A Bernal Heights Home Sale Story: When Life Plans Change

I wanted to share a recent story from a Bernal home sale. Many of us envision years, decades or maybe a lifetime living in our current homes, until life asks us to adapt.

From “Forever Home” to a New Chapter Overseas

This home truly was going to my clients’ forever home until they decided to relocate overseas. It carried them through different seasons of life—from bachelorhood to marriage and starting a family.

They invested $300k+ to create architectural plans and obtain planning permits to modernize the floorplan and add a level. But, as we all know, plans and life change course. My clients realized that taking on the renovation from overseas was not an option, so they decided to sell.

The Challenges of Selling a Property with Deferred Maintenance

Choosing the best path forward for the sale was complex. The home had deferred maintenance and a title abatement, and a traditional on-market approach wasn’t the right fit.

Instead of pushing against those challenges, we leaned into the vision—showing the home as-is with the build plans front and center.

Why an Off-Market Strategy Was the Right Solution

We positioned the property in front of contractors and investors who had the experience, bandwidth, and capital to truly see its potential.

By going off market and targeting the right audience, we were able to create a successful outcome—selling 16% over asking—that honored the home’s past while opening the door to its next chapter.

Selling a Home Doesn’t Have to Be One-Size-Fits-All

Every home, and every situation, is different. Sometimes the best results come from stepping away from the traditional playbook and creating a strategy that fits the reality of the property and the seller’s life circumstances.

If you’re ever facing a complicated sale—or purchase—of your own, I’m always happy to talk through your options.

Client Review

Jess Rucker was nothing short of exceptional in selling our San Francisco home — and I don’t say that lightly.

Ours was a uniquely complicated transaction: we were overseas for the entire process, the property had an abatement on the title, and it came with approved designs and plans for an additional level plus a full renovation. From day one, Jess handled every moving part with total professionalism, precision, and calm confidence. She didn’t just “manage the sale” — she quarterbacked it.

What truly set Jess apart was how far beyond the standard agent role she went. She marketed the home brilliantly to a very specific buyer audience — serious investors and contractors who understood the value of the project and could execute on it. She also worked directly with the City of San Francisco to help finalize logistics around getting the plans completed and stamped for approval, which was a huge lift and made a real difference in positioning the property.

Throughout the entire process, Jess was thorough, responsive, and relentlessly proactive. We always felt informed, protected, and prioritized — it was clear our best interests were her number one focus at every stage.

If you need a top-tier agent who can handle complexity, communicate clearly, and deliver results — whether you’re buying or selling — we wholeheartedly recommend Jess Rucker. She’s the real deal.