Case Study · Redwood City · 2024 to 2026

416 Quartz Street

A 1924 cottage on a rare flat 10,000 square foot lot, rebuilt from the studs up and sold for $3.8 million two years after we bought it for $1.72 million.

$1,720,000Purchased June 2024

$3,800,000Sold Sept 2026

1,820 → 2,901Approx. square feet

3/2 → 4/3.5Beds and baths

11Offers beaten at purchase

Before and after

Down to the studs

Nearly every major component was replaced. Here are the pages from my before and after book, Snapshots from the Road, in order: the original 1924 cottage, the demolition, the new framing and excavated lower level, and the finished home. Scroll sideways to turn the pages.

416 Quartz before: aerial view and original backyard — **Before**The original cottage from above, and the dirt backyard as we bought it in June 2024.

Original living room with pink carpet and covered porch — **Before**The original living room, pink carpet and all, plus the old covered porch.

Original backyard patio and rear of the house — **Before**The rear of the house and the concrete patio. The flat 10,000 sq ft lot was the whole opportunity.

Demolition with skid steer and the house opened up — **Demolition**Heavy equipment on site and the shell opened up. The old roof, windows and interior came out.

Framing exposed under the house — **Down to the studs**Nothing left but framing. New shear walls, hold downs and foundation work went in from here.

Rear framing and the cleared lot — **Structure**The rear wall reframed with new window openings and the lot graded for what comes next.

Four views: original home, new slab, excavation and lower level — **Excavation**From the original cottage to a new slab and an excavated lower level. This is where the extra square footage came from.

New sheathing on the front of the house — **Structure**Fresh sheathing on the front with the new lower level garage opening below.

New roof and stucco base coat over the lower level — **Rebuilding**New roof on, stucco base coat going up, and the backyard slab ready for pavers.

Roof underlayment and side yard drainage work — **Systems**Roof underlayment and the new side yard drainage and waterproofing system that protects the foundation.

Pavers staged in the backyard — **Hardscape**Pallets of pavers staged for the walkways, patio and driveway.

Balcony waterproofing and interior drywall — **Interior**Balcony waterproofing outside, new drywall and insulation inside.

Finished lower patio with new stairs — **Lower level**The covered lower patio with new stairs, railings and pavers taking shape.

Drainage work and the new front entry — **The bones too**Perforated drainage pipe on the side yard, and the new front entry with stucco and a modern door.

New upper deck with railing — **Outdoor living**The new upper deck and railing looking out over the backyard.

Kitchen island being installed — **Kitchen**The stone island goes in under the new soaring ceilings and open layout.

Aerial view of the finished home — **After**The finished home from above: new roof, new decks, pavers and a fresh lawn on the big flat lot.

Finished deck at sunset and the lighted stairs — **After**Sunset on the new deck, and the lighted stairs to the lower patio.

Backyard with fire pit at twilight — **After**The fire pit, lawn and paver patio at twilight.

Finished rear exterior at twilight — **Quality craftsmanship**Move in ready and turnkey: modern construction quality with Peninsula convenience.

Joseph Suarez Realtor, Redwood City 2026 — **Redwood City, 2026**Thanks for following along.

416 Quartz, Redwood City: Snapshots from the Road, 2024 to 2026. 21 pages. Square footage figures throughout are approximate.

The story

Finding the opportunity

It is not every day you find a flat lot over 10,000 square feet in Redwood City. In spring 2024 this 1924 home came to market as a 3 bed, 2 bath, approximately 1,820 square foot house with the original pink carpet still in place. The house was dated, but the lot, the location minutes from downtown and Caltrain, and the R10000 zoning made it a once in a while opportunity.

I brought it to a group of investor clients I work with, and we beat 11 other offers with creative terms and hyper local market insight. We closed on June 21, 2024 at $1,720,000, and the plan from day one was a full rebuild rather than a cosmetic flip.

Spring 2024Listed as a 3 bed, 2 bath original 1924 cottage on a 10,000 sq ft lot
June 21, 2024Closed at $1,720,000 for my investor clients, beating 11 other offers
Summer 2024 to Spring 2026Permitted down to the studs rebuild, lower level excavation and full systems replacement
June 2026Launched to market as a 4 bed, 3.5 bath, 2,901 sq ft home
Sept 24, 2026Sold for $3,800,000. I represented both the seller and the buyer

One year after the purchase: the 1,800 sq ft house was already becoming 2,800 plus sq ft of new living space.

What we did

The work, room by room and system by system

Every upgrade was fully permitted, which is what gives the next owner the peace of mind of new construction in an established neighborhood.

Structure

Framing, shear walls, roof, windows, stucco. The house was stripped to the studs and rebuilt with new engineered framing and hold downs, a new composition roof, new windows, new insulation and new stucco.

Lower level excavation

A brand new level under the house. New foundation and slab, and flexible living quarters with outside access. This is where the extra square footage came from.

Systems

Nothing behind the walls is original. New main panel and subpanel, multi zone central HVAC, upgraded plumbing, new water heater, side yard drainage and waterproofing, and a Level 2 EV hookup.

Kitchen and baths

All new. Gourmet kitchen with a stone island and gas range; every bathroom remodeled with new cabinetry, stone counters and fixtures, including an oversized tub in the primary.

Interior finishes

Soaring ceilings and an open plan. New wood flooring, doors, trim and paint throughout, plus a fireplace insert in the living room.

Outdoor living

Decks, pavers, fire pit, lawn. New decks and railings, paver walkways and patios, lighted stairs and a fresh lawn on the big flat lot. Still a 2 car garage.

Bringing it to market

The videos

I documented the project on Instagram from the first teaser to the open houses. Here are the videos I made about the house.

Coming soon teaser, late 2025, while the exterior was still being finished.

Final check in with the contractors before launch.

The listing video: completely reimagined, nearly every component brand new and fully permitted.

Open house weekend, and taking offers soon.

The result

Sold for $3,800,000

416 Quartz closed on September 24, 2026 at $3,800,000, with me representing both my investor clients on the sale and the buyers who now call it home.

From a $1,720,000 purchase to a $3,800,000 sale in just over two years, the project turned an approximately 1,820 square foot 1924 cottage into an approximately 2,901 square foot, 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath home that delivers the quality of new construction while keeping the character and established setting of its neighborhood.

The lesson is the same one I share with every investor and every seller: the best deals go to the people who can see the possibilities, and who you work with truly matters.

Congratulations to my buyers and seller. It was an honor to represent you both.

The finished home

Twilight and interior photos

Professional listing photos from the summer 2026 launch. Tap any photo to open it full size.

Twilight

The finished front at twilight: new stucco, wood accents, lighted entry stairs and paver driveway.

Upper deck seating with the backyard beyond.

The lower paver patio off the new lower level.

The rear elevation at dusk, two full levels of living.

Fire pit, lawn and lighting at twilight.

Curved lawn and fire pit from the back of the lot.

Interior

Entry and great room with white oak floors and soaring ceilings.

Living room with fireplace insert and big new windows.

The gourmet kitchen: stone island, gas range and custom cabinetry.

Kitchen island with counter seating, open to the dining area.

Dining area with sliders to the deck.

Family room off the kitchen.

Primary bedroom with direct outdoor access.

Primary bath: double vanity, oversized tub and stall shower.

Stairs down to the newly excavated lower level.

Lower level living space, flexible for guests, family or an office.

Lower level bedroom.

Lower level bath with freestanding tub.

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Joseph Suarez, Coldwell Banker Burlingame · DRE 02085594 · (650) 678-7056. Sale data from MLSListings, MLS numbers ML81968984 and ML82057602. Square footage and lot size figures are approximations taken from MLS and public records and may not be exact; buyers should verify independently.