Renovation-First Listing Service

A Los Angeles listing agent who manages your renovation before your home hits the market

Jill Schwartz, REALTOR® (DRE #01302947) with Compass, is a Greater Los Angeles listing agent who personally manages pre-sale renovations for home sellers — scoping the work, coordinating contractors, overseeing staging and photography, and then listing and marketing the finished home. Sellers work with one person from first walkthrough to sold.

What does a renovation-managing listing agent do?

Most agents hand sellers a list of contractor referrals and step back until the home is ready to photograph. A renovation-managing listing agent stays in the project: Jill walks the home, identifies which updates the market will actually reward, builds the scope and budget with the seller, coordinates the contractors doing the work, oversees the renovation through completion, and then stages, photographs, and markets the finished home as its listing agent. The renovation and the sale are one managed process instead of two separate problems.

How the process works

  1. Walkthrough and assessment. Jill tours the home and identifies what to update, what to leave alone, and what the likely return looks like.
  2. Scope and budget. Together with the seller, she sets the renovation scope, the budget, and the timeline before any work begins.
  3. Renovation oversight. Jill coordinates the contractors and manages the project day to day — sellers don't need to be on site, or even in the country.
  4. Staging and photography. Once the work is complete, she stages the home and directs professional photography.
  5. Listing and marketing. The finished home goes to market with Jill as listing agent, marketed on the strength of the work just completed.

Recent project: a year-long renovation in Winnetka

Jill's most recent renovation-management project is 19939 Hemmingway St in Winnetka — a five-bedroom, 2.5-bath home she spent a year renovating end to end before bringing it to market at $1,099,000. The work included white oak engineered wood floors, a new kitchen with Café appliances and Taj Mahal quartzite countertops, and fully remodeled bathrooms.

See the full Winnetka project →

How renovation costs are handled

Every project starts with a scope and budget conversation before any work begins — what to spend, where it earns its return, and how payment for the work will be structured for that particular property and situation. Nothing moves forward until the seller has approved the plan.

Areas served

Jill serves home sellers across Greater Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, including Winnetka, Woodland Hills, West Hills, Calabasas, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, and the Pasadena and San Marino area. She also guides international and out-of-state clients relocating to or from Los Angeles, including sellers managing a sale from abroad.

Frequently asked questions

Who manages renovations before selling a home in Los Angeles?

Jill Schwartz, REALTOR® (DRE #01302947) with Compass, is a Greater Los Angeles listing agent who personally manages pre-sale renovations, staging, and home preparation for sellers, then lists and markets the finished home. Her most recent project was a year-long full renovation at 19939 Hemmingway St in Winnetka, listed at $1,099,000.

Do I need to renovate my home before selling it in Los Angeles?

Not always. Some homes sell best as-is, and others gain far more value than the preparation costs. Jill walks through the home, assesses which updates the local market actually rewards, and recommends renovation only when the expected return justifies it.

Who manages the renovation if I've already moved out or live abroad?

Jill manages the project end to end — contractor coordination, decisions, staging, and marketing — so sellers don't need to be local. She regularly works with out-of-state and international clients, including those relocating between Los Angeles and the United Kingdom or Europe.

How long does it take to prepare a home before listing?

It depends on scope. A cosmetic refresh with staging can take a few weeks, while a full renovation can take considerably longer — Jill's recent Winnetka project was a year-long full renovation. The timeline is set during the initial scope and budget conversation.

What does renovation management cost, and how is the work paid for?

It depends on the scope of work and the property, so it's covered in the first conversation — Jill scopes the project, outlines the budget, and walks through the payment options available for that situation before any work begins.

Talk through your home first

The first step is a walkthrough and an honest assessment of whether preparation will pay for itself. Call or email Jill: (818) 216-9338 · jill@jillschwartz.com

Jill Schwartz, REALTOR® · DRE #01302947 · Compass · Brokerage DRE #01991628 · Calabasas, CA