You don’t have to be selling Owning & improving your home
You don’t need to be getting ready to sell to have a real-estate question. These answers are for decisions homeowners make while they’re still living in and enjoying the house.
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Which home improvements actually matter to Palo Alto buyers?
Light, flow to the garden, and a house that’s clearly cared for tend to matter more to buyers here than new finishes. What that means for the projects you’re weighing while you still live in the house.
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Should I ask a real estate agent before a major remodel?
An architect tells you what can be built. I can tell you what buyers here respond to, before the money is spent. One conversation, no selling plans required.
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Arborist, gardener or landscaper — which do I need in Palo Alto?
Who keeps the garden, who builds it, and who looks after the trees — and the Palo Alto tree rules to know before anyone picks up a saw.
Maggie Ma Keller Williams Palo Alto · DRE #02117367 Last updated
Maggie is a licensed California real estate agent (DRE #02117367), not an architect, contractor, engineer, arborist or tax adviser. These answers give a real-estate perspective and a plain-English reading of published rules, current as of the date on the page. Confirm tree and permit questions with the City of Palo Alto before work begins.
Live around here?
A helpful connection, close to home.
Whether you’re tackling a repair, planning a project, or looking for an extra hand, I’m happy to share local contacts. Tell me what you need, and I’ll send the relevant names and contact details. You’re welcome to ask even if a move isn’t on your mind.
These are professionals I’ve worked with or who have come highly recommended to me. There’s no charge for the introductions, and you would hire any provider directly.
On its way. Thank you—your request is in. I’ll review what you need and follow up with the contacts. Thank you—the names are in your inbox now. If anything you asked for isn’t there yet, I’ll follow up on it myself.
Not planning to sell? That’s fine.
Curious how your home fits today’s market?
Sometimes homeowners simply want a current perspective on the house they’ve lived in for years — how it fits today’s market, what I would or wouldn’t change, or what recent nearby sales may mean for it.
I’m happy to stop by and give you my perspective. No need to prepare the house, and no selling timeline required.
I’m happy to stop by and give you my perspective. No need to prepare the house, and no selling timeline required.
Ask Maggie to take a look →
Thank you. I’ll take a look at your address and reach out personally. And truly — there’s no need to get the house ready for me.
— Maggie