy for us to make some of the harder decisions along the way. His staging design was simply amazing and we often joked of no longer listing the house but loving it. The quality of his photos, flyers, 4-page brochures and website were way above the usual. He tirelessly sought other marketing avenues to attract a wide range of buyers. We can go on and on about how great Jojo was as our agent but to top it all, we've truly gained a friend for life. Romy & Rose Susvilla
As We Gather...
Romy & Rose were such a joy to work with. At the later end of the listing period, I suggested they gather friends and families one last time at a place where all of them had celebrated, partied and visited. They did. Everyone brought something and cooked their favorite dishes; I cooked my world-class Spicy Prawns. It was a hit. Later that evening, (I left earlier) Romy and Rose shared with me that it was one of the best memories created in the house. They spent the rest of the evening reminiscing and watching a multi-media presentation of photos from way back, and all came away with gratitude and thanksgiving.
It was a great way to let go, and welcome in the new homeowners.
Staged! Shot! Sold!
by JOJO SORIANO
The Listing Agent
Call (510) 245-8500
Credits:
Photography & staging by Jojo Soriano