From 1,078 Sq. ft. to $2.7M: The Rebirth of a Sunnyvale Classic

Yvonne Yang
Jun 24
2 min read

Another project wrapped, another story worth sharing—this time from the heart of Sunnyvale, where a compact 1950s home was transformed into a modern gem that delivered nearly $500,000 in appreciation.

🔍 The Challenges

This home was just 1,078 square feet, with a layout that no longer matched the lifestyle of today’s buyers:

🚫 Only 1 bathroom, making mornings and evenings a scheduling battle for families
🚫 Kitchen counter space was maxed out and felt restrictive
🚫 Aging exterior and a roof past its service life gave it a tired, overlooked curb appeal
⚠️ Bay Area renovation costs are high—every design choice had to be strategic to ensure a real return on investment

💡 What We Did

Instead of going the costly and time-consuming route of expanding the home, we focused on smart, functional reconfiguration with a young Bay Area family in mind:

✅ Added a second bathroom by reworking the floor plan—giving the home a true primary suite
✅ Introduced a walk-in closet and indoor laundry space using optimized square footage
✅ Left the kitchen footprint intact, but extended counter space and reworked cabinets using stylish, cost-effective materials
✅ Designed a clean, modern fireplace feature wall to elevate the living room and create a strong visual centerpiece
✅ Updated the exterior with fresh colors and a new roof, giving the home a crisp, move-in ready look

All design and construction decisions were made with ROI in mind—proving that even small homes can yield big value with the right vision.

And the best part? The homeowner, who frequently travels between China and the U.S., was able to hand off the entire project to us. From design to permits to final styling, we took care of everything—truly full-service and worry-free.

🔥 The Results

🚀 Marked as “Hot Home” right after hitting the market
👀 Multiple pre-open house showings
🛠️ During showings, we highlighted expansion potential, addressing buyer concerns before they became objections
💰 Sold in under a week for $2.7 million
📈 That’s a $380K appreciation over what it could’ve sold for in its original condition—nearly 4x return on renovation investment

This is exactly the kind of transformation we love: reviving underutilized space, uncovering hidden potential, and bringing a home to life for its next chapter.